Good morning.

Welcome to a meeting of the Joint Education and Culture and Government Operations Committee.

It's uh the 19th of March, Thursday, and just after 9 30.

Uh we have uh two items today to discuss which are interrelated.

One is uh Bill 1026, which addresses the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, its governance structure to really modernize it, and then there's a supplemental appropriation 2659, which my co-chair uh councilmember Stewart will lead, which addresses um an outstanding payment obligation related to the cultural plan of the Arts and Humanities Council.

Uh both items taken together uh will help shape and modernize and bring forward and strengthen uh our counties working relationship with the Arts and Humanities Council, uh, which is deep, ongoing and and significant.

Um I I did want to take a minute, hey, good morning, to acknowledge uh the work of the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council uh and the team who are here, uh, Ms.

Jenkins and your team and the board.

Uh I it's been a pleasure to work with you over the last eight years and see the growth and the forward movement of the council.

Uh and you've been a vital partner in making Montgomery County a creative, vibrant community.

And yeah, I know you will continue to be.

Um we look forward to a really productive discussion.

Uh before I turn to staff, I want to see my co-chair, would you like to say anything?

No, no.

That's perfect.

Let's go.

All right.

So I'll turn it over to Ms.

Cummings and Miss Wellens first.

Ms.

Wellins on the bill, and then we'll ask everyone to come up as they need to.

Ms.

Wellins.

Great, wonderful.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

Chair Jawondo.

Thank you, Chair Stewart and Council members.

Good morning.

Um this item number one is expedited bill 1026, Arts and Humanities Council amendments.

This is a bill that was put forward uh by the council president at the request of the county executive and council member sales is a co-sponsor.

Uh the public hearing occurred on March 10th, as you know.

And uh I will give you just a brief rundown about the bill itself.

Um the expedited bill kind of makes the amendments regarding the establishment membership and duties of the Arts and Humanities Council, uh, which as you know has been um has been in place since 1976.

Um the bill would set up a process for the county council to designate the uh a nonprofit entity as the Arts and Humanities Council.

You would do so through resolution, and that would be revisited every five fiscal years, where you could do a new a renewal or new designation.

The council also would have the power to revoke or suspend a designation.

Uh the nonprofit entity uh would be required to meet certain requirements, including having including having articles of incorporation, uh specifying that the organization is incorporated for the purpose of serving as the county's art arts and humanities council.

Uh there would be required bylaws with various provisions, including adherence to the open meetings act and the Maryland Public Information Act.

The um the AHC would be required to have a board of directors.

Uh it would be between 11 and 15 members.

Uh those members would be appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the council.

And in addition, uh some of the duties of the uh council would be the Arts and Humanities Council would be further enumerated under the code, um, including that they would be required to adopt a racial equity and social justice policy, um, oversee grant making and programmatic activities funded by the county.

Uh and they would be conducting a countywide needs assessment at least once every two years, and also adopting a strategic plan at least every five years.

Um in terms of the impact statements, uh the uh OLO, the Office of Legislative Oversight, stated that the bill would have a positive impact on racial equity and social justice.

They do have a recommendation to strengthen the bill in that regard, which which we can get to momentarily.

No fiscal impact, um, and then uh no economic or climate impacts to note.

Uh there was public testimony from the um assistant chief administrative officer Cardona in support of the bill.

Uh you also received written testimony from a number of arts and humanities organizations in support of the bill.

There are a few um council staff items for your potential consideration.

Happy to move on to those, Mr.

Chair.

And of course, we're joined, as you already mentioned, by representatives from the council and the executive branch.

Yeah, why don't we have uh Ms.

Cardona and Mr.

Albanaz come up and if there's any and Ms.

Jenkins, you can come up to if there's any questions and allow you to just talk about the the bill and and the need.

I know we've we've explained it and anything you want to add.

Yeah.

Good to see you on that side of the dais, Mr.

Albanaz.