Montgomery County Council Meets on Tuesday, May 7 to Review Multiple FY25 Operating Budgets and Vote on $20 Million Appropriation for New J.O.B.S. Initiative
MARYLAND, June 5 - For Immediate Release: Monday, May 6, 2024
Also on May 7: Multiple public hearings scheduled for FY24 supplemental funding including appropriations for the Fire and Rescue Service, Montgomery County Public Schools and Transit Services
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, May 7 at 9 a.m. The meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first proclamation, led by the full Council, will recognize Jewish American Heritage Month. The second, led by Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, will promote Multiple Sclerosis Awareness.
The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. with two proclamation presentations. The first proclamation, led by Councilmembers Sidney Katz, Dawn Luedtke, Kristin Mink and County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Public Safety Appreciation Day. The second, led by Councilmember Will Jawando, will recognize Education Appreciation Week.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a $20 million special appropriation to the FY24 Operating Budget to the Department of Finance’s Economic Development Fund for the new J.O.B.S. Initiative. The appropriation for the County’s Economic Development Fund is intended to jumpstart the local economy and create high-paying jobs in Montgomery County. In addition, the new J.O.B.S. Initiative would create three separate but complementary initiatives: a $10 million Job Creation Fund, a $7 million Innovation Fund and a $3 million Founders Equity Fund.
The Job Creation Fund would provide financial incentives for employers that create and fill high-paying jobs in Montgomery County. The Innovation Fund would promote innovative technology by supporting prototype development and pilot projects that help advance Montgomery County entrepreneurs toward commercialization. The Founders Equity Fund would help early and growth-stage small Montgomery County companies that have historically lacked access to capital investment using Montgomery Planning’s Community Equity Index Tool to help advance the County’s racial equity goals.
The lead sponsor of the special appropriation is Council President Friedson. Council Vice President Stewart and Councilmembers Luedtke, Balcombe, Albornoz, Katz, Mink, Jawando and Sayles are cosponsors. The joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) and Economic Development (ECON) Committee recommends approval with amendments, with six votes in favor of the initiative.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a more than $11.3 million supplemental appropriation that would increase the FY24 Operating Budget for the Utilities NDA. The funding is needed because utility commodity prices have increased significantly over the last several fiscal years due to rising per-unit costs. The Utilities NDA includes funding for commodities such as electricity, gas, fuel oil, water and other items including software and lease payments to vendors. Electricity costs account for approximately three quarters of the total Utilities NDA budget, with traffic signals and streetlighting accounting for approximately one quarter of the budget.
The Transportation and Environment Committee recommends approval.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a $200,000 supplemental appropriation and amendment to the FY24 Operating Budget to DHHS for the MoCo Pride Center, Inc. The purpose of the funding is to provide safe spaces and social services to support LGBTQIA+ communities in Montgomery County. The MoCo Pride Center, Inc. is an organization that creates and supports inclusive programming and events reaching LGBTQIA+ and intersectional under resourced communities in the County.
Programming supported through the MoCo Pride Center, Inc. includes Live Your Truth nights, Montgomery County Pride in the Plaza and the Coalition for Inclusive Schools and Communities.
The joint GO and Health and Human Services Committee recommends approval.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a $2.65 million supplemental appropriation to the FY24 Operating Budget for the Department of Finance for a timekeeping system upgrade. The appropriation is needed for an essential upgrade to the County’s timekeeping system, commonly known as MCtime. The County’s current timekeeping system as well as the scheduling software for public safety departments will reach end-of-life status in Dec. 2025 and will no longer be supported by the current vendor. To ensure that the required system upgrades can be completed in advance of Dec. 2025, the Executive is requesting funding for the upgrade in FY24.
After the initial funding request was made, County Executive Elrich requested increasing the appropriation by $800,000 to integrate the new timekeeping system into existing County Information Technology infrastructure through work managed by the Department of Technology and Business Enterprise Services. The GO Committee recommends approval in the revised amount of $3,450,000.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, May 7, which is available on the Council website.
FY25 Operating Budget and FY25-30 CIPs
Montgomery County Public Libraries
Review: The Council will review the more than $53 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for MCPL, which is an increase of more than $3.6 million, or 7.3 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase includes additional funds for the collections acquisition budget for digital materials, the world languages collection and for staff training. MCPL consists of 23 library sites including the Noyes Library for Young Children, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility Library and the Collection Management Center. Library services are available free of charge to all County residents, Maryland residents and those working or attending school in Montgomery County.
The Education and Culture (EC) Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for Montgomery County Public Libraries with the following items placed on the New/Enhanced Programs List: enhanced funding for the digital collection ($315,240); expansion of the world languages collection ($360,000); and increased staff training ($125,000).
