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What's Happening MoCo?
An authentic, unscripted update from County Cable Montgomery highlighting items that help residents of Montgomery County. This program will feature interviews with elected officials, employees, public servants, and residents. This program is produced by the Office of Community Engagement from the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Services. Interviews are recorded live and presented with very few edits to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the conversations.
What's Happening MoCo?
What's Happening at MACo 2024? - Pt. 2 County Executive Elrich & Councilmembers Luedke and Albornoz
Curious about how AI can revolutionize local government? Join us in this episode of "What's Happening MoCo" as we sit down with Marc Elrich, the County Executive of Montgomery County, live from the MACo Conference in Ocean City, Maryland. Learn firsthand how attending these conferences can spark innovative ideas and collaborations. Marc shares his insights on the transformative power of AI technology in enhancing county operations and the inspiring innovation boot camps that empower frontline workers to propose impactful improvements.
Learn about Council Member Gabe Albornoz’s legislative journey, particularly his efforts to combat ghost guns, and Councilmember Dawn Lutke's support of an innovative "Drone as First Responder" program to improve public safety. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, this episode promises a comprehensive overview of the people and initiatives steering Montgomery County toward a brighter future. Tune in to explore how local governance meets cutting-edge innovation and community well-being.
Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo, an authentic unscripted podcast from your Montgomery County government. Now here's your host, derek Kenney.
Speaker 2:Good day and welcome to what's Happening, MoCo. We have a very special guest here at the MAKO Conference in Ocean City, Maryland. We're here with Mark Elridge, the leader for the county of Montgomery County. How are you doing, sir? I'm fine, All right as county executive. Why is it important to come to conferences like MAKO and connect with colleagues and peers and leaders from across?
Speaker 3:Maryland. It's a combination of things. I think all of us are dealing with similar issues, and so you get an opportunity to talk to people about how they're dealing with it, what they think are solutions for them. I spend a lot of time talking to people who are either vendors here, because we're looking for what new technology we can find, what we can bring back to the county that would make us more efficient, more productive.
Speaker 2:So there's a lot here. What type of technology have you seen so far that might have potential? Not necessarily the vendors, but type of technology.
Speaker 3:Well, the stuff that's most interesting is probably around the AI circle, because we're all going into AI. The county's about to release its internal guidance for the rules for the use of ai in the county, but they're amazing use cases, and we're beginning to see people talk about use cases that actually make people more productive, get more accurate information faster, the ability to integrate data in a level we've never been able to do before, so I can geek out on this for a long time.
Speaker 2:And you really can. You seem to be an early adopter when it comes to new technologies. What are some of the ways you use AI personally to help you be more efficient?
Speaker 3:Well, I've looked at. I ask you questions like I look at what are the best best practices for procurement? What are the I've asked it housing questions? Wow, we're working on redoing our solid waste facility.
Speaker 3:We're going to be moving toward collecting food waste, and so I've been looking at digesters which you know what are the most efficient digesters, or the digesters yet that are doing hydrogen, or are they just methane right now? So I'm trying to find out what's in the landscape out there and then I can bring information to people in my departments who can say. So this is something you can follow up on.
Speaker 2:And not only are you embracing innovation and technology when it comes to just literally technology, software solutions or computer learning, you also have an innovation boot camp, so to speak, for the county. Talk a little bit about that, and how is that helping improve the work environment for employees and departments?
Speaker 3:So we run these boot camps, so to speak, with county employees. They do it a couple times a year and we put cohorts of 30 or more people through these and basically people are given the opportunity to pick a problem in their department that they know is not efficient, that it could be improved, and then they design improvements and then they present the improvements to the group of innovators and also to the departments themselves. So it's a way for us to use the knowledge that people on the front lines of work get from having the lived experience of having to do the work and to see them come up with solutions that save time, make their jobs more efficient. So I've from the beginning felt that we don't use frontline workers enough. We rely on people who don't do the job every day. But we've got people who actually do the job every day and they might have ideas on how to do it better.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, how about that? It's a concept.
Speaker 3:Look, I come out of. I worked in a co-op and it was a worker-managed co-op, so I've seen what the benefits are of worker management and giving workers a greater role in determining how you go about your work processes, and I think it can work in what was a private sector kind of entity. I think it can work in a public entity.
Speaker 2:Yes, certainly, certainly. What other ways or what other things do you see on the horizon in terms of your goals for the county coming into this new fiscal year?
