For Immediate Release: Monday, July 14, 2025
Also on July 15: Council to discuss state and federal legislative priorities
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, July 15 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke, Sidney Katz and Gabe Albornoz, will recognize Mattie Stepanek Peace Day. The second, presented by Council President Kate Stewart and Councilmember Katz with County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Animal Services Officer Ryan Jesien.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Legislative Session
Introduction: Lead sponsor Council President Stewart will introduce Expedited Bill 27-25, Environmental Sustainability – Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) – Established, which would amend the law regarding environmental sustainability in electricity supply to establish a CCA plan and set forth certain requirements of the CCA’s operations. In 2021, the Maryland General Assembly authorized Montgomery County to establish a CCA pilot program, which allows the County to procure electricity on behalf of residents and businesses from an alternative supplier while still receiving service from an existing utility provider.
Bill 27-25 would establish a CCA within the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and designate the director of DEP as the responsible entity for its operations and functions. The bill would require the CCA to have the capacity to serve as the electricity supplier for all residential and small commercial electric customers in the County and provide its customers a percentage of renewable content that exceeds the amount required by the state’s renewable energy portfolio standards. The bill would also require the CCA to prioritize sustainability, cost efficiency, stability and predictability in the provision of electricity. The bill would exempt the purchase of electric supply from the County’s procurement laws and require the CCA to transmit to the Council a copy of its aggregation plan or any aggregation plan changes prior to filing them with the Public Service Commission.
Expedited Bill 10-25, Personnel and Human Resources – Hiring Displaced Federal Workers
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Expedited Bill 10-25, Personnel and Human Resources – Hiring Displaced Federal Workers, which would provide a County hiring preference for federal workers whose positions are eliminated or who are subject to reductions in force. The bill would define the term displaced federal worker as a former federal employee who resides in the County and on or after Jan. 1, 2025, received a notification from the federal government that the individual’s federal position was no longer needed and a notification of personnel action from the federal government that the individual was subject to a federal reduction in force.
Under current law, the County provides a hiring preference for certain County employees who are unable to perform the employee’s job because of a disability or injury under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), subject to a County reduction in force, or a County employee who was granted a temporary disability retirement under the Employees Retirement System or an initial or temporary disability benefit of any type under the Retirement Savings Plan or the Guaranteed Retirement Income Plan, but is no longer eligible for such a temporary disability retirement or benefit. In addition, County law provides preference for a veteran with a disability and an equal preference for a veteran without a disability and a non-veteran with a disability.
The lead sponsor of Expedited Bill 10-25 is Council Vice President Will Jawando. Councilmembers Andrew Friedson, Kristin Mink, Laurie-Anne Sayles, Marilyn Balcombe and Council President Stewart are cosponsors of Bill 10-25.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends approval of Expedited Bill 10-25 with amendments to place the preference for displaced federal workers below the existing preference for veterans without disabilities and non-veterans with disabilities; clarify the documentation that must be provided by a displaced federal worker; remove the requirement that a displaced federal worker would have to demonstrate a loss of income in order to qualify for the preference; clarify the contents of the required executive regulations; and sunset the legislation on July 2, 2027.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 13-25, Licensing and Regulations Generally – Picnics, Dances, Soirees, and Other Entertainment – Amendments, which would prohibit an unlicensed party for gain or profit to which the general public is admitted. The legislation would also increase the potential fines from a maximum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000 related to existing violations for this type of activity: unpermitted commercial use in a residential zone; commercial parties; noise violations; unpermitted commercial use in a residential zone; and violations of recreation and entertainment use zoning. The bill would authorize these increased fines only when the violation is the result of unpermitted commercial house party activity.
The lead sponsors of Bill 13-25 are Councilmembers Luedtke and Friedson. Councilmembers Albornoz and Balcombe, Council President Stewart, and Councilmembers Evan Glass and Katz are cosponsors of the legislation.
The joint Economic Development (ECON) and Public Safety (PS) Committee recommends approval with amendments.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Expedited Bill 20-25, Economic Development Corporation – Economic Development Strategic Plan – Deadlines, which would alter due dates associated with the preparation of an economic development strategic plan. The bill is needed because the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) has informed the Council that it is unable to submit a draft Economic Development Strategic Plan by the statutory deadline of July 1, 2025. Bill 20-25 would provide MCEDC with additional time to develop the plan as they undergo a transition in leadership. The lead sponsors of Expedited Bill 20-25 are Council President Stewart and Councilmember Balcombe.
Review and vote expected: The Council is expected to review and vote on two category change requests and amendments to the Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan. The requests relate to two properties located across the street from each other on Ridge Drive in the Glen Hills area. The applicant is seeking a sewer category change from S6 (private onsite systems) to S3 (public sewer service) to serve a proposed single-family home.
The County Executive recommends approval of the first request, 24-TRV-04A, pending a sewer main extension through the public rights-of-way only. However, the County Executive recommended denial of the second request, 25-TRV-02A, because this property does not abut the planned sewer service envelope, nor does it abut any sewer mains that could provide service.
Advertisement
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee recommends conditional approvals.
County Executive nominee for Director, Public Information Office: Mary Anderson
Interview: The Council will interview Mary Anderson, who is the County Executive’s nominee for director of the Public Information Office for Montgomery County government. The director oversees operations of the County’s Public Information Office, which is responsible for informing residents about the programs and services offered by the County. The office includes a media relations section, publications and graphics design section, and cable programming section.
Review: The Council will discuss the County’s state legislative priorities with Office of Intergovernmental Relations representatives. The Council is expected to review a draft of the federal priorities letter in addition to a list of state legislative proposals related to transportation, tax-exempt municipal bonds, the environment, federal agencies and the federal workforce, telecommunications and affordable housing.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, July 15, which is available on the Council website .
Resolution in Support of Fourteen Early Voting Centers in Montgomery County
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution in support of 14 early voting centers in Montgomery County. In June, the Montgomery County Board of Elections transmitted a letter to the County Executive and Council requesting support to maintain continuity of services and to designate 14 early voting centers for the 2026 gubernatorial primary and general election. The Council resolution would support this request. Under Maryland law, each local board of elections must submit an election plan to the state Board of Elections, including a plan for early voting centers, for the state board’s approval. The local board must submit its plan to the state board at least seven months prior to each statewide primary election.
Public Hearings
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony .
- Resolution to approve Supplemental Appropriation #25-76 to the FY25 Operating Budget, Montgomery County Government, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, FY25 Senator Amoss Fire, Rescue and Ambulance Fund (State 508) Grant, $1,995,461
- Corrective Map Amendment (CMA) H-158, 7979 Old Georgetown Road
- Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-08, Exemptions – Landscape Contractor
- Expedited Bill 19-25, Noise Control – Leaf Removal Equipment – Seasonal Exemption
- Expedited Bill 23-25, Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity
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: 25-241
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=47357