Press Releases

Montgomery County Council Committee Meetings on March 3, 2022

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Committees will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for police, corrections and rehabilitation, fire and rescue, public schools, the Public Safety Radio System modernization project and radio replacement

The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet at on Thursday, March 3 at 9:30 a.m. to review the recommended FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DOCR), and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS).

The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Tom Hucker.

The Education and Culture (E&C) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

The members of the E&C Committee include Chair Craig Rice and Councilmembers Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro.

The joint PS and Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for Public Safety Radio System Modernization (PSSM) and radio life cycle replacement.

The members of the GO Committee include Chair Nancy Navarro and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Sidney Katz.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below. 

FY23-28 Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD)

Review: The PS Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for MCPD. The FY23-28 CIP for MCPD includes three projects at a cost of $49.3 million during the next six years. This is an increase of $4.7 million over the FY21-26 Amended CIP of $44.6 million. The change is primarily due to project scope changes for the Sixth District, which includes improvements to the building's greenhouse gas emissions, and the addition of planned expenditures for the Outdoor Firearms Training Center project.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Marcus Jones, chief, MCPD; David Dise, director, Department of General Services (DGS); Darren Francke, assistant chief, Management Services Bureau, MCPD; Greg Ossont, deputy director, DGS; Michael Ma, Capital Development and Facilities Division, MCPD; and Taman Morris, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

FY23-28 Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DOCR)

Review: The PS Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for DOCR. The recommended FY23-28 CIP for DOCR has four projects at a cost of $78.8 million during the next six years. This is an increase of $73.4 million over the FY21-26 Amended CIP of $5.5 million. The change is primarily due to the addition of design and construction of the Criminal Justice Complex project and the inclusion of two new projects, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility (MCCF) Refresh project and the MCCF and Montgomery County Detention Center (MCDC) wi-fi project. 

Those expected to attend and provide information include Angela Talley, director, DOCR; David Dise, Director, Department of General Services (DGS); Suzi Malagari, warden, DOCR; Ben Stevenson, division chief, Community Corrections, DOCR; Kaye Beckley, division chief, Management Services Division, DOCR; Greg Ossont, deputy director, DGS; and Rachel Silberman, OMB.

FY23-28 Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS)

Review: The PS Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for MCFRS. The recommended FY23-28 CIP for MCFRS has 11 projects at a cost of $126 million over six years. This represents a $4.7 million increase from the FY21-26 Amended CIP of $121.3 million. The change is primarily due to White Flint Fire Station Net Zero enhancements as well as cost escalation, scope increases in the Heart Monitor and Defibrillator Replacement, Life Safety Systems and Resurfacing projects, and cost escalation added to the apparatus project due to inflation and supply chain issues. There are also cost increases to the HVAC and Electrical Fire Stations project. 

Those expected to attend and provide information include Scott Goldstein, chief, MCFR;; David Dise, director, Department of General Services (DGS); Alan Butsch, assistant Chief, Fleet, MCFRS; Steve Ossont, deputy director, DGS; June Evans, CIP manager, MCFRS; Steve Lamphier, Manager, Fleet Support, MCFRS; Chase Fabrizio, battalion chief, MCFRS; and Rachel Silberman, OMB.

Montgomery County Public Schools FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program

Review: The E&C Committee will review the FY23-28 MCPS CIP. The E&C Committee first met on Jan. 31 to receive a briefing on MCPS enrollment and demographic trends and review the County Executive’s Recommended FY23-28 CIP for MCPS and the Board of Education’s FY23-28 Proposed CIP.

At this second E&C Committee meeting, the Committee will review initial recommendations for all the projects in the Board of Education’s Proposed CIP as well as the projects included by the County Executive and the package of non-recommended reductions.

Enrollment changes are one of the biggest drivers of both the Operating Budget and CIP for MCPS. Enrollment increases drive an immediate need for relocatable classrooms and consideration for additional permanent classrooms and core space improvements.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Adrienne Karamihas, director, Division of Capital Planning, MCPS; Seth Adams, director, Department of Facilities Management, MCPS; Mary Beck, CIP manager, OMB; and Veronica Jaua, fiscal and policy analyst, OMB.

FY23-28 Public Safety System and Modernization (PSSM)

Review: The joint PS and GO Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for PSSM. The recommended FY23-28 CIP includes a total project cost of more than $111 million, which is a $2 million decrease from the approved FY21-26 CIP. Project savings of $2 million was transferred to the Dickerson Radio Tower project.

This project provides funding subprojects and associated staff charges needed to upgrade and modernize public safety systems. Currently active subprojects include the Law Enforcement Records Management System (LE-RMS) and the last component of the Radio System Infrastructure Project which provides for the Advanced Messaging and Responder Locator project.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Mike Knuppel, manager, Technology & Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS); Darren Francke, assistant chief, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); Gerry Adcock, manager, Radio Communication Services Project Manager, TEBS; Alison Dollar, chief budget officer, TEBS; and Julie Knight, OMB..

FY23-28 County Radio Life Cycle Replacement

Review: The joint PS and GO Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for radio life cycle replacement. This new $41 million project will provide for the phased replacement of voice radio systems used by the County's public safety first responder agencies as these systems reach the end of their expected 10-year service life. These agencies include County police, fire and rescue, sheriff, correction and rehabilitation, the Department of Transportation, and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Mike Knuppel, manager, TEBS; Gerry Adcock, manager, Radio Communication Services Project Manager, TEBS; Alison Dollar, chief budget officer, TEBS; and Julie Knight, OMB.

Release ID: 22-091
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884