Speaker 3:So one of the discussions I've had down here is uh, the county, as we're increasing our waste recycling, um has to deal with a better way of dealing with plastics in montgomery county. So we have a coincident interest with the plastics industry and the people who do all the bottling, because they know that they're they're the target for the source of all this waste. Yeah, so they're beginning to make changes and now is in their interest to work with us to help us accumulate recycled plastics, for example, so they can use them to make the new bottles. So so there are, there are things that I've talked about with folks in the industry down here, that kind of like the discussion I couldn't have a few years ago kind of a recognition that we're going to have to have a collective participation in the solution as opposed to just the government doing it.
Speaker 2:Wow, so we have a little insight into the future when it comes to collaboration and improving the recycling processes and reducing the amount of plastics in our environment and in our bodies right. I talked recently with the climate officer for the county. She's been here for about seven months or so, or maybe ten months. What brought about the creation of that position, if it is new, and then what do you envision for that to help us do in the county?
Speaker 3:So it's not new. It's new with my administration and the goal is to help us educate people about climate change and things we need to do in the county work with community groups out there that want to do education or want to do local projects help accumulate information on what you know.
Speaker 4:Kind of like me what are the new things you see?
Speaker 3:what's happening that? We haven't thought about doing before what's happening that we haven't thought about doing before. So she's a big part of making it real for the public and also giving people an opportunity to have a role instead of just being government-driven. The most powerful spokespeople, for example, for why you should put solar panels on, are not the government. They're people who've actually put solar panels on. Your neighbor who walks out and shows you their Pepco bill solar panels on, are not the government?
Speaker 3:They're people who've actually put solar panels on your neighbor who walks out and shows you their PEPCO bill. My PEPCO bill is drastically reduced because I have solar panels on my house. I couldn't get a full load on because of the trees around me I live off of Sligo Creek but it's a significant amount of money that it saved me and these things will definitely pay for themselves.
Speaker 2:Shameless Blood. Sligo Creek. Sligo Creek Golf Course one of the best walkable courses in Maryland, I would like to say, and I love that course, shout out to Sligo Creek. They've been doing a lot of great things. They fixed their driveway and they're taking great treatment of their courses. So Sham, shameless plug. You live in a great area, very rich, full of foliage, and when it comes to the environment, you are a man that embodies the policies that you're putting out there. You mentioned that you have the solar panels. Yep, but do you also drive? How do you? I have an EV. You have an EV car.
Speaker 3:Okay, I have I changed my gas stove to an induction stove. Okay, I changed my gas stove to an induction stove. I changed my water heater from a gas water heater to an electric heat pump water heater. I did all this in the last six months I've got radiators.
Speaker 3:I'm looking for an air to hot water heat pump that I can heat the water from my, the water from my radiators and move that and shut down that natural gas consumer. So I keep telling people. If I'm telling people they need to do this, yeah, I kind of have to do it myself, yeah, and you are doing it yourself, which I think says a lot.
Speaker 2:It's not do, do I say not as I do it's. It's setting an example from the top so the people can see that you know you asked me to involve residents, including the county executive. What is it that you would like people to know? I think people are aware of some of your policies and some of the initiatives that you've written, but you're also a very interesting person that has a lot of love for Montgomery County, maryland. What are some of the things that you love most about the county?
Speaker 3:Some of the things that you love most about the county. So you know, I grew up in DC until I was 10. And I came to the county around 1960. So I've been here 65 years.
Speaker 3:It's frightening to say I've been here a long time and I always felt I have traveled pretty much all the lower 48 states. I've been to some of my favorite theoretical cities like Boston, new York, san Francisco, denver. There's still no place like this area and there's something cosmopolitan about it. There's something about the amount of information that's available here, the wealth of not just different cultures, but you know it's. It has a vibrant musical scene, not just the county but beyond the county. You can live here and you get that.
Speaker 3:I grew up in the days when montgomery county didn't have bars and had nothing open after 12 so I did all my nightlife in dc or northern Virginia, but I still came back here and to me there's no place else in the country where you get news the way you get it in DC, and when I was away I'd always feel like I don't want to be away from Washington because I want to know what's going on in the world and I always feel when I'm here you're connected into all that. It's important.
Speaker 2:Speaking of being connected to the world, you've been taking a few trips to share and learn. Share about what you do in Montgomery County, but also learn from other municipalities across the world. Where have you gone and what have you learned from some of those peers across the world?
Speaker 3:So we went to Taiwan first last year and the first thing that struck us was the level of technological implementation that doesn't exist here. And you see, all the things that they're doing the sensors and the ability to detect floods, which we're now doing but all these things that they are very much on the cutting edge of, but all these things that they are very much on the cutting edge of. We've done a lot of meetings with people around biotech and so what we've found which we kind of knew, which is why we went over there is that every country wants to get into the US market. So if you've got a drug or a medical device, you want it here. Because even in China, which is another place we went, even though there are multiples of our size, the market is actually larger.
