The Montgomery County Council will meet Tuesday, May 5 to introduce several bills, including a proposed six-month moratorium on data center permits, updates to volunteer fire and rescue benefits, changes to employee retirement systems, and making a small business grant program permanent, while also reviewing multiple Fiscal Year 2027 operating budgets for agencies such as police, fire and rescue, public schools, libraries, and Montgomery College, along with proposed increases to the county’s 9-1-1 fee and approval of a new agreement with volunteer fire-rescue personnel. Full agenda below courtesy Montgomery County:
“The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, May 5 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by the full Council, will recognize Jewish American Heritage Month. The second, presented by Councilmember Andrew Friedson, will recognize Affordable Housing Month. The Council will present two additional proclamations at 1 p.m. The first afternoon proclamation, presented by Council President Natali Fani-González, will recognize National Travel and Tourism Week. The second, presented by the Education and Culture (EC) Committee with County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Education Appreciation Week.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Legislative Session
Expedited Bill 19-26, Buildings – Moratorium on Permits for Data Centers – Established
Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Evan Glass will introduce Expedited Bill 19-26, Buildings – Moratorium on Permits for Data Centers – Established, which would establish a temporary moratorium on permits for a data center issued by the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement. The moratorium would suspend permit approval processing for six months after the bill would take effect. The aim of the bill is to allow the County time to study, evaluate and adopt appropriate laws, zoning requirements or regulations governing the permitting of data centers in the County.
A public hearing is scheduled for June 16.
Bill 20-26, Fire and Rescue Services – Length of Service Awards Program for Volunteers – Amendments
Introduction: The Council will introduce Bill 20-26, Fire and Rescue Services – Length of Service Awards Program for Volunteers – Amendments. The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive. The bill would expand eligibility for Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) benefits to certain volunteer fire and rescue members, increase benefit amounts and update laws governing the program, consistent with the negotiated collective bargaining agreement effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.
A public hearing is scheduled for June 9.
Bill 21-26, Employee Retirement System – Savings and Benefits – Amendments
Introduction: The Council will introduce Bill 21-26 Employee Retirement System – Savings and Benefits – Amendments. The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive. The bill would implement negotiated changes to the County’s retirement system affecting multiple employee groups, including correctional health nurses, emergency communications and correctional personnel and members of Local 1994 bargaining units, by updating eligibility rules, retirement and plan provisions and contribution rates consistent with the collective bargaining agreement effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.
A public hearing is scheduled for June 9.
Introduction: The Council will introduce Bill 22-26, Finance – Economic Development Fund – Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Matching Grant Program – Repeal of Sunset Date. The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive. The bill would repeal the July 1, 2025, sunset date for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Matching Grant Program, originally established in Bill 41-17, thereby making the program permanent and ensuring continued matching grant support for County-based small businesses pursuing federal SBIR and STTR awards to advance innovation and economic development.
A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 9, 2026.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, May 5, which is available on the Council website.
Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget
Review: The Council will review the County Executive’s Recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the State’s Attorney’s Office totaling nearly $28.7 million, which represents an increase of $1.3 million, or 4.8 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes an increase of $539,501 for programmatic and staffing additions, enhancements, or other cost increases; a $1.2 million increase for compensation adjustments; and a decrease of $489,519 from other adjustments.
The State’s Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting criminal violations in Montgomery County, educating the public concerning criminal justice issues, providing training to lawyers for future service, addressing inequality and promoting fairness in the criminal justice system, ensuring access to the criminal justice system, and promoting professional relations with judges and attorneys.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee unanimously recommends retaining two items worth approximately $539,000 on the reconciliation list per the Council President’s budget approach, and approving the remainder of the Executive’s budget as submitted.
Review: The Council will review the more than $56 million FY27 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Public Libraries, which represents a 3.7 percent increase from the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The increase is comprised of $483,190 in programmatic and staffing additions and more than $1.5 million for compensation adjustments. Montgomery County Public Libraries provides equitable access to information, ideas, and experiences through library branches located throughout the County.
