The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 7, to receive the semi-annual report of the Planning Board, vote on spending affordability guidelines for the capital budget, and consider legislation requiring landlords to provide 14 days’ notice before evictions. The agenda also includes votes on bond authorizations, personnel regulations for displaced federal workers, committee appointments, and proclamations recognizing International Day of the Girl and National Farmer’s Day.
Presentation: The Council will receive a presentation on the Semi-Annual Report of the Planning Board, which outlines accomplishments and current work program items of both the Montgomery Parks and Planning Departments. The semi-annual report to the Council typically occurs in the spring and fall each year. An outline of the presentation and additional detail can be found in the staff report.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to approve the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Capital Budget and the FY27-FY32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Spending Affordability Guidelines (SAG). These guidelines limit certain types of debt that may be programmed for expenditures in the CIP and set the Council’s voting thresholds for the capital budget each year. The Council must adopt these guidelines by resolution by the first Tuesday in October in each odd-numbered calendar year.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee met on Sept. 25 to review the Spending Affordability Guidelines. The committee voted for Option B in the proposed guidelines. The committee’s recommendation would set CIP Spending Affordability Guidelines at $300 million per year, or $1.8 billion over the six-year period, for General Obligation Bonds, and $9 million per year, or $54 million over the six-year period, for Park and Planning Bonds.
The Council also has an opportunity to revise its CIP Spending Affordability Guideline by the first Tuesday in February. According to County Code, revisions to the Spending Affordability Guidelines should reflect a significant change in conditions regarding affordability and not consider need. After the February deadline, the Council can adopt an aggregate capital budget and six-year CIP that has expenditures that exceed the guidelines, but only with eight or more affirmative votes.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Oct. 7, which is available on the Council website.
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.
Legislative Session
Expedited Bill 31-25 Landlord-Tenant – Landlord Notice Requirements – Evictions
Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Kristin Mink will introduce Expedited Bill 31-25, which would require landlords to notify tenants and the County of scheduled evictions and establish penalties for noncompliance. In accordance with a new state law that went into effect Oct. 1, known as the Tenant Possession Recovery Act, the bill would increase the eviction notice requirements in Montgomery County to 14 days before a scheduled date of repossession.
The Maryland General Assembly amended landlord-tenant law regarding notices of evictions during the 2025 session. Effective Oct. 1, 2025, Maryland law requires a landlord, at least six days before a scheduled date of repossession as set by the sheriff, to provide written notice to the tenant of the date the warrant of restitution is scheduled to be executed. Under the new state law, the written notice must be provided to the tenant through multiple methods, including by posting on the premises, a first-class mailing, and if available, an email or text. In addition, the new law enables local jurisdictions to increase the requirement of the six-day advance notice to a 14-day advance notice. In accordance with the enabling authority, Expedited Bill 31-25 would increase the notice requirement to 14 days in the County.
Council President Stewart, Council Vice President Will Jawando and Councilmember Natali Fani-González are cosponsors of Expedited Bill 31-25. A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
Expedited Bill 29-25, Bond Authorization
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Expedited Bill 29-25, Bond Authorization, which would increase the County’s general obligation (GO) bond authorization by more than $652 million in certain public facility categories. The companion resolution consolidates the previously approved bond authorizations in the amended Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2030 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and increases the total authorization. The resolution allows the consolidated bond authorization to be issued, sold, and delivered from time to time as one or more series of bond anticipation notes.
The lead sponsor of Expedited Bill 29-25 is the Council President, at the request of the County Executive.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to approve the consolidation of previously authorized notes for sale and issuance as a single issue. This is the companion resolution to Expedited Bill 29-25 and would consolidate the previously approved bond authorizations and increases the total authorization by the recommended amount. The resolution allows the consolidated bond authorization to be issued, sold, and delivered from time to time as one or more series of bond anticipation notes.
Introduction and vote expected: The Council will introduce and is expected to vote on a resolution to approve Executive Regulation 24-25, Amendment to the Montgomery County Personnel Regulations – Recruitment and Application Rating Procedures. The resolution would amend Montgomery County Personnel Regulations to implement a hiring initiative for displaced federal workers, in compliance with Expedited Bill 10-25.
Executive Regulation 24-25 implements a preference in County hiring for displaced federal workers as required by Expedited Bill 10-25. In addition, it would provide a definition for displaced federal workers and include displaced federal workers in the highest rating category for a merit system position in a normal competitive recruitment process. The Montgomery County Office of Human Resources has requested that the regulation tentatively go into effect on Oct. 10, 2025.
Council appointees to the Human Trafficking Prevention Committee: Nalini Close, Lili Khozeimeh
Interviews: The Council is expected to conduct with interviews with Nalini Close and Lili Khozeimeh, who are the Council’s appointees to serve on the Human Trafficking Prevention Committee. The committee was formally established through Bill 27-17 to increase understanding of the issue in Montgomery County and develop interagency coordination of strategies for response and prevention. The Human Trafficking Prevention Committee has 17 voting members and up to 10 nonvoting ex-officio members. At least nine voting members must, when appointed, either reside in or be employed by the County. Each voting member serves a three-year term and should be affiliated with an organization that addresses some aspect of human trafficking or has a direct interest in issues related to human trafficking.
Proposed Closed Session
The Council intends to vote to meet in closed session to carry out an administrative function under Section 3-103(a)(1)(i) of the General Provisions Article of the Maryland Code, and to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of an appointee, employee, or official over whom it has jurisdiction under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article of the Maryland Code. The topics are the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of an appointee, employee, or official over whom it has jurisdiction, and related administrative functions.”