Speaker 3:There's more disposable income here. There's more money available to buy things that people need here in Montgomery County. So people want to get through FDA, which is here. They like the idea of having NIH as a resource. We're the third largest life sciences center. There is a whole lot of stuff about Montgomery County that makes it important to other people and we've not been well known. We've not really haven't had much of an international presence. By comparison, fairfax County has not only an international presence. They have people who work for the county in economic development. They have seven of them overseas in Asia and Europe. So we're just scratching the surface of what we need to do.
Speaker 3:I keep telling people there's a lot of stuff that Fairfax does right. We need to replicate it. Because you can't look at their success and then ignore what they've done to be successful.
Speaker 2:And we can implement some of those things and do it even better.
Speaker 3:So you asked where else we went. So after Taiwan last spring a year ago we went to India and Vietnam and so we've got relationships there with some of the universities. We've had companies already come over from India so we're already trying to get startups over here. Then last spring, this spring, we went back to Taiwan and continued to meet with people, met with the universities there. Two universities are interested in getting space near the Institute for Health Computing because they want to tie into that.
Speaker 2:Nice.
Speaker 3:And then we went to South Korea and China, wow, okay, and we found companies in both places that are interested in expanding here. So one company we met with which had research in Montgomery County, is now going to bring manufacturing to Montgomery County.
Speaker 3:So, we've talked to companies about, you know, adding manufacturing to things they want to do here. So you get an idea where we're basically trying to market the strengths of this county and take them international the things they want to do here. So you get an idea where we're basically trying to market the strengths of this county and take them international.
Speaker 2:So we've talked a bit about economic development, technology, talking about employees, efficiencies, innovation. What are some of the other passions that you have in terms of this next coming year? What are some of the other areas that you're looking at improving around the county?
Speaker 3:The big elephant in the room is our transportation system, metro. You know it's important for Montgomery County because it takes people ultimately into the DC, but our internal transportation, in terms of how you move through the county, is a lot weaker. And we have really a large ride-on system but it's stuck in traffic all the time so it's essential for people to use, but we could build a more sufficient system. So we've been working toward building bus rapid transit. We're starting to get it looks like some of the first federal money which we should be getting ready for and we're working on.
Speaker 3:you know, my goal is to change the tax structure on commercial property in Montgomery County, the one that's more like Virginia's and less. What we do today. Theirs actually raises more money for the county than anything we do. Their counties are bathed in money from their special taxing districts. People always say Montgomery County is a high-tax place. That's like total misinformation. If you're a private developer and you're in Fairfax County in Tyson's Corner, your property taxes are $1.52. They're $1.04 over here, Okay.
Speaker 3:You know it's like they have really strong tax programs and they use the money to build infrastructure. And all this was supported by the developers because they needed infrastructure. They couldn't do the development they wanted to do without it. So their tax dollars make it possible. They don't use the money, can't use it for schools, can't use it for social programs. It has to be focused on infrastructure and we want the ability to do the same thing here. And Maryland doesn't allow counties to have that authority. Municipalities have the authority, counties don't have the authority. So we're trying to get to the point that we're able to raise money more effectively, not put ourselves in a situation where we always have to increase taxes on residents, because there are paths forward where we don't increase taxes on residents. We have some proposals that might actually reduce taxes. So we're looking to try to make it a fairer tax system and a more productive tax system All right.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so much for being here. I know you have a busy schedule here at the MAKO conference as you take a step away. Is there anything else that you'd like just to say to John Q Montgomery, average resident, as you look forward into the FY25 or the calendar?
Speaker 3:year 25?.
Speaker 3:I think you know the county's doing a lot of stuff that it hadn't done before. We're much more aggressive on the economic development front. We're really aware that you cannot have more good things unless you generate the revenues to have those good things. And you know the least painful way to generate revenues is to bring about economic growth here. But we're really focused. You know the least painful way to generate revenues is to bring about economic growth here, but we're really focused. You know it's not just another building and another business. We're looking for businesses that bring decent wages and opportunities for people, because the last thing I need to do is subsidize low-wage employers.
Speaker 2:And that's what's happening at MoCo County Executive Elrich is doing great things for the residents and here at the MAKO Conference to recharge, refocus and move forward, with great things to come from Montgomery County, Maryland.
Speaker 3:Thank you, sir. That's the plan. All right, thank you what.
