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Press Releases - County Council
Montgomery County Council Meets on Nov. 4 to Introduce a $7.75 million Public Service Support Package
For Immediate Release: Monday, November 3, 2025
Also on Nov. 4: Council is expected to vote on legislation to update the duties of the Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity and to prohibit parking in bikeways
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with three proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Councilmember Gabe Albornoz with County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize the tenth anniversary of the Age Friendly Community. The second, presented by Council Vice President Will Jawando, Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles and County Executive Elrich, will recognize Remembrance and Reconciliation Month. The third, presented by Council President Kate Stewart and County Executive Elrich, will recognize Veterans Day and Operation Greenlight for Veterans.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Introduction: The Council will introduce a $7.75 million special appropriation as part of a Public Service Support Resolution to provide assistance for residents and nonprofit organizations impacted by the ongoing federal government shutdown and federal administration policies. The appropriation includes $2.25 million for the Community Grants Non-Departmental Account (NDA), $500,000 for the Economic Development Fund, $1.5 million for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and $3.5 million for the Office of Food Systems Resilience.
A public hearing and vote are tentatively scheduled for Nov. 18.
Understanding Federal Changes and Impact to Medicaid
Briefing: The Council will receive a briefing from Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) representatives about the health care related provisions of H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025. The briefing will focus on reductions and structural changes to federal healthcare programs that are expected to affect County residents. The Council staff report provides additional information about the anticipated state and local impacts of these changes.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Nov. 4, which is available on the Council website.
Montgomery County Priorities Letter for the 2026 Maryland General Assembly Session
Vote expected: The Council is scheduled to vote on Montgomery County’s annual state priorities letter that is submitted to the Maryland General Assembly, which will convene on Jan. 14, 2026. The details can be found in the staff report.
Vote expected: The Montgomery County Code Section 1A-204(b)(4) establishes the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings. The office is authorized to provide a hearing process for land use, employment discrimination and other quasi-judicial matters. The Council is scheduled to vote on the resolution to confirm Khandikile Sokoni’s appointment as director.
Public Hearings
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a more than $10.5 million supplemental appropriation which would fund capital improvements to support Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) bus depot and parking lot improvements. The project will relocate the MCPS depot operations from Crabbs Branch to Gude Drive and accommodate up to 250 of the 450 total MCPS buses. Funding for this project is already programmed in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP); however, the appropriation was withheld at the time funding was programmed because lease negotiations for the property were ongoing. This appropriation is needed due to the completion of lease negotiations for the property located 861 E. Gude Dr. in Rockville which will serves as the MCPS Bus Depot.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a resolution to approve a $180,000 supplemental appropriation for the Montgomery County Office of Human Resources to support the hiring of displaced federal workers. The Council unanimously passed Expedited Bill 10-25 to create a hiring preference for displaced federal workers who reside in Montgomery County. Subsequently, Executive Regulation 24-25 was adopted to implement provisions of Expedited Bill 10-25. This appropriation is needed to support the implementation of the provisions of the bill and executive regulation. The funds will be used to temporarily increase the capacity of the Office of Human Resources to meet the additional workload and to minimize delays in the recruitment process.
The Governmental Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee unanimously recommends approval with the addition of language to the action section of the resolution to restrict the use of personnel services funding for overtime costs for implementation of Bill 10-25.
Interview: The Council will interview Jennifer Macedonia, who is the County Executive’s nominee for director of the Department of Environmental Protection. Ms. Macedonia previously served as the deputy assistant administrator for implementation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation in Washington, D.C.
Legislative Session
Bill 34-25, Legislative Process - Climate Assessments – Amendments
Introduction: Lead sponsors Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe and Dawn Luedtke will introduce Bill 34-25, Legislative Process - Climate Assessments – Amendments, which would amend the contents of climate assessments required for Council bills and zoning text amendments (ZTA) to bring additional definition, clarity and consistency to the required evaluation of “community resilience.” Under the Montgomery County Code, the Office of Legislative Oversight is required to provide a climate assessment for each bill under consideration by the Council. Similarly, the Planning Board must provide a climate assessment for each ZTA, master plan and master plan amendment pending before the District Council.
A public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m.
Expedited Bill 23-25, Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Expedited Bill 23-25, Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity, which would specify the duties of the Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity, clarify the membership of the board of the entity and alter the reporting requirements of the entity. In 2022, the Council enacted Bill 42-21 to establish an Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity. Expedited Bill 23-25 would refine the original legislation by clarifying the duties and responsibilities of the entity.
The lead sponsors of Bill 23-25 are Councilmember Albornoz and Council Vice President Jawando. Councilmember Natali Fani-González is a cosponsor.
The joint Education and Culture (EC) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee recommends enactment with amendments. The recommended committee amendments alter the composition of the board of the entity by reducing DHHS representatives from three to two, and by reducing the number of higher education representatives from three to two; clarify the permitted uses by the entity of County funds and non-County funds; restate the entity’s commitment to racial equity and social justice; and clarify duties related to public outreach regarding the importance of quality early care and education.
Bill 11-25, Child Care Coordination – Amendments
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 11-25, Child Care Coordination – Amendments, which would eliminate the Child Care and Early Education Officer position and eliminate the Early Childhood Coordinating Council. This bill is companion legislation to Expedited Bill 23-25, Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity.
The County Executive has indicated that the position of Child Care and Early Education Officer is no longer filled, and personnel are needed to fulfill other duties within the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The bill would remove Section 44-4A in the County Code, which would eliminate reference to the position as it relates to child care in public space. The bill also would remove Section 10A3 in the County Code, which would eliminate the Early Childhood Coordinating Council, as the duties of the Early Childhood Coordinating Council have been largely transferred to the Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity.
The lead sponsor is the Council President, at the request of the County Executive. The joint EC and HHS Committee recommends enactment.
Bill 28-25, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Parking in Bikeways - Prohibited
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 28-25, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Parking in Bikeways – Prohibited, which would prohibit the standing, stopping or parking of vehicles in bikeways. The purpose of Bill 28-25 would be to enhance safety for cyclists. Current County law includes a list of 10 areas in which a person must not stop, stand, or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not. Bill 28-25 would add bikeways to this list of areas. The legislation includes definitions for bikeway, bike lane, off-street trail, separate bike lane, shared use roadway and side path.
The lead sponsor of Bill 28-25 is Councilmember Evan Glass. Councilmembers Luedtke, Andrew Friedson and Fani-González are cosponsors of Bill 28-25. The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee recommends enactment with amendments.
District Council Session
Resolution to approve an Amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation, Timberlawn
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on the proposed designation of Timberlawn in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. The full Council previously received a briefing about Timberlawn at a meeting held on Oct. 14. At a meeting held on Oct. 27, the Council’s Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee recommended approval.
The Timberlawn property, located at 5700 Sugarbush Lane in Rockville, is the former residence of Eunice Kennedy and Sargent Shriver. Designation of a property as a master plan historic site or historic district, indicates that the property is of special historic significance and would be protected under the Historic Resources Preservation chapter of the County Code. Designation requires the review of the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Board and the Council.
At a meeting held in Oct. 2024, the Historic Preservation Commission found that Timberlawn satisfied the designation criteria for listing in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation and voted unanimously to recommend that the Planning Board and Council designate the resource as a Master Plan Historic Site. At a meeting held in May 2025, the Planning Board voted unanimously to list Timberlawn to the Locational Atlas and Index of Historic Sites and recommend that the Council designate the property to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. A public hearing was conducted on Oct. 21.
Additional information is available on the Planning Board website and in the Planning Board’s draft of the Timberlawn Master Plan Designation.
The Council 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: 25-370
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884