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Press Releases
Council meets on June 22 to conduct public hearings on legislation to improve police accountability and training and to introduce additional appropriations for community-based public health and food security
For Immediate Release: Monday, June 21, 2021
Also on June 22: Council to vote on a resolution to approve the Tax Supported Fiscal Plan Summary for the FY22-27 Public Services Program which reflects current information on projected revenues and non-agency expenditures
The Council will meet virtually on Tuesday, June 22 at 9 a.m. and present multiple proclamations. The first recognizes the 30th anniversary of the Montgomery County Commission on Common Ownership Communities and will be presented by Councilmember Katz and Councilmember Riemer. The second recognizes Michael Goldman’s service as a member of Metro's Board of Directors and will be presented by Council President Hucker. The third celebrates Dr. Carol Garvey and will be presented by Council Vice President Albornoz.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution authorizing filing an application for the FY22 Annual Transportation Grant. On an annual basis, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) submits the Annual Transportation Plan grant application to the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to fund Section 5307 Capital and Operating Assistance, Section 5309 (Federal) Capital Assistance, Section 5311 Operating Assistance (rural routes 76 and 90), Statewide Special Transportation Assistance Program (Call-n-Ride Program) and Large Urban Operating Assistance Program.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to endorse the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund (MEDAAF) loan. The MEDAAF grant will fund part of the feasibility study that Connected DMV is conducting to launch a global Pandemic Prevention Center. Councilmember Riemer spearheaded this effort at the Council with the support of all Councilmembers. County Executive Elrich is recommending this resolution.
The Pandemic Prevention Center will identify and launch strategic projects needed to advance pandemic avoidance and preparedness, while providing the necessary collaboration and coordination for updated public health policy, research and discovery, applied technology, trials, manufacturing and distribution for strategic solutions.
Resolution to approve the Tax Supported Fiscal Plan Summary for the FY22-27 Public Services Program
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to approve the Tax Supported Fiscal Plan Summary for the FY22-27 Public Services Program. This summary reflects current information on projected revenues and non-agency expenditures for the six-year period, which must be updated as conditions change.
The summary also reflects the policy on County reserves as described in Resolution No. 19-753, which was adopted on March 2, 2021, and the amendments to the Revenue Stabilization Fund law in Bill 36-10, which was approved by the Council on June 29, 2010.
The FY22-FY27 Tax Supported Fiscal Plan Summary, like all version of the fiscal plan, reflects current fiscal projections and policy assumptions when the Council adopted the FY22 Operating Budget and the Amended FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Future versions of the Fiscal Plan Summary will change as economic and fiscal conditions are better understood. The Dec. 2021 update will reflect changes to the FY22-FY27 revenue estimates.
The Council’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee, which is led by GO Chair Navarro and includes Councilmembers Friedson and Katz, collaborates with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Finance to develop and refine County fiscal projections to adopt a fiscal plan that is structurally balanced and that limits expenditures and other uses of resources to annually available revenues.
Introduction: The Council will introduce a supplemental appropriation of $91,950,000 to the FY21 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Government, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Non-Departmental Account. This appropriation does not increase spending in the County but allows the County to offset a portion of its pandemic-related revenue losses as allowed by ARPA.
Montgomery County is eligible to receive $204 million in ARPA funds, split into two equal tranches. The County received the first tranche of $102 million on June 1, 2021. ARPA allows the funds to be used for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenue collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency. The County’s Revenue Loss Factor for calendar year 2020 is approximately $189 million.
The lead sponsor is Council President Hucker, at the request of the County Executive. The Council is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing and vote on this special appropriation on June 29.
Introduction: The Council is expected to introduce a $1,473,388 Special Appropriation to the Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget, Montgomery County Government, COVID-19 Human Services and Community Assistance Non-Departmental Account (NDA) for Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar.
The Latino/Hispanic community continues to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 both in terms disease and the ongoing economic impacts. This seminal program was spearheaded by Councilmember Navarro and Vice President Albornoz to provide a strategic, culturally competent and community focused approach to public health to contain the spread of COVID-19 in areas of the County hardest hit by the virus.
Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar is working to increase vaccinations and offer education about the vaccine to address misconceptions and answer questions. From May 19 to June 1, 2021, Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar administered 1,341 first doses of vaccine and 1,709 second doses. A total of 1,025 COVID-19 tests were administered at 36 events during this same period. During the same reporting period, the information/help line responded to 443 calls from County residents with 90 percent of callers being primarily Spanish-speakers.
The Executive branch will seek reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for all pandemic-related expenses including, but not limited to, testing, tracing and vaccinations.
The lead sponsor is Council President Hucker, at the request of the County Executive.
Introduction: The Council is expected to introduce a $1,783,000 Special Appropriation to the Montgomery County Food Security Fund’s Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget for the COVID-19 Human Services and Community Assistance Non-Departmental Account for COVID-19 Response. The Council has appropriated approximately $23.0 million since June 2020 for direct food security efforts led by the Food Security Task Force (FSTF).
The Executive branch and the FSTF are developing a post-pandemic transition plan to identify service levels and resource needs for FY22 and beyond. The Executive branch also intends to seek reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for all pandemic-related food assistance purchases.
The lead sponsor is Council President Hucker, at the request of the County Executive. A public hearing and vote are tentatively scheduled for June 29, 2021.
Vote expected: The Council is scheduled to vote on a $7.6 million supplemental appropriation to the County Government’s FY21-26 CIP and FY21 Capital Budget to fund the reacquisition of the Larchmont Elementary School property in the Kensington-Wheaton area.
