Montgomery County Council Committee Meetings on Feb. 19, 2026
MARYLAND, February 19 - For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Committees will begin to review projects in the Fiscal Year 2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program, review a report on racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes and appropriations for shelter spaces and renovations for Wheaton parking facilities
The Government Operations and Fiscal Operations (GO) Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 9:30 a.m. to review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Cable Plan and the FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for County Offices and Other Improvements, Other General Government and Technology Services.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair Kate Stewart and Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Sidney Katz.
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review a more than $7.2 million supplemental appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to fund a non-congregate shelter space for individuals that experience acute challenges in congregate shelters. In addition, the committee will review Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) Report 2025-7, Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Montgomery County.
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 FY27-32 CIP for transportation projects, including highway maintenance, traffic improvements, bridges, parking, roads, and pedestrian facilities and bikeways. In addition, the committee will review a $34,650 supplemental appropriation for Wheaton Parking Facility renovations.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass, Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe and Councilmember Stewart.
The Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review the FY27-32 CIPs for Montgomery College, the Public Arts Trust, and the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center.
The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Evans and Kristin Mink.
Review: The GO Committee will review the Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS) Strategic Plan. The strategic plan will frame FY27 budget allocations from the Cable Fund, which is special revenue fund provided by cable franchise agreements and fees. Consistent with national trends, cable fund revenues continue to decline at an accelerated rate due to cord cutting and the move to streaming services that do not pay cable franchise fees. The committee will discuss the plan and the current structure of funding County telecommunications and public information activities in the context of declining revenues.
Review: The GO Committee will review the recommended $172.7 million funding level for the County Offices and Other Improvements FY27-32 CIP, which represented a decrease of $14.9 million, or 7.9 percent, from the previously approved Amended FY25-30 CIP over the six-year period. This CIP provides for the planning, design, construction, renovation and replacement of facilities required by the operating departments of the County government. The reduction in funding is primarily due to the pending closeout of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Bus Depot and Maintenance Relocation project, which has been fully appropriated to fund the construction of maintenance and parking facilities at long-term leased sites in Rockville.
The committee also will review a new project in the Other General Government FY27-32 CIP with $150,000 in funding recommended over the six-year period. The project, African American Historical Markers, will be administered by the Department of General Services. The remaining projects within this subcategory are administered by Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) and will be reviewed by the Economic Development (ECON) Committee in April.
FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP): General Government - Technology Services
Review: The GO Committee will review three of five projects within the General Government – Technology Services within the County Executive’s recommended FY27-32 CIP, including the County Building Network Wiring project, FiberNet and Montgomery Connects. The remaining two projects in the CIP, the County Radio Life Cycle Replacement and Public Safety System Modernization projects, are scheduled to be reviewed at a joint Public Safety (PS) and GO Committee meeting tentatively scheduled for March 12.
The County Building Wiring project is a strategic infrastructure initiative designed to modernize internal cabling across County-owned facilities. The recommended FY27-32 CIP includes $12 million over the six-year period.
The FiberNet project secures high-speed communication services across Montgomery County agencies. The recommended FY27-32 CIP for FiberNet includes more than $22 million over the six-year period. The funding will advance Phases II and III of the Business Continuity Strategic Plan to replace unreliable and costly third-party carrier service for key County sites, increase network availability and address fiber shortages.
Montgomery Connects project provides for capital funding to support Montgomery County's broadband connectivity initiatives. The recommended FY27-32 CIP includes more than $15.2 million over the six-year period. The funding supports residential broadband in affordable housing developments, public Wi-Fi and advanced wireless conduit networks, the expansion of traffic, transit, and pedestrian sensors and cybersecurity innovation.
Review: The HHS Committee will review a more than $7.2 million supplemental appropriation for DHHS to fund a non-congregate shelter space for individuals that experience acute challenges. The shelter space will be located 600 East Gude Dr. in Rockville. The County was awarded a $7.2 million federal American Rescue Plan Act grant to fund the shelter, which would include 18 deeply affordable, furnished and private units for one or two person households. The final design is expected to be completed in FY27 with construction completed in FY29.
