Montgomery County Council meets on Thursday, May 9 at 9:30 a.m. to Review Multiple FY25 Operating Budgets Including Housing and Community Affairs, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Sheriff's Office and Fire and Rescue Service

Review: The Council will review the $261,580 recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of the People’s Counsel, which did not receive funding in the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The Office of the People’s Counsel was last funded in FY10, at an amount of $246,520. In June 2008, the Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) issued an in-depth report highlighting the benefits and recurring issues within the Office of the People’s Counsel. The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee recommends a full budget reduction. 

Review: The Council will review the more than $79 million FY25 Operating Budget for the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA), which represents an increase of more than $2.3 million, or 3.4 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The recommendation for the FY25 budget is composed of more than $14 million from the General Fund, $56 million from the Housing Initiative Fund (HIF) and $8.8 million from the Grant Fund. 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 PHP Committee recommends approval of the General Fund portion of the DHCA operating budget for FY25 at a funding level of more than $13.3 million, which represents an increase of more than $2.7 million over the approved FY24 Operating Budget. This level of funding provides for 14 new positions and associated operating expenses related to the implementation of Bill 15-23, Rent Stabilization and Bill 22-23, Short-Term Rental Inspections. The committee recommends placing an additional $749,686 and seven full-time equivalents (FTEs) on the New/Enhanced Program List.

Review: The Council will review the more than $10.6 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Animal Services, which is an increase of more than $1.2 million, or 13 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. This increase includes $345,553 for four additional full-time positions. The remainder of the increase is for adjustments that have no service impact, including annualization of compensation increases and personnel costs, compensation adjustments, inflationary adjustments, printing and mail. The Office of Animal Services is responsible for enforcing state and County animal laws and regulations. The office also provides animal shelter and veterinary services for lost, abandoned, abused and unwanted animals and wildlife.  

The Public Safety (PS) Committee recommended approval of the budget with additional services placed on the New/Enhanced Programs List, which can be found in the Council staff report.

Review: The Council will review the more than $4.4 million FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) recommended by the County Executive, which is an increase of $644,978, or 15 percent from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The role of the OEMHS is to plan, coordinate, prevent, prepare for and protect against major threats to the Montgomery County community and manage the County’s unified response and recovery. The FY25 budget includes $900,000 for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which was previously one-time funding for nonprofit and faith-based organizations to augment costs for security personnel or other security planning measures. This funding is now listed as an ongoing expenditure in the department’s base budget. The County Executive has also recommended an additional one-time $300,000 expenditure toward Nonprofit Security Grants in the FY25 Operating Budget through a budget amendment. 

The PS Committee recommends placing both the $300,000 enhancement for Nonprofit Security Grants from the County Executive’s budget amendment and the $339,409 shift from the Regional Preparedness Program from a federal grant to the General Fund on the New/Enhanced Programs List. The PS Committee recommends approval of all other FY25 budget items as recommended by the Executive.

Review: The Council will review the more than $30 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, which is an increase of more than $1.6 million, or 5.6 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase includes the addition of a human resources specialist and the need to install Wi-Fi connectivity in the Sheriff’s Office terrace-level workspace. The Sheriff’s Office provides general law enforcement, judicial enforcement and specialized public safety services to the residents of Montgomery County. 

The Sheriff’s Office serves District Court civil warrants, District Court criminal warrants associated with domestic violence, all Circuit Court warrants and child support enforcement warrants. In addition, the Sheriff's Office is the lead agency in Montgomery County for serving court orders related to domestic violence, including protective and peace orders. The Sheriff’s Office is responsible for transporting inmates between correctional facilities, detention centers, jails and court-holding facilities, as well as to and from healthcare facilities. 

The PS Committee recommends approval of the Sheriff’s Office FY25 operating budget as recommended by the Executive. This includes the placement of $74,455 on the New/Enhanced Programs List for an HR Specialist and placement of an additional $46,319 on the New/Enhanced Programs List as a one-time expenditure for installation of Wi-Fi connectivity in the Sheriff’s Circuit Court terrace-level office space. 

Review: The Council will review the more than $292 million FY25 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) recommended by the County Executive, which is an increase of more than $25 million, or 9.7 percent from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The recommended budget adds six firefighter positions to Station 40 and a new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) duty officer to improve health outcomes in diverse areas of the County. The budget includes a proposal for a new fire camp for girls to encourage more women to enter firefighting as a career. MCFRS is a combined career and volunteer service with 35 fire stations and two rescue squad stations. Currently, there are 1,246 career firefighters and approximately 790 active volunteers. 

The PS Committee recommends approval of the FY25 Operating Budget for MCFRS as submitted by the County Executive. In addition, the committee recommends placing four items on the New/Enhanced Programs List which can be found in the Council staff report.

Review: The Council will review the more than $2.3 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Labor Relations, which is an increase of more than $736,851, or 45 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The recommended budget shifts five vacant positions from other departments to the Office of Labor Relations to better centralize labor and employee relations functions in the County and reduce reliance on contractors. The additional staff will allow the office to better prepare for term bargaining, provide a higher level of support to departments and employees and help the County achieve a consistent approach to labor and employee relations. 

