Gaithersburg, MD
Home Main Menu2026 State of the City
Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman and members of the City Council hosted the 2026 State of the City Address on Thursday, April 23, at Asbury Methodist Village. More than 150 guests attended the reception and presentation, including civic partners who serve on City boards, commissions and committees, elected officials, community leaders, and others whose involvement is invaluable to the Gaithersburg community. The event also featured remarks by Junior Mayor Naman Kedilaya.
Mayor Ashman’s address highlighted stories about how Gaithersburg staff and volunteers provide public service to City residents every day. Read his full remarks below.
The State of the City event serves as the platform for the presentation of the City’s annual Distinguished Resident, Outstanding Organization, and Distinguished Friend awards.
John Sanchez, program manager for the Gaithersburg Financial Empowerment Center at Housing Initiative Partnership, was named the 2026 Distinguished Resident. The Outstanding Organization Award was presented to the Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative. The Distinguished Friend Award was presented to Michele Potter, former executive director for Asbury Methodist Village.
The event also debuted the new Gaithersburg Municipal Academy, a seven-week course that takes participants behind the scenes of local government.
State of the City
“Making a Difference. Every Day.”
Rosborough Cultural Arts and Wellness Center
Thursday, April 23
Mayor’s Remarks
Once again, welcome, friends. It’s good to be together tonight.
We gather each year to reflect on the state of our city - not just where we are, but who we are, and where we’re going.
And yes, we are doing so at a time when there is a lot happening around us. In Washington, in Annapolis, and here in Montgomery County, there are real challenges — budget pressures, policy debates, and for many in our community, a sense of insecurity and uncertainty about what comes next.
We all feel that.
But here’s what I know -and what I see every single day:
Gaithersburg doesn’t chase headlines or act rashly in the moment.
We take the long view.
We make thoughtful decisions.
And we move forward — deliberately, responsibly, and together.
And because of that, even in complicated times, ours is still a story of progress, resilience, and opportunity.
In many ways, this has been a remarkable year for Gaithersburg – and I do NOT take that for granted. We’ve welcomed new staff, recognized outstanding employees, and earned significant recognition.
In the fall, the City was honored at the Sustainable Maryland Awards Ceremony as Maryland’s “Sustainability Champion,” the top honor of all of Maryland’s cities, for our work in safeguarding our natural resources. This would not be possible without the hard work of our Environmental Services Division. Can we give them a big round of applause?
For the fifth straight year, the City earned a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, which examines the inclusivity of laws, policies, and services that protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
Our society is continuing to wrestle with the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but at the city of Gaithersburg, there’s no moral confusion on this point. We remain committed to making sure that everyone feels valued and welcomed here. If you’re in our community, you’re IN our community and part of our family. We are the most diverse city in America, and we are proud of it, every day.
In addition to welcoming people of all types, we are also proud to welcome businesses and jobs. In the past year, we cut the ribbon on a host of new corporate offices like X-energy, the DRB Group and the very cool Finnish tech company, Vaisala.
Our largest private sector employer, AstraZeneca, is expanding its footprint in Gaithersburg, announcing plans to invest $2 billion to expand manufacturing, which includes the construction of a new state-of-the-art clinical manufacturing facility – supporting 2,600 jobs here and in Frederick.
Last week, the Council, staff, and I joined the Lakeforest property owners for the kickoff of the long-awaited demolition of the old mall structure. It was an early milestone for a project that will bring billions in investment, jobs, and housing to the City. And also yielded perhaps the most dystopian picture we’ve ever taken together.
Our pride in welcoming the new investment and jobs is related to our pride in the diversity of our community. People may love living among a diverse community, but what draws them here is the opportunity to make a better life for themselves and their families.
And one of the things that keeps them here is the level of service they get in Gaithersburg.
Three months ago, almost to the day, the city was buried under 9 inches of what we THOUGHT was snow and sleet but turned out to be more like the stuff they make into kitchen countertops. The old adage was that Eskimos have dozens of different words to describe snow; so maybe they have an equivalent for “snowcrete.”
