The Montgomery County Public Safety Committee met on March 11, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 1:06 PM to consider Bill 11-26, which implements a negotiated agreement to increase volunteer Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) benefits by 4% retroactive to July 1, 2024, and another 4% retroactive to July 1, 2025. The committee unanimously advanced the bill as expedited and recommended its enactment.
Well, good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Public Safety Committee work session of Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Today we have one topic on the agenda, Bill 1126. Fire and Rescue Services Length of Service Awards Program for Volunteers Amendments. Please note we are on a, and though I don't know that we're gonna need to, but we're on a tight time frame today because we have a joint government operations and public safety work session following this work session, scheduled at 1 30. As we begin, I'd like to thank Ms. Wellens for preparing the staff report for the topic today and for once again and always assembling most informative packets for us. And unless the other committee members have anything to say, um I I don't know who's coming for the panel. Would you all like to come forward for the panel? Please introduce yourselves. Uh if you have any opening comments, please make them at this time, and then we're gonna use Ms. Wellins to lead us through this pack. Good afternoon, Michael Kelly, Division Chief, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service, Division of Volunteer Services. Good afternoon, Christopher Jensen here on behalf of the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association. And as always, we thank both of you for everything you do for the people of Montgomery County. And with that, and we thank you too, Ms. Wellins, for what you do. And with that, we're gonna ask you to please lead us through. Thank you very much, uh Mr. Chair and Council members. Good afternoon. Um Bill 1126, fire and rescue services, length of service award program for volunteers, and that length of service awards program, as you know, we refer to as LOSAP. Um these are these are nominal fees that essentially go to long-serving um volunteer fire and rescue individuals as essentially an acknowledgement of their service and to offset you know some small amount of their expenses. Um the bill was introduced at the request of the executive on February 10th, and the public hearing occurred yesterday on March 10th. That was uh Mr. Jennison spoke in favor of the bill on behalf of the Montgomery County Volunteers Fire Rescue Association, MCV FRA. Uh the background for this bill is that it implements provisions of a bargained agreement between MCV FRA as the LFRD representative and the county executive. Um the agreement is effective for July 1, 2023 through June 30th, 2026. And on December 9th, 2025, the executive requested the introduction of this legislation in order to um in accordance with the negotiated agreement to increase the low SAP benefits by a 4% beginning on July 1st, 2024, and by another 4% beginning on July 1st, 2025 for um eligible members. And this would apply retroactively, um, considering that the 4% increase you know was supposed to go into effect in 2024 and then again in 2025, respectively. Um the fiscal impact is approximately 110,000 over a six-year period, uh 25,000 for the year one, including the retroactive payments, and then uh 17,000 a year ongoing costs. Um just one other piece of information. The um you can see in the staff packet, um page number two of the staff memorandum shows you Article 25 of the agreement that's being implemented through this legislation, and in particular it's Article 25, uh paragraph two. Um I believe that is everything. Oh, one other item, sorry. Um, a staff recommendation to um clarify that the bill is an expedited, has an expedited effective date. Um I'm certainly in favor of that. I'm in favor of the whole thing, but I'm in favor of the expedited or are we and that's a 3-0, please, for expedited. Thank you. And any other questions or if not, we can this might be the shortest meeting ever. Um facing this, yes, sir. We have many thumbs up over here, Ms. Wellins. So we are gonna have a 3 0 on that as well. Again, thank you all for everything you do. Thanks. We are adjourned. Quickest hearing ever. Yeah.