Speaker 2:Good day and welcome back to what's Happening, moco. We are still at the MAKO Conference, ocean City, maryland, and we are here with no one other the council member, gabe Albinos. How are you today, sir? I'm good, derek, it's great to see you again. All right, great seeing you as well, and I love social media because it allows me to be a fly on the wall and see people enjoying their lives. And I know this recently that you were able to go out and enjoy the county's treasure, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairground. How was your?
Speaker 5:experience there. It was fabulous. So I was born and raised in Montgomery County, so I've been going to that event since I was five years old.
Speaker 3:And now.
Speaker 5:To be able to extend the tradition with my kids is just couldn't be more special, and it just it gets better and better every year and it makes me so proud of our community here in Montgomery County Wonderful.
Speaker 2:And now we're at the MAKO conference, so your work hat's back on. You're refocused and you're re-energizing and learning best practices, I'd assume, towards some of the things you want to achieve in the future. What are some of the things that you're discussing with your peers and colleagues from across the state as it relates to your function as a council member?
Speaker 5:Absolutely so. I have the honor and pleasure of serving as chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, and so a lot of my policy focus areas cross over into public health, and we have no shortage of public health challenges here in the state of Maryland or in our country or, frankly, in the world right now.
Speaker 5:But one of the major issues that we're trying to tackle collectively as a state is emergency weight room times. Sadly, the state of Maryland is 50th out of 50 states in how long it takes for our residents and constituents to have to wait in emergency rooms before they are seen, and that, of course, has a cascading effect overall on public health, and sadly, montgomery County has the longest wait room times within the state, and so it's a complicated issue. We have six amazing hospitals that do really great work, but they don't have enough bed capacity. They're facing staffing shortages, and this is an issue that we're going to have to tackle holistically if we're going to make a dent.
Speaker 2:Wow, wow. So what do you see as the first step as HHS? Chair of the HHS committee, what do you see as your first step moving forward as we reconvene in?
Speaker 5:September. So there's a lot of little steps and then some big steps that we're going to have to take. Some of the little steps are we need to take better advantage of telehealth. We need to work with our primary care providers to make sure that they are fully staffed and that they're being staffed more than just five days per week, so that they don't have to turn patients to the emergency room to receive care, and a lot of what we're seeing is our uninsured or underinsured population that are being sent to the emergency rooms for issues that aren't really emergencies, and so that's taking up bed capacity. So that's the first thing that we need to do is help make sure that our primary care providers or staff the way they need to be to handle things on the front line, and that we are all taking better advantage of technology.
Speaker 5:But beyond that, one of the biggest issues that is causing this challenge is mental health. A lot of people who are having mental health crises are turning to emergency rooms and, because there are not enough treatment beds across the state, they are staying in those emergency rooms for sometimes days at a time, and that's taking up capacity too. So that's an issue that we have to work on with the state. That's a big issue that we're going to have to tackle, but it will be important. And then the other significant challenge is staffing concerns. We are still experiencing staffing shortages at the nursing and at the doctor level, and that doesn't even take into account the culturally appropriateness of that care. So we have to continue to work with our local universities, montgomery College and other professional institutes to train and hire more of these medical professionals, and we've got to make sure they're paid well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, adequate pay is a great motivator. Oh, yes, adequate pay is a great motivator. On the other side of the coin, from the slowness or, I guess, the wait times that we have in the emergency rooms, the quality of care, I guess, or the quality of health in the county is pretty good. Yes, the county has been recognized as one of the healthiest in the state Yep, well, it's not the healthiest in the state and perhaps also one of the healthiest in the state Yep, if not the healthiest in the state, then perhaps also one of the healthiest in the country. Yeah, what do you attribute that distinction for, the Montgomery County being one of the healthiest?
Speaker 5:So I think it's a few things. One, we do have a very strong public health infrastructure. In addition to the six hospitals. Montgomery County has been very progressive in providing health insurance to the uninsured within our county and that, I think, has made a difference. We also have a big emphasis on prevention and overall health and wellness. We invest a lot of time and energy and resources in our park system, our recreation department, libraries. Those all contribute to public health and I think need to be seen that way. So those are.
Speaker 5:We also work hard to make sure that the services that are provided are culturally appropriate, so that we're meeting residents where they are. That's another critical factor that I think is important. But despite how well we're doing, we know that there's still pockets of our community that are not doing as well and that unfortunately, disproportionately impacts the black and brown community and, in particular, our black community, and that's something that we as a county we're going to have to tackle. Dr Keisha Davis, our public health officer, who is tremendously talented we are so fortunate to have her here in our community. She's been doing some really great work very progressive work, very innovative work in that space, and so I think we're going to start bending the curve and some of these key health indicators soon, but we're going to have to keep working at it.
