MARYLAND, February 25 - For Immediate Release: Friday, February 25, 2022

Council will discuss and take positions on state legislation; Committees will receive a briefing on the Office of Animal Services' Volunteer Program, review the recommended FY23-28 CIPs for the Housing Opportunities Commission, Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Libraries and the Public Arts Trust and discuss the County’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program and the Planning Department’s I-270 Corridor Forward Plan

The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet on Monday, Feb. 28, at 9:30 a.m. to receive an update from the Office of Animal Services (OAS) with a focus on volunteer programs and outreach efforts.

The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmember Tom Hucker.

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss the recommended FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for the Housing Opportunities Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.

The Council will meet at 12:30 p.m. to review and take positions on state legislation.

The Education and Culture (E&C) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the recommended FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for Montgomery County Public Libraries and for the Public Arts Trust.

The members of the E&C Committee include Chair Craig Rice and Councilmembers Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro.

The Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review Bill 46-21 - Environmental Sustainability - Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program – Amendments and discuss the I-270 Corridor Forward Plan.

The members of the T&E Committee include Chair Tom Hucker, Council Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmember Hans Riemer.

More detail on each agenda item is included below.

Office of Animal Services (OAS)

Briefing: The PS Committee will receive an update from OAS. The briefing will answer questions posed during the Committee discussion held in Oct. 2021 regarding the office’s volunteer program and outreach efforts.

The discussion is expected to include an overview of how OAS compares to other jurisdictions in the areas of volunteer engagement, tracking volunteer hours, using virtual volunteer trainings to expand participation and creating a comprehensive multicultural outreach plan to engage diverse populations in the County.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Thomas J. Koenig, executive director, OAS; Alexandra Lepiarz, deputy executive director, OAS; and Maria Anselmo, community relations manager, OAS.

Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) Recommended FY23-28 CIP

Review: The PHED Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for HOC. The County Executive has recommended $8.2 million in the six-year CIP for HOC, which includes funds to continue improvements for deeply subsidized HOC-owned units and funds for a new project to improve WSSC sewer and storm lines at Elizabeth Square. In addition, the CIP includes two long-standing revolving funds and one loan guarantee. The revolving HOC Housing Production Fund is funded through the operating budget and will not be considered at this Committee meeting. 

Those expected to attend and provide information include Kayrine Brown, acting executive director, HOC; Zachary Marks, chief real estate officer, HOC; Tim Goetzinger, chief development funds officer and acting CIO, HOC; Terri Fowler, budget officer, HOC; Tomi Adebo, assistant budget officer, HOC; Hyunsuk Choi, housing acquisition manager, HOC; Mary Beck, capital budget manager, Office of Management and Budget (OMB); and Anita Aryeetey, lead fiscal policy analyst, OMB.

Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) Recommended FY23-28 CIP

Review: The PHED Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA), which includes $4.3 million for community development and $138 million for housing projects. The funding will support four ongoing projects and two projects scheduled to be closed-out. 

Those expected to attend and provide information include Aseem Nigam, director, DHCA; Frank Demarais, deputy director, DHCA; Chris Anderson, chief, Division of Community Development, DHCA; Rogers Stanley, chief, Neighborhood Revitalization Section; Pofen Salem, chief, Division of Finance and Administration; Mary Beck, capital budget manager, Office of Management and Budget; Anita Aryeetey, lead fiscal policy analyst, OMB.

State Legislative Program

Review: The Council will meet to review and take positions on state legislation. The state legislation under consideration at this meeting includes bills focusing on affordable housing, child care, early childhood development, child care providers, public school construction funding, medical assistance programs and public safety.  

Those expected to attend and provide information include Melanie Wenger, director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR); Kathleen Boucher, special assistant to director, OIR; Sara Morningstar, federal relations coordinator and legislative analyst, OIR; Leslie Frey, legislative analyst, OIR; Jason Mathias, legislative analyst, OIR; and Ed Lattner, chief, Government Operations Division, Office of County Attorney.

Public Libraries FY23-28 Recommended CIP

Review: The E&C Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for Public Libraries, which is comprised of five library projects totaling $49.1 million in funding. This amount represents an increase of $2.4 million, or 5.1 percent, from the amended FY21-26 total, which had a six-year cost of $46.8 million. 

The cost increase is a result of the completion of the Clarksburg Library during the six-year planning period, an increase in construction costs for the Noyes Library project and the inclusion of the Chevy Chase Library refurbishment in the FY23-28 CIP. 

Those expected to attend and provide information include Anita Vassallo, director, MCPL;  James Donaldson, assistant director, MCPL; Steve Kapani, business office manager, MCPL; Greg Ossont, deputy director, Department of General Services (DGS); Deborah Lambert, Senior Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Public Arts Trust FY23-28 Recommended CIP

Review: The E&C Committee will review the recommended FY23-28 CIP for the Public Arts Trust, which includes annual funding of $408,000 from current revenue, totaling more than $2.4 million over the six-year period. This funding is designated for commissioning, purchasing, maintaining, accepting gifts and deaccessioning of art displayed in County Government, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Suzan Jenkins, chief executive officer, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC); Greg Ossont, Deputy Director, Department of General Services (DGS); Shantée Jackson, Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Bill 46-21 - Environmental Sustainability - Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program - Amendments

Review: The T&E Committee will review Bill 46-21 - Environmental Sustainability - Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program – Amendments, which would amend the County’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (C-PACE) financing program to allow climate related improvements for eligible projects; establish 12-month retroactive financing for eligible C-PACE measures; create a five-year pilot for increased loan-to-value amounts for qualified properties; clarify new construction participation requirements; and remove the County designated lender from the County’s C-PACE program.

I-270 Corridor Forward Plan

Review: The T&E Committee will review the Planning Board draft of the Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has committed $360 million of funds in support of one or more new transit lines in the I-270 Corridor and the Council’s decision on the plan will inform the decision as to how the $360 million will be used. At a second meeting scheduled for March 9, it is anticipated that the T&E Committee will formulate its recommendations, so that the Council can review this plan later in March. 

Those expected to attend and provide information include Casey Anderson, chair, Planning Board; Gwen Wright, Director, Planning Department; Carrie Sanders, chief, Midcounty Planning, Planning Department; Jason Sartori, chief, Countywide Planning, Planning Department; Jessica McVary, master planner and supervisor, Midcounty Planning; Jesse Cohn McGowan, project manager, Countywide Planning; Christopher Conklin, director, Department of Transportation (DOT); Hannah Henn, deputy director for Transportation Policy, DOT; Andrew Bossi, Director’s Office, DOT; Jonathan Parker, planning program manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.

The Council and committees are meeting via Zoom because of ongoing construction and technology upgrades in the Council's Hearing Room and the inability to conduct meetings in a socially distant way in other areas of the Council Office Building with television broadcast capacity. Councilmembers continue to hold meetings in their offices by appointment.

The virtual Council and committee meetings will be 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: 22-087 Media Contact: Sonya Healy, 240-777-7926 , Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884