Montgomery County Council Committee Meetings on April 16, 2026
MARYLAND, April 15 - For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Committees will review the Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) will meet on Thursday, April 16 at 9:30 a.m. to review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Operating Budget for the Leases Non-Departmental Account (NDA), County Associations NDA, Boards, Committees, and Commissions NDA, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) NDA and Public Technology, Inc. NDA. The committee also will review the FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, Office of Management and Budget, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO), Independent Audit NDA, Office of the County Council, Legislative Branch Communications Outreach NDA, Interagency Technology Policy Coordination Committee NDA, and the Inauguration and Transition NDA.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Kate Stewart and Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Katz.
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Food Systems Resilience and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Laurie-Anne Sayles and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Dawn Luedtke.
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY27 Operating Budget for WSSC Water, Utilities, the Department of General Services (DGS) – Fleet, Motor Pool Fund Contribution NDA, and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) - Parking Lot Districts. In addition, the committee will review a resolution to adopt FY27 Transportation Fees, Charges, and Fares.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass, Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe and Councilmember Stewart.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Leases Non-Departmental Account
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $22.8 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Leases NDA, which represents an increase of $5.7 million, or 33.7 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The increase is largely due to the relocation of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) bus depot from the County Service Park on Crabbs Branch Way to a new property on Gude Drive and Old Dover Road.
The Department of General Services’ (DGS) Office of Real Estate is responsible for the County’s leasing program. This NDA provides the funds necessary to lease privately owned real estate to accommodate County programs.
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended FY27 Operating Budget NDAs for County Associations; Boards, Committees, and Commissions; the Council of Governments; and Public Technology, Inc. The County Executive does not recommend any changes from the approved FY26 Operating Budget for these NDAs. Additional details are available in the Council staff report.
Office of Intergovernmental Relations
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $1.06 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, which represents an increase of $23,888, or 2.31 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The increase is due to compensation adjustments and other cost increases.
The Office of Intergovernmental Relations advocates on behalf of the County before the Maryland General Assembly, the governor, and state administrative agencies, task forces and committees. The office responds to legislation, regulations, or other policy issues involving nearby counties and states, municipalities within the County, regional agencies, Washington, D.C., and the federal government.
Office of Management and Budget
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $8.6 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which represents an increase of $216,839, or 2.5 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The change is largely due to $262,846 in compensation adjustments and other cost increases, in addition to smaller increases in information technology services contact rates and miscellaneous operational costs. OMB supports the operation of County government, ensuring funds are spent in the most fiscally prudent and socially responsible way. OMB also ensures that County expenditures are made in accordance with Executive policies and Council appropriations, consistent with the County Charter.
Office of the Inspector General
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $4.2 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which represents an increase of $310,558 or 7.8 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The increase is due to compensation adjustments and other cost increases.
The OIG promotes the effectiveness and efficiency of programs and operations within County government and independent County agencies, prevents and detects fraud, waste and abuse in government activities and proposes ways to increase the legal, fiscal and ethical accountability of County government and County-funded agencies.
Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO)
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $2.9 million FY27 Operating Budget for OLO, which represents an increase of $137,810, or 4.9 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The change is largely due to an increase in personnel costs and compensation adjustments.
OLO conducts program evaluations, base budget reviews, and other special studies in accordance with a Council-approved work program. In addition, OLO is the designated administrator for the Council's audit contracts and is responsible for preparing economic, racial equity and social justice, and climate impact statements for all proposed County legislation.
Independent Audit Non-Departmental Account
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $436,260 FY27 Operating Budget for the Independent Audit NDA, which represents an increase of $1,525 compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The change is largely due to an increase in personnel costs and compensation adjustments.
This NDA provides funds for the Council to contract with a Certified Public Accountant for an independent post audit of all financial records and actions of the County government, its officials and employees. OLO is the designated administrator for this contract, which also includes an independent audit of the basic financial statement of the Employee Retirement Plans; an independent audit of the Consolidated Retiree Health Benefits Trust; an independent audit of the basic financial statements of the Montgomery County Union Employees Deferred Compensation Plan; and additional services related to reviews, tests and certifications.
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $20.7 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of the County Council, which represents an increase of more than $691,000, or 3.5 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. All FY27 cost increases are for compensation adjustments and required operating costs. The mission of the County Council is to legislate for the peace, good government, health, safety and welfare of Montgomery County and establish policies under which a system of public administration and finance provides services effectively, efficiently and equitably.
Legislative Branch Communications Outreach Non-Departmental Account
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $2.77 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Legislative Branch Communications Outreach NDA, which represents an increase of more than $70,000, or 2.6 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. All FY27 cost increases for this NDA are for compensation adjustments, required operating costs, and a nonprofit inflationary adjustment.
This NDA provides funds to strengthen the capacity of five Legislative Branch offices (the Council Office, the Office of Legislative Oversight, the Board of Appeals, the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings, and the Office of the Inspector General) to inform residents about issues that directly affect them and ensure that these community concerns are effectively taken into account. Communications efforts include expanded outreach in Spanish and other languages, greater use of web and social media resources, Open Government initiatives, and improved management of constituent requests.
