Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board - Roles & Responsibilities

Advisory Board Responsibilities (2004 to present)

• Member, Executive Committee, Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board
• Chair, Neighborhoods Committee: organize monthly meetings for Board and community members on a range of subjects including: community revitalization, public health, public safety, emergency preparedness, environmental protection, affordable housing, homelessness, parks and recreation, community arts and entertainment, senior citizens issues, immigrant issues, and education.
• Member, Commercial and Economic Development, and Transportation and Pedestrian Safety Committees
• Founder, Silver Spring Neighborhoods Online

Advisory Board Representation: Presently representing the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board at

• the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services Advisory Committee;
• the Northwest Park Oakview Weed & Seed Steering Committee; and
• the Silver Spring Town Center Inc. Board of Directors.

Some Accomplishments
• Bylaws Revisions leading to establishment of the Board’s Secretary position and our Board's development review process.
• Contributions to the Board’s public outreach through Letters to the Editor about Civic building funding; Veterans Plaza, etc.
• Historic recognition of the Lyttonsville community.
• Establishment of the “Silver Spring Neighborhoods” Blog.
• Strengthening the Weed and Seed Program and its Steering Committee
• Enhanced cooperation with the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.
• Enhanced cooperation with the Director and staff of the Silver Spring Regional Center

Community Building. Have organized (with Victor Salazar) the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board’s Community Forum on Youth Violence and Gangs (Sligo Middle School), and (with Muriel Bowser, now D.C Councilwoman) the Community Forum on Emergency Preparedness at Montgomery College. Helped to organize the Advisory Board’s Community Forum on Veterans Plaza (Roundhouse Theatre).

Helped organize the Avery Park Apartments Tenants (Community) Association, and the Northwest Park Athletic Association.

Extending Outreach. Have raised the Board’s profile in the community by supporting such projects as the Long Branch Task Force, the Long Branch Advisory Committee, the Silver Spring/Montgomery County Thanksgiving Day Parade, Magical Montgomery, the South Silver Spring Block Party, the Long Branch Earth Day “Clean the Creek” program, Long Branch Unity Day, the Annual Neighborhood Night Out Observance, and the Long Branch and Northwest Park/Oakview Weed & Seed Programs.

Have substantially increased the Board’s outreach to the following civic associations: Sligo Branview, East Silver Spring, Seven Oaks, Park Hills, Indian Spring, North Four Corners, South Four Corners, North Hills of Sligo, Woodside, Woodside Forest, Woodside Park, South Silver Spring, Avery Park Tenants Association, Oakview Citizens Association, Long Branch Neighborhood Initiative, Lyttonsville Civic Association, Takoma Langley Community Development Authority, and the Takoma CSAFE program.

Strengthening Community Partnerships. Have developed strong working relationships with, among others organizations, Impact Silver Spring, Montgomery Coalition for the Homeless, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Silver Spring Historical Society, Montgomery Preservation, Inc., Anacostia Watershed Society, Friends of Sligo Creek, Long Branch Business League, Casa de Maryland, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Depts. of Public Works and Transportation, Housing and Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, and Health and Human Services, the Mary’s Center, and Washington Adventist Hospital.

Have strengthened ties between the Advisory Board and Prezco, the Presidents’ Council of Downtown Silver Spring Civic Associations, the Montgomery County Civic Federation, and the Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Board.

Public and Community Advocacy. During my tenure, I have effectively advocated for:

• More police officers and community policing in the 3rd District
• More attention to affordable housing issues
• Environmental sustainability: clean air and water projects; recycling projects
• Effective public health services and emergency preparedness
• Historic recognition of the Lyttonsville community in Silver Spring
• Increased community input into planning and development decisions
• Increased focus on transportation and pedestrian safety issues.
• Increased focus on small business issues
• Increased tenant participation in community affairs
• Increased immigrant participation in community affairs.
• Greater sensitivity to historic preservation and heritage tourism.
• Community building in Long Branch, Northwest Park Oakview, and South Silver Spring.
• Community outreach regarding proposed renovation of the Sligo Creek Golf Course; new Coleville Road Arts and Entertainment project, Purple Line modes and alignments.

The Neighborhoods Committee’s minutes are located here:

Neighborhoods Committee Online: 2007-2008 Minutes and Annual Report