For Immediate Release: Friday, April 22, 2022
Committees will discuss the FY23 Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Programs
The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet on Monday, April 25, at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of Agriculture (OAG), incubator programs, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) and the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC). The committee will also discuss an FY23-28 CIP amendment for affordable housing acquisition and preservation, as well as FY22 supplemental appropriations for naturally occurring affordable housing and for loan repayment proceeds related to affordable housing acquisition and preservation.
The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee will also meet at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) and the Police Accountability Board.
The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Tom Hucker.
The Education and Culture (E&C) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss to the FY23 Operating Budget for Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Libraries, the Takoma Park Library payment, the Arts and Humanities Council and the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL). In addition, the committee will discuss the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center and the Noyes Library for Young Children.
The members of the E&C Committee include Chair Craig Rice and Councilmembers Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro.
The Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee will also meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the transportation fees, fines and fares resolution, the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Mass Transit Fund, the General Services fleet, utilities and the motor pool. The committee will also discuss the CIP for further revisions to transportation projects.
The members of the T&E Committee include Chair Tom Hucker, Council Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmember Hans Riemer.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Office of Agriculture (OAG)
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for Office of Agriculture (OAG). The recommended FY23 budget for OAG is more than $1 million, which is an increase of more than $46,000 or 4.6 percent from the FY22 approved budget. OAG partners with local businesses, the University of Maryland and state and federal agencies to provide support to agriculture businesses and the agriculture industry.
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for incubator programs. The recommended FY23 budget for incubator programs is more than $3.1 million, which is an increase of more than $124,000 or 4.1 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The County owns or leases three incubator facilities and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for DHCA. The recommended FY23 budget for the department is more than $19.3 million, which is an increase of 3.8 percent from the FY22 approved budget. DHCA prevents and corrects problems that contribute to the physical decline of residential and commercial areas, ensures fair and equitable relations between landlords and tenants, increases the supply of affordable housing and maintains existing housing in a safe and sanitary condition.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Housing Opportunities Commission
Review: The PHED Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for HOC. The recommended FY23 budget is more than $7.6 million, which is an increase of $737,475 or 10.7 percent, from the FY22 approved budget. HOC provides affordable and supportive housing services that enhance the lives of families and individuals with low- and moderate-incomes throughout Montgomery County.
Review: The PHED Committee will review an FY23-28 CIP amendment for affordable housing acquisition and preservation, an FY22 supplemental appropriation for the naturally occurring affordable housing fund and an FY22 supplemental appropriation for loan repayment proceeds and affordable housing acquisition and preservation. The committee will discuss the Housing Initiative Fund (HIF) portion of the DHCA FY23 operating budget, the County Executive’s recommended amendments for the affordable housing acquisition and preservation CIP, including the FY22 appropriation of $14,749,992 of loan repayment proceeds and the addition of $25,000,000 of recordation tax premium in FY24-26. They will also discuss the County Executive’s request for $40 million for a new CIP for the preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing and consider increasing the General Fund transfer to the HIF by $40 million in FY23.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Police
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for MCPD. The recommended FY23 budget for the department is more than $295 million, which is an increase of 4.49 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The committee will discuss the current policing landscape in the County, local reform efforts and mandates, staffing, operations and police data analysis as these items relate to the FY23 Operating Budget.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Police Accountability Board
Review: The PS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Police Accountability Board (PAB) Non-Departmental Account (NDA). The recommended FY23 budget for the PAB is $504,982. The PAB was created under Bill 49-21, Police – Police Accountability Board – Administrative Charging Committee – Established. The PAB and the Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) must be fully staffed and operating by July 1, 2022.
The County Executive initially included $100,510 in his March 15 Recommended FY23 Operating Budget submission, reflecting its initial fiscal impact of the bill as introduced. The bill was later amended to provide compensation for both ACC members and certain PAB members and specified that the PAB must be appropriately staffed. The Executive submitted to subsequent budget amendments bringing total funding to $504,982.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Montgomery College
Review: The E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for Montgomery College. The recommended FY23 budget for Montgomery College is more than $321 million, which is an increase of 2.8 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The college’s budget assumes no tuition increase and more than $55 million in state aid funding.
