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. In 2017, they moved to Asbury retirement community. Gentle and principled, Doris was both deeply Christian and a gifted pianist, painter and potter.

Hear from Delegate Gabe Acevero on the “State of the District” at McCathran Hall, Saturday, October 19, 11 am – 1 pm
The Grove welcomes Delegate Gabriel Acevero, one of three delegates to the Maryland General Assemble for District 39, for his annual “State of the District” event. This year’s theme is “Sustainability and Climate Justice for All”. Officials from State and County government plus organizations involved in sustainability work are expected to participate. Planned updates include the status of environmental legislation in Maryland, Habitat for Humanity’s Emory Grove project, and Sustainable Maryland’s environmental projects.

Attending Council Meetings via Zoom
Council meetings are held at the same Zoom web address every month; click here to join a meeting.  To view the agenda, click on “Town Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes” under the “Latest Documents” heading on this page.  The link to join is also available from the agenda.

How to raise your hand in a meeting: Move your mouse on the Zoom screen until you see at the center bottom icons with words underneath them like Participants, Chat, etc.  Click on Reactions (has a smiley face above it), then on Raise hand.  A yellow raised hand will appear next to your face/name, and will disappear once the mayor has called on you.  OR use your keyboard:  on a PC, click on Alt + Y at the same time; on a Mac, click on Option + Y at the same time.  Don’t forget to lower your hand once you’ve been called on!

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 5^th, 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.

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.