THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION EMPLOYEE NEWS A UpdateBI-COUNTY COMMISSION SERVING MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES VOLUME XXIV • ISSUE 4 WWW.MNCPPC.ORG APRIL 2015 M-NCPPC Celebrates National Look Inside Women’s History Month with a Luncheon at Newton White Mansion Staff and guests gathered at Newton White Man- Prince George's Planning Updates sion on Monday, March 16 to celebrate Women's History Citizens' Handbook Month. The event began with Executive Director Patricia .............................................................page 3 Colihan Barney's opening remarks and a welcome by M-NCPPC Vice-Chair Casey Anderson. Commissioner Year-End Purchasing Reminders Marye Wells-Harley performed Mistress of Ceremonies .............................................................page 3 duties. Attendees were treated to lunch and, in keep- ing with the national theme of "Weaving the Stories of Montgomery Parks In-Service Training Women's Lives," guests got to enjoy a weaving demon- stration and interactive weaving activities. Presentations .............................................................page 4 were given by A. Shuanise Washington, Prince George’s County Commissioner, Natali Fani-Gonzalez, Montgom- Health and Benefits Update ery County Commissioner and Maureen Dougherty, Ph.D., ........................................................pages 6-7 Visiting Professor and Program Coordinator, Community College of Baltimore County (Catonsville). ERS LifeTimes The committee provided interactive displays for at- ...........................................................page 10 tendees to experience various types of weaving looms. Participants were invited to write their names on strips of fabric, which were then woven into a shawl on a giant community loom. The shawl was presented to Commis- See Women's History, page 2 The deadline for submissions to the next issue of Update is close of business Friday, May 1. Thank you! Welcome to the Commission Contribute to Update! Update welcomes the following Do you have personal news to employees who joined the ranks of the Montgomery County Department of share? Recently married? Engaged? M-NCPPC in March 2015: Parks Had a baby? Won an award? Jenay Brown, Edward Glover, Em- Has anything happened in your ily Mitchell. Daniel Gerrie, Erin Division/Department lately that you Davis think is newsworthy? Let Update know and we’ll con- sider it for an upcoming edition of our Montgomery County Department of monthly employee newsletter. Dead- Planning line for submissions for the upcoming Prince George’s County Department Michael Sharp issue is always listed on the front page of Parks and Recreation of the most recent issue of Update. David Marshall, Kelvin Smith, Rob- Finance Department ert Verbsky, Derrick Perry, Kevin TaPrece Williams Please send your notice to: Napier, Eric Kaika [email protected]; 301-454-1718 (fax); Update Editor, 4th floor, EOB (interof- Women's History Month fice mail); OR Clockwise from [email protected] right: Executive Director Patricia We’re looking forward to hearing Barney welcomes from you! guests to the event, Katrina Williams EMPLOYEE NEWS and Lisa Dupree demonstrate weav- ing; Commissioner Marye Wells- Update Harley models the THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL community-woven CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING shawl. Photos by COMMISSION Cassie Hayden. Elizabeth M. Hewlett Chairman Casey Anderson Vice-Chairman Montgomery County Prince George’s County Norman Dreyfuss Dorothy F. Bailey Natali Fani-Gonzalez Manuel R. Geraldo Amy Presley John P. Shoaff Marye Wells-Harley A. Shuanise Washington Patricia Colihan Barney Executive Director Joseph Zimmerman Secretary-Treasurer Adrian R. Gardner General Counsel Women's History, from page 1 UPDATE Thanks go to members of the 2015 Executive Office Building sioner Marye Wells-Harley in appreci- Women’s History Committee for an 6611 Kenilworth Avenue outstanding program: Toni Abresch, Riverdale, MD 20737 ation of her efforts for establishing the 301-454-1733 agency-wide Women’s History Event, Co-Chair, Brenda Barge, Ellen Brous, Evette Cordell, Lisa Dupree, Editor: James Adams and nurturing its continued success. Staff Contributors: Melissa Chotiner, Andrea Davey, After these lively speakers, presenta- Tanya Hedgepeth, Co-Chair, Arnita Abbigail Irelan, Anika Jackson, Kira Calm Lewis, tions and demonstrations, M-NCPPC Jackson, Amberlace Moore, Mary- Anita Pesses, Tricia Swann Production/Distribution: Chair Elizabeth M. Hewlett presented beth Oquinn, Anjali Sood, Melissa Nakiia Buyck, Bill Sumler, Lawana Bush closing remarks before bidding every- Thompkins, Ivy Thompson and Update reserves the right to accept, reject and/or one farewell. Katrina Williams. edit