Leaders of two local, county-organized advisory boards testified Wednesday about funding they’d like to see added to next year’s county budget.
Jad Donohoe, chair of the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board, told council members that residents of Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac and Rockville are most interested in later hours for county libraries, better transit connections between commercial areas and more support for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center.
Donohoe’s testimony, which can be found here, pointed to installing Capital Bikeshare stations in White Flint and Twinbrook as a way to connect the separate systems in downtown Bethesda and Rockville.
Donohoe also said the Board would like to see new or expanded Ride On routes “that more directly connect our urban areas to one another including Friendship Heights/Bethesda, Bethesda/White Flint, and White Flint/Twinbrook.”
The Board regularly hears requests for more evening and weekend library hours, something Donohoe said could “play a significant role in the ‘Nighttime Economy,” of Bethesda.
Donohoe’s testimony also included a plea for additional funding above County Executive Isiah Leggett’s recommendation for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, and the other RSCs around the county. The Board specifically said the county should restore full-time administrative support in each RSC. The Regional Services Centers act as localized offices for county government.
“For many County residents and community organizations, the RSCs are their connection to County government and the proof that government is available and responsive to their concerns,” Donohoe said.
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, run by director Ken Hartman, has been working extra hard at that goal as of late. Hartman and staff also coordinate county services in the White Flint/North Bethesda area, something Francine Waters from the White Flint Downtown Advisory Committee recognized in her testimony.
Eventually, the county plans to establish offices for a separate RSC facility in the White Flint area. But for now, Waters requested $75,000 in next year’s budget for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center.
Waters said that increase from $20,000 in this year’s budget would allow the development of White Flint streetscape guidelines, contract support for promotional activities and spot improvements to the appearance of White Flint’s public right-of-way.