Review: The Council will review more than $10 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Community Engagement Cluster, which is an increase of more than $1.4 million, or 16.8 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The recommended increase includes $140,000 to support urban district pilot programs. The Community Engagement Cluster includes the County’s Office of Community Partnerships, Commission for Women, Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center and the Volunteer Center. In addition, the cluster includes the County’s Regional Services Centers representing Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Eastern Montgomery, Mid-County, Silver Spring and UpCounty. The cluster also includes the County’s Urban Districts representing Bethesda, Friendship Heights, Silver Spring and Wheaton.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Community Engagement Cluster and added two items to the New/Enhanced Programs List: $140,000 to support urban district pilot programs; and $31,872 for the three percent inflationary adjustment for nonprofit contracts.
Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice
Review: The Council will review the more than $1.7 million FY25 Operating Budget for ORESJ, which is an increase of $374,623, or 26.7 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase in the recommended budget includes $91,569 for data management and the implementation of a Racial Equity dashboard. The Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice works with all County departments to ensure race is not a predictor of outcomes for Montgomery County residents. The office assists departments to examine their own policies, procedures and practices as well as to develop community engagement plans to determine if they are creating or exacerbating current racial disparities in the County. In addition, the office assists departments in developing more equitable practices and policies by examining and developing data and creating racial equity assessments and racial equity action plans.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice with the addition of a senior level policy position and a program manager position to enhance Countywide training.
Review: The Council will review the more than $387 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Human Resources, which is an increase of more than $44 million, or 13 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The office’s budget includes funds for business operations, the director’s office, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance and diversity management, health and employee welfare, occupational medical services and training and organizational development. The largest increases include more than $41 million in claims expenditure adjustments related to the Employee Health Self Insurance Fund, $1.25 million for the department’s Classification Plan Initiative and $475,000 for Countywide training and recognition programs.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Office of Human Resources and placed the following items on the New/Enhanced Programs List: a classification plan initiative ($1,250,000); Countywide training and recognition program ($475,000); research and advisory services subscriptions ($175,100); and online subscription services for recruitment efforts ($101,000).
Office of the Inspector General
Review: The Council will review the more than $3.6 million FY25 Operating Budget for Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which is an increase of $694,879, or 23 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The recommended increase includes $237,634 for the addition of two full-time-equivalents (FTEs) to support investigations within the Educational Oversight Division for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The mission of the OIG is to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse in government activities and propose ways to increase the legal, fiscal and ethical accountability of Montgomery County government and County-funded agencies.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Office of the Inspector General and placed the following on the New/Enhanced Programs List: two FTEs to support the Educational Oversight Division for investigations covering MCPS ($237,634); and two FTEs to support audit functions ($251,976). Additionally, the committee approved a three-year budget projection for the Office of the Inspector General for FY26-28, subject to the Council’s final budget approval.
Review: The Council will review the more than $17 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Board of Elections, which is an increase of more than $4.4 million, or 34 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. Mandatory items related to the State Board of Elections represent the largest portion of the recommended budget increase. The FY25 recommended budget includes more than $2.79 million in increased costs for Board of Elections Expenses and a $1.95 million enhancement for State Board of Elections newly state mandated pollbooks. Additional budget increases can be found in the staff report.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Board of Elections and placed the following on the New/Enhanced Programs List: one-time outreach funding for the 2024 election ($70,000); and funding for a program specialist ($98,781).
Office of Legislative Oversight
Review: The Council will review more than $2.7 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for OLO, which is an increase of $382,000, or 16 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The mission of OLO is to determine the effectiveness of legislation enacted by the Council and to make findings and recommendations concerning the performance, management and operation of programs and functions for which funds are appropriated or approved by the Council.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Office of Legislative Oversight. A data analyst position was added to the New/Enhanced Programs List.
Review: The Council will review the more than $19.1 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of the County Council, which is an increase of more than $2.3 million, or 14.2 percent from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. This increase reflects a shift in funding from the Cable Fund to the General Fund as funding available from Cable revenues continues to decrease. Personnel costs also reflect the annualization of FY24 compensation adjustments and proposed FY25 compensation increases. The proposed budget also includes technical adjustments within Councilmember Offices to account for inflation and increased service needs.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Office of the County Council and placed funding for increased services of $20,000 per office on the New/Enhanced Programs List. A compensation correction ($172,466) and an inflationary increase was also included ($4,000 per office).
Legislative Branch Communications NDA
Review: The Council will review more than $2.7 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Legislative Branch Communications Outreach NDA, which is an increase of more than $352,000, or 14 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. This NDA provides funds to strengthen the capacity of the five legislative branch offices (the Council Office, the Office of Legislative Oversight, the Board of Appeals, the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings and the Office of the Inspector General). An additional community outreach position is recommended in the FY25 budget along with an increase for translation and interpretation services and multicultural outreach materials and digital advertising on key public policy issues.
