WINGS Scholarship Breakfast tickets are on SALE now!

Women In Government Service (WINGS) is moving rapidly toward its first annual Scholarship Breakfast. WINGS needs YOUR help to make this breakfast a success. WINGS Scholarship Breakfast is Wednesday, June 28, 2015, at 8:30 am at the Ocean City Convention Center, Room 215. Tickets are ONLY $35, and the guest speaker is the Honorable C. Gail Bassette, Secretary of Maryland General Services.

The scholarships funds are used to send two women to the MML Summer Convention each year. The women selected are women that have not attended an MML convention or conference or women that are NOT sponsored by their municipality.

The scholarship pays for MML Convention registration, hotel, and meals at the Convention. So far, WINGS has sponsored more than six women to the MML Convention and most of those women have gone on to serve on MML committees or become mayors in their municipalities.

WINGS is an active organization, and its Executive Committee meets monthly via teleconference to act on and carry out WINGS business. For more information, visit WINGS website:http://www.womeningovernmentservice.com/ of you may visit WINGS on Facebook.

WINGS will also honor a few municipal women a the Scholarship Breakfast and recognize its sponsors.

TICKETS may be purchased by sending your check or money order to Councilmember Vivian Viviana Jackson, c/o Town of Colmar Manor
3701 Lawrence St, Colmar Manor, MD 20722, (301) 277-4920.

EVERY vote COUNTS ! NOT REGISTERED? Register and vote the same day during early Voting.

OKAY, you meant to register to vote in this year's election, but just did not get around to it! Shame on you, but NO WORRIES! YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE and VOTE during this year's early voting process April 14-April 21. No, excuse for not VOTING!

Pepco Residential Customers in Maryland Receive First of Two $50 Bill Credits from Exelon Merger Commitment

Pepco Residential Customers in Maryland
Receive First of Two $50 Bill Credits from Exelon Merger Commitment

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 12, 2016) – Starting today, Pepco Maryland residential customers will receive the first of two $50 bill credits as a result of the merger between Exelon and Pepco Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Pepco. The more than $50 million in credits will be distributed in two $50 installments – one now and one a year from now - for Pepco customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

The credits will be automatically applied to each household’s bill as part of a broader package of benefits that will make energy more affordable for Pepco Maryland customers as a direct result of the merger. The credits are applied to the bill balance and will be reflected on each customer’s bill. Information about bill credits for Pepco customers who live in the District of Columbia, as well as for Delmarva Power and Atlantic City Electric customers, will be forthcoming.

“I am pleased that our valued customers are beginning to realize the important benefits of the merger," said Donna Cooper, Pepco region president. “This is only the beginning of the direct benefits that our customers will receive which is in the millions of dollars. In addition to funding residential customer credits, we are investing tens of millions of dollars for energy efficiency, with a defined emphasis on customers who are most in need. We have set new higher reliability requirements and will continue to provide over $6 million over the next 10 years in charitable contributions to local nonprofits.”

Other merger benefits for Pepco customers in Maryland include:
· $31.5 million for energy efficiency, including 20 percent for low-income customers.
· $14.4 million to establish a Green Energy Fund to stimulate investment in sustainable solutions.
· $5 million worth of loans for development of renewable energy in Montgomery County.
· Pilot microgrid projects in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
· $1.2 million to Prince George’s County and $1.7 million to Montgomery County for workforce development.
· Debt forgiveness for residential customers with debts more than two years old.
· Maintain annual charitable contribution level in Maryland of more than $656,000 for 10 years.
· Development of 10 MW of solar generation in Pepco Maryland service territory-5MW each in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.


Exelon and Pepco Holdings completed their merger transaction on March 23, following the approval of the merger by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. The merger has brought together Exelon’s three electric and gas utilities — BGE, ComEd and PECO — and Pepco Holdings’ three electric and gas utilities — Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco — to create the leading mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility company.

