For Immediate Release: Friday, February 6, 2026
Council to hold afternoon and evening public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2027 Capital Budget and Fiscal Year 2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program and review state legislation; Committees will review special appropriations to protect seniors and caregivers and to fund the Resident and Community Gardening Grant Program
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Monday, Feb. 9 at 11:30 a.m. for a Maryland General Assembly update from the Office of Intergovernmental Relations. The Council will also review state and local legislation.
The Montgomery County Council will meet at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to hold hybrid public hearings on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Capital Budget and FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The County Charter calls for a biennial CIP review process and for a new CIP to be approved by June 1 in even-numbered years, including 2026. Since this is a full CIP review year, the FY27 Capital Budget and every project in the FY27-32 CIP will be reviewed.
The joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review a $1 million special appropriation to address gaps and expand service delivery in existing Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) programs. In addition, the committee will review a $100,000 special appropriation for the Resident and Community Gardening Grant Program.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Laurie-Anne Sayles and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Dawn Luedtke.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Kate Stewart and Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Sidney Katz.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Review: The joint HHS and GO Committee will review a $1 million special appropriation to address gaps and expand service delivery in existing DHHS programs. The appropriation provides funding for Minority Health Initiatives, the Senior Nutrition Program, and Homecare Services—Social Services to Adults, including the In-Home Aide Services (IHAS) program. The appropriation is needed to stabilize critical health and human services programs amid federal funding cuts.
The lead sponsor of the special appropriation is Councilmember Sayles. Council President Natali Fani-González, Councilmembers Will Jawando, Katz, and Kristin Mink are cosponsors of the appropriation.
Special Appropriation: Resident and Community Gardening Grant program, $100,000
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Review: The joint HHS and GO Committee will review a $100,000 special to appropriation for the Resident and Community Gardening Grant Program, which facilities partnerships with community-based organizations to enable food cultivation on both public and private land. The purpose of the program is to expand community food production capacity through home and community farming and gardening. The appropriation is needed to fund the FY26 Resident and Community Gardening Grant Program, which is planned to launch in early spring 2026, with an 18-month performance period. The appropriation would provide funds to support an estimated total of four to five grant awards during this period.
The lead sponsor of the special appropriation is Council President Fani-González. Councilmembers Friedson and Katz are co-sponsors of the special appropriation.
The Council and 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: 26-046
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884
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