For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Committees will review FY25 Operating Budgets for early care and school wellness initiatives, compensation and benefits for County-funded agencies; provisions of collective bargaining agreements
The joint Education and Culture (EC) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet on Friday, April 19 at 9:30 a.m. to review Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Operating Budgets for items that involve the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The committee will also continue to review the FY25-30 CIP and FY25 Capital Budget for DHHS.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Kristin Mink.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The GO Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review the FY25 Operating Budgets for compensation and benefits for all agencies. In addition, the committee will review resolutions to indicate intent to approve or reject provisions of County government employee collective bargaining agreements.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair and Council Vice President Kate Stewart, Council President Andrew Friedson and Councilmember Sidney Katz.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Review: The joint EC and HHS Committee will review the County Executive’s 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, $7.1 million for the Newcomers Initiative, $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, 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.
Health and Human Services (HHS)
Review: The joint EC and HHS Committee will continue its review of the FY25-30 CIP and FY25 Capital Budget for DHHS. The committee previously held a meeting on March 21 to review the five education-related CIP projects recommended by the County Executive for DHHS. At this meeting, the committee is expected to review additional information about High School Wellness Center services to students, including program requirements for mental health services and positive youth development.
At its previous meeting, the committee voted to recommend approval of three projects focused on child care renovations, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Remediation, Child Care Facility Replacement and Playgrounds. The committee also reviewed funding for High School Wellness Centers and Linkages to Learning Centers and voted to approved certain aspects of the programs with recommendations included in the staff report.
The total FY25-30 CIP for DHHS includes more than $81 million over the six-year period, which represents a $9.8 million, or 10.7 percent, decrease from the Amended FY23-28 CIP. In the non-education related category, the committee previously reviewed and recommended approval of the Diversion Center and Non-Congregate Shelter Space projects as submitted by the Executive.
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Compensation and Benefits for All Agencies
Review: The GO Committee will review 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. At this meeting, the committee will review agency requested FY25 pay adjustments and recommended pay increases for employees in each bargaining unit. Across the four County-funded agencies, employee compensation, consisting of salaries and benefits, comprises about 71 percent of all agency expenditures. Additional details can be found in the staff report.
Review: The GO Committee will review Council resolutions to indicate the intent to approve or reject provisions of County government employee collective bargaining agreements. The agreements before the Council for FY25 are with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Montgomery County Lodge 35, Inc., the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO), UFCW, Local 1994, and the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Local 1664. 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. Additional details can be found in the staff report.
The Committee 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: 24-151
Media Contact: 240-777-7926, 240-777-7884
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=45101