For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 8, 2023
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet on Thursday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss Bill 9-23, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council – Rename, a resolution to designate the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families as the County’s local management board for children, youth and families, and Bill 10-23, Health - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission – Established.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss Expedited Bill 4-23, Administration - Non-Merit Positions - Special Projects Manager, a resolution to approve Executive Regulation No. 24-22, Special Projects Manager Class Specification and Bill 1-23, Property Tax Credit - Elderly Individuals and Retired Military Services Members – Amendments.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Kate Stewart, Council Vice President Andrew Friedson and Councilmember Sidney Katz.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Bill 9-23, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council – Rename
Review: The HHS Committee will review Bill 9-23, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council – Rename. The bill would rename the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council by replacing the word “abuse” with “addiction” to reduce the stigma associated with the word abuse and better reflect the need to provide access and support for persons afflicted with addictions.
The lead sponsor is the Council President, at the request of the County Executive.
Review: The HHS Committee will review a resolution to designate the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families as the County’s local management board for children, youth and families. State law requires the County to designate a local management board to ensure the implementation of a local, interagency services delivery system for children, youth and families.
The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families has served in this capacity since May 4, 2004. The County designation expires three years after a designating resolution is adopted. The last resolution designating the County’s local management board took place on March 20, 2020.
Bill 10-23, Health - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission – Established
Review: The HHS Committee will review Bill 10-23, Health - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission – Established, which would establish an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission, and generally amend the law regarding the provision and coordination of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the County. The purpose of the bill is to create a commission to advise the Council and County Executive and to better coordinate services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
The lead sponsor is Councilmember Albornoz. Council President Evan Glass, Council Vice President Friedson and Councilmembers Luedtke, Kristin Mink, Sayles, Natali Fani-González, Stewart and Marilyn Balcombe are cosponsors.
Review: The GO Committee will review Expedited Bill 4-23, Administration - Non-Merit Positions - Special Projects Manager, which would create a second non-merit special projects manager position in the Office of the County Executive. The Office of the County Executive currently has one special projects manager and Bill 4-23 would increase this number to two.
The committee will also review a resolution to approve Executive Regulation No. 24-22, Special Projects Manager Class Specification, which amends the position description for the non-merit position of special projects manager in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. Under Executive Regulation No. 24-22, the special projects manager would no longer report to an Assistant Chief Administrative Officer.
The special projects manager is a senior-level position responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and implementing projects within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. The County Executive has stated that one major initiative for this new position would be to help bridge the digital divide by coordinating efforts to extend the physical infrastructure needed for better access to high-speed broadband.
Review: The GO Committee will review Bill 1-23, which would update eligibility for certain elderly individuals and retired military service members to receive a property tax credit, increasing the assessment threshold by $50,000. This bill seeks to update the assessed value to $700,000 for senior residents and $550,000 for retired members of the military to account for increases in property values during the last few years. The existing credit amount is 20 percent of the County property tax imposed on the dwelling. The credit must be granted each year for seven years, if the individual remains eligible for the credit.
The lead sponsor is Councilmember Katz. Council Vice-President Friedson and Councilmembers Luedtke, Balcombe, Fani-González, Albornoz, Will Jawando, Sayles, Mink and Stewart are cosponsors.
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 recommends 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: 23-084