The GO Committee recommends approval of the Legislative Branch Communications NDA and placed the following on the New/Enhanced Programs List: $88,904 for an outreach position for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community; $30,000 for increased translations; and $10,000 for culturally competent flyers and materials, boosting social media post and outreach advertising focused on diverse audiences.
Office of Food Systems Resilience
Review: The Council will review more than $14 million FY25 Operating Budget. This amount represents an increase of more than $13 million, or 1,180 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The Office of Food Systems Resilience is charged with developing and maintaining a strategy for improving the efficiency, equity, sustainability and resilience of the food systems in Montgomery County. FY25 will be the second year the office has been in existence.
The recommended FY25 budget includes ongoing funding for the annualization of the office’s Food Systems Resilience Strategy, the Community Food Assistance Competitive Grant Program, the Food Staples Program transition through pandemic providers, support during the food staples transition for the Capital Area Food Bank and Manna Food Center, an increase to contract monitoring capacity and an expansion to nutrition benefits outreach and enrolment.
The Health and Human Services Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Office of Food Systems Resilience.
Review: The Council will review the $1.2 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Guaranteed Income NDA, which represents a decrease of more than $2 million, or 62 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. First started in FY22, the Guaranteed Income NDA funded a three-year pilot of the Guaranteed Income Program, whose purpose was to provide direct, recurring cash payments to targeted groups of people without strings attached. The goals of the program were to alleviate poverty, provide a form of financial stability and give people the ability to make their own choices to improve their economic position. FY25 is the final fiscal year of the pilot and the remaining program participants will be off-boarded and the program will be evaluated.
The HHS Committee recommends approval of the FY25 budget for the Guaranteed Income NDA and placed $100,000 for bridge planning for the MoCo BOOST pilot program on the New/Enhanced Programs List.
Department of Health and Human Services FY25 Operating Budget
Review: The Council will review the more than $511 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS), which represent an increase of more than $35 million, or 7.39 percent from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. Of this increase, more than $34.3 million is in the County General Fund, $1.5 million in opioid abatement funds and a reduction of $717,000 in the grant fund. The County Executive’s department wide budget recommendations are contained in the April 11 staff report . The recommendations of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee can be found in the Council staff report.
The recommended FY25 Operating Budget for Administrative and Support Services at DHHS is more than $83 million, which represents an increase of more than $12.1 million, or 17 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The change includes a three percent inflationary increase to eligible non-profit contracts and an enhancement to food service for consolidation hubs, which provide food distribution, food home deliveries and other social services at eight different locations. The FY25 Operating Budget also includes 10 additional full-time employees, when compared to the approved FY24 budget.
The recommended budget includes more than $73 million for Aging and Disability Services in DHSS, which represents an increase of more than $6.4 million from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. Aging and Disability Services offers seniors, persons with disabilities and their families a wide range of information, home and community-based support services and protections to support their lives as members of the Montgomery County community.
More than $61.8 million is recommended for Behavioral Health Services in DHSS, which represents an increase of more than $8.5 million, or 15.9 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. Behavioral Health and Crisis Services is organized into 10 program areas that promote mental wellness, prevent substance abuse and suicide, and ensure access to a comprehensive treatment recovery system of effective services and supports for children, youth and families, adults and seniors with behavioral health needs.
Nearly $125 million is recommended for Children, Youth and Family Services within DHHS, which represents an increase of more than $4.2 million, or 3.5 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. Children, Youth and Family Services is organized into eight program areas that provide protection, prevention, intervention, treatment and financial assistance services for children and their families in Montgomery County.
Nearly $119 million is recommended for Public Health and Minority Programs within DHHS, which represents an increase of more than $13 million, or 13 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. Public Health Services protects and promote the health and safety of County residents by implementing intervention strategies to contain or prevent disease, fostering public-private partnerships to increase access to health services, implementing programs and strategies to address health needs, providing health education, evaluating the effectiveness programs and licensing and inspecting public health and safety facilities and institutions.
More than $49 million is recommended for Services to End and Prevent Homelessness within DHHS. This amount represents a decrease of more than $9.9 million, or 16 percent from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The division strives to provide access to safe, affordable housing and opportunities to improve quality of life through continuum of services that include housing stabilization, homeless diversion and permanent housing options.
Review: The Council will review of the recommended FY25 Operating budget for items that involve DHHS and MCPS. These include more than $13.4 million for Early Childhood Services, $11.2 million for the Early Care and Education NDA, $1.9 million for Child Care Subsidies, $45.7 million for School Health Services, $14.8 million for Linkages to Learning and School Based Health Centers, $8.6 million for High School Wellness Center and Wellness Initiatives, $7.1 million for the Newcomers Initiative and $1 million for Cluster Projects. Additional details can be found in the staff report, including contracts with public and private partners in Child and Adolescent School Community and School Based Services.
Public Hearings
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.
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