 PilieroMazza’s Sarah L. Nash, a partner in the Firm’s Labor & Employment Group, provided an overview of recent legal developments in vaccine and mask mandates and their implications for employers engaged in the federal sector. This program will be of interest to professionals who manage compliance requirements for their company.
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MCCC's Infrastructure and Land Use Committee met on November 9, 2021, where they were joined by Adam Ducker, CEO of RCLCO, a leading real estate firm based in Bethesda. Mr. Ducker talked about the dynamics that have driven real estate in Montgomery County, including an aging population as compared to that of Northern Virginia. Montgomery County should seek ways to attract younger residents and workers if it is to compete in the future. Mr. Ducker noted that job density is highly disaggregated in Montgomery County, which may be another risk. The County’s retail real estate market, according to Mr. Ducker, has weathered COVID-19 pandemic better than many other markets around the county. Part of the reason is that the County is not over-retailed, which is a problem in other suburban counties around the nation. Mr. Ducker commented on the future of office space, as well, sharing that he thought the post-pandemic employee trends may put down demand pressure on office space, but this is likely to happen slowly as businesses reconsider their in-person office needs. He said high-quality offices and locations will do well, but buildings that were struggling with relevance pre-pandemic will continue to experience pressure.  MCCC’s Legislative Affairs Committee held a meeting on October 14, 2021, where they were joined by Maryland Delegate Kathleen Dumais. Delegate Dumais represents District 15 in Montgomery County and is the Vice-Chair of the House Economic Matters Committee.
Delegate Dumais, a member of the House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Workgroup, provided a briefing on the expected efforts by the Maryland General Assembly to legalize the use of recreational cannabis. This topic is one of the issues that will dominate the news cycle during the upcoming 2022 Legislative Session. Economic Development Committee Briefing: MCEDC's Efforts to Create a Comprehensive Economic Strategy10/6/2021
MCCC’s Economic Development Committee met on October 6, 2021 to hear a presentation on the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s (MCEDC) efforts to create a Comprehensive Economic Strategy (CES). Providing the presentation were MCEDC’s Bill Tompkins, Executive VP and COO, Brad Stewart, SVP of Business Development, and Nadia Khan, Counsel and Special Projects Manager. MCEDC is tasked with putting together a new five-year strategic economic development plan for Montgomery County, which is due by December 31, 2021. The CES is focused on addressing several issues, including housing, workforce development, and business development while including a plan for a diversified and thriving economy, racial and social equity, innovation, and environmental sustainability. MCEDC also engaged MCCC members in a listening session to get input and direction on key issues and economic development priorities. View the powerpoint below: 
 On September 15, 2021, MCCC held a joint Economic Development Committee/Legislative Affairs Committee meeting focused on what happens next for 5G in Montgomery County. Joining the joint committee meeting were Councilmember Hans Riemer, Ashlie Greenspan, Public Affairs Manager, Crown Castle and LaTara Harris, Regional Director, External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T. After several years of deliberation, the Montgomery County Council passed a zoning text amendment (ZTA) that creates a regulatory pathway to the adoption and installation of 5G technologies. Councilmember Riemer, the sponsor of ZTA 19-07, said that it was important to move Montgomery County forward by allowing 5G technologies. Panelists noted that these new technologies not only provide great connectivity and faster Internet speeds, but they help close the digital divide. They also pave the way for smart cities technology and improved telehealth capabilities. There are still challenges that remain with the implementation of 5G, including the lack of local authority to allow microtrenching, which is a quicker and less disruptive construction method for installing fiber to support 5G technologies. The Chamber is a longtime supporter of 5G technologies and will continue to advocate in support of this issue.   MCCC’s Infrastructure and Land Use Committee met on September 14, 2021. This meeting featured a discussion with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regarding the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) legislation and how it relates to the County’s proposed Climate Action Plan. DEP Director Adam Ortiz provided remarks along with Lindsey Shaw, Manager of Energy and Sustainability Programs, Stan Edwards, Chief of DEP’s Energy, Climate and Compliance Division, and Emily Curley, Commercial Energy Program Manager. To meet long-term County energy performance standards, the BEPS bill expands the number of buildings covered by benchmarking requirements. Currently, the only jurisdictions that have BEPS are Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Missouri, New York City, and Washington State. The Chamber advocated that the Montgomery County Council make several amendments to the BEPS bill, including a delayed implementation of 18 months while the County recovers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. View the powerpoint presented below.
 On July 14, 2021, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Affairs Committee welcomed guest speaker Richard Madaleno, Chief Administrative Officer for County Executive Marc Elrich.
Madaleno focused his remarks on COVID-19, the County's budget, and the County Executive's policy priorities. He shared that Montgomery County has vaccinated 91% of eligible residents with at least one dose, which is vital to economic recovery. The unemployment rate in Montgomery County prior to the pandemic was hovering around 3.1%. It peaked at 8.6% after the start of the pandemic and now sits at 5.6%. On November 2, 2020, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure and Land Use Committee held a meeting featuring a briefing on the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Plan.
Guest speakers were Montgomery County (MD) Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson and Montgomery Planning staff. A discussion regarding the future of Montgomery County followed.  Left: Mark Penn, President & Managing Partner, The Stagwell Group Right, Top: Leslie Ford Weber, MCCC Immediate Past Board Chair and Director of Campus, Government & Community Affairs, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Right, Bottom: Gigi Godwin, MCCC President & CEO Immediately following our September Board of Directors Meeting, Mark Penn (President & Managing Partner, The Stagwell Group) and John Gerzema (CEO, The Harris Poll) provided a special presentation to MCCC's Board of Directors, members, and invited guests. The presentation was titled, "America... In the Next 90 Days: Latest Consumer Data and Insight from The Harris Poll.
This presentation was moderated by Leslie Ford Weber, Immediate Past Board Chair and Director of Campus, Government, & Community Affairs, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine.  On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, the MCCC Board of Directors hosted a Health System CEOs Panel, joined by:
This panel was moderated by MCCC Board Member Bridget Plummer, Director of Operations for Urgent Care Services, Adventist HealthCare. |
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