For Immediate Release: Monday, October 11, 2021
Also on Oct. 12: The Council will interview applicants to fill a partial term on the Montgomery County Planning Board and Council President Hucker and Councilmember Jawando will introduce legislation to amend the prevailing wage law
The Council will meet virtually on Tuesday, October 12 at 9 a.m. The meeting will begin with a proclamation recognizing Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and will be presented by Councilmember Rice.
Update: Sitting as the Board of Health, the Council will receive an update on the County’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery and vaccination efforts. The update will include information from Montgomery County Public Schools about their ongoing COVID safety measures.
Those expected to provide information include Dr. Raymond Crowel, director, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); James Bridgers, acting chief health officer, DHHS; Dr. Earl Stoddard, acting assistant chief administrative officer, Montgomery County Government; James D’Andrea, chief of staff, Office of the Superintendent, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS); and Heather Dublinske, coordinator, Student Welfare and Compliance, MCPS. Join the conversation with #COVID-19
Montgomery County Planning Board Applicants
Interview: The Council is expected to interview the applicants to fill a partial term on the Montgomery County Planning Board (MCPB) which is scheduled to end on June 14, 2022. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The Council received five applications from Democratic candidates to fill the partial term vacancy on the MCPB that occurred when Ms. Natali Fani-Gonzalez resigned in August 2021. Two applicants were selected for interviews, Ms. Carol Rubin and Mr. Roberto Pinero.
No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and each member must be a resident and registered voter of Montgomery County when appointed. Because Ms. Fani-Gonzalez was a Democrat, this partial term position must be filled by a Democrat.
The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Current Board members are Chair Casey Anderson, Gerald Cichy, Tina Patterson and Partap Verma.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on the appointments of Sonia Mora and Yaakov (Jake) Weismann, who are the County Executive’s appointees for assistant chief administrative officers.
Approval of the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan 2020 – 2029
Vote Expected: The Council is expected to vote on the comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan 2020 – 2029. The plan includes information on the legal and regulatory environment for solid waste management and background on the County’s solid waste programs and facilities.
Pursuant to Sections 9-503 and 9-515 of the Environment Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the governing body of each County is required to adopt and submit to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) a ten-year plan dealing with solid waste disposal systems, solid waste acceptance facilities and the systematic collection and disposal of solid waste. In addition, each County must review its solid waste management plan at least every three years.
Resolution to Approve Categorical Transfers for MCPS’ FY21 Operating Budget and FY21 Grant
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to approve categorical transfers of $67.7 million for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) FY21 operating budget and $1.7 million for FY21 grant funds, as requested by the Board of Education. The operating budget categorial transfers were approved by the Board of Education on Sept. 9, 2021, and the grant fund categorical transfers were approved on June 29, 2021.
Each year, MCPS is required to request transfers among state categories, if necessary, to align the budgeted appropriation with actual expenditures. For Fiscal Year 2021 there are categorical transfers among five state categories. These transfers are needed because of increased expenditures in the new continuity of learning approach, extensive summer instruction, additional student instruction and enrichment in non-traditional school hours, and professional development and technology initiatives for remote learning.
Review: The Council is expected to review amendments to the Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan: water and sewer category change requests. On July 6, the County Executive transmitted a package of three water and sewer category change requests including two sites at the intersection of Travilah Road and Glen Road—one for the proposed Old White House Country Inn at the location of an existing single-family home and the other for redevelopment of the existing Potomac Oak Center shopping center. The third is for property located at 13417 Valley Drive in Rockville for a single-family home and accessory dwelling unit.
The Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee recommends deferring action on two requests (WSSCCR 20TRV-14A, Transquest LLC’s request for new country inn and restaurant and WSSCCR 20-TRV-15A, Travilah Oak LLC’s request for an existing shopping center). The T&E Committee recommends concurring with the County Executive’s denial of the third request (WSCCR 21-TRV-02A, TDR Properties LLC’s request for a proposed single-family home and accessory dwelling unit).
Those expected to attend the meeting include Patrick Butler, Chief, Upcounty, Montgomery County Planning Department; Donnell Zeigler, supervisor, Upcounty, Montgomery County Planning Department; Katherine Nelson, environmental planner coordinator, Montgomery County Planning Department; Steve Shofar, chief, Intergovernmental Affairs Division (IGAD), Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); and Alan Soukup, senior planner, IGAD, DEP.
Semi-Annual Report of the Montgomery County Planning Board
Briefing: The Council will receive a briefing on the Semi-Annual Report from the Planning Board. Occurring in the spring and fall, the report is an opportunity for the Board to brief the Council on the accomplishments of the Parks and Planning Departments and provide an update on work program items. The Council staff report includes an outline of the presentation and the proposed Fiscal Year 2022 Master Plan Schedule.
Those expected to attend and provide information include Casey Anderson, chair, Montgomery County Planning Board, Gwen Wright, director, Planning Department, Mike Riley, director, Parks Department and additional Planning Board members and department staff.
Bill 35-21, Prevailing Wage Requirements - Construction Contracts - Amendments
Introduction: Lead sponsors Council President Hucker and Councilmember Jawando are expected to introduce Bill 35-21, Prevailing Wage Requirements - Construction Contracts – Amendments, which would amend definitions related to construction and the prevailing wage threshold.
Prevailing wage laws require that wages for County funded construction projects be calculated to reflect local wages for similar jobs. The purpose of Bill 35-21 is to expand the applicability of the County’s prevailing wage law to include a County financed construction contract with a value of $250,000. This change would align the County with recently passed state prevailing wage law regarding the contract threshold limit. In addition, the bill would apply prevailing wage requirements to certain public-private partnerships, require construction contracts to include a local hiring requirement and specify violations of the local hiring mandate.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, 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 and committees are meeting via Zoom this fall because of ongoing construction and technology upgrades in the Council's Hearing Room and the inability to conduct meetings in a socially distant way in other areas of the Council Office Building with television broadcast capacity. Councilmembers will continue to hold meetings in their offices by appointment.
The virtual Council and committee meetings 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, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 21-395