Notices from the Mayor and Council
The Grove Remembers Former Resident Doris Gordon
Doris died Monday, October 14 at the Wilson Healthcare Center at Asbury. She was 95. A memorial service will be held at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church on Saturday, November 16 at 3:00 pm. Doris and her husband Gary lived in Washington Grove for more than 50 years and raised their four sons and daughter here. Read more about Doris.
Sign up for the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Workshop!
Saturday, November 16, 9 am – noon, in person at McCathran Hall
Provided for Washington Grove residents by Leadership Montgomery, this workshop will introduce you to key concepts related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) that will enhance your ability to create an atmosphere where all community members can thrive regardless of their backgrounds and identities. You will leave with practical takeaways to implement immediately:
- Build empathy and relationships with each other to understand various backgrounds, experiences, and identities to heal ruptured relationships.
- Demonstrate a baseline understanding of DEIB concepts through a shared common language.
- Identify the impact of assumptions, stereotypes, and unconscious bias in everyday interactions and apply tools to approaches to overcome/mitigate implicit biases.
Register here by November 6. Lunch will be offered.
Attending Council Meetings via Zoom
- To view the agenda, click on “Town Council Meetings” under the “Latest Documents” heading on this page.
- To join a meeting, click here. The link to join is also available from the agenda.
- To raise your hand during a meeting,
- on a PC, click on Alt + Y at the same time
- on a Mac, click on Option + Y at the same time
Use the same combination of keys to lower your hand once you’ve had your say.
Want to write the Mayor and Council about Whatever’s on Your Mind?
There’s a NEW Way to Do It!
Starting immediately, should you wish to write the mayor and council, you can send your message to a single email address: [email protected]. Your message will be automatically redirected from that single email address to the addresses of the mayor, all councilors, the Town Clerk and the Town Web Manager (for posting on this page of the website). PLEASE PUT THE CONTENT OF YOUR LETTER IN AN ATTACHMENT TO THE EMAIL (Word or PDF), NOT IN THE EMAIL ITSELF. View more detailed information on the Written Testimony and Correspondence from Town Residents to the Town Council page.
Choo Choo! Time for Toys for Tots
Starting November 5th, Washington Grove will again be collecting new, unwrapped toys and books for children, from toddlers to age 12. Please leave toys in the Toys for Tots box in the carport at 204 Ridge Road. Text Terri Johnson with questions. The donation deadline is Friday, December 13. Washington Grove has been very generous in the past! Let’s do it again this year.
Upcoming Events
In the Grove…
- Saturday, November 9, 9 am – 12:00 noon: Fall Work Day in the East Woods. Please join the Woods Committee in removing/repositioning tree stakes and repairing small box-enclosures to protect young and recently planted trees. Meet at the intersection of Center Street and the Maple Avenue Trail. Dress for the weather including wearing waterproof boots and using work gloves. Bring a rake and clippers, if you have them. Please call Joan Mahaffey or Patty Klein if you are able to come.
- Saturday, November 16, 9 am – 12:00 noon: An Education Opportunity for Residents: “Introduction to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging”. Offered to all residents, this three-hour educational training will be led by Leadership Montgomery. To learn more and to register, see the entry above under “Notices from the Mayor and Council”.
- Saturday, November 23: Bulk Trash Pickup. Materials may include furniture, appliances (nothing with Freon like air-conditioning units or refrigerators), rugs, large toys, small auto parts, etc. Material may NOT include construction by-products from your renovation projects, large automotive parts, or tires. Items should not contain gasoline or motor oil. Please keep your metal separate from the rest of your trash.
- Weekly Events:
- Tuesdays, 6 – 7 pm, McCathran Hall: An all-levels slow-flow yoga class with Ingeborg McCright. RSVP to Eva Patrone and bring a waiver form (PDF) to your first class. Classes are free to Grove residents, with a suggested donation of $5-$10, and are $10 for non-residents. Ingeborg accepts cash or check. Learn more here.
- Wednesdays, 11 – 12:15 pm, McCathran Hall: Tai chi with Claire Rosser. Sessions are free to all. Learn more here.
… and Nearby
Casey Community Center Farmers Market
Every Thursday through November 30, 11 – 2:30 pm: Enjoy some fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables; come get some eggs, beef or pork ready to put on the grill; bring home some savory homemade breads or artisan sweets; get some fresh ground coffee. See their food truck calendar and learn more about the market. Casey Community Center, 810 South Frederick Avenue.
