For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Committees will discuss the FY23 Operating Budget
The joint Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) and Education and Culture (E&C) Committee will meet on Wednesday, April 27, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for WorkSource Montgomery, the Historical Society, the READY (Resilient Education for All, Designed for You) Institute at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) proposal and school-based programs and out-of-school time programs.
The members of the joint PHED and E&C Committee include E&C Chair Craig Rice, PHED Chair Hans Riemer, and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks), Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro.
The PHED Committee will also meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for the Department of Recreation and review the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan.
The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget: WorkSource Montgomery NDA
Review: The joint PHED and E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the WorkSource Montgomery non-departmental account (NDA). The recommended FY23 budget for the department is more than $2.1 million, which is an increase of more than 50 percent from the FY22 approved budget.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget: Historical Society
Review: The joint PHED and E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Historical Society. The recommended FY23 budget for the department is $159,000, which is an increase of 6 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The staff report will be available on Wednesday, April 27.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget: READY Institute @ USG Proposal
Review: The joint PHED and E&C Committee will receive a presentation about the USG READY Institute proposal. This proposal is separate from the Council’s review of the FY23 Operating Budget but part of the larger cross-sector proposal to drive impactful change on the County’s talent pipeline efforts and educational ecosystem. The FY23 budget request for the READY Institute is $475,000.
Review: The joint PHED and E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for school-based programs and out-of-school time programs. The joint PHED and E&C Committee has long been concerned about the importance of quality out-of-school time (OST) to support healthy youth development. Because of the negative impact of social isolation and disrupted schooling from the COVID-19 pandemic on County youth, particularly Black and Brown youth and youth from families with low incomes, the joint Committee has supported the expansion of quality OST programming to counter some of the negative effects of the pandemic.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget: Recreation
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Department of Recreation. The recommended FY23 budget for the department is more than $55 million, which is an increase of more than $6.4 million or 13.3 percent from the FY22 approved budget.
Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan
Review: The PHED Committee will review the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan. The plan makes recommendations within the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan area for land use and zoning, housing, economic development, urban design, transportation, parks and public spaces, environmental resiliency, community facilities and historic resources.
The PHED Committee held multiple meeting to review and make recommendations to the Council on the plan. At a meeting held on March 7, the Committee discussed the introduction to the plan, the eight districts that make up the plan area and recommendations on housing. At a meeting held on March 28, the PHED Committee discussed recommendations for parks, trails and public spaces, transportation, school infrastructure and the Executive’s Fiscal Impact Statement. At a meeting held on April 4, the Committee discussed recommendations for land use and zoning, economic growth and urban design. At a meeting held on April 20, the Committee addressed implementation elements and follow-up items including an assessment of market rate affordable multifamily housing. The Council reviewed the plan at a meeting on April 26.
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.
Committee meetings are being held in-person starting on April 25, and the Council returned to in-person meetings on March 15.
Residents continue to have the opportunity to testify remotely for public hearings or provide in-person testimony at the Council Office Building in Rockville for many public hearings.
The Council is recommending that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council or committee meetings, get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. If this is not possible, virtual participation is encouraged.
Council and committee meetings are 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: 22-180