Interagency Technology Policy Coordination Committee Non-Departmental Account
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $3,000 FY27 Operating Budget for the Interagency Technology Policy Coordination Committee (ITPCC) NDA, which represents no change from the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The ITPCC program is intended to facilitate interagency technology deployment and expenditure planning under Council Resolution 12-1758 dating back to 1994. Agencies involved are Montgomery County Government, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), and the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC).
During the Council’s final discussion of the FY26 budget, there was agreement that this item should be incorporated in the Office of the County Executive’s budget to better align it with policy objectives. Up until FY27, the item has been under Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS) management.
Inauguration and Transition Non-Departmental Account
Review: The GO Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $150,000 FY27 Operating Budget for the Inauguration and Transition NDA. This NDA provides funding for the inauguration ceremonies related to the quadrennial election of the County Executive and County Council and the related transitions of the Executive and Council. As a result, this NDA is only funded every four years. This NDA is managed by the Office of the County Executive. During the last inauguration in FY23, the NDA was funded at $50,000. However, Executive staff shared that the prior level of funding was not sufficient and additional funds had to be reallocated from other resources.
Office of Food Systems Resilience
Review: The HHS Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $13 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Food Systems Resilience, which represents an increase of 14 percent compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes programmatic reductions in the Food as Medicine Program and Retail Food Access Program, and an increase in compensation adjustments.
Department of Health and Human Services Overview
Review: The HHS Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $576 million FY27 Operating Budget for DHHS, which represents an increase of $18.9 million, or 3.39 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes several budget increases replacing federal grant funds that have been eliminated or reduced. The recommended budget also includes $43 million in programmatic and staffing enhancements. Committee review of each relative service area within DHHS as part of the DHHS reorganization will be reviewed on specific dates.
Department of Health and Human Services - Administration and Support
Review: The HHS Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $70.9 million FY27 Operating Budget for the DHHS Administration and Support Services, which represents a decrease of $19.8 million, or 21.8 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. As part of the DHHS reorganization, several programs were realigned within the Administration and Support Services area, and the Office of Community Affairs was eliminated. Committee review of each relative service area within DHHS as part of the DHHS reorganization will be reviewed at a future meeting.
Review: The TE Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $1.2 billion FY27 Operating Budget for WSSC Water, which represents an increase of $63.5 million, or 5.6 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. WSSC Water provides public water and sewer services to approximately 2 million residents in a sanitary district covering nearly 1,000 square miles in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.
Review: The TE Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $43 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Utilities NDA, which represents an increase of $600,000, or 1.5 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes increases for contractually obligated lease payments for the resiliency hub and microgrid deployments, cost escalations for commodities (including electricity, natural gas, water and sewer), a net decrease for solid waste charges, and a shift of electricity charges to various services.
Department of General Services – Fleet
Review: The TE Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $114.4 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Fleet Management Services Internal Service Fund. The FY27 Operating Budget recommendation represents a decrease of $1.5 million, or 1.3 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The decrease is primarily due to a $5 million reduction for the use of a remaining fund balance in the motor pool fund for vehicle purchases and a $3 million decrease in fuel costs at the time of the budget recommendation. The Division of Fleet Management Services is part of DGS and is responsible for planning, maintaining, acquiring and disposing of County fleet vehicles.
Motor Pool Fund Contribution Non-Departmental Account
Review: The TE Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $41,200 FY27 Operating Budget for the Motor Pool NDA, which represents a decrease of $1.34 million, or 97 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommended budget includes $41,200 for the purchase of one new dedicated vehicle to support an expansion of the Mobile Crisis Team within DHHS, as well as a one-time reduction of $190,000 for five new vehicles purchased for DHHS and $1.2 million for 20 new vehicles purchased for the Sheriff’s Office in FY26.
Department of Transportation - Parking Lot Districts
Review: The TE Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended $31 million FY27 Operating Budget for Parking Lot Districts, which represents an increase of $937,530, or 3.1 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes an increase in programmatic and staffing additions, enhancements, and compensation adjustments. The committee will also review and discuss parking lot district and facility renovations for FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) projects that have not been reviewed by the committee or that require additional discussion.
Resolution to adopt FY27 Transportation Fees, Charges and Fares
Review: The TE Committee will review the County Executive’s recommended resolution on FY27 Transportation Fees, Charges and Fares. The County Executive’s recommended resolution includes changes to the adopted FY26 resolution. These changes include the creation of a new $75 fine for driving, standing or parking in a bus lane, a new Controlled Zone (CZ) Permit for employers in each Parking Lot District and a new per kilowatt-hour (kWh) charge for electric vehicle charging in all Parking Lot Districts. The resolution also includes changes to end the collection of parking fees at 6 p.m. rather than 10 p.m. on weekdays, a stop to collecting parking fees on Saturday and increases to hourly rates for street parking, surface parking lots and for garage parking. The resolution also includes a new $60 fine for stopping, standing or parking on a bikeway, pursuant to Bill 28-25; a $250 hearing fee for the Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program; and the elimination of all Transportation Management District fees, pursuant to Bill 24-25.
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.
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