gaithersblog.net

Update: The Gazette now has an article on this:

The city has pursued 30 sites in the last year, but landlords have shied from leasing their properties for a day-laborer center. Residents and business owners have also objected to several proposed locations.

A day-laborer center would serve an estimated 75 workers who gather in Gaithersburg each morning to find work — most of them are Latino and many of them are illegal immigrants.

About half the 50 tenants at the Festival attended a meeting this morning with Nellis President Randall Levitt who said he provided city and county responses to concerns raised by the tenants earlier this month.

After an hour and a half, Levitt said, the message was clear.

‘‘We’ve said from the beginning that the most important voice we ought to listen to … would be our tenants,” he said in an interview. ‘‘In the end, with one exception — a person who was neither strongly for nor against — everyone who spoke urged us not to go forward.”

As posted on the CIty’s website:

Lease Will Not be Executed for Employment Center at Festival Shopping Center
Posted 10/27/2006

Owners of the Festival at Muddy Branch Shopping Center informed the City of Gaithersburg that after receiving unanimous strong disapproval from tenants at a meeting this morning, the Nellis Corporation will not be executing a lease with Montgomery County government for the operation of an employment center at the shopping center. The site was initially endorsed by a majority of the Mayor and City Council at a special work session on October 12, at which time the Nellis Corporation and Montgomery County government began lease negotiations.

“While we are disappointed that this potential location is no longer available to us, I respect Nellis Corporation’s concern for their tenants and understand that this is a business decision,” said City Manager David Humpton. “I would like to thank the Nellis Corporation for thoroughly investigating the opportunity and going this far to attempt a resolution.”

City staff will be communicating with Montgomery County government and will be re-evaluating options. Possible next steps will be proposed to the Mayor and Council at an upcoming meeting.

For more information please contact the Gaithersburg City Manager’s Office at 301-258-6310 or cityhall@gaithersburgmd.gov

The City has posted the agenda for the November 2, 2006 meeting of the Historic Preservation Advisory Committe.

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

II. PUBLIC HEARINGS

HAWP-13B
Applicant: Glen Todd
7 Brookes Avenue
Tree Removal
Background Material

HAWP-48D
Applicant: Joseph LaVoie
5 Walker Avenue
Tree Removal
Background Material

HAWP-78E
Applicants: Warren and Liz Johnson
104 Chestnut Street
Driveway removal/replacement
Background Material

III. HISTORIC PRESERVATION MASTER PLAN ELEMENT

Discussion with Greg Ossont, Director, Planning and Code Administration, and Long Range Planning Team Members Rob Robinson and Kirk Eby [See this previous Gaithersblog Post]

IV. UPDATES

V. ADJOURNMENT

Update 5: The Gazette now has an article about this incident:

An unidentified man reportedly told Federal Express representatives Friday morning that bomb materials were being carried in a package on one of the company’s delivery trucks, said Gaithersburg police spokesman Cpl. Rudy Wagner.

Officials relocated the truck to a more secure location nearby where the truck and package were investigated, Wagner said.

The package did not contain an explosive device, Wagner said. He did not provide other details about the package.

Update 4: Muddy Branch back open at 11:23

Update 2: If any readers know someone inside NIST, tell them to call their internal security and get them to shut down the traffic near Muddy Branch. Supposedly the FedEx van is near the gate and the Police can’t get NIST to stop vehicles from driving near it.

Update 3: from Alert Gaithersburg, at 10:59 AM:

Muddy Branch Road closed in both directions between School Drive and Clifftop Drive fo investigation of a bomb threat. Notification will be made when the road is again open for travel.

Also note that the earlier report was incorrect. The FedEx van is not at Festival itself; School & Cliftop drives are well South of Festival.

I’ve received an email from a reader stating that the Fire Department is responding to a possible package bomb at Festival at Muddy Branch in Gaithersburg. I as yet have no confirmation on this, but if any readers have anymore information about this, please post a comment or send me an email. Thanks!

Update: I’m hearing that someone claimed a bomb was sent via FedEX. The FedEX driver pulled the package from the truck at the Festival shopping center. Fire & Police are responding, and roads are closed in the area.