For Immediate Release: Friday, April 28, 2023
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet on Monday, May 1 at 9:30 a.m. to review the recommended FY24 Operating Budgets for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) and the Affordable Housing - Nonprofit Preservation Fund. The committee will also review the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Amendment for the Countywide Façade Easement Program.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Will Jawando.
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to continue to review amendments to the FY23-28 CIP for transportation projects.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe and Kate Stewart.
The Economic Development (ECON) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the recommended FY24 Operating Budgets for the Department of Permitting Services, the Economic Development Fund, the UM3 - Institute for Health Computing Non-Departmental Account (NDA), the Conference Center NDA and the Conference and Visitors Bureau NDA.
The members of the ECON Committee include Chair Fani-González, Councilmember Balcombe, Council President Glass and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the recommended FY24 Operating Budgets for the Office of Human Resources, the Labor Relations and Labor Management Relations Committee NDA, the Department of General Services, the Office of the County Attorney, the Office of Grants Management and the Community Grants NDA. The committee will also review FY23-28 CIP amendments for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and state aid for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) playgrounds.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Stewart, Council Vice President Friedson and Councilmember Sidney Katz.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Review: The PHP Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for M-NCPPC, which is more than $189 million. This is an increase of more than $8.9 million, or a 4.9 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. M-NCPPC manages physical growth and plans communities, protects and stewards natural, cultural and historical resources and provides leisure and recreational experiences in Montgomery County.
The Montgomery and Prince George’s County Councils must agree on any change to the Central Administrative Services budget, or the commission’s budget will stand as submitted. The bi-county meeting will occur on May 11 before the Council has completed its review of other departments and agency budgets. The FY24 Montgomery County portion of the proposed Central Administrative Services budget before chargebacks is more than $11.4 million. This is an increase of more than $1.7 million or 18 percent over the FY23 Approved Budget.
Review: The PHP Committee will continue to review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for DHCA’s Housing Initiative Fund, which is $49.6 million. This is an increase of $591,270, or a 1.2 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. DHCA works to preserve and increase the supply of affordable housing, maintain existing housing in a safe and sanitary condition, preserve the safety and quality of residential and commercial areas, ensure fair and equitable relations between landlords and tenants, and support the success of common ownership communities. The committee will also discuss a proposed Nonprofit Preservation Fund, which was originally proposed during the FY23 budget review.
At a meeting held on April 26, the joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and PHP Committee reviewed and voted unanimously to approve the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for DHCA’s rental assistance programs funded through the Housing Initiative Fund, which is more than $16.2 million.
FY23-28 CIP Amendments: Countywide Façade Easement Program
Review: The PHP Committee will review the FY23-28 CIP Amendment for the Countywide Façade Easement Program. This is a scope change with a $500,000 cost increase reflecting additional state aid for the White Oak neighborhood revitalization and façade, which was awarded during the 2024 Maryland General Assembly session. This ongoing project provides for the revitalization of commercial areas throughout Montgomery County with a focus on older commercial properties. The purpose of the project is to provide support to small businesses and to encourage private investment in the County. Improvements will include gateway signage, pedestrian lighting, connectivity, streetscape elements, plant material installation, and acquisition of long-term façade and center signage easements.
FY23-28 CIP Amendments: Transportation Projects
Review: The TE Committee will continue to review multiple amendments to the FY23-28 CIP for transportation projects. These include CIP amendments to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects for MD 355 Central, MD 355 South/North and Veirs Mill Road. The committee will also review CIP amendments for the Twinbrook Connector Trail, MD 198 sidewalk improvements, US 29 streetlighting, Burtonsville Park and Ride improvements and the Bowie Mill Road bikeway. In addition, the committee will review an amendment to a project to improve traffic signals in front of schools and an amendment for the Parking Lot District facility renovations.
Department of Permitting Services
Review: The ECON Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Department of Permitting Services, which is more than $41.6 million. This is an increase of more than $625,480 or a 1.5 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The department is an enterprise fund, meaning the department accounts for all fiscal activity related to the collection and use of building permit fees and other charges related to the development process, rather than being tax-funded. The department reviews and processes plans and permits, and inspects structures, rights-of-way and development. The Department of Permitting Services also protects the public through application and enforcement of national, state and local codes for fire and life safety, electrical, mechanical, energy, accessibility, building and other public safety and zoning codes.
Review: The ECON Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Economic Development Fund NDA, which is more than $4 million. This is an increase of $15,657 from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. This fund assists private employers who are located, plan to locate or substantially expand operations in the County. The County created the fund in 1996 to provide deal closing funds for certain economic development opportunities.
UM3 - Institute for Health Computing NDA
Review: The ECON Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the UM3 - Institute for Health Computing NDA. This is a new NDA for the UM3 Institute for Health Computing, which will explore how artificial intelligence, machine learning and clinical analytics can facilitate knowledge discovery for human health and wellbeing. The institute is being developed through a partnership with the County, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland Medical System Corporation.
