Montgomery County Council and Committee Meeting on April 21, 2022

MARYLAND, April 20 - For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Council will hold a public hearing on the FY23 Operating Budget; Committees will discuss the FY23 Operating Budget

The Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee will meet on Thursday, April 21, at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for parking lot districts, the Department of Transportation's (DOT) general fund, the Climate Response Non-departmental Account (NDA), the Homeowners Association Roads Reimbursement NDA, the Rockville Parking District NDA and the Vision Zero NDA. They will also discuss amendments and further revisions to transportation projects in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP).

The members of the T&E Committee include Chair Tom Hucker, Council Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmember Hans Riemer.

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for compensation and benefits for all agencies and collective bargaining agreements.

The members of the GO Committee include Chair Nancy Navarro and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Sidney Katz.

The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of Human Rights and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

The members of the HHS Committee include Chair and Council President Gabe Albornoz, Council Vice President Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness & Vulnerable Communities) and Councilmember Craig Rice.

The Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on the County's FY23 Operating Budget.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for Parking Lot Districts. The recommended FY23 budget for Parking Lot Districts is nearly $26 million, which is an increase of nearly $1.5 million, or 5.7 percent, from the FY22 approved budget. Most of the increases are to bring the level of maintenance and operations to the levels that existed before the pandemic.

Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Department of Transportation (DOT) General and Leaf Vacuuming Funds. The recommended FY23 budget for the DOT General Fund is more than $56 million, which is an increase of almost $4 million or 6.4 percent from the FY22 approved budget. Council staff have identified opportunities to contribute to target reductions, given Council concerns and the Council President’s request to reduce the growth in the base budget proposed in the Executive’s budget.

Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Climate Response NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Climate Response NDA is more than $2.8 million, which is the same amount as the FY22 approved budget. The Executive recommends no change to the budget for this NDA, which supplements the budgets for DOT and the Department of General Services (DGS) for snow removal and storm cleanup operations.

Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Homeowners Association Roads Reimbursement NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Homeowners Association Roads Reimbursement NDA is more than $62,000, which is the same amount as the FY22 approved budget. The Executive recommends no change to the budget for this NDA, which reimburses homeowners associations for the maintenance of certain eligible HOA roads.

Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Rockville Parking District NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Rockville Parking District NDA is more than $419,000, which is an increase of $1,900, or 0.5 percent, from the FY22 approved budget. The funds pay for the County’s share of costs associated with the parking garages in the Rockville Town Center.

Review: The T&E Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Vision Zero NDA. The recommended FY23 budget for the Vision Zero NDA is more than $189,000, which is an increase of more than $9,000 from the FY22 approved budget. The proposed increase is for salary and benefits adjustments for the Vision Zero coordinator.

FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) – Amendment to FY21-26 CIP for Bridge Renovation Project

Review: The T&E Committee will review an FY22 supplemental appropriation and amendment to the FY21-26 CIP for $3,500,000. This increase is needed to address deterioration in the existing culvert located on Amaranth Drive near Middlebrook Road west of I-270 in Germantown.

Review: The GO Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for compensation and benefits for all agencies. The recommended FY23 budget for compensation and benefits is a combined $3.8 billion for employee compensation, a 6.3 percent increase from the FY22 approved budget. For County Government, the Council will review and make decisions on the proposed collective bargaining agreements and other compensation costs not part of the agreements. For Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), final decisions on proposed FY23 pay and benefit enhancements will be made by their respective governing bodies based on the ultimate funding levels approved by the Council.

Review: The GO Committee will review and make recommendations on collective bargaining agreement between the County Executive and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) that are subject to Council review for FY23.

The items under consideration include general wage adjustments, service increments, longevity increments, tuition assistance, group insurance benefits, increases in special pay, increases in clothing, equipment, vehicle use and transit subsidies, retirement plan increases and additional benefits for IAFF.

County Code requires the Executive to submit to the Council any element of an agreement that requires an appropriation of funds, may have a future fiscal impact, is inconsistent with any County law or regulation or requires the enactment or adoption of any County law or regulation.

Review: The HHS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for the Office of Human Rights. The recommended FY23 budget for the Office of Human Rights is more than $1.6 million, which is a decrease of 7.7 percent from the FY22 approved budget. Within the recommended budget, the Montgomery County Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation (MCCRR), which is coordinated through the Office of Human Rights, has requested $56,000 in one-time funding for FY23 to fund activities.

Review: The HHS Committee will review the FY23 Operating Budget for DHSS. The recommended FY23 budget for the department is more than $421 million, which is an increase of more than $57.9 million, or 15.9 percent, from the FY22 approved budget.

DHHS has been at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency response and has increased many services to meet emergency demand. The FY23 budget recommendation reflects both a commitment to meet continued service needs and an effort to transition to sustainable service levels.

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 committee meetings are currently being held on Zoom.

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 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: 22-171 Media Contact: Sonya Healy, 240-777-7926 , Genevieve Kurtz 240-777-7805

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Montgomery County Council and Committee Meeting on April 21, 2022

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