                                                                                               ####

About Pepco: Pepco, a public utility owned by Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), provides safe and reliable energy to more than 815,000 electric delivery customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

---------------------------------------------------
Jerry Pasternak | Vice President

Pepco | Government Affairs & Public Policy
701 Ninth Street N.W. | Washington, DC 20068
o: 202-872-2524 | f: 202-872-2032
jpasternak@pepco.com | pepco.com

Mount Rainier hires new City Manager, Miranda Braatz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 7, 2016

For information contact: Interim City Manager. Larry Hughes

Email: lhughes@mountrainiermd.org,                                                                Phone: 301-985-6585       

PRESS RELEASE

MOUNT RAINIER, MD, ANNOUNCES A NEW CITY MANAGER

~ Mount Rainier’s nationwide search for their ideal city manager comes to an end. ~

Mount Rainier, MD ----- The Mayor and City Council welcome the new City Manager, Ms. Miranda Braatz, who will officially assume office on May 2, 2016.
“We found someone whose record of initiative and vision is a great fit with the City Council’s hopes for the community,” Councilmember Jesse Christopherson said. “She’s been dynamic and fully engaged in improving all the places she has worked.”

Mayor Malinda Miles said she was impressed with the city manager applications gathered by the Novak Consulting Group. “There was a great pool of candidates with experience running cities all across the country. The four finalists were so impressive we could have done well with any one of them,” she said.

But she said Braatz’s local ties and experience were a strong factor in the decision to hire her.

“She knows municipalities and she knows Prince George’s County,” Miles said. “To know where to go for information and resources is a major advantage when advocating for our residents.”

At her previous job as assistant city administrator in New Carrollton, Md., Braatz founded the Economic Development Department and created an incentive program to revitalize the city center.

“Just like in Mount Rainier, the challenge in New Carrollton was to bring as much positive change as possible while maintaining the character of the community,” Braatz said. “The Council and I want Mount Rainier to see economic progress and keep its identity at the same time.”

Councilmember Tracy Loh said Braatz is a “dynamic rising star” in Prince George’s County public administration. “Her economic development experience is going to be invaluable to us because Mount Rainier is in a critical development phase,” she said.

Braatz also has experience with annexation, capital improvement, and charter revisions, which are priorities for the current mayor and Council.  
“We have been in a sort of holding pattern since [former City Manager] Jeannelle Wallace left us last summer,” Christopherson said. “Our interim manager Larry Hughes has done a fantastic job putting out fires and preparing the city for new management. Thanks to him, the transition should be relatively smooth and Ms. Braatz will be able to focus on important issues immediately.”
The city’s manager-style government means Braatz will direct all executive functions, including supervision of the police, public works, finance, economic development, and code enforcement departments.

Councilmember Bryan Knedler said the Council will also expect her to be a leader and a focal point for the mayor and Council’s vision for the city.
“She’s going to have to tread that slippery ground between implementing the elected officials’ policy mandates and being a leader who takes ownership of the city’s direction,” Knedler said. “It’s not an easy task, but I think in Ms. Braatz we found someone who has the qualities that will make her successful.”
A city committee composed of Interim City Manager Hughes, Councilmembers Loh and Shivali Shah, and residents Michelle Lee and Tracy Velasquez was charged with creating and implementing the process for filling the city manager vacancy. Shah also organized two focus groups to get residents’ views on what makes a good city manager.

“I was really pleased with the committee’s dedication and the final outcome,” Shah said. “Ms. Braatz has a dynamic personality and residents will find that she fits in with the spirit of Mount Rainier very well. She will bring a fantastic energy to city hall.”

Braatz said she was eager to meet more Mount Rainier residents and take in their views.

“I love this area, and I am excited to work hard to implement the city’s vision of its best self,” she said.

Braatz earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from The George Washington University and a Masters of Public Administration from George Mason University.  

   

MOUNT RAINIER NEEDS YOUR HELP TODAY!

Mount Rainier has applied for a grant for its community gardens.  TO WIN, we need you to vote for my Rainier.  It's simple and easy.  Just click on the link below ONCE EVERY DAY and vote for our project.

Vote early and often...though only.once a day....

https://www.seedsofchangegrant.com/GalleryDetail.aspx?id=2286

YOUR VOTE IS A VOTE FOR A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY -- Mount Rainier, MD!

Meeting w/School Board rep and others tomorrow, Friday, 3/18 at Brentwood Town Hall 4300 39th Place Brentwood, MD 20722 -- 6:30 pm.

