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Dear Resident,
First, I would like to say L’Shana Tova Tikavetu to all Montgomery County residents celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. I hope you have had a wonderful celebration with loved ones, and I wish you a blessed year ahead.
Today’s Council meeting will start at 1 p.m. Below are some of the items we will be reviewing during the meeting:
Expedited Bill 19-19, Economic Development - Workforce Development -Amendments
The Council is scheduled to vote on Expedited Bill 19-19, which would which would allow the Council to designate a nonprofit corporation, a public educational institution, or both, as the County’s workforce development organization. I am the lead sponsor. Councilmembers Will Jawando, Hans Riemer, Gabe Albornoz, Craig Rice and Council Vice President Sidney Katz are cosponsors. Existing law mandates that the Council must designate a single nonprofit corporation to perform this function. The goal of this bill is to better align County resources to ensure that the County’s workforce development efforts meet the talent attraction, development and retention needs of strategic industries and the needs of the underemployed and unemployed and develop efficient and effective career pathways that lead to sustainable wage jobs that support a thriving economy. The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) and Education and Culture (E&C) Committees recommend enactment. You can read more here.
Bill 32-19, Health and Sanitation - Flavored Electronic Cigarettes
The Council will introduce Bill 32-19, which would prohibit electronic smoking device manufacturers from distributing flavored electronic cigarettes to retail stores within half a mile of any middle or high school, library, park, playground or recreational facility in the County. Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Gabe Albornoz are the lead sponsors. Councilmember Tom Hucker is a cosponsor. The goal of this legislation is to protect the health of young people and limit their ability to purchase nicotine vaping products. You can read more here.
Expedited Bill 15-19, Contracts and Procurement - Minority Owned Businesses - Sunset Date – Amendments
The Council is scheduled to vote on Expedited Bill 15-19, which would extend the sunset date for the County’s minority-owned business purchasing program. I am the lead sponsor, at the request of the County Executive. The goal of Bill 15-19 is to extend the minority-owned business purchasing program while the County Executive evaluates the need to continue it further. You can read more here.
Bill 23-19, Cybersecurity Investment Incentive Tax Credit Supplement – Amendments
The Council is scheduled to vote on Bill 23-19, which would allow a qualified investor to receive the cybersecurity investment incentive tax credit supplement. Councilmembers Hans Riemer, Andrew Friedson and Will Jawando are the lead sponsors. The Cybersecurity Tax Credit Supplement Program is Montgomery County’s local incentive program aimed at spurring job and business growth in the cybersecurity sector. The County offers a local supplement to the Maryland Cybersecurity Investment Incentive Tax Credit to qualified Maryland cybersecurity companies that receive a final Maryland tax credit certificate and have their headquarters and base of operations in the County. You can read more here.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-07 – Telecommunications Towers – Limited Use
The Council will introduce ZTA 19-07, which would amend the Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance to, among other things, allow certain telecommunications towers as a limited or conditional use in certain residential zones and revise the standards for telecommunications towers allowed as a limited or conditional use. You can read more here.
There is much more happening at the Council meeting, so please check the full agenda (and stream the meeting live or after the fact) here and read the weekly Council Coming Attractions to see everything that’s on our agenda.
 Finally, I will be joining other local leaders and community members at the Black and Brown Forum for Educational Equity and Excellence on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at Gaithersburg High School. This forum will be critical to our ongoing efforts to close the achievement and opportunity gaps for Black and Latino students in our public schools. You can register for the event here. I hope to see you and your friends and organizations there!
Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful week.
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