Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Meeting - December 18, 2025
Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Meeting - December 18, 2025
The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners met on December 18, 2025, to approve the fiscal year 2026 budget, consider numerous resolutions, and hear public comments. The meeting lasted approximately 2.5 hours. The board unanimously passed a $1.2 billion total county budget, including a 4% real estate tax increase, and approved several grants, contracts, and appointments.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The November 13, 2025, meeting minutes were approved unanimously.
- Planning Assistance Contracts: Approved contracts with East Greenville Borough ($63,118), Douglas Township ($86,070), Cheltenham Township ($137,136), and West Norriton Township ($120,498) for community planning services through 2028.
- Open Space Grants: Approved $220,000 to Lower Moreland Township for a 0.43-acre parcel along Pennypack Creek, and $160,000 to Lower Salford Township for a 1-acre parcel adjacent to Harleysville Community Center, both as part of the Monco Forever Green program.
- Norristown Farm Park Lease and Zoo Sublease: Authorized a 35-year lease with the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for Norristown Farm Park and a sublease with Elmwood Park Zoo for the historic Castor House, with the zoo planning a greenhouse conservatory and free public amenities.
- Industrial Development Authority Life Extension: Extended the IDA’s corporate life by 50 years to 2075-76 to allow issuance of 35-year bonds.
- Norristown Public Library Grant Commitment: Affirmed a 50-year public library use commitment to support a Keystone Grant for HVAC and ADA improvements.
- Teamsters Local 384 Collective Bargaining Agreement: Approved a three-year contract (2026-28) for ~200 correctional officers, raising starting pay to $54,000 in 2026 and $57,000 by 2028.
- Baraitha Cultural Learning Center Grant: Approved $500,000 from reclaimed ARPA funds for expansion of the center.
- Board Appointments: Approved appointments to the Food Policy Council, Conservation District, Workforce Development Board, Local Emergency Planning Committee, Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board, Community College Board, Board of Managers, and Montgomery County Youth Center.
- Personnel List and Contracts: Approved the personnel list, bid advertisements, and contract awards/amendments for the county and the Southeastern PA Task Force.
Public Comments & Testimony
- David Morgan (Ambler): Opposed the 4% tax increase, citing a 57.9% cumulative increase over six years. Questioned the $55 million deficit, new positions, and lack of updates on the county campus plan. Urged budget revision.
- Dr. Janine Darby (Montgomery County Coroner): Thanked commissioners for budget support, noting that requests are necessities, not luxuries.
- Joy Burke (Springfield Twp.): Supported creation of the Sustainability Committee, recommending members from existing municipal EAC networks.
- Zach Davis (Upper Merion Twp.): Supported the Sustainability Committee, emphasizing environmental and financial benefits and constitutional rights to clean environment.
- Ed Moy (West Norriton Twp.): Opposed the county’s “welcome policy” for undocumented immigrants, citing ICE threats and voter registration concerns.
- Rev. Peter Martin (First Presbyterian Church, Norristown): Supported the welcome policy, arguing federal ICE actions interfere with county services and worship. Asked commissioners to stand with the community.
- Speaker (Orphan’s Court advocate): Praised county’s adoption and pregnancy resource guide efforts, encouraged support for life and children’s safety.
- Jasmine Danj (via Zoom, Ambler): Criticized the budget for zero funding to immigration services, language access, or community integration, and questioned accountability for non-cooperation policies.
Discussion Items
- Budget Announcement and Presentation: Chair announced a $1 million donation from the Toading Foundation for the Lansdale Transitional Housing Facility, set to open early 2026 with 20 beds and support services. CFO Dean Dortone presented the FY2026 budget, noting a $55 million deficit reduced to $43 million through cost containment, and a 4% tax increase (5.462 mills) generating $12 million new revenue. The general fund budget is $632.7 million; total county budget is $1.2 billion.
- Commissioners’ Comments on Budget: Commissioner DeBello acknowledged difficulties but emphasized reducing the deficit and noted 12 cents of every property tax dollar goes to the county. Commissioner Weiner highlighted bipartisan collaboration and investments in mental health, housing ($5.3 million), and public safety. Chair McKessia stressed the budget as a compromise and noted a $15 million reserve addition from 2024 surplus.
- Community College Millage Increase: Approved increasing the dedicated millage from 0.39 to 0.49, raising $6.2 million to bring county funding closer to the state’s one-third share. Commissioner DeBello noted the community college is a top asset.
- Sustainability Committee Announcement: Applications open until January 16, 2026, for a committee to advise on the countywide sustainability plan.
- EV Charging Infrastructure Contract: Approval of a $2 million grant-funded reimbursement agreement for 40+ electric vehicle charging locations, doubling the county’s infrastructure.
