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Montgomery County Council Committees Hold Meetings on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Committees will review the County grants process, the disposition of Warner Circle Special Park, municipal tax duplication formulas, establishment of a Police Accountability Board and Administrative Charging Committee, and other Capital Improvements Programs and Supplemental Appropriations; briefings on the County's incubator study and draft Economic Development Strategic Plan
The joint Education and Culture (E&C) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 9:30 a.m. to review the grants process and the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The members of the E&C Committee include Chair Craig Rice and Councilmembers Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair and Council President Gabe Albornoz, Council Vice President Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness & Vulnerable Communities) and Councilmember Craig Rice.
The Government Operations (GO) Committee will meet on Feb. 10 at 12 p.m. to review a more than $8.6 million Supplemental Appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget, Department of Transportation, Transit Services, Bill 2-22, Montgomery County Municipal Revenue Program – Amendments and a $5 million Special Appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget, Payments to Municipalities Non-Departmental Account.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Nancy Navarro and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Sidney Katz.
The joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) and Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet on Feb. 10 at 1:50 p.m. to discuss the disposition of Warner Circle Park.
The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.
The PHED Committee will meet on Feb. 10 at 2:20 p.m. to receive an update in the Incubator Study, review a $954,266 Supplemental appropriation to the County Government’s FY22 Operating Budget, for Incubator Programs Non-Departmental Account, a $400,000 Supplemental Appropriation to the County Government’s FY22 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY21-26 CIP, Office of the County Executive - for Business Advancement Team Life Sciences and Technology Centers and receive an update on the County’s Draft Economic Development Strategic Plan.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet on Friday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. to discuss Expedited Bill 49-21, Police Accountability Board – Administrative Charging Committee – Established.
The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Tom Hucker.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Review: The joint E&C and HHS Committee will review the proposed FY23 Community Grants and Cost Sharing Capital Grants processes as recommended by the Office of the County Executive and the Office of Management Budget (OMB).
As part of the FY23 Operating Budget approval process, the Council will review and assess the County Executive’s funding recommendations for the Office of Grants Management, capital grants costs sharing and funding for nonprofits in both the Community Grants NDA and in department base budgets. In addition, funding opportunities may exist at the federal and state levels that have not been available in recent years.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Joshua Watters, budget manager, OMB and Rafael Pumarejo Murphy, fiscal and policy analyst, OMB.
Review: The join E&C and HHS Committee will review two education-related projects recommended by the County Executive for the FY23-28 CIP and the FY23 Capital Budget for DHHS. These child care renovations and the School Based Health Centers and Linkages to Learning Centers. In addition, the Joint Committee will discuss the High School Wellness Center and Child Care in Schools projects, which are active projects but do not have any funding programmed in the FY23-28 period. These umbrella projects support health and human service-related programs integrated within County buildings and schools.
Those expected to attend and provide information include:
- Jason Rundell, HHS budget team leader, DHHS;
- Dira Treadvance, chief, Children, Youth, and Family Services, DHHS;
- Monica Martin, administrator, Child and Adolescent School and Community-Based Services, DHHS;
- Mark Hodge, administrator, School Health Services, DHHS;
- Barbara Andrews, administrator, Early Childhood Services, DHHS;
- Lindsay Lucas, fiscal and policy analyst, OMB;
- David Dise, director, Department of General Services (DGS);
- Greg Ossont, deputy director, DGS; and
- Adrienne Karamihas, director, Division of Capital Planning, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
Review: The GO Committee will review a more than $8.6 million supplemental appropriation for the Department of Transportation to implement new salary schedules for the transit bus operator and transit coordination job classifications.
The proposed salary schedules are intended to address deficiencies identified as part of a market compatibility study comparing the current Montgomery County Government salary schedules with the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority salary schedules for these job classifications.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Berke Attila, director, Office of Human Resources, Montgomery County Government; Jennifer Harling, chief labor relations officer, Montgomery County Government; Emil Wolanin, deputy director, DOT; and Corey Orlosky, OMB.
Expedited Bill 2-22, Montgomery County Municipal Revenue Program – Amendments
Review: The GO Committee will review and make a recommendation to the Council on Bill 2-22, Municipal Tax Duplication, which addresses the codification of municipal tax duplication formulas. Chapter 30A of the County Code creates a program that allows reimbursements to municipalities for those public services provided by municipalities that would otherwise be provided by the County.
This reimbursement program addresses the issue of property tax duplication since both the County and the municipality levy a property tax, but only the municipality provides that service within its jurisdiction. Under the bill, a municipality would be reimbursed by the County based upon the County Executive’s approximation of the costs that the County would incur if it were to provide the municipality with transportation, police, crossing guards and park maintenance services.
Bill 2-22 would alter the calculation of reimbursements to municipalities for eligible costs, alter the requirements for municipalities to participate in the municipal revenue program, provide for a timeline of when certain reimbursement activities must be accomplished, amend reimbursements for the City of Takoma Park police services and provide for a phased-in implementation period.
The lead sponsor is the Council President, at the request of the County Executive.
Review: The GO Committee will review a $5 million special appropriation for payments to the Municipalities Non-Departmental Account. Chapter 30A of the Montgomery County Code creates a program that allows reimbursements to municipalities for those public services provided by municipalities that would otherwise be provided by the County. This reimbursement program addresses the issue of property tax duplication since both the County and municipalities levy a property tax, but only the municipality provides that service within its jurisdiction.
Review: The joint GO and PHED Committee will meet to review a declaration of no further need to dispose of a portion of the County property at Warner Circle Special Park, totaling 4.5 acres, located at 10231 Carroll Place in Kensington, Maryland. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) has managed and maintained the property since 1979 under an agreement with the County. The property is protected under a historical preservation easement within the Kensington Historic District and is listed on both the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation and the National Register of Historic Places.