PGCMA Meeting tonight in Colmar Manor, Maryland

Chapter members, veteran and new, have found OMOs to be an informative and rejuvenating education session.   Please find session details below. If you do not regularly attend chapter events, and haven’t already done so, please RSVP to me so that we get better insight into our expected participants.

Topics & Speakers

Basics of Risk Management – Richard Furst of Local Government Insurance Trust

Public Information Act – Adam Snyder, MD Office of the Attorney General

Effective Meetings – The Honorable Eugene Grant, Mayor, Seat Pleasant

Open Meetings Act – Adam Snyder

Municipal Budgeting – Anthony McCann, University of Maryland College Park

WHAT: PGCMA-sponsored Orientation for Municipal Officials (OMO)

WHEN: March 17, 7p.m. (light dinner served starting 6:30 p.m.)

WHERE: Colmar Manor Town Hall 3701 Lawrence Street, Colmar Manor, MD 20722

FYI – The Mount Rainier Police non-emergency telephone line 301-985-6565 has been repaired.

HEADS UP -- Mount Rainier's police Department non-emergency telephone line 301-985-6565 is temporarily out of service.

To All – The Police Department non-emergency telephone line 301-985-6565 is temporarily out of service.   During this outage you may call 301-985-6566.  As always, the emergency 911 number should be used for police, fire or EMS emergencies.  We will notify you when Verizon has correct the outage.  We have used the website and social media to notify the community.  L.H.

Lawrence D. Hughes

City Manager

City of Mount Rainier

One Municipal Place

Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Tel : (301) 985-6585 ext: 22

Fax: (301) 985-6595

lhughes@mountrainiermd.org

HAPPY LEAP YEAR -- February 29, 2016 -- Back again Saturday, February 29, 2020!

The weather today will be sunny with highs in the mid-60s.  A cold front will move through the region late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning bringing gusty winds and rain showers.  

Our main threat this week is the potential for winter weather late Thursday night and early Friday morning.  Right now the NWS has the region at a slight risk with snowfall totals from 0.0 inches to 5 inches.  As the forecast develops, we will be sure to share any additional information if needed.  

The weekend shows no hazardous weather with mainly sunny skies.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

  

Cara Howard
Regional Planner
Prince George’s County Office of Emergency Management

Water Main break at 34th and Allison Streets. WSSC has been alerted!

Good Afternoon. Be advised that there is a water main break at the corners of 34^th  street and Allison street. WSSC has been contacted and technicians are on their way at this time to resolve the issue.

ARE YOU READY TO VOTE! Have you heard about the new voting machine process?

Mount Rainier has invited the Prince George’s County Board of Elections to hold a live demonstration of the new digital/scanning voting system on Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at City Hall from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm.  

All are invited to attend this demonstration and to bring a neighbor or friend.

A MESSAGE FROM WINGS' PRESIDENT

Since working to re-energize Women in Government Services for the past five years, I have had some of the old guard ask the question "Well why should I pay dues to WINGS, what have they done?" I could not help but LOL because that is the question I used to ask about WINGS years ago when it really was doing nothing and almost completely collapsed.

Needless to say, I had an answer, statistics, and proof of what WINGS had been doing and was doing at that time and has continued to do since then. I just found it interesting that the old guard raised the question, but had done NOTHING to help keep WINGS alive and still is doing nothing.

My Mother use to say if you live in a glass house you probably should not throw stones. WELL WINGS IS NOT A GLASS HOUSE and here is what we have been doing for the past six years.

1.           WINGS has provided the opportunity for more than six (6) women to attend the MML Summer Convention. This means that WINGS paid for hotel, registration and meals for more than six women to attend the MML Convention and network with other women.

2.           WINGS Executive Committee has met almost every month since July 2010.

3.           Written records and reports have been kept and publicized to not just the dues paying members but every elected woman that we were able to contact using the list provided by MML.

4.           WINGS has had a booth on MML's Main Street almost every year with information on WINGS, membership, scholarships, etc.

5.           A WINGS brochure has been developed and distributed during that time and is still being requested and circulated

6.           Membership cards have been developed and are distributed to all dues paying members.

7.           WINGS has a fully functioning website that is kept pretty much up-to-date, and visitors can send questions, comments and other information to WINGS leadership.