The EC Committee unanimously recommends approving the FY27 operating budget for the public libraries as submitted by the Executive and placing two items on the reconciliation list: $275,500 in one-time funding for the Noyes Library operating budget and $207,690 for enhanced security guard services at five branches.
Review: The Council will review the $351.4 million FY27 Operating Budget requested by Montgomery College, which represents an increase of $4.6 million, or 1.3 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The County Executive’s recommended FY27 budget fully funds the college’s request. The requested County contribution for FY27 is more than $155 million, which is $6.3 million above the required Maintenance of Effort (MOE) level. The budget consists of a tax supported current fund, tax supported grant fund and tax supported emergency repair fund as well as several non-tax supported funds. Montgomery College provides post-secondary educational programs from the Takoma Park and Silver Spring, Rockville, Germantown and East County campuses.
The EC Committee unanimously recommends reducing Montgomery College’s FY27 current fund request by $4.6 million and authorizing the college to use that amount for its share of the multi-agency OPEB Trust, lowering the County contribution from $155 million to $150.4 million while maintaining the College’s total funding level. It further recommends not placing the remaining $1.7 million above MOE funding on the reconciliation list.
Review: The Council will review the $385.7 million recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), which represents an increase of $33 million, or 9.4 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The change is due to costs for budget changes for technological programs and software as well as compensation adjustments. MCPD is the primary law enforcement agency in the County. It works with Fire and Rescue, the Department of Health and Human Services, allied municipal police departments, and other public safety partners to provide safety to the community.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee placed 12 items for consideration on the reconciliation list and recommended approving other operating budget items.
Review: The Council will review the nearly $312 million recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the MCFRS, which represents an increase of $1.6 million, or one half of a percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes more than $8.7 million increase for compensation adjustments and a net reduction of more than $7.1 million for other items. The recommendation generally reflects a continuation of current staffing and service levels.
The PS Committee placed three items for consideration on the reconciliation list and recommended approving other operating budget items.
Review: The Council will review a resolution to approve certain terms of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the County and the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association (MCVFRA). The current MOA between the Montgomery County Government and MCVFRA has the effective dates of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The Montgomery County Code requires the Council Executive to submit to the Council any element of an agreement with the local fire and rescue departments authorized representative that requires an appropriation of funds, may have a future fiscal impact, is inconsistent with any County law or regulation, or requires the enactment or adoption of any County law or regulation.
The PS Committee unanimously recommended approval of the resolution, with amendments.
Review: The Council will review a resolution to adopt an FY27 County 9-1-1 fee. The County Executive proposed an increase from $1.47 to $1.93 per telephone subscriber line per month, estimating an additional $9.07 million in FY27 to close the projected gap between expenditures and current collection levels. State law permits the County to increase the fee by an amount sufficient to cover the County’s projected operational costs for the 9-1-1 system.
The PS Committee unanimously recommended approval of the resolution.
Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Review: The Council will review the $7.4 million recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), which represents an increase of more than $1.7 million, or 30 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The change includes funds to replace items previously funded by the Urban Area Security Initiative Grant. This includes $800,000 to replace the Everbridge Alert System, also known as Alert Montgomery; $425,000 for response equipment; and $93,274 to replace a fiscal and administrative position.
The PS Committee recommends all FY27 Operating Budget changes as proposed by the County Executive. In addition, the committee recommends placing the Everbridge Alert System, response equipment and a fiscal and administrative position on the reconciliation list.
Department of Correction and Rehabilitation
Review: The Council will review the County Executive’s recommended $99.4 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DOCR), which represents an increase of more than $4 million, or 4.2 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes $379,470 in programmatic and staffing additions, enhancements, or other cost increases; a $3.7 million increase for compensation adjustments; and a decrease of more than $1.8 million for other adjustments. DOCR provides correctional, rehabilitative, and community re-entry services in Montgomery County.
