Montgomery County Council Meets on Dec. 10 to Vote on Legislation to Extend the County’s Minority Owned Business Purchasing Program
For Immediate Release: Monday, December 9, 2024
Also on Dec. 10: Council President Stewart will introduce legislation to provide discounted parking permits for essential service providers; Council will hold a public hearing on funding for short-term housing and shelter services at 9:30 a.m.
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 9 a.m., and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Councilmember Andrew Friedson, will recognize the Bethesda Urban Partnership’s 30th anniversary. The second, presented by Council President Kate Stewart, will recognize the retirement of Terry Seamens.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Public Hearings
9:30 a.m. .
Legislative Session
Introduction: Lead sponsor Council President Stewart will introduce Expedited Bill 29-24, Transportation – Parking Permit for Specialized Service Providers – Established, which would establish a parking permit rate for specialized service providers and authorize the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to review eligibility criteria and administer certain parking permits in the Silver Spring area. The purpose of Bill 29-24 is to create a discounted parking permit for childcare providers and organizations that provide social services to the unhoused population in the Silver Spring Central Business District area.
Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Sidney Katz are cosponsors of Bill 29-24. A public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 21.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Expedited Bill 23-24, Contracts and Procurement – Minority Owned Business Purchasing Program – Extension of Sunset Date, which would extend the sunset date for the County’s Minority, Female and Disabled Owned (MFD) Business Purchasing Program and require an evaluation and report regarding the need to extend the program.
Based upon the findings of ongoing disparities in procurement affecting MFD businesses, Expedited Bill 23-24 would extend the sunset of the County’s MFD law from Dec. 31, 2024, until Dec. 31, 2029. The bill would require the director of Montgomery County’s Office of Procurement to complete a new disparity study by July 1, 2029.
Since 1978, the County has had a minority business program under its procurement system. To justify the continuation of the MFD program under applicable law, the County periodically hires experts to conduct a disparity study to gauge the ongoing need for the program.
The lead sponsors of Bill 23-34 are Council Vice President Will Jawando and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles. Council President Stewart and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe, Friedson, Gabe Albornoz, Natali Fani-González, Kristin Mink, Katz, and Evan Glass are cosponsors. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends enactment.
Action: The Council is expected to take action on Bill 16-24, Development Impact Tax – Amendments, which the Council voted unanimously to enact on Nov. 12 and the bill was subsequently vetoed by County Executive Elrich on Nov. 25. Under the County Charter, the Council may override the Executive’s disapproval if seven Councilmembers vote to re-enact the bill within 60 days after the Executive’s disapproval. Bill 16-24 would update transportation impact tax districts and modify the applicability of development impact tax exemptions for certain uses and in certain locations.
Bill 16-24 is associated with the Planning Board’s recommended changes to 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy. The Planning Board is required to approve and send to the Council a recommended Growth and Infrastructure Policy by Aug. 1. The Planning Board submitted their recommended draft 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy on July 25, 2024. Bill 16-24 is the Planning Board’s recommended changes to the impact tax law. The Council voted to approve the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy on Nov. 12.
The lead sponsor is the Council president, at the request of the Planning Board.
Advertisement
Introduction: The Council is expected to introduce a resolution to approve amendments to the County Council Rules of Procedure. The proposed resolution would amend the rules to address situations in which a Council president runs for higher office during their one-year term as the Council president. In that situation, the position of Council president would be deemed vacant automatically, and the Council would promptly elect a new Council president at its next regular meeting. The affirmative vote of seven Councilmembers would be required to adopt the resolution to amend the rules.
The lead sponsors of the resolution are Councilmembers Luedtke and Fani-González. A vote is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 14.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Dec. 10, which is available on the Council website .
Review: The Council is expected to receive a briefing on contractual services spending at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). This is the second in a series of meetings to enhance the Council’s oversight of the $3.3 billion MCPS operating budget, which is among the largest components of the County’s $7.1 billion operating budget. At a meeting held on Nov. 12 ., the Council received a briefing on cost drivers and spending at MCPS from Fiscal Years 2015-2025.
Update: The Council is expected to receive an update on the County’s fiscal plan from Department of Finance and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) representatives. The fiscal plan provides a high-level overview of the County’s fiscal condition and position based on current revenue and expenditure assumptions. The Dec. 2024 update includes revisions to the County’s revenues based on actual collections to-date, assumed additional revenue that will be received in the coming months and estimated annual expenditures based on first quarter spending for the County government.
The Council 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: 24-438
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=46296