Composting the Town’s Leaves
Did you know? The Sustainability Committee has been piloting an effort to compost the Town’s leaves with a couple of invaluable assists from:
- the Town’s contractor, RJ Landscaping, which collects, mulches, and delivers the leaves to the test site near the town maintenance building, and
- the King Farm Safeway Starbucks, which served as the chief donor of used coffee grounds. The grounds increase the nitrogen content, helping to balance the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio that is necessary for effective decomposition.
Last year, the committee “harvested” roughly 2,500 pounds of shredded leaves and 400 pounds of coffee grounds. Compost created at the test site is being used to nourish the community garden and was also applied to the beds around the Town Hall and to protect several town trees. After these distributions, if compost remains, the committee will offer it to town residents. The overall goals are to improve soil health and water-holding capacity, enhance plant growth, and reduce greenhouse gas production associated with leaf management.
Town Bulletins
Older Town Bulletins:
- Bulletins dated March 2022 or older are available here or here
- Bulletins dated April 2022 or later are available here.
Town Council Meetings: Agendas, Minutes, Recordings, Transcripts
- November 2, 2024 Special Meeting on Meadow Restoration
- Minutes – not yet available
- Recording (on YouTube) – not yet available
- Transcript (.txt file) – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)
- October 2024 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Recording (on YouTube)
- Transcript (.txt file)
- Agenda (PDF)
- September 2024 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Recording (on YouTube)
- Transcript (.txt file)
- Agenda (PDF)
- August 13, 2024 Special Meeting to Discuss Stormwater Infrastructure Management RFP
- Minutes – not yet available
- Statement to Close the Meeting (PDF)
- Recording (on YouTube) – unavailable due to closed session
- Transcript (.txt file) – unavailable due to closed session
- Agenda (PDF)
- August 12, 2024 Meeting
- Minutes (PDF)
- Recording (on YouTube)
- Transcript (.txt file)
- AI-Generated Summary (PDF) Note: Posting this summary, generated by Zoom AI, is not intended to replace the minutes. Since the content of this document is AI-generated, it may be inaccurate or misleading. It is posted solely as a convenience, and will be removed once the minutes have been posted.
- Agenda (PDF)
- July 30, 2024 Special Meeting to Discuss Stormwater Infrastructure Management RFP
- Minutes – not yet available
- Statement to Close the Meeting (PDF)
- Recording (on YouTube) – unavailable due to closed session
- Transcript (.txt file) – unavailable due to closed session
- Agenda (PDF)
- July 8, 2024 Meeting
Should you wish to review draft minutes, or view a recording or read a transcript of a meeting that occurred prior to 2024, please contact the town clerk or the mayor. Older agendas and minutes can be found on the Agendas and Minutes of the Town Council and Commissions page. You can view all recordings of Council meetings, beginning in 2024, on the Town Council meetings playlist of our YouTube channel.
Historic Preservation Commission
- August 2024 Meeting
- July 2024 Meeting
- June 2024 Meeting
Older agendas and minutes can be found on the Agendas and Minutes of the Town Council and Commissions page.
Planning Commission
- October 2024 Meeting
- Minutes – not yet available
- Agenda (PDF)
- September 2024 Meeting
- August 22, 2024 Meeting
- August 7, 2024 Meeting
Older agendas and minutes can be found on the Agendas and Minutes of the Town Council and Commissions page.
Contact Information
Mayor and Town Councilors and their Areas of Responsibility
Mayor
John Compton
240-432-5700
[email protected]
The Mayor is responsible for all intergovernmental relationships and activities.
Need to contact the Town Office at 301-926-2256, or email the Office at [email protected]. Want to write the mayor and all councilors? Please write to [email protected].