In addition to an overview of the operating budget, the committee will discuss a summary of the Board of Trustee’s request and County Executive’s budget recommendation, COVID-19 relief funding, racial equity information, enrollment trends, tuition revenue, employee compensation and benefits. In addition, the committee will discuss current funding for the East County Education Center.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Libraries
Review: The E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). The recommended FY23 budget for MCPL is $42.7 million, which is an increase of 7.4 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The staff report will be on available Monday, April 25.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – NDA Takoma Park Library Payment
Review: The E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Takoma Park Library Payment NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for this NDA is $167,911, which is a decrease of five percent from the FY22 approved budget. The staff report will be on available Monday, April 25.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – NDA Arts and Humanities Council
Review: The E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Arts and Humanities Council NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Arts and Humanities Council NDA is $5.7 million, which is an increase of eight percent from the FY22 approved budget. The staff report will be available on Monday, April 25.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – NDA Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL)
Review: The E&C Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for MCAEL. The recommended FY23 budget for MCAEL is more than $2 million, which is an increase of six percent from the FY22 approved budget. The staff report will be available on Monday, April 25.
Capital Improvements Project – Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center
Review: The E&C Committee will review a March 15, 2022 Capital Improvement Project Amendment to the FY23-28 recommended budget for the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center which includes Planning, Design and Supervision funding for FY23 and FY25 totaling more than $2 million. The staff report will be available on Monday, April 25.
Capital Improvements Project – Libraries: Noyes Library for Young Children
Review: The E&C Committee will review an April 18, 2022 Capital Improvement Project Amendment to the FY23-28 recommended budget for the Noyes Library for Young Children Rehabilitation and Renovation which includes matching State and philanthropic funding to begin design and construction totaling $3.9 million in County capital funds. The staff report will be available on Monday, April 25.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – FY23 WMATA Budget Briefing
Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for WMATA in a briefing with Board Alternate Member Michael Goldman and WMATA and DOT leaders. The recommended FY23 budget for WMATA is $2.28 billion, which is an increase of 8.7 percent from the approved FY22 budget.
Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for DOT’s Mass Transit Fund, an FY23 resolution on transportation fees, charges and fares and general fund follow-up. The recommended FY23 budget for the Division of Transit Services is $172.87 million, which is an increase of more than $18 million or 11.87 percent from the FY22 approved budget. The budget of the Mass Transit Fund is presented in three programs, consolidated from the eight programs that had been displayed in budgets up through and including FY20.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – General Services Fleet
Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for fleet management services. The recommended FY23 budget for fleet management services is more than $89 million, an increase of $4.86 million or 5.77 percent percent from the approved FY22 budget. Major cost changes include $1.8 million to fund the acquisition of 45 zero-emissions vehicles in FY23 to replace existing gasoline-powered vehicles in the light-duty fleet.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Utilities
Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Utilities NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Utilities NDA is $25.26 million, an increase of $1.54 million or 6.5 percent from the approved FY22 budget. Increased utilities expenditures are primarily due to greater consumption due to new facilities or services, facilities reopening after COVID closures, increased rates and construction of the Brookeville bus depot microgrid.
FY23 Recommended Operating Budget – Motor Pool NDA
Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Motor Pool Fund NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Motor Pool NDA is $66,490, a decrease of 23.6 percent from the approved FY22 budget. For FY23, the County Executive is recommending one-time funding of $66,490 to fund the purchase of two new electric vehicles for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) to serve as perimeter patrol vehicles.
FY23-28 CIP – Further Revisions to Transportation Projects
Review: The T&E Committee will review revisions to the recommended FY23-28 CIP for transportation projects. On April 18, the County Executive transmitted revisions to his Recommended FY23-28 CIP, mostly—but not entirely—based on state aid for local capital improvements approved by the Maryland General Assembly in its 2022 session. This worksession will address his recommendations and follow-up from earlier committee CIP worksessions.
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.
Committee meetings are being held in-person starting on March 25, and the Council returned to in-person meetings on March 15.
Residents continue to have the opportunity to testify remotely for public hearings or provide in-person testimony at the Council Office Building in Rockville for many public hearings.
The Council is recommending that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council or committee meetings, get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. If this is not possible, virtual participation is encouraged.
Council and committee meetings are 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: 22-176