Review: The HHS Committee will review OLO Report 2025-7, Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Montgomery County. This report responds to the Council’s request to gather information on the causes of racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes, local data on disparities in Montgomery County, communities that have made improvements in racial disparities and factors that have driven those improvements, and whether Montgomery County has such factors in place.
FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) - Transportation
Review: The TE Committee will review six of the seven subcategories in the FY27-32 CIP for transportation projects, including highway maintenance, traffic improvements, bridges, parking, roads, and pedestrian facilities and bikeways. The seventh transportation subcategory, Mass Transit, will be covered at a committee meeting scheduled for March 2.
The County Executive is recommending more than $2.2 billion for the transportation category within the six-year period of the FY27-32 CIP. In May 2025, the Council approved $1.83 billion for this CIP. The recommended amendments transmitted by the County Executive represents a more than $455.5 million, or 25 percent, increase in the Transportation CIP. The majority of the increase in the recommendation is funded by a $295 million increase in Genel Obligation (GO) Bond funding and $144 million increase in assumed federal aid.
The Executive is recommending eight new projects in the FY27-32 CIP. These include the Advanced Digital Construction Management System, Parking-Silver Spring, Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure, Burnt Hill Road Bridge, Greentree Road Bridge, Park Bridge Improvements, Parklawn Entrance Bridge, Valleywood Drive Bridge and the Zion Road Bridge.
The Highway Maintenance subcategory represents the second largest portion of the Transportation FY25-30 CIP at a recommended $432,320, which represents a more 71 percent increase from the FY25-30 approved CIP. This subcategory funds a continuum of road maintenance activities throughout the County. The largest increase is represented by the Mass Transit subcategory, which will be reviewed at a later date.
Review: The TE Committee will review a $34,650 supplemental appropriation for Wheaton parking facility renovations. The Wheaton parking facility renovations project provides for the restoration and improvements of County-owned Wheaton parking facilities. This is a continuing program of contractual improvements or restorations, with changing priorities depending upon the types of deterioration and corrections required. This increase is needed to convert existing non-LED lighting fixtures into LED lighting in public parking lots and garages to reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions and to leverage an awarded state grant from the Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) Maryland Smart Energy Communities Program, Clean Energy for Local Governments.
FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) – Montgomery College
Review: The EC Committee will review the more than $499 million Montgomery College requested FY27-32 CIP, which represents an $89.3 million increase from the amended FY25-30 CIP. The County Executive recommends $445.3 million the Montgomery College FY27-32 CIP, which represents a $34.9 million increase. The County Executive’s recommended CIP includes additions for major construction costs for the Germantown Student Affairs Building Renovation and Addition-Phase 2 beginning in FY30, increased funding for Collegewide Library Renovations, continued construction funding for the Germantown Student Services Center, and stabilized annual funding for Level of Effort and Information Technology (IT) support projects.
FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) - Culture and Recreation - Public Arts Trust
Review: The EC Committee will review the FY27-32 CIP for the Public Arts Trust. The trust incorporates art into public facilities and sponsors privately funded temporary or permanent displays of art on public property. The County Executive recommended an annual appropriation of $408,000 for the Public Arts Trust, or more than $2.4 million during the six-year FY27-32 CIP. This recommendation is the same amount as the Public Arts Trust received in the prior fiscal years.
Review: The EC Committee will review the more than $45.2 million recommended FY27-32 CIP for the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. The County Executive’s recommended total expenditure for this project has increased by more $6 million compared to approved FY25-30 CIP, due to more detailed cost estimates from the general contractor following the design of the building. The project provides a new arts and cultural facility to be located in the Wheaton Arts and Entertainment District along Georgia Avenue. The proposed project includes the development of a mixed-income, affordable, multifamily development containing up to 320 multifamily units in two buildings, 39 townhomes, 15,000 square feet of office space and the arts and cultural center.
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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