Contracts
Rob Gilmore
Dog Park
Mary Warfield
Emergency Preparedness and Safety
Kriss Grisham
Forestry and Beautification (includes memorials)
Barbara Raimondo
Gateway
Peter Nagrod
Historic Preservation Commission
Barbara Raimondo
Lake
Mary Warfield
Lighting
Kriss Grisham
Maintenance Coordination
Peter Nagrod
Maryland Municipal League
John Compton
McCathran Hall
Kriss Grisham
Montgomery Municipal Cable
John Compton
Planning Commission
Peter Nagrod
Racial and Social Equity
Rob Gilmore
Recreational Events/Committee/Facilities (Woodward Park, Playground and Tennis Courts)
Eva Patrone
Roads
Rob Gilmore
Shady Grove Crossing
Rob Gilmore
Shared Use Path
Barbara Raimondo
Sustainability
Mary Warfield
Walkways
Peter Nagrod
Washington Grove Conservation Park (Upper Meadow) and Piedmont Crossing Local Park (Lower Meadow)
Kriss Grisham
Website and Communications
Barbara Raimondo
Woods
Eva Patrone
Town Office Contact Info; Notaries
McCathran Hall
300 Grove Avenue
PO Box 216
Washington Grove, Maryland
20880-0216
- Phone: 301-926-2256
- Email: [email protected]
- Rental Information
Town Office
Located in the lower wing of McCathran Hall, the office is usually open 9:30am – 12:30pm; and 1:00pm – 5:00pm. Town Clerk Kathy Lehman is available to answer your questions. Please drop by, call the office at 301-926-2256 or send an email to [email protected].
Notaries
Contact Amanda Roberts.
Staff Directory
Clerk
Kathryn L. Lehman
301-926-2256
[email protected]
Treasurer
Jean Moyer
301-775-1168
[email protected]
Boards and Commissions
Board of Supervisors of Elections
Nick Suzich, Supervisor
Mary Blake, Observer
Margaret Cavenagh
Joe Clark
Dave Hix
Board of Zoning Appeals
Satoshi Amagai
Charlie Challstrom
Kathie Evans
Historic Preservation Commission
Bob Booher, Chair
Robert Gilmore, Council Liaison
Bill Earl
Wendy Harris
David Stopak
Mimi Styles
Samantha Suzich, Alternate
Planning Commission
Georgette Cole, Chair
Peter Nagrod, Council Liaison
Sung Chang, Alternate
Jonathan Dail
Sylvie Favret
Robert Johnson
Volunteer Committees
Dog Park
Liz Gillanders, Chair
Forestry & Beautification (F&B)
Georgette Cole, Chair
Gateway
Jonathan Dail, Chair
Lake
Tom Land, Chair
Lighting
Virginia Quesada, Chair
Recreation
Lisa Bielen, Co-Chair
Kristina Kough, Co-Chair
Sustainability
Bob Booher, Chair
Woods
Patrice Klein, Co-Chair
Joan Mahaffey, Co-Chair
How do I… ?
- Send an email or letter to the Mayor and Councilors?
- Get a free PO box?
- Find recommendations for a good plumber, orthopedist or other service professional?
- Report an emergency (downed trees, water main breaks, downed electric wires) or a maintenance issue?
- Set up a Zoom meeting?
- Get a rebate for planting a native tree in my yard?
- Remove the limb of a tree on town property that is hanging over my house?
- Report a nonworking streetlight to PEPCO?
- Reserve McCathran Hall?
- Get a permit for a house addition?
- Reserve the lake for a private party?
- Get my pooch registered so we can use the dog park?
- Reserve the soccer field?
- Find out how I can fish at the lake?
Get Your Covid Tests Here!
You can order four free at-home COVID-19 tests at special.usps.com/testkits.
Apply Now for Rebates on Electric Leaf Blower Purchases
As of July 1, MoCo has banned the sale of all gasoline-powered leaf blowers and vacuums (be they backpack, handheld, or walk-behind).
Moreover, the use of such equipment will be banned beginning July 1, 2025, with a $500 penalty for each violation. To encourage compliance, the county is offering a rebate on the purchase of certain models of electric leaf blowers (and their associated batteries and chargers) until funds run out. Act fast to benefit from this offer.
Apply for a rebate voucher here and please talk with anyone who helps you with yardwork about the new leaf-blowing rules and about the county’s rebates for help with the cost of replacing their old leaf blowers with new electric equipment.
Local Transportation
MARC Brunswick Line: View the schedule and map | View alerts
MTA Bus from Shady Grove station to BWI Airport: View the schedule and map
Ride-On Bus: View maps and schedules for nearby routes: Route 57 | Route 61
Metrorail: Trip Planner View all alerts: Weekday | Weekend
Transit nerds: Check out MetroHero’s data on the operational performance in real time of Metrorail | MARC trains | Ride On bus routes. MetroHero also displays real-time “where’s my train?” maps for the Red Line.