In any event, it became too much for most normal human beings to remove. But no one would accuse our Department of Public Works of being normal human beings; they are, of course, extraordinary.
Our crews started operations at 8 p.m. on Saturday, finished the first pass in 14 hours, and kept plowing until 6 p.m. on Monday. Sixty staff members, working 12-hour shifts, using 40 plow trucks and seven pieces of equipment, hauling snow from the street, sidewalks, and parking spaces for 15 days. The entire department went above and beyond clearing our roadways and keeping our residents safe. And they deserve a big round of applause.
Recently we said goodbye to our former Chief of Police Mark Sroka, who retired after 16 years leading our department. Chief Sroka truly embodies what it means to be a public servant. He took over during a mildly turbulent time and led our Police Department with integrity and vision. His leadership strengthened our City and has made Gaithersburg a better place for all.
Chief Sroka was also committed to developing talent within the department. So, when we needed to find his replacement, we were excited to hire one of his top proteges, Shawn Eastman as our new Chief of Police. Chief Eastman was sworn in and assumed his duties in early March.
Eastman began his career with the National Institutes of Health Police Department, serving as a criminal investigator before joining the Gaithersburg Police Department in 1999. Since then, he has advanced through the ranks, serving in patrol, plainclothes, and investigative roles. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2018, then Captain in 2025.
The Council and I have every confidence that, with his decades of service, proven leadership, and commitment to community-focused policing, Chief Eastman will continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and community trust and keep Gaithersburg safe for all. Let’s give Chief Eastman a big round of applause.
For the past 25 years, the City of Gaithersburg’s Community Services Division and our generous partners have brought joy to children through the Holiday Giving program.
During the real difficult times, this program becomes all the more important. Over the holidays, our program served 1,400 children – more than double last year. They raised more than $44,000 and handed out 800-plus gift cards.
One client shared that receiving gift cards brought immense joy during a very difficult time. Her young son was recently diagnosed with cancer, and they had been out of work for a year. Despite these challenges, they remain strong and resilient. The support they received provided not only practical help but also a sense of hope and encouragement when it was needed most.
Many parents talked about the joy on their children’s faces as they received gift cards, small presents, and even the chance to meet Santa. We are all proud of this program. Let’s give our Community Services team a big round of applause.
I love these stories of our city staff doing what they do. When you walk into City Hall, the Activity Center, Public Works, the Arts Barn, or any of our city facilities, you’ll find people who are in the business of making a difference in the lives of our community. The Council and I are proud of all of them and so I’m going to stay on this theme and share just a few more.
In January, a number of our senior staff spent the day volunteering at Manna Food Center. And in November, during the federal government shutdown, some of our staff worked at the Community Hope Center. These simple acts of volunteerism helped ensure critical resources were available to our residents.
Every year, the City participates in National Night Out, a nationwide event that promotes crime prevention, community partnerships, and neighborhood solidarity. Ana Bonilla and her colleagues at the Casey Community Center took this important community event and made it a meaningful night for students.
Not only did Ana organize the backpack drive, but she also organized free haircuts partnering with local salons to provide this service. Preparing for school can be a costly endeavor, so having access to free school supplies and a haircut can really make a difference in a successful start to the school year.
We talked about Holiday Giving, but our Community Services Division’s main job is to connect people-in-need with helpful, sometimes life-saving resources – from emergency rental and utility assistance to helping residents secure housing, to health care. Client Services Specialist Geraldine Bernedo works directly with those we’re trying to help. One of Geraldine’s clients recently secured their first home.
We can often take things like housing, access to food, and the ability to pay a utility bill for granted, but any one of those challenges could take your life off track. That’s why Geraldine’s work – and the work of our entire Community Services Division – is integral to our residents’ well-being.
Sometimes making a difference takes the form of connecting with our youth through sports. Every season, Parks, Recreation and Culture offers a variety of sports opportunities for students. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the positive impact COACHES can make on our kids.
Another program that’s making a difference in people’s lives is our Financial Empowerment Center, which provides one-on-one financial coaching for residents. Counselors teach residents about financial literacy and how to build a budget. FEC client Jelanie Williams learned exactly that after working with counselor Stephanie Portal.
