Montgomery County Council and Committee Meetings on Feb. 5, 2025
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Joint Health and Human Services and Education and Culture Committee will receive updates on early care and education initiatives; Council public hearing at 7 p.m. on the FY26 Capital Budget, Supplemental Appropriations to the FY25 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program
The joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 9:30 a.m. to receive updates on the Early Care and Education Initiative, the Early Care and Education Common Agenda and the Supply and Demand and Cost of Care Studies workplan. The meeting will be held in the seventh-floor Council hearing room.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair and Council Vice President Will Jawando and Councilmembers Albornoz and Kristin Mink.
The Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on the FY26 Capital Budget, Supplemental Appropriations to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). All speakers previously scheduled to provide testimony at 1:30 p.m. have been moved to 7 p.m. or the Feb. 6 public hearings.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Update: The joint HHS and EC Committee will receive an update on the Early Care and Education Initiative. The County developed the initiative in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Montgomery College to align efforts across public agencies. The partnership maximizes public resources and strengthens system‐wide coordination to eliminate barriers and expand equitable access to quality early childhood services to address the opportunity gap, support kindergarten readiness and set young children on a path of lifelong success. The update is expected to include a second quarter progress update, budget update and a Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 outlook.
The joint committee also will receive an update on the Early Care and Education Common Agenda, which was developed by the Children’s Opportunity Alliance to establish a shared vision for change among County early childhood partners. The Common Agenda identifies priority factors, populations impacted and indicator goals, along with strategies and activities that early care and education entities will implement to ensure children arrive at kindergarten ready to learn and thrive.
In addition, the joint committee will receive an update on the Supply and Demand and Cost of Care Studies workplan. The joint committee previously received a briefing at a meeting held on Nov. 7, 2024 , about two studies on childcare supply and demand and cost of quality childcare. The studies highlight the challenges faced by families to access affordable, quality childcare and those faced by providers related to workforce shortages and financial instability. At this meeting, the joint committee will receive an update on a follow-up action plan that includes recommendations for sustainable, data-driven solutions that support early childhood services, child development, family stability and economic growth.
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Public hearing: The Council will hold a public hearing on the FY26 Capital Budget and Supplemental Appropriations to the FY25 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY25-30 CIP. This year represents an off year for the CIP, which follows the previous year’s full review and approval of the FY25 Capital Budget and FY25-30 CIP. In odd-numbered years, including 2025, the Council approves the Capital Budget but approves only amendments to the approved CIP.
During this off-year of the biennial CIP cycle, the Council will review amendments and supplemental appropriation requests for County Government, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Washington Suburban Transit Commission (WSTC), Revenue Authority, Housing Opportunities Commissions and municipality and state projects. The Council reviews the full CIP for WSSC Water each year.
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: 25-032
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=46521