Burglary Suspect Arrested
On Jan. 25, Montgomery County Police arrested a man who they say is responsible for at least two burglaries in North Potomac.
At 12 p.m., police received a call for a residential burglar alarm on the 12300 block of Pisarro Drive. Upon arrival, the officer found footprints in the snow leading up to the home, and a window broken out.
At 12:39, police say that a neighbor in the 15600 block of Ancient Oak Drive saw a suspect in the rear of a home. The neighbor confronted the suspect and the suspect ran away, say police.
Police responded, and believing that the two incidents were connected, established a perimeter in an effort to locate the suspect. An officer and police dog tracked the suspect to the 15900 block of Green Meadow Road in Gaithersburg.
Police say they learned that a man matching the description of the man the neighbor had confronted had been there earlier in the day and was told to leave.
Police then found the suspect at the intersection of Meadow View Drive and Riffle Ford Road.
Michael Velez, 22 of Gaithersburg, was charged with two counts of fourth degree burglary, three counts of trespassing, two counts of destruction of property, one count of theft under $500 and one count of possession of paraphernalia for a controlled dangerous substance. He was held on $7,500 bond.
Pyle Gets Principal
The Board of Education appointed Alan Goodwin as principal of Pyle Middle School on Feb. 10.
Goodwin, formerly an assistant principal at Whitman, has been Pyle’s acting principal since August.
Planning Board Position
The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill one position on the Montgomery County Planning Board.
Planning Board member Allison Bryant’s term expires on June 14. He has served one partial term and one full term and is eligible for another term. Bryant intends to apply for reappointment.
No more than three members of the planning board may be from the same political party. There are currently three Democrats on the board; Bryant is a Republican.
The Planning Board serves as advisor to the County Council on land use and community planning. The board reviews all new development proposals which it has the authority to approve or deny. It also reviews proposed Zoning Text Amendments, Master Plans and other development plans and advises the Council about them.
The Board also sits as the Park Commission which oversees and administers the county park system.
The Board meets all day each Thursday and the second Wednesday of each month. Two full days per week are spent in meetings. Board members are compensated at a rate of $25,000 per year.
Letters expressing an interest in the position, including a resume listing professional and civic experience should be sent to Steven Silverman, president, Montgomery County Council, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850.
The letters must be received by 5 p.m. on March 29. Interviews are scheduled to be held in June.
Golden Shovel Nominees
Nominations are being accepted for the second “Golden Shovel” awards. The award, started last year by County Councilmember Nancy Floreen (D-At Large), recognizes individuals who go above and beyond in helping clear ice and snow from County sidewalks.
Last year 100 people were nominated, and 28 of the awards were distributed. Nomination forms are available at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council. The deadline is March 15.