Montgomery County Council Public Hearing on Capital Budget and Joint Committee Meeting on Feb. 7, 2024

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Council will hold a public hearing on the FY25 Capital Budget and FY25-30 CIP; joint committee to review special appropriations for opioid abatement funds and the Youth Safety Initiative

On Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 1:30 p.m. the Montgomery County Council will receive testimony on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Capital Budget and FY25-30 CIP for County government, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, WSSCWater, Washington Suburban Transit Commission, Revenue Authority, Housing Opportunities Commission, and municipality and state projects.

The joint Government Operation and Fiscal Policy (GO) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet at 3 p.m. to review a more than $3 million special appropriation for Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) opioid abatement funds and a $96,000 special appropriation for a DHHS Youth Safety Initiative contractor.

The members of the GO Committee include Chair and Council Vice President Kate Stewart, Council President Andrew Friedson and Councilmember Sidney Katz.

The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

FY25 Capital Budget and FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program (CIP)

Public hearing: The Council will receive testimony on the FY25 Capital Budget and FY25-30 CIP for County government, MCPS, Montgomery College, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, WSSCWater, Washington Suburban Transit Commission, Revenue Authority, Housing Opportunities Commission, and municipality and state projects. Projects in the six-year program include facilities for parks, recreation, roads, schools, community college, libraries, fire stations, mass transit, housing, police, correction and rehabilitation, general government, and other public purposes. Capital projects are primarily funded with money from future issuance of bonds. Additions, deletions or modifications to the CIP and capital budget may be made subsequent to the public hearings. Council action on the WSSCWater CIP is also an update to the Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan.

Review: The joint GO and HHS Committee will review a more than $3 million special appropriation for DHHS opioid abatement funds. In Maryland, the number of opioid-related deaths has steadily increased starting in 2008. In 2023, the state announced they received funding in a legal settlement with opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies. The state indicated that the Council would receive an initial amount of $5 million and this special appropriation represents the initial allocation of these funds. Montgomery County is a participant in the settlement and the latest estimates project that the County will receive approximately $43.3 million over the 18-year distribution period.

Review: The joint GO and HHS Committee will review a $96,000 special appropriation for the DHHS Youth Safety Initiative to add a new contract with Umana Public Health Solutions, LLC. The funds are need to help facilitate the coordination of a comprehensive public-private public health response. The Youth Safety initiative is a prevention and response strategy that aims to comprehensively address the diverse challenges impacting youth safety, encompassing various aspects related to the well-being of young individuals.

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: 24-048
Media Contact: 240-777-7926, 240-777-7884

For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=44731