The disposition is in the form of the sale and renovation to the buyer, Karl Voglmayr, of two historic structures on the site Warner Circle Manor and Carriage House into fifteen market-rate for-sale condominium residences and a public use space. The park grounds will remain owned by the County and managed by M-NCPPC. The buyer will establish a Maryland-registered limited liability company to undertake the renovation and development of the site.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Greg Ossont, deputy director, DGS and Miti Figueredo, deputy director, Montgomery County Parks.
Update from Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation on 2020 Incubator Study
Briefing: The PHED Committee will receive a briefing from the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) and Executive staff about the
recommendations for the County’s incubators. The PHED Committee previously reviewed the incubator study commissioned by the County on July 26, 2021. At this meeting, the Committee will receive information about specific recommendations to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem and develop incubator programs in the County.
The County is home to many entrepreneurs and companies that develop new technologies and use these technologies to enable new products and services spanning a wide range of technical fields and markets. These companies create high-value jobs and bring wealth into the economy. The study recommends that the County design a system-wide approach for the County's entrepreneurs instead of a facility-focused approach while leveraging partnerships to increase the number of active entrepreneurs, supporting entrepreneurs from idea generation to long-term growth and creating pathways for them to succeed.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Jake Weissmann, assistant chief administrative officer, Office of the County Executive (CEX); Ruth Semple, CEX; Ben Wu, president and CEO, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC); Bill Tompkins, executive vice president and COO, MCEDC; Brad Stewart, senior vice president of business development, MCEDC; Christy Blake, special projects manager, MCEDC; and Phil Singerman, MCEDC.
Review: The PHED Committee will review a $954,266 supplemental appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget Montgomery County Government, Office of the County Executive. The supplemental appropriation would fund certain expenditures related to the Montgomery County Incubator Program. These funds will provide tenant security deposits, essential operating expenses for the Silver Spring Innovation Center, facility repairs for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, repairs for all innovation centers and operating expenses for the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Jake Weissmann, assistant chief administrative officer, CEX; Ruth Semple, CEX; and Felicia Hyatt, Office of Management and Budget.
Review: The PHED Committee will review a $400,000 supplemental appropriation and amendment to the FY21-26 CIP to fund the conversion of ten offices to four small, wet labs at the Germantown Innovation Center. The recommended funding will supplement the existing funding needed to complete this project.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Jake Weissmann, assistant chief administrative officer, CEX; Ruth Semple, CEX; and Estela Boronat de Gomes, OMB.
Draft Economic Development Strategic Plan
Briefing: The PHED Committee will receive a briefing on the approach and process needed to complete the County's draft Economic Development Strategic Plan. The Committee has tentatively scheduled additional meetings to consider amendments to the plan on March 7 and March 14, 2022 and the Council must adopt the plan by April 15, 2022.
Council Bill 10-21, which was led by Councilmember Friedson and cosponsored by Councilmembers Riemer, Navarro and Katz and Council President Albornoz, was enacted in May 2021. The law shifted the responsibility for drafting the County’s Economic Development Strategic Plan from the County Executive to MCEDC. Section 15A-4A of the County Code details the requirements and procedure for the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Jake Weissmann, assistant chief administrative officer, Office of the County Executive (CEX); Ben Wu, president and CEO, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC); Bill Tompkins, executive vice president and COO, MCEDC; Brad Stewart, senior vice president of business development, MCEDC; Christy Blake, special projects manager, MCEDC; and Phil Singerman, MCEDC.
Review: The PS Committee will meet to review Bill 49-21, Police – Police Accountability Board – Administrative Charging Committee – Established, which would establish a Police Accountability Board (PAB) and Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) for the County. This will be the second meeting in series to discuss Bill 49-21. An initial Committee meeting was held on Jan. 24 and a third meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 16.
The Maryland General Assembly enacted a series of laws establishing uniform standards for police department operations throughout the state. One of these laws, House Bill (HB) 670, created a new uniform procedure for police accountability and discipline. This new law requires the governing body of each county to establish a PAB and an ACC to handle complaints of police misconduct from residents. HB 670 also gives the County PAB and the County ACC jurisdiction over police misconduct complaints against municipal police departments located in the County.
The goal of the bill is to help improve police accountability. The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Marcus Jones, chief, Montgomery County Policy Department (MCPD); Darren Francke, assistant chief, MCPD; Dr. Earl Stoddard, assistant chief administrative office, Montgomery County; Lee Holland, president, Fraternal Order of Police; Elaine Bonner-Tompkins, senior legislative analyst, Office of Legislative Oversight; John Fitzgerald, chief of police, Chevy Chase Villagel; Andy Powell, deputy chief of police, Takoma Park; Mark Sroka, chief of police, Gaithersburg; Laura Lanham, deputy chief of police, Rockville; Max Uy, chief deputy, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Lisa Blackwell-Sayles, MCGEO, Caroline Frederickson, PAC; Alicia Hudson, PAC; Eric Sterling, PAC; Dalbin Osorio, PAC; Nadia Salazar Sandi, PAC; Carlean Ponder, Silver Spring Justice Coalition (SSJC); Joanna Silver, SSJC.
The Committee 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 Council and committees are meeting via Zoom because of ongoing construction and technology upgrades in the Council's Hearing Room and the inability to conduct meetings in a socially distant way in other areas of the Council Office Building with television broadcast capacity. Councilmembers continue to hold meetings in their offices by appointment.
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: 22-057Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884