For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The following Committees will meet virtually on Thursday, July 23. 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).
Meeting: Public Safety (PS) Committee
Time: 9:30 a.m.
PS Committee: Council President Sidney Katz (Chair), Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Council Vice President Tom Hucker
Topics:
Bill 24-20, Administration - Police - Assistant Chiefs of Police
The PS Committee will review Bill 24-20, which would create a non-merit civilian assistant chief of police position and rename the existing non-merit assistant chief of police positions. Council President Sidney Katz is the lead sponsor, at the request of the County Executive.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Executive Regulation 3-20, Assistant Chief of Police—Civilian
The PS Committee also will review Executive Regulation 3-20, which provides a new position description for a civilian assistant chief of police position. This position would manage the administrative and operational activities for one of the five bureaus in the Montgomery County Police Department.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Executive Regulation 4-20, Assistant Chief of Police—Sworn
The PS Committee also will review Executive Regulation 4-20, which has been amended to reflect the five bureaus within the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). It specifies that a sworn assistant chief may act in the absence of the police chief. It also changes the experience requirements slightly to ensure parity with those required for the civilian assistant chief position.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
OLO Report 9-2020, Local Policing Data and Best Practices
The PS Committee will close out its meeting with a review of OLO Report 2020-9, Local Policing Data and Best Practices. The Council asked OLO to describe MCPD datasets and released the report on July 21. The report describes MCPD datasets concerning their interactions with the public (policing data), their alignment to best practices and disparities by race and ethnicity on select measures. Metrics on MCPD interactions with the public described in the report include data on detentions, complaints against the police, surveys of police-community relations and police and resident initiated contacts with the police. The report also offers recommendations for Council and MCPD action.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Education and Culture (E&C) Committee and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
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
Topic:
Supplemental Appropriation to MCPS' FY21 Operating Budget, $250,000 for the Mental Health Program to Support Schools
The E&C and HHS Committee will review a $250,000 special appropriation to fund mental health supports in Montgomery County Public Schools. The Board of Education requested this appropriation on June 29. As part of its approved fiscal year 2021 budget, MCPS plans to implement a pilot program to provide mental health services to identified students. MCPS is planning a service model in which school-based staff members, including school counselors and psychologists, may refer students who require additional mental health services to a community agency with which MCPS has an established partnership. MCPS anticipates providing these services at no cost to students. The funding from the special appropriation will be used to expand the planned pilot program and double the number of estimated students who will receive services from 270 to 540.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee
Time: 2:30 p.m.
HHS Committee: Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz (Chair), Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness and Vulnerable Communities) and Craig Rice
Topic:
Special Appropriation to the County Government’s FY21 Operating Budget , Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Health and Crisis Prevention Crisis Prevention and Intervention Services - $395,000 for Montgomery County Hotline and Amendment to Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget Resolution 19-472 Section G, FY21 Designation of Entities for Non-Competitive Contract Award Status: EveryMind
The HHS Committee will review a special appropriation of $395,000 to DHHS’ Behavioral Health and Crisis Prevention and Intervention Services: Montgomery County Hotline. The Council is sponsoring this special appropriation that was initiated by Councilmembers Andrew Friedson, Will Jawando and Gabe Albornoz. This special appropriation would support a higher level of service for residents from EveryMind’s Montgomery County Hotline which serves community members in crisis. This special appropriation will support the addition of eight full-time specialists to staff the hotline, along with supervisory, managerial and administrative support for these positions through December 2020. The additional positions are needed to address the increased calls due to the Covid-19 emergency and maintain the number of hotline shifts per week and double staffing coverage provided in FY20 because of the public health crisis. In addition, the funding will support the expansion of text services from 8 a.m. to noon through FY21.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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Release ID: 20-324