- Impact Award Winners: Recognized six county employees for outstanding service: Veronica Hill, Danielle Higgins, Lisa Nowacard, David Thomas, Amanda Kelly, and Jackie Gettellin.
Key Outcomes
- FY2026 Budget Unanimously Approved (3-0): Includes a 4% real estate tax increase to 5.462 mills, $632.7 million general fund expenditures, and $255.8 million capital budget. The budget funds emergency behavioral health center, housing shelters, public safety radios, and parks.
- Community College Millage Increase Approved (3-0): New rate of 0.49 mills, raising $6.2 million for Montgomery County Community College operations.
- All Resolutions Passed Unanimously: Includes planning contracts, open space grants, zoo lease, IDA extension, library grant, correctional officers’ contract, cultural center grant, board appointments, personnel list, and contracts.
- Personnel and Salary Actions: Approved personnel list and a 3% cost-of-living increase for non-represented employees and 2% for certain elected officials, effective December 20, 2025.
- Next Meeting: Regular board meeting set for January 8, 2026, at 10 a.m., with a reorganization meeting on January 5, 2026 (time TBD).
Meeting Transcript
It's really hard to do this. I was waiting on them to come back. We will call to order the December eighteenth, twenty twenty-five meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, seeing all three commissioners present. I will ask uh the CEO of our zoo to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. He's always the best dress, so hardly even recognize that you need to work with a little bit more flashy so we can see great. So good morning today. that night. And of course, breaking ground on the Lansdale Transitional Housing Facility, which happened earlier this year. I want to thank Kaylee Silver for all of her leadership. If we did not have an expert like her, who's absolutely committed and passionate about making sure everyone in Montgomery County has a place to call home. We wouldn't be this successful. There's a lot we're going to talk about in our budget for what we've committed to housing. It's one of the top priorities. What I'm excited to announce today is that the county will be receiving a $1 million donation towards the Lansdale Housing Facility, courtesy of the Toading Foundation, which is led by Nunn Cody. He is president Penn Manufacturing, which is manufacturer in the Lansdale area. They make engine parts in the aerospace and other industries. But he was very generous. He wanted to learn about the work that the county is doing and felt inspired to give back. Someone who lived the American dream came to this country in the 70s with little to nothing to his name and wants to give back. And what's incredibly just inspiring about that, I think, is for our team to get investment from the philanthropic sector really says something about how government functions and works effectively, and that's something that we've all focused on in terms of our efficiency, proving our ability to get better outcomes for every resident in our community. And it's so much so that we're able to get philanthropic funding for government, which is something exceptional. So the facility is going to open early next year. It's going to provide 24-7 housing, 20 beds, four single rooms, eight double rooms, a warming kitchen, recreation spaces, uh, laundry, and an office space for case management. When people stay at the shelter, they're gonna have support from our team that and working with RHD, our partner, to make sure that they can actually get back on their feet and whether it's finding a job, they're getting the health care access they need, working with landlords to find affordable rent. Uh it's really going to be an exceptional facility. And so I want to thank everyone and thank Commissioner Weiner working with Lansdale and Commissioner De Bello for his commitments and all of the work and collaboration that made it possible. We're excited to open that next year. So I think it's also a really great example of how at a moment the federal government had no budget. We didn't know what was happening. In fact, it was a potential loss of five million dollars in the continuum of care funding for housing. Uh, the state government, of course, had a stalemate for a number of months, and uh we still got to advocate for housing funding there. Uh, this is really an example of how the county is stepping up, and members of the community and leaders are stepping up as well. So uh today we're gonna be here to vote on the entirety of the budget, and Dean Dortone CFO will present it in a few minutes. Before he does, just want to thank all the staff. This is the result of months and months of hard work, uh, many, many meetings with department heads. Uh all of this is something that requires deep engagement from the three of us as commissioners, and it's required deep engagement for for the department heads and uh ensuring that we're meeting our goals as a county in terms of delivering services and trying to stretch uh to do everything we can with limited resources. So I think governments about compromise. We all came in with opinions about what our top priorities were, but there were certain things that we all agreed on, which was how you know housing, mental health, substance abuse, addressing the top topics that are our residents are facing. And I think you'll see that we're really proud of where we landed and the staff present that. So uh thank you again to our team. Um, I'll have two quick uh announcements. One is that we're heading a sustainability committee. So uh Davy, our sustainability officer right over here, uh, is going to be uh creating this advisory committee for her, and it's going to advise Monco on our countywide sustainability plan in 2026. So that's the clear goal is to create this plan. And applications will be open for this committee until close of business January 16th. So we welcome applicants from any range of backgrounds, environmental science, business economics, any relevant disciplines. So again, that's until January 16th. Finally, tonight is the fourth night of Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah. We've been celebrating at home with my son.
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