Local Govt Guide

LOCAL GOVERNMENT GUIDE

County Executive

  • Chief Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland
  • Address: Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville MD 20850
  • Phone: 240-777-2500
  • Incumbent: Isiah (Ike) Leggett
  • Email: ike.leggett@montgomerycountymd.gov
  • Elected by all County voters for four-year term

County Council

  • Legislative Branch of Montgomery County Government
  • Address: 100 Maryland Avenue, Council Office Building, Sixth Floor, Rockville MD 20850
  • Phone: 240-777-7900 (general number; individual Council members have their own numbers)
  • Website: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council
  • Nine members are all elected at the same time for four-year terms. Five members of the Council are elected by the voters of their respective districts. The current representative for the district including the WBCA area (Council District 1) is Roger Berliner (Democrat) (240-777-7828; councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov)
  • Four members of the Council are elected to serve at-large by all County voters.
  • Citizens can testify before the Council. See website for information on meetings, agendas and procedures for registering to speak and submit testimony, as well as information on broadcasts of Council sessions.

County Board of Education

  • This is the official policy-making body for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
  • Address: 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville MD 20850
  • Phone: 301-279-3617
  • Email: boe@mcpsmd.org  (Emails sent to this address are sent to all School Board members)
  • Web: www.mcps.k12.md.us/boe
  • There are seven members elected by County voters and one student member on the Board. One member of the Board is chosen by the Board to serve a one-year term as School Board president.
  • The Board members serve four-year terms with elections held every two years. Depending on the cycle, three or four Board positions are filled in alternating election cycles. Two Board members serve at-large and five represent the School Board district in which they live. But, all candidates (unlike the County Council) run County-wide.
  • The Superintendent of MCPS is appointed by the School Board with approval of the State Superintendent of Schools for a four-year term. The current Superintendent is Dr. Joshua Starr. His phone number is 301-279-3381.
  • Citizens can testify before the School Board at their two public meetings each month as well as at special hearings. See website for information on hearings, agendas, and broadcasts of meetings.

County Planning Board

  • This is the County body responsible for decisions on land use/zoning decisions and formulation of the County Master Plans (such as the Potomac Sub-region Master Plan governing the WBCA area)
  • Address: 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20910
  • Phone: 301-495-4600
  • Email: mcp-chairman@mncppc-mc.org
  • Web: www.mc-mncppc.org
  • The Planning Board is headed by a chairman appointed by the County Council with the consent of the County Executive for a four-year term. There are four Commissioners who have four-year terms.
  • Citizens can testify in public hearings before the Planning Board. See website for procedures.

Maryland State Government and Congress

  • Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. Both are Democrats.
  • John Delaney (Democrat) represents the WBCA area (Congressional District 6) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Those representing the WBCA area in the Maryland State Government used to be in District 15 but, effective 2014 elections, are to be in District 16.
  • For information on incumbents and contacts, see League of Women Voters website below.

For more information on relevant civic organizations and other organizations, see:

  • League of Women Voters of Montgomery County MD (12216 Parklawn Drive, Rockville MD 20852; Phone: 301-984-9585). For their website, see www.lwvmd.org and click on Montgomery County. At that site, click on “Citizens’ Handbook” for “Voter Information,” “Contacting Your Legislators,” and “Your County Government.”
  • Montgomery County Civic Federation. This nonpartisan organization was established in 1925 to serve as an umbrella organization of civic associations in Montgomery County, including WBCA. See website: www.montgomerycivic.org for contact information and background.
  • Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center. This County Center serves the Bethesda area by working with individuals, businesses, community groups, the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board and other public agencies to bring community perspective to major policy issues and identify problems. Address: 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Plaza Level, Bethesda. Phone: 240-777-8200. Website: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/bcc. Contact this office if you need help in getting County services. The director is Ken Hartman.