Speaker 2:All right. So HHS is is more. As you mentioned a little bit earlier, there's a lot more than physical health. It's also behavioral health and there's other elements. Uh, to hhs as well, what other areas are you? Um, are some things that you've been proud of that you've accomplished over the last year? Uh, what are some things that you're looking at targeting? Uh moving forward aside from the weight room.
Speaker 5:So the other big concern I think all of us have right now are our kids, our children and youth. You know the mental health challenges facing our country have disproportionately impacted our young people and, as the former director of the Recreation Department, this is an area that's near and dear to my heart and I'm now on the Education and Culture Committee on the council, so I am excited about the. I recently had the opportunity to meet the new superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, dr Thomas Taylor. I was immensely impressed by him and I think he has a strong and exciting vision for how to address the myriad of needs within our system, for how to address the myriad of needs within our system. So I'm spending a lot of time and energy making sure that our school system and our kids have what they need to reach their full potential.
Speaker 2:And how important is it? You mentioned the collaboration earlier, Even as a member of the education committee. How important is the collaboration between council and other entities within the county to affect?
Speaker 5:change Absolutely. It's actually the favorite part of my job.
Speaker 5:So, you know the council. It's interesting, it's when you think about it. It's sort of the intersection of the public, private, nonprofit sectors. And you know, by by virtue of where we sit and the vision that we have of the county, we're able to really see things and where the holes are. And by virtue of not just seeing where things are, we're actually in a position to be able to do something about it. But we have to do that collaboratively and creatively, because no one organization or institution or agency is going to solve all of our challenges. No one organization or institution or agency is going to solve all of our challenges. I learned a long time ago we all can't do everything, but each of us can do something to address the issues in our community.
Speaker 2:All right, Now you mentioned something interesting earlier, that you were the director for Recreation Department. Not to be confused, it's not Parks and Recreation, it's Recreation right. That's right. At what point in your service as director of the Parks and Recreation Department did you think that you needed to transition and move on to public office?
Speaker 5:So, as much as I loved working in the executive branch and I miss the executive branch from time to time, but I think I realized that for true system-wide change and sustainable system-wide change, it's really at the policy level where you've got the best shot at making that larger systemic change. And I wanted to take all of the experiences that I'd drawn as a public official, as a resident of this county, my entire life, as the son of immigrants working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. I wanted to take all of those experiences, both professional, personal and civic, and apply them to my work as a legislator. And that's what I try to do every day. And I also try to just listen, because I certainly don't have all the solutions None of us do but I think it's really important for us to authentically engage with the community and meet them where they are and then bring that information back as a policymaker Awesome.
Speaker 2:Now, speaking of policy, you've spearheaded a few policies or legislative actions during your tenure as a council member. One of those was, I think, trying to reduce the amount of ghost guns in the area yes. One of those was, I think, trying to reduce the amount of ghost guns in the area. Yes, what's a ghost gun, and how did that come about?
Speaker 5:I still find that interesting that that was something we had to deal with, which a 16-year-old boy used a ghost gun to murder in broad daylight in front of his brother, a young man in front of the Plumgar Community Center, and at that point I had heard of those guns but I didn't know very much about them, and I was shocked when I learned more about them that these are, you know, weapons that you can buy online. At the time they were almost completely unregulated and basically what happens is it comes as a kit and you put it together, has no serial number, it's mostly made out of plastic and so isn't easily tracked by metal detectors, and they're not terribly expensive.
Speaker 5:So, kids were getting their hands on these weapons and just easily assembling them and they are lethal. So luckily the federal government, through an executive order by the president, put a pause or a halt on some of the manufacturing, the marketing of this at the national level. But before that happened we were the first local jurisdiction to ban them and we did that through a zoning text amendment kind of creatively, legislatively, and then six months later the state banned them and then the federal government Now, but it is just an executive order at the federal level. So but it really needs to be made a law. There's these. These weapons have no business in our communities.
Speaker 2:Now, as you go forward into this next legislative year, I want to call it in service as a council member. What do you, what do you, what are you looking for from residents in terms of information, feedback, or what can residents do to support your work as a council member in service to them?
Speaker 5:Absolutely so well. First, we strongly encourage residents to sign up for one of the many boards and commissions we have at the county level. We need your voices and we need a diverse set of perspectives. That's important. I would also say coming to testify before the council on matters that are important to you. It's never been more easier than it is now to testify before the council. You can do it online and from home, and I also think engaging and actively participating in community meetings, civic association meetings, being informed, I think is important. I often give the correlation, more often than not, the most successful schools have very engaged parents. The same is true of a community. The most successful communities have very engaged constituents and we've had that for many years in the county, but we got to keep that going.
