For Immediate Release: Monday, May 8, 2023
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, May 9 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first proclamation, presented by Council Vice President Andrew Friedson, commemorates the 20th Anniversary of Imagination Stage. The second proclamation presentation, led by Councilmembers Sidney Katz and Gabe Albornoz, recognizes ALS Awareness Month.
The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. with two additional proclamation presentations. The first will recognize Jewish American Heritage Month, led by Council President Evan Glass, Council Vice President Friedson and Councilmember Katz. The second, led by Vice President Friedson and Councilmembers Will Jawando, Gabe Albornoz and Kristin Mink, will recognize Teacher Appreciation Day.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Interviews for the Charter Review Commission
Interviews: At 9:35 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., the Council will interview candidates for the Charter Review Commission, which reviews the County Charter for potential amendments and submits a report containing its recommendations to the Council no later than May 1 of every even-numbered year. The commission includes eleven residents of Montgomery County, six of which are appointed by the County Council and five of which are appointed by the County Executive, for four‐year terms. No more than six members can be from the same political party.
Bill 17-23, Taxation - Recordation Tax Rates – Amendments
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 17-23, Taxation - Recordation Tax Rates – Amendments. The legislation would increase the rate of the recordation tax levied under state law for certain transactions, allocate the revenue received from the recordation tax to capital improvements for schools and to the Montgomery Housing Initiative Fund (HIF) and generally amend the law governing the recordation tax.
The recordation tax applies to the principal amount of debt secured by a mortgage or deed of trust when a house or building is purchased or when a mortgage is refinanced. There are three elements of the recordation tax: the base rate, the school increment rate and the recordation tax premium rate.
The base recordation rate is $2.08 for each $500 on the sale price or, if refinancing, on the additional amount borrowed above the remaining principal. This rate would remain the same under the originally proposed legislation.
As originally introduced, Bill 17-23 would increase the school increment rate from $2.37 to $3.79 for each $500, effective July 1, 2023. This additional funding would be allocated to Montgomery County Public Schools’ capital projects. As introduced, the bill would also increase the recordation tax premium from $2.30 to $3.45 for each $500, effective on July 1. The premium would apply to the cost of a property or a refinancing that is in excess of $500,000. These funds have been used for monthly rental assistance and to make housing units affordable for seniors with low incomes.
Additionally, as introduced Bill 17-23 would add a new premium rate of $1.15 for each $500 or fraction of $500 of the amount that exceeds $1 million. This additional revenue would be allocated to the Montgomery Housing Initiative and be split between County government capital projects and rental assistance for individuals with low and moderate incomes.
At a meeting held on April 24, the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee made the following amendments to Bill 17-23: Raise the Recordation Tax Premium from its current rate of $2.30 per $500 to $5.75 per $500 for recordations between $600,000 to $750,000; $6.33 per $500 for recordations between $750,000 and $1 million; and $6.90 per $500 for recordations more than $1 million. In addition, the committee recommends allocating the proceeds from the Recordation Tax Premium as follows: one-third to Montgomery County Public Schools capital projects, one-third to County Government capital projects and one-third to rental assistance programs in the Housing Initiative Fund. The GO Committee also recommends setting the effective date to Oct. 1, 2023.
The lead sponsor of the bill is Councilmember Kristin Mink. Councilmember Will Jawando is a cosponsor.
At 10:45 a.m., the Council will review the FY24 Operating Budgets, FY23-28 CIP amendments and committee recommendations for the following departments and projects.
Montgomery County Police Department
Review: The Council will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for MCPD, which is more than $317 million. This is an increase of more than $21 million or a seven percent increase from the FY23 Approved Budget. The budget includes investments in education and training for the police force, the creation of a Civilian Curriculum Developer to oversee efforts in rewriting the existing curriculum and training documents to support the shift to guardian culture, and the addition of six new civilian public safety instructors to improve officer firearms training in the use of deadly force.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee voted unanimously to split the six civilian firearms instructor positions into two tranches, with one listed as a high priority and the other categorized as a priority, and to add one-time funding for the Violent Crime Information Center to maintain operations through the end of FY24. The Committee voted to reduce funding for the Security Camera Rebate Program by one half.