The property is currently a closed school site and the home of the Grace Episcopal Day School (GEDS). The County intends to lease the property back to GEDS for an initial 10-year term. The Council’s approval of this reacquisition includes approval of the lease of the property to GEDS.
The lead sponsor is Council President Hucker at the request of the County Executive.
Public hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on a supplemental appropriation of $1,746,190 to the FY21 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Government to fund expenditures associated with FY21 bargaining agreements reached between the County Executive and the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association (MCVFRA).
The County Executive requested this supplemental appropriation on May 17, replacing an initial transmittal dated April 28. The Council introduced this supplemental appropriation on June 15 and is tentatively scheduled to vote on June 29. The County Executive’s Office is actively working to maximize federal support for these expenditures.
The lead sponsor is Council President Hucker at the request of the County Executive.
Bill 17-21, Police – Community Informed Police Training
Public hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 17-21, Police – Community Informed Police Training, introduced by lead sponsor Councilmember Jawando. Councilmember Riemer is a cosponsor of the legislation.
The purpose of the bill is to create partnerships between the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) and local educational institutions to recruit and train police officers in a manner that promotes community informed policing.
Bill 17-21 would create new requirements related to the recruitment, training and continuing education of police officers. In addition, the bill would require MCPD to collaborate and partner with local educational institutions to expand the recruitment of police cadets who reflect the diversity of the County, sponsor communication sessions with prospective cadets and community members and develop internship programs for prospective cadets.
Bill 18-21, Police – Internal Affairs Procedures and Reporting Requirements
Public hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 18-21, which was introduced by lead sponsor Council President Hucker to improve police accountability through the random review of body-worn camera footage and through the prompt reporting of serious Internal Affairs Division (IAD) investigations. Councilmembers Jawando, Riemer, Glass, Navarro and Rice are cosponsors of the legislation.
The bill requires the Montgomery County Police Department to issue a body-worn camera for the use of an on-duty employee of the department whenever the officer is wearing a uniform or prominently displaying a badge or insignia.
The bill would also mandate internal random reviews of body-worn camera recordings to evaluate officer performance and compliance with police rules. In addition, the bill would require that certain types of potential administrative misconduct discovered on body-camera recordings be investigated by the IAD.
Bill 19-21, Finance - Reports on Settlement Agreements
Public Hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 19-21, which was introduced by lead sponsor Councilmember Jawando to increase public transparency regarding settlement agreements entered into by the County. Council President Hucker and Councilmembers Glass, Riemer, Rice and Navarro are cosponsors of the legislation.
Bill 19-21 would require the County Attorney to periodically report to the County Executive and Council regarding settlement agreements entered into by the County and require the County Attorney to publish each report on the County website. The goal of the bill is to improve public transparency of settlement agreements entered into by the County.
Supplemental Appropriations to the County Government’s FY21 Operating Budget for COVID-19 Response
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on five supplemental appropriations to the County Government’s FY21 Operating Budget for costs incurred for emergency COVID-19 response and services that were not included in the originally approved FY21 Operating Budget.
The recommended FY21 supplemental appropriations include funding for the Department of General Services (DGS), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Public Information (PIO), Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS). It is expected that much of these costs will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); however, each department requires additional appropriation authority to align with actual expenditures in FY21.
The lead sponsor is Council President Hucker, at the request of the County Executive.
This supplemental appropriation to the FY21 Operating Budget provides additional funds to DGS. Since the start of the pandemic, DGS has been tasked with procuring personal protective equipment (PPE) for the County government. This PPE has included cloth masks, respirator masks, N95 and KN95 masks, face shields, gowns, gloves and disinfecting supplies.
As a result of these efforts, the County has been able to fill the PPE needs of departments as well as some of the County’s community partners. This has significantly aided the County in being able to offer testing and vaccination services to the public.
This supplemental appropriation is needed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to deliver the emergency services that Montgomery County residents need to combat the COVID-19 virus. Services provided include testing, food security, vaccination efforts and other vital public health services.
This supplemental appropriation to the FY21 Operating Budget provides additional funds to the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS). This office has been leading the County’s efforts in responding to the public health emergency. As a result, they have experienced some cost overages related to both response and recovery coordination, as well as preparing and submitted reimbursement requests to FEMA.
This additional appropriation is needed to cover the cost of a contractor to coordinate pandemic recovery efforts and overtime costs for COVID-19 response and data collection for FEMA.
This supplemental appropriation to the FY21 Operating Budget provides additional funds to the Public Information Office (PIO). The office has been key to the County’s efforts in disseminating information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the services that the County provides.
This was primarily done through advertising campaigns, signage, press briefings, community meetings and by answering resident questions through MC311. Because of the surge in calls, additional temporary staff needed to be brought on to handle the call volume related to COVID-19.
This supplemental appropriation to the FY21 Operating Budget provides additional funds to the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS). Personnel costs are projected to exceed the appropriation due to actual overtime costs being greater than budgeted and the impact of COVID-19 related administrative leave.
MCFRS’ operating expenses are projected to exceed the appropriation mainly due to vehicle maintenance and repair, snow removal, facilities maintenance and medical supplies and equipment.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a $2,325,789 special appropriation to the FY21 Operating Budget that will provide additional funds to Montgomery College. This special appropriation is needed for the College to utilize three new grants to address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funds will be used for institutional adaptations related to the pandemic, expansion of existing and developing new in-demand workforce development training and education programs and to market the new programs to students, industry and recently unemployed Maryland residents.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, 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 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, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 21-261Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884