For this NDA, the County provided $15 million in seed funding and committed to contributing $5 million toward the cost of operations for five years beginning in FY24. The institute’s university partners also agreed to also provide $5 million per year for a five-year period beginning in FY24. After six years, the institute is expected to be self-supporting.
Review: The ECON Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Conference Center NDA, which is $602,195. This is an increase of more than $76,300, or an increase of 14.5 percent from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. This funds a full-time position to manage the operational and fiscal oversight of the Conference Center complex, non-routine repairs, alterations, improvements, renewals and replacements. It also funds the designated reserve required by the management agreement with Marriott International, Inc. Revenues consisting of net operating income from the Conference Center and land rent from the hotel are deposited into the General Fund. 20 percent of the County's net proceeds from Conference Center operations is retained for investment in marketing and facility improvements to increase Conference Center usage.
Conference and Visitors Bureau NDA
Review: The ECON Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Conference and Visitors Bureau NDA, which is more than $2.1 million. This is an increase of more than $63,985, or an increase of three percent from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The Conference and Visitors Bureau promotes Montgomery County as a destination for meetings, conferences, student group travel, group tours, leisure travel and amateur sports events.
Review: The GO Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Office of Human Resources, which is more than $344 million. This is an increase of more than $20.3 million, or a 6.3 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The office’s budget is comprised of a General Fund component and an Employee Health Benefit Self Insurance Fund component. The recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the General Fund portion is $13,185,543, an increase of 39.9 percent from the FY23 Approved Budget. The Office of Human Resources provided quality human resources services to County employees, partners and the community.
Labor Relations and Labor Management Relations Committee NDA
Review: The GO Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Office of Labor Relations, which is more than $1.6 million. This is a decrease of $2,111 from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The change is due to FY23 personnel and compensation annualizations, FY24 compensation adjustments, retirement adjustments and printing and mail adjustments.
The committee will also review the Labor Management Relations Committee NDA, which has a current balance of approximately $198,000. The Executive recommends no additional funding for the NDA in FY24. Since the funding in this NDA rolls over each year, the Executive indicates that this NDA has sufficient rollover funds from FY23.
The Office of Labor Relations administers the County's labor and employee relations programs. The Labor Management Relations Committee fosters cooperative labor relations between the County and employees in the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO).
Department of General Services and Central Duplicating Services
Review: The GO Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Department of General Services, which is more than $48 million. This is an increase of nearly $6.2 million, or a nearly 14.8 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The department provides business and service requirements for all County departments. This includes document management, real estate management, energy and sustainability programs, facilities management and building design and construction.
Review: The GO Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for Office of the County Attorney, which is more than $7.6 million. This is an increase of $885,220, or a more than 13 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The Office of the County Attorney acts as the chief legal officer of Montgomery County government.
Review: The GO Committee will review an amendment to the FY23-28 CIP for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The amendment reflects a technical adjustment to reflect prior-year cost savings in FY22 of $1.5 million. The total cost of the project is decreased from $66.4 million to $64.9 million. The savings are due to delays in project implementation due to supply chain constraints. In March 2023, the Executive recommended additional prior-year cost savings of $1 million for this project due to revised schedule estimates resulting from project implementation delays. In addition, $500,000 of projected expenditures was shifted from FY25 to FY26 due to fiscal capacity.
The committee also will review an amendment to the FY23-28 CIP for $1.35 million in state aid for MCPS playgrounds. State legislation during the 2022 and 2023 Maryland General Assembly sessions directed funding to Montgomery County government to fund MCPS playgrounds throughout the County. This funding will be used for playgrounds at the following elementary schools: Burning Tree, Burtonsville, Gaithersburg, JoAnn Leleck, Kemp Mill, New Hampshire Estates, Ronald McNair, Sargent Shriver and Stedwick Elementary Schools.
Office of Grants Management, Community Grants NDA and Cost Sharing Montgomery County Government
Review: The GO Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Office of Grants Management, which is $609,378. This is an increase of $268,069, or a more than 78 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Operating Budget. The office serves as a central point of contact regarding grants and awards received by the County. In addition, the office provides technical assistance regarding grants management to Executive Branch departments and principal offices. The office searches out and identifies federal and state grant opportunities to Executive Branch departments and principal offices.
In addition, the GO Committee will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Community Grants NDA, which is more than $9.8 million. This is a decrease of more than $1.1 million from the FY23 Approved Budget. The Office of Grants Management will manage the application and awarding processes for the ten competitive grant programs within the NDA in FY24. In addition, 28 community grants programs previously funded through the Community Grants' budget will be shifted into departmental base budgets. The committee will also review $3 million in community grants included within the Cost Sharing: Montgomery County Government project. These include arts facility capital grants and cost sharing capital grants for both major projects over $100,000 and small projects under $100,000.
The services offered by community partners help the County address poverty and social inequity, provide emergency services and health care, serve youth in the community, and ensure that seniors and persons with disabilities receive quality services. These partnerships help residents who are most in need access the services they require to thrive in a cost-effective manner.
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.
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.