For Immediate Release: Friday, July 10, 2020
The following Committees will meet virtually on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14. 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).
Monday, July 13
Meeting: Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
PHED Committee: Councilmembers Hans Riemer (Chair), Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando
Topics:
ZTA 19-08, Bicycle Parking - Requirements and Design Standards
Zoning Text Amendment 19-08 would amend bicycle parking requirements and bicycle parking design standards. It would expand the universe of development required to provide bicycle parking facilities by requiring that more developments provide parking facilities. In Nov. 2018, the Council approved the Bicycle Master Plan, which envisions that Montgomery County will be a world-class bicycling community. Under the plan, all areas of the County will have access to a comfortable, safe, and connected bicycle network. ZTA 19-08 will implement one aspect of the 2018 Bicycle Master Plan by augmenting the bicycle parking requirement in the Zoning Ordinance. The individuals expected to attend the meeting include: Casey Anderson, chair, Montgomery County Planning Board; Greg Russ, planner coordinator, Montgomery County Planning Department; David Anspacher, transportation supervisor, Montgomery County Planning Department; and Lauren Pepe, senior planning associate, Montgomery County Planning Department.
The Council staff report can be found here.
Housing Finances, Preservation, and the Purple Line Corridor
The PHED Committee will close out its meeting with a discussion on housing finances, preservation and the Purple Line corridor. The County Council has adopted a resolution stating its commitment to finding ways to meet the goals for production of new housing as developed through the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Regional Housing Initiative. This commitment includes increasing the stock of affordable housing and having 75 percent of the new housing in activity centers or near high-capacity transit. This commitment was further confirmed when the Council included housing as one of the four pillars in its Economic Development Platform, which was spearheaded by Councilmember Navarro. As a part of its Fiscal Year 2021 budget actions, the Council placed in designated reserve $6.8 million that would otherwise have been appropriated to the Housing Initiative Fund in order to have additional time to determine if this money can be leveraged to create new, larger pools of financing to support the production and preservation of affordable housing. On July 7, 2020, the Council introduced a capital improvements program amendment and special appropriation to the capital budget to create a HOC Housing Production Fund that will leverage $2.8 million of the $6.8 million in designated reserve to create a $50 million fund in FY21.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Education and Culture (E&C) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
E&C Committee: Councilmembers Craig Rice (Chair), Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro
Topics:
Recovery/Reopening Update: Montgomery College and Universities at Shady Grove
At the time of the County's budget approval, Councilmember Craig Rice indicated his commitment to conducting a series of meetings with Montgomery College and The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) to discuss budget and policy issues that have been caused by the Covid-19 health crisis. For this Committee meeting, Council staff asked the College and USG to provide an update on plans for summer classes and the 2020-2021 school year; available student resources and related initiatives to address the effects of Covid-19; and CARES funding, or other federal and state assistance. While workforce development is a key aspect of higher education, it is not specifically addressed in the Council staff report because the E&C Committee and the PHED Committee held a joint session on post-health crisis workforce development on June 18. The following individuals are expected to participate in the meeting: Dr. DeRionne Pollard, president, Montgomery College; Sanjay Rai, senior vice president of academic affairs, Montgomery College; Liz Greaney, chief, Business/Financial Strategy Office, Montgomery College; Dr. Stewart Edelstein, executive director, The Universities at Shady Grove (USG); Mary Lang, chief planning and strategy officer, USG; Nico Washington, chief financial officer, USG; and Robyn Dinicola-Wagle, chief student affairs officer, USG.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
FY21 Budget Savings Plan
On July 6, the County Executive transmitted a revised spending plan for fiscal year 2020 which includes changes to the FY21 Operating Budget as well as ten amendments to County Government projects in the FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program. The E&C Committee will review budget items for Montgomery College and County libraries. At this time, the County Executive proposed no budget savings from Montgomery County Public Schools as part of this plan. Once MCPS has determined the operational plan for the next school year, the County Executive is expected to work with leadership to determine what savings may be possible given the operational changes and challenges associated with the global pandemic.
The Executive proposed budget savings in the amount of $4,354,491 for Montgomery College which represents a three percent savings. Council staff recommends this reduction which remains in reserve within the College as a possible resource for reappropriation in fiscal year 2022.
The Executive proposed budget savings in the amount of $1,959,655 for Montgomery County Public Libraries which is a 4.65 percent reduction. Council staff recommends these reductions that will come from operating and personnel cost savings predominately related to the physical closure of library branches and remote telework policies implemented because of Covid-19.
Those expected to attend the meeting include: Dr. DeRionne Pollard, president, Montgomery College; Rafael Murphy, Office of Management and Budget; Anita Vassallo, director, Montgomery County Public Libraries; Deborah Lambert, Office of Management and Budget.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Tuesday, July 14
Meeting: Public Safety (PS) Committee
Time: 3:15 p.m.
PS Committee: Council President Sidney Katz (Chair), Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Council Vice President Tom Hucker
Topic:
FY21 Budget Savings Plan
The Public Safety (PS) Committee is scheduled to review elements of the Executive's recommended fiscal year 2021 Savings Plan that are under its jurisdiction. The PS Committee will consider savings in the following budget items:
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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Release ID: 20-294