For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Also on May 21, Council will receive update on Covid-19 public health planning and recovery and a briefing from the Maryland Department of Transportation on Purple Line construction
The Council will meet virtually on Thursday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council agendas can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be 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 and Fios 30.
Council Agenda Items
Approval of Resolutions for the FY21 Operating Budget, FY21 Capital Budget and FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program
The Montgomery County Council is scheduled to approve the County’s $5.8 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Operating Budget and the $4.4 billion, six-year capital budget. The Council’s focus throughout its budget work was on providing a continuity of services for County government and residents. The Council's budget work was done with the knowledge that the Council will need to return to FY21 budget issues early in the fiscal year to make additional reductions based on anticipated revenue decreases caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The operating budget funds Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College at the Maintenance of Effort levels, invests in early education and child care, expands school health nurses, provides essential health and human services programs and safety net services, funds public safety services and invests in public transportation and affordable housing. The budget maintains property taxes at the Charter Limit and provides a $692 property tax credit for homeowners. The operating budget also meets the FY21 target for the County’s reserve—10 percent of adjusted governmental revenues. In addition, the budget also provides $92.2 million in additional resources for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB). Funding for these fiscal obligation helps the County retain its triple-A bond rating.
All of the Council's budget resolutions will be posted by May 21 here.
Special Appropriation to the Fiscal Year 2020 Operating Budget WorkSource Montgomery Non-Departmental Account, Support for COVID-19 Response -Unemployment Insurance Outreach, $40,000
The Council is scheduled to introduce a special appropriation of $40,000 to the County government’s FY20 Operating Budget. The special appropriation supports WorkSource Montgomery’s efforts, in partnership with the Maryland, Montgomery County, and other non-profit partners, to conduct an outreach campaign to ensure all County residents are aware of the unemployment eligibility and benefits available through the Maryland Department of Labor. Specifically, WorkSource will implement a multi-media outreach campaign (print and digital) that would focus on providing benefit information, frequently asked questions and contact information with a special focus on those residents with language, technology and other critical barriers. WorkSource is directly partnering with the County’s Public Information Office to leverage existing resources and distribution outlets.
The public hearing and vote is tentatively scheduled for June 9 at 1:30 p.m.
The Council staff report will be available here by May 21.
Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) and County Public Health Planning
At 11 a.m. the Council will meet as the Board of Health to receive an update on the County’s efforts to protect public health and safety during the global Covid-19 pandemic and discuss the County's recovery efforts. Those expected to attend the meeting include the following: Dr. Travis Gayles, county health officer and chief of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Public Health Services; Dr. Earl Stoddard, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security; and Dr. Raymond Crowel, director, DHHS.
The Council staff report will be available here by May 21.
Briefing by the Maryland Department of Transportation on the status of Purple Line Construction
The Council will receive a briefing from Maryland Department of Transportation officials on the status of Purple Line construction. On May 1, 2020, Purple Line Transit Constructors (PLTC), a subsidiary of Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP), notified PLTP that it was planning to terminate its participation in the project. PLTC identified four sets of events contributing to more than two and a half years of delay to the project’s critical path, for which it has requested compensation totaling more than $519 million. PLTP has until June 20 to respond to PLTC.
The Council staff report will be available here by May 21.
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Release ID: 20-228