City has not heard how much federal CARES funding it will get from county
By Dan Schere
| Published:
Gaithersburg is set to enter its second phase of reopening during the COVID-19 health crisis on July 6, which includes several recreational facilities and additional city services.
Gaithersburg is on a separate reopening schedule from Montgomery County, which implemented its second phase on June 19. The city notes on its website that services and programs “may not be restored at the same pace as the county’s.”
According to a press release from the city, the city’s phase 2 reopening includes:
- The resumption of walk-in services at City Hall, the police station and the city’s activity center. The city cautions that hours might be limited, and there might be fewer employees.
- The reopening of The Water Park at Bohrer Park to members only. Water slides and splash pools will stay closed, and lockers will not be available.
- Skate Park reopens for its School of Skate and Open Skate Wednesday programs. Entry is first come, first served, and visitors must bring their own equipment.
- Miniature golf will take place Wednesday through Sunday starting July 8. Entry is first come, first served.
- Athletic fields will open for use by permit on June 27.
- Farmers markets at Casey Community Center and in the Kentlands will resume on Thursdays and Saturdays, respectively.
- The city’s FunZones summer camp program will operate July 20 to Aug. 14.
City officials caution that the use of recreational facilities is only allowed if people can maintain social distancing.
Gaithersburg entered phase 1 on June 15, which included the lifting of some restrictions on access to city buildings, although visitors are generally only allowed by appointment.
Additionally, the first phase allowed walkers and bikers to use city parks and recreational facilities. People have been able to use playgrounds if they maintain social distancing.
The city has yet to receive word on how much it will receive out of the $183 million in funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, that the county received.
“We do not yet have a number from the County as to what will be allocated to the municipalities, but we were very happy to get an agreement from them, in principle, that municipalities should get some share of that funding for COVID-related expenses,” Mayor Jud Ashman wrote in an email to Bethesda Beat Tuesday evening.
Ashman, Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart told the County Council they were frustrated with the lack of communication to municipalities on how much CARES funding their municipalities will get.
Gaithersburg, Rockville and Takoma Park all have populations of fewer than 500,000 people, which means they are not eligible for direct CARES funding.
Separately, Gaithersburg is receiving a $265,900 community development block grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the CARES Act. That funding will be used for helping micro-businesses, housing assistance and job training/retraining.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@bethesdamagazine.com
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