For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 30, 2020
The following committee meetings are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30. Individuals interested in attending a committee meeting should confirm the information on the day of the meeting by visiting the Council’s web page at tinyurl.com/CountyCouncilMeetings or by calling the Council’s Communications Office at 240-777-7832.
Meeting: Education and Culture (E&C) Committee and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Seventh floor hearing room
E &C Committee: Councilmembers Craig Rice (Chair), Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro
HHS Committee: Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz (Chair), Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness and Vulnerable Communities) and Craig Rice
Topics:
Implementation of the County’s Early Care and Education Initiative
The E&C and HHS Committees will meet jointly to review the implementation of the County’s Early Care and Education Initiative. In March 2019, then-Council President Nancy Navarro and County Executive Marc Elrich, in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Montgomery College, jointly announced the Montgomery County Early Care and Education Initiative (ECEI), a four-year action plan to significantly expand quality early care and education (ECE) options for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, provide greater access to more families and support schools and community-based providers. More information can be found here. The approved fiscal year 2020 Operating Budget included $7 million to support the initiative by providing resources for the expansion, access and sustainability of quality early care and education programs. Approximately $1 million of the total was appropriated to MCPS for additional full-day pre-kindergarten seats at a new Upcounty Early Childhood Center and $6 million was appropriated to Early Care and Education.
Those expected to attend the meeting include: BB Otero, special assistant, Office of the County Executive; Raymond Crowel, director, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maria Navarro, chief academic officer, MCPS.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
School-Based Substance Prevention Programming
The E&C and HHS Committees also will review school-based substance prevention programs. The Committees will discuss comprehensive, consistent substance abuse issues including vaping prevention education in schools. The Committees have requested information on youth substance abuse trends, effective practices in delivering substance abuse prevention education to young people, MCPS sponsored/directed activities and collaborative efforts among MCPS, DHHS and other key stakeholders to implement prevention efforts in schools.
Those expected to attend include: Ruschelle Reuben, associate superintendent, Office of Student Family Support and Engagement, MCPS; Cara Grant, supervisor, Pre-K-12 Health and Physical Education, MCPS and Raymond Crowel, director, DHHS.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Seventh floor hearing room
GO Committee: Councilmembers Nancy Navarro (Chair), Andrew Friedson and Council President Sidney Katz
Topic:
Spending Affordability Guidelines for the FY21 Capital Budget and other general CIP assumptions
The GO Committee will review the spending affordability guidelines for the fiscal year 2021 capital budget and other general Capital Improvements Program (CIP) assumptions. The objective for this meeting is for the Committee to review the Spending Affordability Guidelines (SAGs) for the fiscal year 2021-2026 Capital Improvements Program and the set of associated CIP assumptions. The Committee will prepare its recommendations for the Council's review on February 4, which is the deadline for the Council to either confirm or amend the guidelines.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
The Council 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 web site at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
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Release ID: 20-030