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Press Releases - County Council

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The following Committees will meet virtually on Wednesday, June 17 and Thursday, June 18. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Committee review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html. The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Committee 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 (MoCoCouncilMD) and on Facebook Live (MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil) and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on channels 30 (Fios), 1056 (RCN) and 996 (Xfinity).

Committee: Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) and Health and Human Services (HHS)
Date: Wednesday, June 17
Time: 9:30 a.m.
GO Committee: Councilmembers Nancy Navarro (chair), Andrew Friedson and Council President Sidney Katz
HHS Committee: Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz (chair), Evan Glass (lead for homelessness & vulnerable communities) and Craig Rice
Topic:
Handling of Surge Calls from Residents during Covid-19 and Recovery
The GO and HHS Committees will meet jointly to follow up with the Office of Human Resources (OHR), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Office of Procurement (PRO) and Public Information Office (PIO) regarding call surges to the County’s non-emergency information and services phone line, MC311, during the Covid-19 crisis. The focus of the discussion will be on ensuring an end-to-end approach to requests received from County residents. The Council wants to ensure that no call goes unanswered, that no caller is forgotten or lost in the system; and that each request for help is identified, tracked and closed in a satisfactory manner. Those expected to attend the meeting include the following: Barry Hudson, director, PIO; Ash Shetty, director, PRO; Berke Attila, director, OHR; Dr. Raymond Crowel, director, HHS; and Gail Roper, director, Department of Technology Services (DTS).

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Committee: Public Safety
Date: Thursday, June 18
Time: 10:30 a.m.
PS Committee: Council President Sidney Katz (chair), Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Council Vice President Tom Hucker
Topics:
OIG Report on Fire Overtime
The PS Committee will review the Office of the Inspector General’s report on overtime costs and redundancies in the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services’ (MCFRS) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Diversity Office. The OIG conducted this review in response to complaints it received during calendar year 2019, which expressed concern regarding the use of overtime within the MCFRS EEO/Diversity Office.  The OIG’s report can be viewed on circle pages one through 27 of the Council staff report, which can be viewed here.

MCFRS Executive Regulation 6-20, Adoption Schedule of Fees for Emergency Medical Services Transport Reimbursement Program
The PS Committee also will review Executive Regulation 6-20, Adoption Schedule of Fees for Emergency Medical Services Transport Reimbursement Program. This regulation revises the existing fee structure to align it with current Medicare rates and eliminates the required annual increase by the amount of the Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF). MCFRS’s approved FY21 budget revenue projection reflects the new fees. Those expected to attend include the following. Scott Goldstein, fire chief, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS); Biodun Ayo-Durojaiye, MCFRS; Dominic Del Pozzo, MCFRS; and Rachel Silberman, OMB.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

Committee: Education and Culture (E&C) and Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee
Date: Thursday, June 18
Time: 1:30 p.m.
E&C Committee: Councilmembers Craig Rice (chair), Will Jawando (lead for libraries) and Nancy Navarro
PHED Committee: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (chair), Andrew Friedson (lead for parks) and Will Jawando
Topics:
Workforce Development
On Thursday, June 18 at 1:30 p.m., the E&C and PHED Committees will meet jointly to discuss the organizational approaches of Montgomery College and WorkSource Montgomery to workforce development as the economy reopens from the health crisis. In addition, the committees will discuss the future challenges and opportunities to address the County’s workforce development needs in the context of the possible economic changes following the health crisis. The Council staff report can be viewed here. Those expected to attend the meeting include the following: Leonard Howie, interim CEO, WorkSource Montgomery: Mark Drury, board member, Workforce Development Board; DeRionne Pollard, president, Montgomery College; Steve Greenfield, dean of instruction, Workforce Development & Continuing Education; Dr. Kevin Long, director of planning and policy; and Dr. Sanjay Rai, senior vice president for academic affairs.

The Council staff report can be viewed here.

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Release ID: 20-264
Media Contact: Nicholas Triolo 240-777-7832, Juan Jovel 240-777-7931