8.           WINGS has an active FACEBOOK PAGE where information is frequently posted.

9.           WINGS has a presence on the world wide web and can be googled by any interested party.

10.        Information about WINGS and WINGS activities is tweeted almost weekly.

11.        Women across Maryland are getting the message that WINGS is a viable organization even if they have not joined.

12.        Hosted a WINGS meeting at MML's summer convention EVERY YEAR! Hosted at least a few WINGS meetings at the MML Fall Conference.

WINGS Executive Board is fully functioning, and plan for the upcoming MML Summer Conference and is hosting the First Annul Breakfast on June 29, 2016, 8:30 am in Room 215 at the Ocean City Convention Center.

WINGS will be bringing two more women to Ocean City for the MML Convention.

WINGS has a booth on Main Street in booth space 707 and will be raffling off two gift baskets to two lucky winners.

AND NO WE HAVE NOT broken the bank. We have had at least one sponsor to bring two women to MML's Summer Conference.

We have had some membership dues coming in, and we have been able to negotiate terms and conditions with hotels including comp rooms.

SO WHAT HAS WINGS BEEN DOING? Looking for ways to involve more women in municipal government. Providing opportunities for women to network and carrying out the Mission and Vision of WINGS!

If you are a municipal elected woman and want the support of other women, WINGS is a good place to start. Dues are only $25. but the reward is so much greater.

Contact Councilmember Doreatha Epps, WINGS Secretary to get an application -- 3701 Lawrence Street, Colmar Manor, MD 20722. Or you may send your dues in NOW to Councilmember Vivian Jackson at the same address.

I look forward to working with you and seeing you at the MML Summer Convention Breakfast on Wednesday, June 29, 2016, at 8:30 am in Room 215!

SEE YOU THERE!

Women in Government Services (WINGS) NEEDS your Participation

What a great meeting last night with WINGS Executive Committee. Here are some of the Highlights:

WINGS will host its first Scholarship breakfast at MML's Sommer Conference ! The room number for the breakfast is 215. The date of the breakfast is Wednesday, June 29. Breakfast will begin at 8:30 am. Watch for the flyer to save the date, and PLEASE distribute. The theme for this year is "Supporting Women in Municipal Government." A guest speaker will be announced at a later date.  Tickets are $35 each and are on SALE NOW. Send money to Vivian Jackson, 3701 Lawrence Street, Colmar Manor, MD 20722.

Two scholarships are available for two women to attend the MML Summer Convention. WINGS is accepting applications from municipal women from across the State of Maryland n interested in attending the MML Summer Convention. You may request an application by emailing Mayor Malinda Miles at mayormiles@gmail.com.

WINGS will have a booth on Main Street. The Booth Number is 707. Two baskets will be raffled off -- one each day. Women joining WINGS will get a set of WINGS on the Exhibit Booth and a WINGS pin to wear on their badge.

WINGS will develop and distribute a new brochure that promotes WINGS and its activities.

Approved the Scholarship selection procedures.

Mayor Marnita King of Capitol Heights will be screening all application and making a recommendation to the Executive Committee two weeks before the close of early registration of the MMLL Summer Convention deadline.

WINGS will hold its annual elections in Ocean City at the WINGS breakfast. ALL positions are open for nominations -- president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and 11 board members to be appointed by their particular chapter. This is a change being proposed by the WINGS Executive Committee.

WINGS Executive Committee will be proposing to the membership the following Bylaw changes:

1. WINGS will change its membership base to include municipal women from across the State of Maryland

2. To increase membership and participation in WINGS decision making, that there be eleven women appointed by their chapters to serve on WINGS Executive Board and participate in monthly board meetings.

3. That WINGS will seek to ensure representation from across the State of Maryland on its Executive Committee.

NOT A MEMBER OF WINGS? You are missing an opportunity to be a part of CHANGE in government and in Maryland. There is an ever increasing number of women mayors across the state, and more and more women are serving on municipal councils that ever before.

ONE OF THOSE WOMEN COULD BE YOU!

Our schools are closed today because of the snow and ice!