Police Accountability Board NDA
Review: The Council will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Police Accountability Board Non-Departmental Account (NDA), which is $509,222. This is an increase of $72,681 or a 16.6 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Budget. This NDA funds the Police Accountability Board and Administrative Charging Committee to review police data and adjudicate on law enforcement officers being investigated or charged for disciplinary infractions.
The PS Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of the Recommended FY24 Operating Budget as submitted by the County Executive.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service
Review: The Council will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS), which is more than $266 million. This is an increase of more than $14 million or a 5.6 percent increase from the FY23 Approved Budget. MCFRS is a combined career and volunteer service, with 35 fire stations and two rescue squad stations. Of these stations, the County owns 14 and the 19 Local Fire and Rescue Departments own 23. MCFRS currently has 1,254 career Firefighters and approximately 830 active volunteers.
The PS Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of the Recommended FY24 Operating Budget as submitted by the County Executive.
FY23-28 CIP Amendment: Outdoor Firearms Training Center
Review: The Council will review an FY23-28 CIP Amendment for the more than $5.4 million Outdoor Firearms Training Center project. This project has been delayed for fiscal capacity and the amendment would delay construction by an additional year. The project provides for a new five-bay Fire and Rescue Station in the Rockville-White Flint area. The new facility will be located on an acquired site at the south-east quadrant of Route 355 and Randolph Road. The PS Committee reviewed the March 15 amendment to this project on April 21 and voted unanimously to reject the amendment.
FY24 CIP Amendment: White Flint Fire Station
Review: The Council will review the White Flint Fire Station CIP Amendment, which provides for a new five-bay Fire and Rescue Station in the Rockville and White Flint area. The new facility will be located on an acquired site at the south-east quadrant of Route 355 and Randolph Road. The recommended amendment to the CIP, which was received by the Council from the County Executive on March 15, would delay the project by one year. Construction would begin in Summer 2026 and is expected to be complete by Spring 2028. The PS Committee voted unanimously to reject the amendment and maintain the currently approved construction schedule and associated funding.
Department of General Services
Review: The Council will review the recommended FY24 Operating Budget for the Department of General Services (DGS), 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.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends approval of the DGS FY24 General Fund operating budget at $35,257,539, with a reduction of $502,797 and an addition of $3,654,437 to the reconciliation list. The Committee also recommends approval of the print and mail Internal Service Fund at $8,702,254 with no reductions or additions to the reconciliation list.
FY23-28 CIP: White Oak Science Gateway Redevelopment
Review: The Council will review an amendment to the FY23-28 CIP for the White Oak Science Gateway Redevelopment project. In FY17, a supplemental appropriation of more than $47 million was approved for this project. The project schedule has been adjusted to reflect the implementation schedule and no appropriation is necessary for this project in FY23 because the cumulative appropriation is sufficient to cover planned expenditures during and beyond the six-year period.
This project provides for the planning and development of the 110-acre previously County-owned parcel on Industrial Parkway. The recommended project description retains a total of $40 million for road construction and recommends deferring funds, including $11.5 million to the beyond the six-year period for fiscal capacity.
Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Review: The Council will review the proposed FY24 Operating Budget for Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), which is $4,222,948. This is an increase of $439,635 or an 11.62 percent from the FY23 Approved Budget. The office’s mission is to plan, coordinate, prevent, prepare for, and protect against major threats that may harm, disrupt, or destroy communities, commerce and institutions. The office also manages and coordinates the County's unified response, mitigation and recovery from the consequences of such disasters.
The increase in funding includes an additional $200,000 for nonprofit security grants for organizations and facilities at high-risk of hate crimes, compensation increases and adjustments, and a shift of personnel costs from the Urban Area Security Initiative.
The PS Committee met on April 28 and recommends placing the Executive’s recommended increase of $200,000 for non-profit security grants on the reconciliation list in two tranches of $100,000 each, with one tranche categorized as a high priority and one tranche considered a priority. The Committee recommends approval all other components of the FY24 OEMHS budget as recommended by the Executive.
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, May 9, which is available on the Council website.
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Proposed Closed Session
At 3:30 p.m., the Council is expected to hold a closed session to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation or performance evaluation of an appointee, employee or official over whom it has jurisdiction, pursuant to Maryland Code, General Provisions Article §3-305(b)(1)(i). The topic is a personnel matter concerning one or more specific appointees, employees or officials.
The Council 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.
Release ID: 23-170