Speaker 2:All right, all right. Now, as we close out, is there any last words you'd like to share about Councilmember Gabe Albinol that maybe someone doesn't know? Any interesting facts or things that you think might help people better understand who you are?
Speaker 5:Sure, well, I am the proud son of immigrants and, uh, I've lived in the county my whole life, uh, and I'm proud to be raising four children here in montgomery county. My, my wife is also, uh was born in montgomery county as well. Uh, we live. Her three younger sisters all live within a half a mile from us and my in-laws live three doors from us, so this is home. Uh, it always will be, and I'm gonna do everything I can to make it the wonderful place it's been for me but for future generations.
Speaker 2:Right, and that's what's happening. Moco family first, a great place to live for now and for future generations to come. Thank you, Council Member Gabe Alvin, for also being here. Thanks for all you do too, my friend. Thank you, Appreciate it Today with what's Happening MoCo. We are at the MAKO Conference, Ocean City, Maryland, and we're here with none other than Councilmember Dawn Lutke. How are you today?
Speaker 4:Outstanding All right.
Speaker 2:It's wonderful having you here, thank you and it's great to see you outside of the county doing more. As you continue doing this, I want to call this the offseason. Yes, you know, professional athletes have an off-season. They're charged with improving their ability to do their jobs on the field more efficiently, and I guess your attendance at the MAKO conference can be no difference. How would you describe what you've learned so far at the MAKO conference?
Speaker 4:Well, I love coming to the MAKO conferences because each time I attend I'm meeting new people. And I know that sounds hard, because you're thinking, aren't you all electives and you're from these counties. But each time you end up connecting with someone in one of the presentations you're in who you might not have met before, and you then recognize you all are sharing a common interest or you're talking through things that are of a concern to them. And certainly this year it was extra fun because I got to be a presenter, which I enjoyed.
Speaker 2:Now, you said you were a presenter. What were you presenting about?
Speaker 4:Sure, we were talking about our drone as first responder program that we have in Montgomery County and also about the importance of privacy protections that need to come along with that from a legal standpoint.
Speaker 2:Well, let's talk about that. What is the drone program? What is it meant to do? And then, what are the concerns regarding privacy that you are addressing?
Speaker 4:Sure so with respect to privacy and the use of unmanned aerial, unmanned aircraft right. So a drone is an unmanned aircraft. Folks have always been wary and there's a series of cases from the United States Supreme Court over time and from our federal district courts related to use of technology and how that plays into the Fourth Amendment right and the privacy rights that we have as citizens under the Fourth Amendment. But the drone for you know, in very late, late person's terms, the drone that we have as citizens under the Fourth Amendment. But the drone for you know, in very late person terms, the drone that we have here in Montgomery County. We're drones, there's more than one. They are set to serve specific geographic areas and they are only deployed for a call for service, for certain types of calls that come in via 911 to our emergency call center.
Speaker 2:And so they're supposed to help law enforcement do their job better. Yes, how are they being used? I think I know, but I think it's good for the residents to know how they're being used. They're not armed or anything.
Speaker 4:No, no, no.
Speaker 2:How are they being used to help the police department or whomever?
Speaker 4:So I think you know sometimes we say eye in the sky, right. So if you've gotten a call for service and you know what address it is at, the drone is able to get there faster than patrol officers. Most of the time, in fact, the stats that we showed during the presentation demonstrated that our drone is able to get there in typically under 60 seconds, whoa. So once the drone is on site, often what the caller is relaying to 911 is what they have seen or perceived, but they're talking about it. It's already happened and the person may be moving. The drone is able to get visual on them and help update patrol officers as to where the suspects movements actually are going, because it's only seeing outside, right. So it's only capturing things which are outside or visible from outside, and then it's able to better identify what type of response is actually needed by our officers. Or in some cases where there might be a call saying someone possesses a weapon, yeah we've had it happen where the drone goes there and is able to hone in.
Speaker 4:It's not a weapon. In one case, it was a cell phone oh gosh right and so if somebody perceives a weapon, says it's a weapon. The call center is relying upon what the feedback is they're getting, but the drone can verify. That's actually not right. So this might be a welfare check situation because they were gesturing with it in a way that looked threatening. But it was a phone, not a gun. Oh wow, right.
Speaker 4:And so, instead of police officers coming in anticipating an armed individual, they're anticipating a situation that may be chaotic, but it's not a necessarily yeah, not even a chaotic, just a hey, let's check on that person and see if he or she may need some other help, right?
