For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 13, 2020
The following committees will meet virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 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).
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
Topic:
2020-2024 Subdivision Staging Policy - School and Transportation Issues
The PHED Committee will review school and transportation issues related to the County’s 2020-2024 Subdivision Staging Policy. The County’s 2020-2024 Subdivision Staging Policy is based on having sufficient infrastructure to support new development. During this meeting, the committee will discuss school adequacy standards and the rules that apply when a school service area is deemed overutilized. The committee also will revisit the Motor Vehicle Adequacy Test mitigation priorities and discuss changing the name of the Subdivision Staging Policy to the County Growth Policy.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
Meeting: Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
GO Committee: Councilmembers Nancy Navarro (Chair), Andrew Friedson and Council President Sidney Katz
Topic:
Racial Equity and Social Justice
The GO Committee will receive an update on the status of the implementation of the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act, which was spearheaded by Councilmember Nancy Navarro and enacted unanimously by the Council in November. The law also was supported by County Executive Elrich. The Racial Equity and Social Justice Act was enacted after holding community conversations with more than 1,000 residents and reviewing the analysis of the Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight. This seminal law created a Racial Equity and Social Justice Program for Montgomery County government, established the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice and established the Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee. The Racial Equity and Social Justice Act also mandated a racial equity and social justice action plan for the County and required each department to develop a racial equity and social justice action plan. Moreover, the law requires racial equity and social justice impact statements for legislation and budget actions and requires the Montgomery Planning Board to consider racial equity and social justice impacts when preparing a master plan.
On July 28, the Council unanimously approved a special appropriation of $260,961 for the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, which was needed to support training for departmental staff, assist departments with policy examinations for processes and procedures and track and address each department’s racial equity action plans and racial equity and social justice impact statements.
In addition, Bill 44-20, Human Rights and Civil Liberties - Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee - Members - Amendments, which was initiated by Councilmember Navarro, was introduced on September 29. The bill requires the Office of Legislative Oversight to submit a racial equity and social justice impact statement for each zoning text amendment and adds two additional public members to the Racial Equity and Social Justice Advisory Committee. The bill also authorizes the County Executive to establish one or more task forces to study and make recommendations on specific racial equity and social justice issues.
The following individuals will update the committee on the implementation of the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act: Tiffany Ward, director, Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice; Elaine Bonner-Tompkins, Ph.D., senior legislative analyst, Office of Legislative Oversight; Selena Mendy Singleton, clerk, Montgomery County Council; and Theo Holt, Ph.D., performance management and data analyst, Office of Legislative Oversight.
The Council staff report can be found here.
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Release ID: 20-403