any materials submitted for publication. Update 2 April 2015 Prince George’s Planning Updates Guide To Planning, Zoning And Development Review The Prince George’s County Plan- ning Department has released a new, updated version of its popular Citizen’s Handbook, a guide to planning, zon- ing, and development review activities in Prince George’s County. Offered as a unique learning tool for County residents, the Citizen’s Handbook provides helpful informa- tion on the rules, regulations, and policies governing land use planning and development in the County, and highlights the ways that citizens can become better involved at every level of the planning process. The Citizen’s Handbook also outlines the roles and Photo by Ryan Craun responsibilities of the various branches Interested users can take a virtual of County government and the pro- “Whether you are a resident, tour of the Citizen’s Handbook by cesses for public comment at each property owner, or member of the clicking http://www.pgplanning.org/ stage of the development process, and business community, this handbook Resources/Citizen_s_Handbook.htm. describes the fundamental tools used is designed to provide easy-to-un- A print version is also available for to guide regulations and procedures derstand information and resources downloading from the site, or from in planning and development for the to become a partner in planning our M-NCPPC’s Prince George's County County. County’s communities to stimulate economic vitality and improve the Planning Department Planning Infor- quality of life,” said M-NCPPC Chair- mation Services, located in Room L2 man Elizabeth M. Hewlett. of the County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro. Year-End Reminders from Purchasing The first day of Spring will be declared an emergency by a Depart- • Contracts, Amendments and upon us very soon and you know what ment Head or Deputy Director and Change Orders must be received that means … it’s time to get ready for approved by the Secretary-Treasurer. in Central Purchasing no later than the Fiscal Year 2015 closing! Below Any RQ documents not finalized Monday, June 15, 2015. Completed is the schedule for the Fiscal Year to purchase order by June 30, 2015 contracts require the signature of the 2015 closing: will be recorded in FY 2016. Please Executive Director, the Secretary- remember that in the Lawson (Infor) Treasurer and the vendor. Please • Requirements for all competitive System, the due date for the item or allow sufficient time to finalize the solicitations (e.g., Invitation for Bids, service on the requisition determines processing of these documents by June Multi-Steps and Requests for Propos- which fiscal year the funds will be en- 26, 2015. Documents which have not als) must be received no later than cumbered in. Requisitions with a due been completely processed by June Friday, April 10, 2015. This does not date on or before June 30, 2015 will be 26, 2015 will be encumbered in Fiscal include solicitations for CIP projects. encumbered in FY 2015. Requisitions Year 2016. • Requisitions $10,000 and over with a due date beginning July 1, 2015 Thanks to all of you, Fiscal Year must be entered into the Requisition will be encumbered in FY 2016. 2014 was a very smooth closing. Cen- Center, approved and received in Cen- • Purchase Orders (including those tral Purchasing is looking forward to tral Purchasing’s inbox no later than issued in the Departments for $10,000 working with you to make Fiscal Year Friday, June 12, 2015. Requisitions and under) must be posted by June 30, 2015 the best closing ever! received after June 12, 2015 will be 2015 in order to be encumbered in Fis- If you have any questions, please processed in Fiscal Year 2016 unless cal Year 2015. feel free to contact the Central Pur- chasing Division at 301-454-1600. Update 3 April 2015 Ten Highlights of the 2015 Montgomery Parks In-Service Training Season From January through March each the Garment District in New York Casey Anderson and newest Plan- year, hundreds of Montgomery County City for a while to survive? ning Board Member Natali Fani- Department of Parks employees attend 5. Senior Mechanic Pierre Gagne Gonzalez; Parks Directorate Mike In-Service Training (IST) sessions, shared valuable information on the Riley, John Nissel, Mitra Pedoeem; featuring exceptional speakers and care and storage of equipment and the Parks Division Chiefs; present- Subject Matter Experts on a variety vehicles, encouraging the audience ers named above as well as from of work-related and work/life balance to also be stewards of the Depart- the Sustainability Committee: Ellen topics. ment’s resources, so they can last Bennett, Christine McGrew, Geof- longer and perform better. frey Mason, Brian Souders; and Park Here are some of the highlights of the 6. We