Speaker 2:Technology, like we're using technology to better public safety for residents in the county.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:How do you find this to be a best practice? Now We've started in the counties, is this going to be something that's going to be used in other jurisdictions around Maryland?
Speaker 4:So there were a lot of questions and a lot of interest from other jurisdictions at the session and I will tell you that our department has been getting lots of requests to you know. Talk about what we're doing sharing with other jurisdictions around the country. So we're we are not the first department to do this. We are, however, the largest jurisdiction in the United States to have it.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 4:Yeah, wow.
Speaker 2:So that's one major thing. I've seen quite a bit of news that's warranted about the drone program, but there's other programs that may not have gotten as much notice and notoriety, or things that you've helped to affect in terms of policy over the past few years. So what are some of the things that you're proud of that you've been a part of this last legislative session?
Speaker 4:Sure. So I'm very proud of the bill I introduced about our crisis intervention team and its responses. Responses and, as a result of the introduction of the bill, some of the stuff that was already organically happening between our Department of Health and Human Services, behavioral Health Services and our police department took a speed up right. They started working a little faster on some of the things, because we do, here in Maryland, have a crisis intervention team center of excellence within the governor's Office of Crime Prevention and you know they have set policy goals for the state. We're trying to make sure we're going to get there too, and this is a CIT, is a collaborative, interdisciplinary process and it's one part of the larger, bigger, broader landscape of mental behavioral health services that we can provide in the county.
Speaker 2:That's great. So you're talking about being able to collaborate between two of the larger departments in the county, that being the police department and HHS. Yes, how important is it for county departments because the county is kind of big to collaborate or to find synergy in certain areas to be more efficient in service?
Speaker 4:I think and this is my perspective from coming to the county from state government right.
Speaker 4:So I spent nine years in the executive branch at state government, I very much view the complexity of the problems that are facing our residents today, facing our county, our state, the nation are best served by that interdisciplinary work because there is no one entity that's going to tackle the underlying problem, and so the more you're able to listen to someone else in a different department or division who brings a different lens and expertise to the problem, the better solution you're going to affect overall.
Speaker 2:Wow, fantastic, fantastic. So this is the time of year I actually ran across you. A going to affect overall. Wow, fantastic, fantastic. So this is the time of year. I actually ran across you a couple weeks ago, maybe no earlier this week actually.
Speaker 4:At the fair Earlier this week at the fair.
Speaker 2:It's one of my favorite things to talk about and one of my favorite things to go in August, Nine best days of summer. What were you doing there? Because there's a certain thing that I guess local politicians and other leaders and members of this community are able to do.
Speaker 4:Sure, but I find it very cool. What were you there doing? And then, what else did you do that day? Yeah, so I my district covers half of our agricultural reserve in Montgomery County and Council Member Balcombe covers the other half in her district and Council Member Balcombe covers the other half in her district. But also, I mean, I grew up going to the summer fairs right, not here in Maryland, I actually grew up in New Jersey, but my mom's family is from Harrington, delaware, home of the Delaware State Fair. So I would go down there every summer and spend that time with my aunt and my cousins and my grandmother and spend two weeks trotting around the Delaware State Fair. So I love the fair. This year on Sunday there's always a 4-H parade as a part of the fair in the opening weekend, and so I was there for that, along with some of my colleagues and our counterparts within the city of Gaithersburg. But my family was there too, riding rides. They went on every spinny ride that you could go on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all the ones that make you sick, yeah, until they were green.
Speaker 4:Yeah, once the kids were green, we said I think it's time to go, and we all had fun Get up nice and tired.
Speaker 2:Take them home and have a relaxing evening. Now, speaking of green, what in the Ag Reserve? What are some of the focuses when it comes to the Ag Reserve or the agribusiness in Montgomery County?
Speaker 4:Sure, so I think you know our farmers, our producers up in the reserve are incredibly eager to work with our county and with us. We had a bill this year that had come up about agritourism, and Council Member Balcom and I sort of offered a counterpoint which ended up being the way that the body went with and that will allow for overnight stays in the ag reserve on only on properties in the reserve that are actively farmed. So it has to be not just in the ag reserve but it has to be an active farm and folks will be able to camp there.
Speaker 2:Wow, amazing, yes, amazing. So they get the full farm experience? Yes, but then also just have a nice leisurely vacation style experience yeah, in the Montgomery County Railroad. It's another part of Montgomery County right um. So what do you want to see um from residents, or what do you want to see as kind of like goals for this next next session?
