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This Week At Council: Drone Policy, HOA Reform

By WTOP Staff

The three unmanned aircraft systems MCFRS has, via MCFRSSome county councilmembers want rules in place to protect privacy before county-operated drones are put to use.

A pair of councilmembers will also introduce two bills to increase homeowner associations’ control over rental properties when the Council meets in its regular session on Tuesday.

The drone resolution, to be introduced with the backing of at least six members, comes out of a Public Safety Committee meeting a few weeks ago in which MCFRS and the county’s Office of Innovation explained they already own a total of four unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), known by many as drones.

The small, inexpensive pieces of equipment (each one cost MCFRS less than $1,000) can be flown 40 feet off the ground with attached cameras to show firefighters crumbling walls, movement of water in river rescues or where people are in search and rescue operations.

The department has been training with the devices. The cameras on each UAS, which are less than two feet in diameter and operated by joystick or remote, can broadcast live footage back to the department’s mobile command unit.

In May, MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer said the department was developing specific guidelines for how, when and where the devices can be used.

The Council resolution will ask the county government to come up with protocols for their deployment — before the devices are put in use. The Council would then review the rules because the drones raise “serious privacy and other policy issues.”

Also on tap for Tuesday, Councilmember George Leventhal and Nancy Floreen will introduce two bills relating to homeowner and condominium associations. One would require property owners in an HOA to be no more than 30 days past due with their association fees if they want to get a rental license from the county.

“This would aid the growing number of associations that are already financially distressed due in part to negligent property owners who rent their units, but fail to pay their dues,” read a County Council press release.

The Edgemoor Condominiums in downtown Bethesda (file photo)The county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs recently began including a checkbox on rental license applications asking if the owner is paid up on HOA dues and fees. Lying on the application is already subject to prosecution. The bill would make a violation subject to a fine on top of that.

“Homeowners’ and condominium associations make up more than one-third of all homes in Montgomery County so their continued success is vital to the future of our County,” Leventhal said in the press release. “These bills represent two small ways we can help protect the fiscal and operational integrity of our County’s common ownership communities and ensure that they remain great places to live for years to come.”

The second bill would require members of a HOA board of directors to complete an education course on their responsibilities within 90 days of their election or appointment to the board. The bill is modeled on one enacted last year in Florida as part of a larger attempt at HOA reform.

The county’s Commission on Common Ownership Communities would be charged with creating the curriculum that HOA board members could use to satisfy the new requirement.

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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