For Immediate Release: Monday, April 29, 2024
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, April 30 at 12:45 p.m. The meeting will begin with three proclamation presentations. The first proclamation, led by Councilmember Natali Fani-González and County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Building Safety Month. The second, led by Council Vice President Kate Stewart and Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, will recognize National Foster Care Month. The third, led by Councilmember Evan Glass, will recognize Older Americans Month.
At 1:45 p.m. the Council will interview Commissioner Shawn Bartley for an upcoming full-term appointment on the Montgomery County Planning Board. His partial-term appointment will expire on June 14, 2024.
At 3:15 p.m., the Council will present a proclamation celebrating Marlene Michaelson for her service as the Council’s executive director.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
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.
Review: The Council will review the FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Department of Recreation, which has 14 projects at a cost of more than $154 million over the six-year period. The FY25-30 CIP represents an increase of $21.8 million, or 16.4 percent, from the Amended FY23-28 CIP. The increase is primarily due to new projects. These include the Western County Recreation Center, recreation facilities asset replacement, playground replacement, cost escalation for refurbishment projects, and a new cost estimate for the Holiday Park Net Zero Initiative. These increases are offset by the completion of the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center and savings from Wall Park Garage and Park improvements.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee met on March 4 to review this CIP and recommends approval with amendments available in the staff report.
Health and Human Services (HHS)
Review: The Council will review items within the more than $81 million FY25-30 CIP for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Over the six-year period, the FY25-30 CIP represents a decrease of $9.8 million, or 10.7 percent, from the Amended FY23-28 CIP.
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee met on March 4 to review non-education related projects in this CIP. The joint Education and Culture (EC) and HHS Committee met on March 21 and April 19 to review five education-related projects in this CIP. The committee recommendations are available in the staff report.
Compensation and Benefits for All Agencies
Review and vote expected: The Council will review, and is expected to take straw votes on, the $4.4 billion tax supported FY25 Operating Budget for compensation and benefits requested by County-funded agencies, which represents a 6.5 percent increase from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The proposed FY25 compensation cost increases for County government are one of the primary building blocks of the recommended budget. Compensation is the first significant decision point for the Council in the FY25 budget process. Across the four County-funded agencies, employee compensation, consisting of salaries and benefits, comprises about 71 percent of all agency expenditures.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee met on April 19 to review compensation and benefits for all agencies and unanimously recommended supporting the County Executive’s proposed FY25 funding for pay adjustments. Additional recommendations can be viewed in the Council staff report.
Collective Bargaining Agreements
Review and vote expected: The Council will review, and is expected to vote, on resolutions to indicate the Council’s intent to approve provision of the FY25 collective bargaining agreements with the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO), UFCW, Local 1994, the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Local 1664 and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Montgomery County Lodge 35, Inc. The MCGEO agreement would require a 4.5 percent general wage adjustment beginning in Nov. 2024. In addition, the FOP and IAFF agreements would require 3.5 percent general wage adjustments in July 2024. The agreements also provide for 3.5 percent service increments.
The GO Committee recommended approval of each resolution as introduced. The resolutions can be viewed in the Council staff report.
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, April 29, which is available on the Council website.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
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: 24-170