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends approval of the FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Labor Relations as submitted by the County Executive.

Review: The Council will review the more than $10.92 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Community Grants NDA, which represents a decrease of $697,747, or six percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. In FY25, the Office of Grants Management will prioritize assisting departments in transitioning their program funding from procurement contracts to grant agreements. The focus will be on facilitating department-led and funded "targeted" grant programs instead of "open" grant programs funded by the Community Grants NDA. The ongoing experience and data from FY24 grant program implementation further supports that "targeted" grant programs are strategically more effective, administratively smoother and help better achieve the County’s equity goals. 

The GO Committee recommends approval of FY25 funding for the Community Grants NDA as submitted by the County Executive.  

Review: The Council will review the more than $1 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Grants Management, which represents an increase of $435,130, or 71 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The Office of Grants Management serves as central point of contact regarding grants that the County receives or awards, provides technical assistance regarding grants management to Executive Branch departments and searches out and identifies federal and state grant opportunities. More detail is available in the staff report. 

The GO Committee recommends approval of FY25 funding for the Office of Grants Management as submitted by the County Executive. 

Review: The Council will review the $6.75 million in FY25 funding recommended for the CIP, which provides for the development of nongovernmental projects where County funding leverages private and other public funds. CIP changes for FY25 include $500,000 for the Sexual and Gender Minorities Health Center Project, $3.25 million for the Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom Project, $500,000 for the Identity Headquarters and Community Center, and $1.5 million for FY25 Capital Grants. Among these projects, $4.25 million in funding is budgeted through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursements. 

In FY24 and FY25, Cost Sharing Grants will be awarded through a formal grants review and approval process overseen by the Office of Grants Management. The application for the FY24 Cost Sharing Capital grants program opened on Feb. 19 and closed on March 19. There is $2 million in non-arts capital grants available, which includes $1.25 million to match appropriated Maryland state bond bills and $750,000 for other small capital projects. 

The GO Committee recommends approval of FY25 funding for the Cost Sharing CIP as submitted by the County Executive.

Review: The Council will review the more than $5.6 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Procurement, which represents an increase of $626,142, or 12.4 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The Office of Procurements facilitates the use of public funds in partnership with County departments to procure goods, services and construction. 

The GO Committee recommends approval of the FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Procurement as submitted by the County Executive. In addition, the committee recommends placing $55,660 of ongoing expenditures on the New/Enhanced Programs List.  

Review: The Council will review the more than $480 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for Debt Service, which is an increase of more than $12 million, or 2.6 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The County’s General Fund supports nearly 80 percent of the recommended FY25 expenditures, with the remaining expenditures supported from other revenues or other tax-supported funds. FY25 expenditures include the annual debt service of all outstanding general obligation bonds, long- and short-term lease payments and other long-term debt obligations. 

The GO Committee recommends supporting the County Executive’s recommended appropriations for the Debt Service budget, contingent upon the Council’s final decision on FY25 general obligation bonds.  

Review: The Council will review the $814,477 FY25 Operating Budget for the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings (OZAH) recommended by the County Executive, which represents an increase of $58,489, or 7.7 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase is a result of personnel, technical and same-services adjustments that do not constitute new or enhanced programs. OZAH conducts due process hearings about land use and other administrative matters, conducts public hearings and prepares reports and recommendations for the Council. 

The PHP Committee recommends approval of FY25 Operating Budget for OZAH as submitted by the County Executive. In addition, the committee recommends placing $5,000 for increased contract legal services on the New/Enhanced Programs List.  

Review: The Council will review the $1.9 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the KID Museum NDA, which is an increase of $55,824, or three percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase is due solely to the three percent inflationary adjustment for nonprofit contracts. This NDA was created in FY22 to provide general operating support from the County for the KID Museum, which is a learning space that provides hands-on learning that incorporates STEM and arts and culture with skills like creativity and critical thinking. 

The Education and Culture (EC) Committee recommends approval of the FY25 Operating Budget for the Kid Museum NDA as submitted by the County Executive. The committee also recommends approval of more than $1.1 million in one-time funding needed to establish an Institute for Innovation and Learning. The committee voted to approve this funding in two tranches of $707,366 and $438,000, with both placed on the New/Enhanced Programs List. 

Review: The Council will review the more than $2.3 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Conference and Visitors Bureau NDA, which represents an increase of $165,905, or 7.6 percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase would add an agritourism marketing and business development position and a three percent inflationary adjustment to the NDA. The Conference and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Montgomery, promotes the County as a destination for meetings, conferences, student group travel, group tours, leisure travel and sports events. 

The Economic Development (ECON) Committee recommends approval of the FY25 Operating Budget for the Conference and Visitors Bureau NDA as submitted by the County Executive. The committee also recommends placing one new position on the New/Enhanced Programs List. 

Review: The Council will review the more than $6.8 million recommended FY25 Operating Budget for the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County NDA, which is an increase of $199,471, or three percent, from the approved FY24 Operating Budget. The increase is due solely to the three percent inflationary adjustment for nonprofit contracts. 

The EC Committee recommends adding $700,530 in ongoing funding, split into two tranches, to fully meet the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County NDA funding request.