Speaker 4:sure? Um well, I think there's. There's a couple of parts, right, you may be talking about the council's work, and then there's also, of course, the state legislative session, and you know, I very much view it as a part of my role to help advocate for things at the state level, because we have limited authority delegated to us as the local legislative body under our charter government. The state has the primary authority in a lot of other areas, but that doesn't mean they're not important to my constituents, that they're not coming to me about them. So one of those is, of course, traffic safety.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 4:And so there was a bill last year that Delegate Wims, greg Wims and Senator Nancy King had put in about aggressive driving aggressive, reckless and negligent driving. I want to get them all in and it ended up not moving, but it was just sort of later in the session when it was introduced. And so again in that off season, now has been the time to have those conversations and figure out how to make it better and also how to educate some other lawmakers in advance of session about what it is, what they're seeking to do and how to help and you know I'm there to help my state partners in any way they can in order to help get this across the finish line.
Speaker 2:So I don't think many people were aware that councils role in advocating to move policy at a state level and how that helps residents locally yes, that's very interesting are there other instances of that? Or are there how frequently? Is that like just a common part of what you see as a job?
Speaker 4:I think it's a common part of what I see as my job and I very much believe it's a part of my responsibility as an elected official and also as someone based on my background is to help people understand the role of local government, the role of state government, even how local government in its individual departments functions Right. So you know, lay people don't always know what is the. What is the Maryland National Capital Park and Plant Like? How does that work? What is a by-county agency?
Speaker 4:right Now here we are using all the government terms, but we really do also need to be more mindful that what is the lexicon of a local elected official or a state official may not be what, like my mom or dad, would know right, and I want to be there to answer their questions and to help break it down so that they have the tools that they need in order to advocate for themselves and feel empowered to do so.
Speaker 2:All right. All right, so thank you for all the great information, and you're now basically on recess. Yes, but is that you're working though? Yes, you're on recess, you're the active council duties, but you're still working. You're here at the micro conference. You're still working. Does the work ever stop? Do you guys get a break for council?
Speaker 4:No, so recess really just means we don't have hearings. Okay, it doesn't mean we're not working. And so you know, I feel compelled to share that because I wouldn't want somebody to think that I wasn't working. Then again, anybody who knows me well knows I'm always on in that way, right? So even if I try to turn it off, it's very hard, and I don't mean that in a bad way, in a positive way.
Speaker 2:I'm always attuned yeah, you're constantly serving and you're serving the residents of the county. You have a mission to perform, but you also have work-life balance yes okay, we don't necessarily talk about that, but I think it's good for people to know that you are, you know, taking care of yourself, that you have a life beyond counsel. I don't talk about it because we respect your privacy.
Speaker 4:No, no, you know what. One of the best things as an elected official that you can do is be normal Right, like I am mom, I am out getting my groceries. I run into folks in the grocery store who have things they want to stop and talk to me about. So sometimes grabbing a milk might take a little bit longer because I run into people. Um, but the things that I hear and the concerns that people raise, whether it's sitting on the sidelines at my kids lacrosse game or whether it's, you know, some of the kids themselves have their own things they want to ask questions about and share. Um, or like I work with our local Scouts troop. I'm a merit badge counselor, but you know they all have as part of their first class rank requirement where they have to go talk to an elected official, and you know it's kind of comical because their troop has an adult there who fits that description, so they don't have to do much logistically to make that happen.
Speaker 2:That's a great benefit, and the scouts are definitely a great resource for raising and rearing young men and women.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:Fantastic resource. As we close out, is there anything that you would want to say to residents, including how they get in touch with you and when they should try to get in touch with you? As we close out these episodes, sure, sure.
Speaker 4:Well, there's never a bad time to reach out, and so my email address is councilmemberludke L-U-E-D-T-K-E at montgomerycountymdgov. And reach out to us anytime. I do not do this alone. I have a fantastic team that I work with, so I do want to shout out to my chief of staff, aaron Kraut, who's actually here at MAKO with me, my deputy chief of staff, sarah Wolf, my senior legislative aide, caroline Davenport, and our front of house guru, doug Wallach, who actually worked with me at the AG's office before I came to council. So we have a great fun. I like to think we're a fun office and we're there for you whenever you need us.
Speaker 2:All right, so there you have it. Dawn Luthke, council member, mom, team leader, with an awesome team behind her.
Speaker 1:That's what's happening in MoCo. Thanks for listening to what's Happening, MoCo. Please subscribe via your favorite podcasting platform and follow us on Facebook. This podcast is brought to you by County Cable Montgomery, your source for news and information from the Montgomery County government. Connect with us via cable, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube by searching for County Cable MoCo.