Montgomery County Council Committee Meetings on April 24, 2025
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Committees will review FY26 Operating Budgets
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet on Thursday, April 24 at 9:30 a.m. to review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Operating Budgets for WSSC Water, the Utilities Non-Departmental Account (NDA), the General Services Fleet, Motor Pool NDA, the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) General Fund, Climate Change Planning NDA, Water Quality Protection Fund, and Recycling and Resource Management.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass, Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe and Council President Kate Stewart.
The joint Education and Culture (EC) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review the FY 2026 Operating Budgets for school-based services and partnerships and school mental health services.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair and Vice President 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 Economic Development (ECON) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY26 Operating Budgets for Urban Districts, the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) NDA, and the Economic Development Fund.
The members of the ECON Committee include Chair Natali Fani-González and Councilmembers Balcombe, Glass and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
The TE Committee will meet to review the FY26 Operating Budget for the following items:
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- WSSC Water: The total proposed FY26 Operating Budget is $1.14 billion, which represents an increase of $116.2 million, or 11.4 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The largest portion of the increase is attributed to salaries and wages. The proposed WSS Water rate increase across volumetric fees and fixed fees is 9.8 percent, which falls between the Spending Control Limit rate increase ceilings approved by the Montgomery County Council and Prince George’s County Council. In addition, WSSC Water is proposing a 2.5 percent increase to the FY26 System Development Charge to address an ongoing revenue gap in the Fund.
- Utilities NDA: The County Executive recommends an increase of more than $5.1 million, or 14 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The recommendation incudes an increase for contractually obligated lease payments, cost escalations for commodities, and costs for solid waste charges.
- General Services Fleet: The County Executive recommends an increase of more than $13.6 million, or 13.4 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes an increase for four new positions for the apprentice program and enhancements for IT support services and future fleet replacements.
- Motor Pool NDA: The County Executive recommends a decrease of $124,609, or 8.8 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The recommended budget includes an increase for five new vehicles for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Mobile Crisis Team and a reduction for vehicles purchased in FY25 to support fire station and facilities maintenance. The NDA also includes the final tranche of 20 new vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office, as agreed upon through the County’s collective bargaining units.
- DEP – General Fund, Climate Planning NDA and Water Quality Protection Fund: The County Executive recommends an increase of $3.5 million, or 7.7 percent from the approved FY25 Operating Budget for DEP, including $156,364 for the General Fund. The largest portion of the increase is $3.37 million for the Water Quality Protection Fund. The recommendation also includes an increase in the Water Quality Protection Charge Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) Rate from $137.50 to $148. For the Climate Change Planning NDA, the County Executive recommends the same $718,344 funding level from FY25 for FY26.
- DEP – Recycling and Resource Management: The County Executive recommends a $44.3 million, or 28.6 percent increase, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget for Recycling and Resource Management. The largest increase is more than $35 million in additional funds for the Resource Recovery Facility. The recommendation also includes increases to the solid waste service charges and tipping fees.
The joint EC and HHS Committee will meet to review the FY26 Operating Budget for the following items:
- School-based Services and Partnerships (Linkages to Learning, School Health Nurses) and School Mental Health Services (DHHS/MCPS): The County Executive recommends more than $2.2 million in programmatic and staffing enhancements for these services and more than $7 million in one time funding for the Lighthouse Initiative. The increase also incudes funds to add Linkages to Learning Services at Burnt Mills Elementary School and funds for Community Health nursing staff for 11 new community schools to comply with the state Blueprint requirements.
The ECON Committee will meet to review the FY26 Operating Budget for the following items:
- Urban Districts: The County Executive recommends an increase of $416,381, or 3.2 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes an increase of $266,775 for programmatic and staffing enhancements and a net $148,679 increase for compensation adjustments and required operating expenses.
- Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) NDA: The County Executive recommends an increase of $590,128, or 12.6 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes a $450,000 enhancement and 3 percent inflationary adjustment for all non-profit service providers.
- Economic Development Fund: The County Executive recommends an increase of $11,614, or 0.28 percent, from the approved FY25 Operating Budget. The increase includes $8,874 for FY26 compensation adjustments and $2,7740 for the annualization of FY25 compensation increases.
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: 25-137
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=46926