 

ALERT: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 - Code Yellow - Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) – Schools and offices are closed. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL only must report to work. Código Amarillo – Todas las escuelas permanecen cerradas. Todas las oficinas permanecen cerradas. Solamente el PERSONAL DE EMERGENCIA debe reportarse al trabajo.

Bishop John B. McIntyre and the Buffalo Baptist Church Congregation

...invite you and yours to come out and celebrate Black History month with 

The Buffalo Baptist Church, Bishop John B McIntyre, Pastor

In partnership with Mayor Malinda Miles

Celebrates

Black History Month 2016

Featuring Pastor Darin Mency,

Dramatic Rendition of  “I HAVE A DREAM”

And

A Black History Month Play  -  Black Heroes From the Past

Friday, February 26 @ 7:00pm

The Artist Loft's Community Room

3100 RHODE ISLAND AVE

MT. RAINIER, MD  20712

2016 Theme: Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories

SOUL FOOD WILL BE SERVE BETWEEN 

5:30-6:30 pm

For more information call

240-507-2786

Maryland Mayors from ACROSS THE STATE held their first PRESS CONFERENCE on Highway User Revenues

On Friday, mayors from across the State of Maryland came together to ask the State Legislature and the Governor to restore HIGHWAY USER FUNDS (JURS) to municipalities. This is a critical message that has echoed across the State of Maryland since the economic downturn in 2008. For example, prior to the major cut in HURS, the City of Mount Rainier received funding in the neighborhood of $200,000+. The year the cut was made, the City received roughly $19,000.

The mayors are asking the legislature and the Governor to put this money back, not only in the budget but into the law so that it is not subject to cuts at the whim of the State Government to fund other programs or deficits.

Because of this major cut in funding, our streets and roads have suffered to the tune of more than $1,600,000, and that's just Mount Rainier! There are 157 municipalities in the State of Maryland, and all were hit with this the cut of this major revenue source.

HELP us tell our Legislators and the Governor that we need the URS fully restored and legislated so that they will be protected from future cuts!

Here is the video of the press conference with President Peter Fosselman, (Maryland Mayors Association), and President Spencer Schlosnagle (Maryland Municipal League) hosting the press conference.  Click on or copy and paste in your web address line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmcwFKs9nGM&feature=youtu.be

Thomas Stone Elementary School's Calendar Dates to Remember

Some important dates to put on your calendar!

Please save the following dates in reference to dates that can be found on the Thomas S. Stone calendar and PTO Calendar for the rest of the school year.

February - Black History Month/ Counselor Appreciation Week

February 9th - PTO Meeting 6 pm (Tuesday)

February 18th - 19th Valentines Day Dance (Thursday - Primary/Friday-Intermediate)

March - Spring Break

March 11th - Black History Play 6 pm (Friday) 

March 15th - PTO Meeting 6 pm (Tuesday) -  (Testing)

March 23rd - (Tentative) Chuck E Cheese Night

April - Spring Break

April 19th - PTO Meeting (Voting/Title I)

May - Teacher's Appreciation Week / Mother's Day (Raffle)

May 2-6th - Mother's Day Shop(Tentative)

May 5th - Staff Luncheon during Staff Meeting (Parents)

May 6th - Mother's Day Celebration

May 12th - PTO Meeting (Elections)

May 26th - Spring Concert (PTO Raffle grade level baskets)

June - Promotion/ Fun Fair

June ?? - Last PTO Meeting of the Year - (Election Results)

June 11th - PTO Fun Fair (Tentative)

June 14th - Last Day of School(Tentative)

SNOW EMERGENCY LIFTED

The snow emergency has been lifted!  All snow routes are clean and open for parking.

Although this has been a while coming, your patience, and assistance throughout has been greatly appreciated.

We are not quite back to business as usual, but we are fully open for business.

Public Works employees are still out there moving those mounds of snow and widening streets where possible.

As you can imagine, they are exhausted, but being the dedicated employees that they are, they want to see out streets CLEAN not jus passable!  So, if you get an opportunity to say thank you them, PLEASE DO SO!

34th Street has been REOPENED

34^th Street is OPEN!

Now the crew is working Rainier Avenue to Upshur and will continue working tonight until 12 midnight!

Once they finish tonight, they will return again tomorrow and possibly work until noon.