For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 18, 2024
The joint Audit and Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet on Thursday, June 20 at 9:30 a.m. to continue discussions about Office of Inspector General (OIG) Report #OIG-24-08, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Complaint Processing.
The members of the Audit Committee include Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Chair and Council Vice President Kate Stewart, Council President Andrew Friedson and Councilmember Sidney Katz.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Kristin Mink.
The Economic Development (ECON) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to receive a briefing on the County’s economic indicators for the first quarter of 2024 from representatives of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) and the Planning Department.
The members of the ECON Committee include Chair Natali Fani-González and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe, Evan Glass and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The EC Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the Board of Education’s action to approve the MCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Operating Budget.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Office of Inspector General Report #OIG-24-08, MCPS Complaint Processing
Review: The joint Audit and EC Committee will review updates and corrective actions related to the findings and recommendations in OIG Report #OIG-24-08, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Complaint Processing. On Aug. 11, 2023, The Washington Post published an article detailing allegations of sexual harassment and bullying by an MCPS employee who had recently received a promotion within the school system. Multiple investigations have ensued in the intervening months, conducted by MCPS, an external legal firm and the Montgomery County inspector general. At this meeting, the committee will review updates and corrective actions taken to address the findings and recommendations provided in the OIG report.
The joint committee previously met on Feb. 8 to discuss the report. During this meeting, Montgomery County Inspector General Megan Limarzi outlined the process and timeline for her office to monitor the school system’s work to address the recommendations. On April 25, MCPS staff provided an update to the Board of Education on corrective actions taken to address the issues associated with the reports.
The OIG has issued three reports related to this issue and this meeting will continue to focus on the third and most recent report, OIG Report #OIG-24-08. This report sought to assess whether MCPS has effective procedures for the receipt, assignment, investigation, referral, resolution, documentation and retention of allegations of misconduct by its employees.
Montgomery County First Quarter Economic Indicators
Briefing: The ECON Committee will receive a briefing on the County’s first quarter economic indicators for 2024 from representatives of MCEDC and the Planning Department. The briefing will focus on indicators related to employment, real estate and development, and venture capital investment. The County’s 2.6 percent unemployment rate in March was 0.8 percent above March of 2023 but remains 0.4 percent below the March 2019 rate. Venture capital investment totaled $128.6 million, which is the lowest in the past eight years on record, reflecting the impact of higher interest rates. The number of homes listed for sale in March 2024 showed a 13 percent increase when compared to March 2023. Office vacancy rates, which are now at 18.2 percent, are 1.4 percentage points above the 16.8 percent from the year prior. Additional detail is provided in the staff report.
Montgomery County Public Schools FY25 Operating Budget Briefing
Review: The EC Committee will review the Board of Education’s June 11 action to approve the MCPS FY25 Operating Budget. On May 23, the Council approved a total FY25 appropriation of more than $3.32 billion for MCPS. The County Charter requires that the Council approve a budget for all agencies by June 1 of each year. Following the Council’s appropriation action, the Board of Education then adopted a final budget that allocates funds within the major categories to meet the level of funding provided by the Council’s appropriation. The Council’s FY25 appropriation represents the third year of increases to the MCPS budget. Additional detail is provided in the staff report.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
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: 24-235