Incoming Del. Matt Post campaigned as a fresh voice, but with appreciation for his predecessor

Matt Post, 26, is poised to represent Montgomery County’s District 14 in the Maryland General Assembly, replacing retiring Del. Pam Queen – and could become — depending on how other races go — its youngest member.

But he’s not part of a tide of young candidates who are blasting their elders.

Post told The Banner that he plans to address issues affecting his generation in particular, like the challenge of affording a first apartment, while building on the work Queen did in office.

“Calling this district home my whole life, I got to see Del. Queen’s work manifest for young people, for families in this district,” Post said. “I directly benefited as a student from the funding for community programs and rec centers that she secured.”

Post won the Democratic nomination to represent District 14 in the House of Delegates alongside current members Del. Anne Kaiser and Del. Bernice Mireku-North. He beat candidate Alicia Contreras-Donello by more than 6,000 votes.

Post entered the race to represent Damascus, Olney, Clarksburg, Burtonsville, Laytonsville and parts of Silver Spring after Queen, 66, announced her retirement last year. There is no Republican challenger for the district.

Queen has served in the House of Delegates since 2016. She was honored by the County Council with a proclamation on Tuesday.

“You get things done when you can unite people on a mission,” Queen said in her remarks.

Post told The Banner that his top priorities are “fighting for our schools and educators, fighting to lower utility bills and using every lever of power that the state has to fight back against the [Trump] administration.”

Before running for the State House, Post was the student member of the board — affectionately known as “SMOB” — on Montgomery County’s school board during the 2017-18 school year. His experiences as a student at Sherwood High School have informed his politics today and inspired him to run for House of Delegates, he said.

“I don’t want another generation to grow up in underfunded classrooms under the constant threat of gun violence in neighborhoods that they’ll never be able to afford,” Post said.

Post said that while standing outside polling sites during the primary, he spoke to several voters who had voted for him for SMOB as students and are now adults who voted for him for the House seat.

“It was a very cool feeling,” he said.

Planning board schedules hearing for Friendship Heights Sector Plan

Friendship Heights residents will soon have another chance to weigh in on the future of their neighborhood.

The Montgomery County Planning Board on Thursday voted 4-0 to approve the working draft of the Friendship Heights Sector Plan. The plan outlines recommendations for the village, the downtown area along Wisconsin Avenue and the portion of the Brookdale neighborhood east of River Road.

A two-part public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10 and Sept. 14. Residents can sign up to testify beginning Aug. 3.

After the hearing, the board will refine and take another vote on the plan. If approved, it will be sent to the County Council and executive for their own public review and approval process.

Some community members have already opposed the plan, saying the changes proposed to zoning and height limits will increase density and hurt the character of their neighborhood.

Montgomery County planners have said the sector plan’s recommendations will revitalize Friendship Heights and help transform it back into a regional retail destination.

Arts and Humanities Council seeks new faces

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is seeking applicants to serve on the newly restructured board of directors for the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. The board will be the first in its 50-year history to be appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the Montgomery County Council under a new governance structure.

These changes come after council members passed a bill in April that aims to make the board more diverse and also include more artists.

All 17 members of the board will serve three-year terms and will oversee the council‘s finances, grantmaking programs and long-term planning to support arts and humanities initiatives.

According to Elrich’s office, the board will be composed of artists, writers, scholars, and civic and cultural leaders. Appointments will reflect geographic, cultural and community diversity. Two ex-officio members will serve on the board from the county government, including one representative from the Department of Recreation.

Germantown and Kensington make cat lover list

Germantown and Kensington have made PetSmart’s annual list of the top 25 Cat-Loving Cities, according to a July 7 press release.

Germantown, new to the list this year, is ranked #18, and Kensington was ranked #23.

Cat lovers across the county can adopt a furry friend or volunteer to help animals in need with the Montgomery County Humane Society or Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center.