For Immediate Release: Friday, November 9, 2018
Also on Nov. 13: Tribute to County Executive Isiah Leggett and introduction of new legislation to reduce traffic congestion through transportation demand management
The Council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 9:30 a.m. Individuals interested in attending a Council meeting should confirm the information on the day of the meeting by visiting the Council’s web page or by calling the Council’s Legislative Information Office at 240-777-7832. All meetings are held in the Council Office Building (100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD.) in the third floor hearing room, unless otherwise noted.
Compensation Cost Trends
At 11 a.m. the Council will receive an update on County government trends in the cost of compensation. The Council President requested this briefing as a continuation of previous Office of Legislative Oversight and Council staff work and in alignment with the Council’s request during the FY19 budget deliberations that staff “continue to review the long-term sustainability of all agency compensation and benefits costs in the context of continued slow revenue growth and the potential impact of fiscal decisions by the federal government.” The briefing will examine the sustainability of employee compensation and benefits in the context of the County’s overall budget.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Salute to County Executive Ike Leggett
At 1 p.m. the Council will recognize County Executive Isiah Leggett for his tenure as Montgomery County Executive for the last twelve years, his prior service on the Council and his lifelong dedication to public service.
Pedestrian and traffic safety along state highways
At 2 p.m. the Council will receive a briefing on pedestrian and traffic safety along state highways. This briefing is the result of an October 16 letter, spearheaded by Council Vice President Nancy Navarro, in which the Council requested that Governor Larry Hogan and Maryland Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Rahn provide immediate pedestrian safety relief along Georgia Ave. (MD 97). Those expected to attend include the following: Captain Thomas Didone, Traffic Division Director, Montgomery County Department of Police; Todd Watkins, Transportation Director, Montgomery County Public Schools; Wade Holland, CountyStat, who is serving as the interim Vision Zero Coordinator; Al Roshdieh, Director, Montgomery County Department of Transportation; Christopher Conklin, Deputy Director for Transportation Policy, MCDOT; and Kristy Daphnis, Chair, Pedestrian, Bicycle and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
The Council is scheduled to introduce the following bills:
Bill 36-18 Transportation Management - Transportation Demand Management Plan – Amendments
The Council will introduce Expedited Bill 36-18, Transportation Management – Transportation Demand Management Plan – Amendments. Council President Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor, at the request of the County Executive. Expedited Bill 36-18 would do the following:
The goal of this legislation is to reduce traffic congestion and automobile emissions and to support multi-modal transportation. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for December 4 at 1:30 p.m.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Key search terms for Expedited Bill 36-18 on the Council’s website include: traffic, transportation, transportation demand management and multimodal transportation. #TrafficRelief is being used for this item on social media.
Expedited Bill 37-18, Transient Housing - Short Term Rental License – Appeals
The Council will introduce Expedited Bill 37-18, Transient Housing – Short Term Rental License – Appeals. Councilmember Nancy Floreen is the lead sponsor. Expedited Bill 37-18 would amend the appeal process for short-term rental licenses. The goal of this bill is to help ensure that residents aggrieved by an approval, denial, revocation or suspension of a bed and breakfast license or homestay rental license can quickly and efficiently appeal and receive a decision from the Board of Appeals. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for December 4 at 1:30 p.m.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Key search terms for Expedited Bill 37-18 include: homestays, short-term rentals, home rental and license appeal. #HomestayLicenses is being used for this item on social media.
Expedited Bill 38-18, Weapons - Urban Area - Boundary
The Council will introduce Expedited Bill 38-18, Weapons – Urban Area – Boundary. Council President Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor, at the request of the County Executive. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for December 4 at 1:30 p.m. Expedited Bill 38-18 would change the boundaries of the urban area which has remained the same for 20 years. The boundary change includes nine dwellings and vacant property west of Kruhm Road in Burtonsville. The discharge of firearms is prohibited in the urban area. The goal of this bill is to extend the urban area to increase public safety. An increase in the number of firearm discharges in this area has prompted the introduction of this bill.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Key search terms for Expedited Bill 38-18 include: urban area, firearm discharge and weapon discharge. #GunSafety is being used for this item on social media.
Expedited Bill 39-18, Domestic Violence Council - Membership – Amendments
The Council will introduce Expedited Bill 39-18, Domestic Violence Coordinating Council – Membership – Amendments. Councilmember Sidney Katz is the lead sponsor. Expedited Bill 39-18 would add two members to the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (DVCC), extend the term of the chair of the Council and modify the requirements for the student member. The goal of this legislation is to improve the efficacy of the DVCC.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
The Council is scheduled to vote on the following bills:
Bill 34-18, Human Rights and Civil Liberties - County Minimum Wage - Definitions – Employer
The Council is scheduled to vote on Bill 34-18, Human Rights and Civil Liberties – County Minimum Wage – Definitions – Employer. Council President Hans Riemer is the lead sponsor. Councilmember Tom Hucker is a cosponsor. Bill 34-18 would modify the definition of “employer” in the County’s minimum wage law, so that employers of “one or more persons in the County” would be required to pay the County minimum wage. The bill does not change the rate of the minimum wage, nor does it change any of the scheduled increases under the existing law. The goal of the bill is to require payment of the County minimum wage to workers who are the sole employee of their employers and make the applicability of the County minimum wage consistent with the County Sick and Safe Leave law.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Bill 33-18, Environmental Sustainability-Commercial Property Assesses Clean Energy Program-Property Tax Surcharge
The Council is scheduled to vote on Bill 33-18, Environmental Sustainability - Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (C-PACE) - Property Tax Surcharge. Councilmember Roger Berliner is the lead sponsor. Councilmembers Sidney Katz, Marc Elrich, Council President Hans Riemer, Councilmember Tom Hucker, Council Vice President Nancy Navarro and Councilmember Craig Rice are cosponsors. Bill 33-18 would require the County to add the property tax surcharge to the property tax bill within a certain timeframe. Under current law, the County places the tax surcharge to collect a C-PACE loan after the project is completed. Bill 33-18 would require the surcharge to be placed on the following July 1 after the execution of a clean energy loan financing agreement.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
The Council will review and vote on several special appropriations for the fiscal year 2019 capital and operating budgets and fiscal year 2019-2024 (FY19-24) Capital Improvement Program amendments. See the Council agenda for further information.
The Council meeting 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 Council meeting also will be available live via streaming through the Council web site at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
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Release ID: 18-294