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Council Selects Anderson As Next Planning Board Chair

By WTOP Staff

Casey Anderson, after being selected Planning Board chair on TuesdayThe Montgomery County Council on Tuesday selected Casey Anderson to take over as chair of the Planning Board.

The selection was approved by an 8-1 vote, with Councilmember Marc Elrich the lone member opposed.

Anderson, now a commissioner on the Planning Board, interviewed in front of the Council last week with four other candidates who all said they supported the smart growth policies that have served as the basis for recent master plans allowing for redevelopment around transit stations and urban centers.

Planning Board Commissioner Norman Dreyfuss, former Councilmember Mike Knapp, Planning Department Deputy Director Rose Krasnow and Chevy Chase activist Meredith Wellington were the other finalists in the running.

There didn’t seem to be much substantial difference between the candidates, at least not in the Council interviews. Some looked at the interest groups backing each candidate for clues.

In his application, Anderson said he would be committed to the goal of completing all sketch plan reviews for proposed development in 90 days and preliminary and site plan reviews of projects in 120 days.

Anderson also wrote that traffic tests used in master planning and project review processes “are too often in tension with the county’s job creation and community building goals,” and don’t adequately take into account pass-through traffic in Montgomery County that comes from neighboring jurisdictions.

Wellington, a Planning Board commissioner from 1999-2007, seemed to be the other candidate to garner some support on the Council. Elrich, who was said to support Wellington, did not nominate her during the Council vote on Tuesday.

She was a clear favorite of many civic and neighborhood groups in Chevy Chase. The Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights, a collection of 20 local neighborhood associations, endorsed Wellington, pointing to her work on behalf of the organizations during the Friendship Heights Sector Plan and her help in explaining the zoning rewrite.

District 1 Councilmember Roger Berliner on Monday wrote a lengthy message to people in his district who weighed in for Wellington. Berliner explained why he chose to back Anderson, first saying that he has “the greatest respect for you — and for Meredith who is a highly qualified candidate for the position.”

Here’s an excerpt of Berliner’s message:

However, there are many in our community that appear to believe that creating great urban nodes, more transit, and mixed use development is in conflict with the wonderful quality of our existing neighborhoods.  I utterly reject that premise.  I have had the privilege of representing — and fighting for — some of the finest residential neighborhoods anywhere.  And I will continue to be a vigilant defender of our neighborhoods in the years ahead.  The fundamental fact is that dynamic, urban nodes and mixed-use developments are not in conflict with wonderful residential neighborhoods — indeed, they are complementary and synergistic. One can surely look to the Edgemoor community in Bethesda to see that is true.

When I assessed the candidates for Chair that our Council met with and interviewed, a uniformly strong and impressive group, I concluded that Commissioner Anderson comes closest to holding the vision I have for our County’s future.  And I say that as a member of the Council that has not always agreed with Commissioner Anderson on some issues.  But make no mistake about it, he is a strong proponent of smart and sustainable growth, served by world class transit.  These are the key components of a strong future for our county.

While each of us has our own experiences, my experience of Commissioner Anderson is that he has consistently demonstrated a thoughtful, well-reasoned, and respectful approach to issues guided by core principles.  In those conversations, he has always affirmed his commitment to preserving both the integrity of our residential neighborhoods and the agricultural reserve.  What is more, he is a person of great intellect and passion for his work, two qualities that will serve him well as Chair.  He is generous with his time, and willing to meet with any member of the community to discuss issues facing our community – the big ones and the small ones.  His door is always open.

If Commissioner Anderson does garner a majority of my colleagues’ support on Tuesday, I am confident that as Chair he will help lead our county to a more dynamic and prosperous future that embraces and builds upon our existing terrific community assets.

The Council on Tuesday also voted to raise the salary of the Planning Board chair to $200,000 a year, a number members of Council was competitive with other jurisdictions.

Anderson will assume the chair position on Aug. 4, taking over for Francoise Carrier. Carrier announced she would not seek another term earlier this year.

In his opening remarks, Councilmember George Leventhal praised Anderson and cautioned the Council about its future relationship with the Planning Board. The County Council has final say on the master plans that the Planning Board approves, which sometimes brings about disagreements on zoning and other master plan details.

“I hope council members will reflect on the interaction between the chair and the Planning Board, and Mrs. Carrier in particular,” Leventhal said. “I believe that the interaction with this Council was not a happy one from her perspective and I think that was a factor.”

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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