For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 3, 2021
The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review a bill to expand eligibility for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Matching Grant Program and capital budget amendments for M-NCPPC
The Council will meet virtually on Thursday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. and hold a public hearing on Bill 7-21, Police - School Resource Officer – Building Positive Law Enforcement Relationships Within Schools (B-PLERS) sponsored by Councilmembers Craig Rice and Sidney Katz. The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will meet jointly at 1:30 p.m. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council agendas can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council and Committee meetings will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056 and Fios 30.
Public Hearing
Bill 7-21, Police - School Resource Officer – Building Positive Law Enforcement Relationships Within Schools (B-PLERS)
At 7:30 p.m. the Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 7-21, which would: authorize the chief of police to assign a law enforcement officer to work as a school resource officer in a Montgomery County Public School upon the request of the superintendent of schools; require enhanced training for a school resource officer; and require the County to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Montgomery County Public Schools governing the assignment of a school resource officers. Councilmembers Rice and Katz are the lead sponsors. A school resource officer is a sworn uniformed law officer trained in emergency preparedness, crisis management, community policing concepts and problem solving who is assigned to work as a liaison to Montgomery County Public Schools. The Montgomery County Police Department currently has 23 police officers assigned to work as SROs in specific public schools pursuant to an existing memorandum of understanding with Montgomery County Public Schools. The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
PHED Committee: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (Chair), Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando
Topics:
Bill 37-19, Economic Development Fund – Use of Fund and Remedies for Noncompliance
The PHED Committee will review Bill 37-19, Economic Development Fund – Use of Fund and Remedies for Noncompliance. Councilmember Evan Glass is the lead sponsor and Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Will Jawando are cosponsors. Bill 37-19 would increase accountability in the use of grant funds and expand eligibility for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Matching Grant Program (SBIR/STTR Program).
Under Bill 37-19, a grantee who submits a false or fraudulent application for funds, or who uses funds for an unauthorized purpose, would be guilty of a Class A violation and be liable for the County’s court costs and attorney’s fees.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Amendments to M-NCPPC's FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program
The PHED Committee also will review amendments to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s (M-NCPPC) FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Last year, the Council approved a Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for FY21-26 of approximately $245 million for M-NCPPC.
Following approval of the biennial CIP, the Council approved an FY21 Savings Plan in response to budgetary concerns. The FY21 Savings Plan reduced the FY21-26 CIP for M-NCPPC by $528,000. The reduction for FY21 was $628,000, with $100,000 in GO bond funding shifted from FY21 to FY24.
The County Executive supports the amendments proposed by M-NCPPC and recommends two additional changes. First, the County Executive recommends a change in the funding source for the Ballfields Initiatives capital project. Second, he recommends an affordability reconciliation that reduces current revenue expenditures by $485,000 in FY22 and reduces GO bond expenditures by $4.4 million over FY23 through FY25.
The amendments begin on page two of the Council staff report, which can be viewed here.
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