Montgomery County Council Meeting To Talk Affordable Care Act

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD – The Montgomery County Council’s Health and Human Services committee will meet on November 27 at 9:30 a.m. in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room to receive an update on the changes that have been proposed or implemented over the last several months regarding the Affordable Care Act, continuing work at the State level on the insurance marketplaces, and the County’s efforts for the current enrollment period for 2018. The HHS Committee is chaired by Councilmember Leventhal and includes Council President Berliner and Councilmember Rice. The staff report can be viewed here.

The HHS Committee also will discuss the concerns of the African American Health Program about the condition of the building where its offices and programs are housed. Some Council members have recently visited the facility, and the HHS Committee requested this follow-up discussion. The staff report can be viewed here.

The HHS Committee also will meet jointly with the Public Safety Committee, which is chaired by Council member Elrich and includes Council members Hucker and Katz, to discuss gang prevention strategies at 10:15 a.m. in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room. On October 3, the Council approved a supplemental appropriation to the FY18 Operating Budget for the Montgomery County Police Department of $596,920 and for the State's Attorney's Office of $246,773 for gang activity suppression. Council members expressed that additional components for preventing gang involvement should be explored, including funding services for young persons at risk of gang involvement, family strengthening activities, involving faith-based organizations, and identifying gaps in services and potential interventions by government and nonprofit organizations. The staff report can be viewed here.

At 2 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room, the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee will meet to review several Zoning Text Amendments, including ZTA 17-07, Light Manufacturing and Production – Brewing and Distilling. The PHED Committee is chaired by Council member Floreen and includes Council Vice President Riemer and Council member Leventhal, Council Vice President Riemer is the lead sponsor of ZTA 17-07 and Council members Leventhal, Hucker, Katz, Rice, and Navarro and Council President Berliner are cosponsors. This proposal would revise the definition and standards for light manufacturing and production and allow for brewing and distilling of alcoholic beverages under certain circumstances that are more permissive. This zoning change is in line with recommendations from the County’s Nighttime Economy Task Force, which suggested a policy of self-distribution for breweries to increase business in the County. The staff report can be viewed here.

The PHED Committee also will discuss ZTAs concerning the following:
• White Flint 2 Parklawn Overlay Zone
• Transfer of Development Rights Requirements
• Antennas on Existing Structures
• Bed and Breakfasts - Historic Buildings

The Education Committee, which is chaired by Council member Rice and includes Council members Elrich and Navarro, will meet at 2 p.m. in the Third Floor Council Conference Room to receive an update from Montgomery County Public Schools on its efforts to address recommendations from the March 2016 Study of Choice and Special Academic Programs. The Choice Study included eight key findings and associated recommendations. MCPS staff will provide an update on key actions taken to date on immersion programs, career and technology education, center programs for the highly gifted, secondary magnet programs in high schools, elementary and secondary language programs, and talent development. The staff report can be viewed here.

The ED Committee also will receive an update on technology efforts and programs in MCPS. During the Committee’s discussion of MCPS’s FY18 budget request for the Technology Modernization program, Committee members requested a general update and discussion of MCPS’s technology programs and Strategic Technology Plans outside of budget deliberations. Peter Cevenini, MCPS Chief Technology Officer, is expected to participate in the meeting. The staff report can be viewed here.

The Committee meetings will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery. The channel can be viewed in HD on Cable Channel 996 and in SD on 6 on Comcast; in HD on Channel 1056 and SD on 6 on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. The meetings also will be available live via streaming through the Council website.

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