From coaching to connecting people with resources, volunteering, donating food or clothes, or even joining a City committee, one simple act can have a lasting impact on someone else. These people are all adding goodness to our community in all kinds of ways.
Let’s give our staff and volunteers a big round of applause.
For those of you who don’t already work in government but have thought about what it might be like, I’m excited to share that we’ll be launching a new opportunity for residents.
Coming this fall will be the new Gaithersburg Municipal Academy, a seven-week course that will take you behind the scenes of City government. Participants will have a chance to meet city department heads, learn about the history and function of the Gaithersburg Police Department, our parks and recreational programs, our Department of Public Works and so much more. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about how we serve our residents, this is for you! There will also be information on how residents can serve on a variety of City commissions, committees, or boards. More on all of this on the City’s website starting tomorrow. So, make sure to take a look.
In just over three weeks, we will hold the Gaithersburg Book Festival. It will be our 17th, if you can believe it.
This year’s Festival features at least 3 recipients of the National Book Award, a pair of authors who, between them, have won 7 Pulitzer Prizes for reporting, at least 2 Newbery medalists, a former astronaut and NFL player, the poet laureate of the state of Mississippi, a son of rock legend Bob Dylan, and, of course, dozens of New York Times Bestsellers and up-and-coming writers to discover.
As always, we will host book sales & signings, writing workshops, exhibits, and lots of great food trucks.
The Book Festival is Free to attend, Free to park, and Fun for all! We hope you can join us. Bring your friends and your book club and your family, and neighbors. Find out all the details at gaithersburgbookfestival.org.
One GBF that I have not often highlighted during State of the City, but which we love, is our high school poetry contest. Every year, we put out a prompt and invite any high schooler in the DMV to submit a poem. We’ll get a couple hundred submissions from which we pull out 10 or 12 finalists and then we have a celebrity guest judge, usually a published poet, choose the top three. Then the Junior Mayor and I announce the winners at the Festival.
Given the state of the world right now, our team wanted to give the contestants a hopeful prompt. They chose, “What is humanity?”
We got some great entries and all of our finalists are all on the GBF website: GaithersburgBookFestival.org You can read them and vote on your favorite - and you should obviously come early to the Festival to the ceremony and cheer on the winners.
But I wanted to read one of our finalist’s poems to you tonight that I thought was just lovely.
It’s called “Seed of Kindness”
By Ninth Grader Saadya Bojja
Stone Bridge High School
Loudoun County, VA
Again, the prompt was “What is humanity?” Here goes:
Kindness is not loud.
It does not announce itself like thunder.
It is a tiny seed,
almost invisible,
easy to miss
if you are not looking closely.
It waits in the cracks of sidewalks,
in the pause before a harsh word,
in the hand that reaches out
instead of recoiling.
Maybe humanity is not power.
Not loud noise.
Not the headlines we fear.
Maybe it is this —
the meaningful decision
to grow something gentle
in a world that forgets how.
We are most human
when we plant in ourselves
what we wish
someone had planted in us.
Isn’t that a lovely thought? “The meaningful decision to grow something gentle in a world that forgets how.”
I feel like much of what we’ve talked about tonight has been our community choosing to sow our seed of kindness.
And that’s really what defines us in Gaithersburg. It’s not just the projects we build, the awards we receive, or the milestones we celebrate—though we are grateful for all of those.
It’s the choices we make.
The choice to be there for one another.
The choice to lend a hand when it’s needed.
The choice to build a community where everyone belongs, and everyone has a chance to succeed.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens because of people — people like all of you — who care deeply about this place and about each other.
So, as we leave here tonight, I’d ask you to carry that spirit with you.
Keep planting those seeds — of kindness, of service, of hope — wherever you can. Because when we do that, together, those small acts grow into something much bigger. They are the foundation of a community that remains resilient, welcoming, and full of opportunity.
My friends, I could not be more proud and honored to serve as your Mayor.
As always, let’s do great things, Gaithersburg! Thank you!