The PS Committee recommends approving the budget as submitted by the County Executive and placing three items on the reconciliation list.
Review: The Council will review the County Executive’s recommended $21.7 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Circuit Court, which represents an increase of $1.2 million, or six percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommendation includes an increase of $391,877 to address a funding gap in grant-funded initiatives. The Circuit Court serves residents in the determination of litigation in serious criminal matters, substantive civil cases, domestic cases and child support cases.
The PS Committee recommends approving the budget as submitted by the County Executive and placing one item on the reconciliation list.
Review: The Council will review the $11.2 million recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of the County Attorney, which represents an increase of $581,203, or 5.4 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The change is largely due to a $463,919 increase for compensation adjustments, $23,172 to add an AI-powered document tool and $21,930 for an increase to a legal research subscription service. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee unanimously recommended approving the Executive’s transmitted budget for the Office of the County Attorney and placing the AI-document review tool on the reconciliation list.
Review: The Council will review the $7.28 million recommended FY27 Operating Budget for the Office of Procurement, which represents an increase of more than $1.2 million, or 21 percent, compared to the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The major increase in the budget request is an $816,170 addition requesting the development of an E-Procurement System. The mission of the Office of Procurement is to facilitate the use of public funds, in partnership with County departments, to effectively procure goods, services and construction in an inclusive, transparent and equitable manner that best serves County residents, businesses and the public interest.
The GO Committee recommends reducing the Office of Procurement budget request to nearly $6.5 million. In addition, the committee recommends placing the $816,170 E-Procurement item in the reconciliation list.
Conference and Visitor’s Bureau Non-Departmental Account
Review: The Council will review the more than $2.38 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Conference and Visitor’s Bureau Non-Departmental Account (NDA), which represents a 2.5 percent increase from the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The recommended increase reflects the inflationary adjustment for all non-profit service providers. The Conference and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Montgomery, is the County’s destination marketing organization, which promotes the County as a destination for meetings, conferences, student group travel, group tours, leisure travel and amateur sports events.
The Economic Development (ECON) Committee concurred with the County Executive’s recommendation, but did not vote on the 2.5 percent inflationary adjustment, as the inflationary adjustment for nonprofit service providers is a separate item within the budget.
Review: The Council will review the more than $71 million FY27 Operating Budget for the Department of Recreation, which represents a 4.3 percent increase from the approved FY26 Operating Budget. The Executive’s recommendation includes a more than $2.7 million increase in compensation adjustments and other cost increases. More than $127,000 in programmatic and staffing additions and enhancements are also included in the proposed budget.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee recommends approval of the Department of Recreation’s FY27 Operating Budget as proposed by the Executive, and recommends placing approximately $556,000 on the reconciliation list, per the Council President’s budget approach, for targeted program and system enhancements, as well as additional funding for an Excel Beyond the Bell (EBB) expansion to Stedwick Elementary School. The committee also requested that the department provide alternative EBB expansion scenarios for full Council consideration.
Montgomery County Public Schools
Review: The Council will review the FY27 Operating Budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The Board of Education’s requested FY27 tax-supported budget, excluding grants and enterprise fund, is more than $3.54 billion, which represents an increase of more than $192 million, or 5.7 percent compared to the approved FY26 tax-supported budget. The County Executive recommends more than $3.78 billion in funding for MCPS, which includes funding 100 percent of the Board of Education’s request and an additional $222.4 million above the required MOE level. Maryland state law sets a minimum funding level for public education, known as the MOE law, which requires local jurisdictions to fund school systems at the same amount per pupil as the prior year with increases or decreases relative to enrollment changes.
The EC Committee agreed to place the local funding increase of $179 million on the reconciliation list. As provided in the Council President’s budget approach, increases in local funding must be placed on the reconciliation list in tranches of 10 percent. Additional committee recommendations can be found in the Council staff report.
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.
