For Immediate Release: Friday, December 8, 2017
Continued Discussion of Gang Prevention
is Focus of Committee Meeting on
Monday, Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m.
ROCKVILLE, Md., December 8, 2017—The Montgomery County Council’s Health and Human Services (HHS) and Public Safety (PS) Committees will meet jointly on Monday, December 11 at 10:30 a.m. in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room to continue discussing gang prevention strategies. The discussion will include representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Recreation, and the Office of Management and Budget.
In the context of the recent gang-related criminal activity and concern about gang recruitment, the Council has expressed its commitment to exploring all possible methods for preventing gang involvement. This meeting will focus on the target population that most urgently needs increased access to programs and services, gaps in family strengthening and stabilization services, and the specific ways in which the County can proactively partner with the faith community on this issue.
On October 3, the Council approved a supplemental appropriation to the FY18 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Police Department of $596,920 and for the State's Attorney's Office of $246,773 for gang activity suppression. On October 1, Council Vice President Nancy Navarro sent a memorandum to County Executive Ike Leggett requesting that the County take “a holistic approach to addressing the issues surrounding gang-involved and at-risk youth by increasing prevention and intervention efforts” in addition to suppression and law enforcement strategies. On November 27 the HHS and PS Committees held a meeting on funding additional resources for prevention and intervention.
The HHS Committee is chaired by Councilmember George Leventhal and includes Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Craig Rice. The PS Committee is chaired by Councilmember Marc Elrich and includes Councilmembers Tom Hucker and Sidney Katz.
The staff report can be viewed at:
http://montgomerycountymd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=169&event_id=7501&meta_id=146944
At 2 p.m., the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room to review two zoning text amendments (ZTAs). The PHED Committee is chaired by Councilmember Nancy Floreen and includes Council President Hans Riemer and Councilmember Leventhal.
ZTA 17-13, Exemptions, Public Taking would remove the possibility of structures located on a lot reduced in area by a public acquisition from becoming nonconforming; allow the repair, alteration, or reconstruction of such structure under certain circumstances; allow the lot reduced in area by public acquisition to be legal; and generally amend the provisions for exemptions. Councilmember Nancy Floreen is the lead sponsor.
The staff report can be viewed at:
http://montgomerycountymd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=169&event_id=7502&meta_id=146946
ZTA 17-14, Walls and Fences – Setback Exemption would revise, under certain circumstance, the provisions that allow fences and walls to be exempt from setback standards. Councilmember Leventhal is the lead sponsor.
The staff report can be viewed at:
http://montgomerycountymd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=169&event_id=7502&meta_id=146948
The Committee meetings will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM). The channel can be viewed on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. The meetings also will be available live via streaming through the Council website at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
# # # Release ID: 17-386