Rockville.

Today is March 9th, 2026, and we're beginning meeting number 7-26.

Please join me as you're able in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Allegiance to the flag, the United States of America, to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation, under God, indivisible, liberty, and justice for all.

Thank you.

We'll now move to agenda review.

Ms.

Penny.

Mayor, there's no changes to the agenda for this evening.

Thank you.

And I'd like to formally welcome back Miss Sarah Taylor Farrell into the office.

She was out for a couple weeks.

And also to say thank you to Miss Doris Stokes, who helped.

We really appreciate all of her work.

City Managers Report, Mr.

Mahalek.

Mayor Ash and members of City Council, ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening.

Last week, if you remember, I introduced our new CPDS director, Evan Johnson, but he was busy working away.

He's actually in the room today, so there's Evan.

I'm gonna have him stand up and give a wave.

Again, super excited.

Welcome.

Super excited to have Evan join the team, and he's hit the ground running.

So you'll see a lot more of him over the next several weeks.

Um to say it's the busiest time of year for us is an understatement, that's for certain.

I'm just gonna rattle off a couple of things.

We're monitoring the state legislative session, obviously, budget, capital improvements planning, our zoning ordinance update.

We can see the light at the end of the tunnel for that.

We're excited about bringing that forward for final adoption, and a whole bunch of other code updates, including the election code, landlord tenant code, etc.

If members of the committee are interested in any of those projects, would encourage them to go on our website and go to results rock fill.

They can track the progress of a number of those initiatives, and of course, they can look at our six-month planning calendar in case they want to attend a meeting and formally participate.

That's all I have, Mayor.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

I really appreciate all the work that the team is doing.

I um did want to have at least one important announcement.

Uh you can join our housing needs assessment.

There's a budget survey that's uh sorry, a community workshop that's happening.

Uh Mr.

Mahalek, do you want to add anything about that?

Uh do people have to RSVP?

Oh, we can we can check about on our website.

There's more information there.

Exactly right.

Thank you.

Yes.

So March 23rd, check out our events calendar on our website and join us.

It's at the Rockville Memorial Library.

And then the last thing I'll say is uh one of our council members celebrated a birth a birthday recently.

So have a birthday to Councilmember Zola Shaw.

Councilmember Larry.

Um this is a twofer along with Councilmember Jackson.

Um, but we were very intrepid over the weekend, and on Saturday, uh, we were guests and extras on stage with the Victorian Lyric Opera.

Um, I was a peasant, um, which was awesome.

Had a great outfit, and Barry as well.

Um, and just want to give a shout out to everyone at VLOC, the uh Victorian Lyric Opera Company.

Um, they were fantastic.

Um, I'm sad that this show ended.

It was called Elixir Love, but just tremendous talent and a very welcoming space.

So, but I I know my my colleague would like to share his amazing story and costume as well.

Thank you.

Uh so I'll be uh brief because I think I think you said it all, but uh I would like to say I I didn't sing, and you will all be happy to hear that.

Um it was also interesting because uh the constant designer actually uh gave me uh counsel to change into, which funnily enough was uh not really that different from uh what I was usually wearing.

I don't know whether that was good or bad.

Thank you, Mary.

Well, there are lots of good art shows to check out, and so look at Glenview Mansion, F.

Scott Fitzgerald, uh their art exhibits, as well as uh live performing shows.

Okay, so now we're moving on to our boards and commissions appointments and reappointments.

We have several reappointments, including community police advisory board, commission on aging, the environment commission, retirement board, and traffic mobility commission.

Uh happy to share some nominations and hope you all will support.

Do we have a motion to move forward with uh community policing advisory board?

Go ahead, Councilmember Leary.

Madam Mayor, I move to reappoint Eric Schneider to the community policing advisory board to serve an expiring three-year term until March 1st, 2029.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Jackson seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Excellent.

Next we have the committee on aging, Councilmember Jackson.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, uh Mayor.

I move to reappoint Elaine Kubek to the Commission on Aging to serve an unexpired three-year term until June 1st, 2029.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Fulton seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Next, we have uh three reappointments for the environment commission.

Councilmember Van Grag.

Madam Mayor, I move to reappoint Clark Reed, William McLean, and Summer White each to the Environmental Commission and each to serve an expiring three-year term until February 1st, 2029.

Did we have a second?

Councilmember Larry Seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Next, we have the retirement board.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um I move to reappoint Gerald Parrish to the retirement board to serve an expiring three-year term until February 1st, 2029.

Thank you, Councilmember Shah.

Did you second seconds?

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Now we'll take our nomination for the traffic and mobility commission, Councilmember Valeri.

Madam Mayor, I move to reappoint Jeffrey Gans to the Traffic and Mobility Commission to serve.

Actually, uh Transportation Mobility Commission to serve an expiring three-year term until January 1st, 2029.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Shaw Seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Excellent.

Thank you.

It's unanimous.

Thank you to all who have put the names forward to serve.

We'll now move over to community forum.

I do want to note that we have a budget hearing later, uh, which will come very soon after.

Uh so if you want to speak specifically to budget, please feel free to speak during that session.

Now we're having a general community forum discussion.

We do have a few people who have signed up in advance.

If for some reason you have I call your name and you decide you want to do the budget uh hearing instead, just please say so or raise your hand.

First, we have uh Jake Jacobett.

Can I speak at the bug?

I we did get you a special uh piece.

Go ahead.

You want you want to move?

Yeah, I'm gonna take a look at it.

Perfect.

Okay, all right.

Now we have Leslie Porter.

Welcome.

Thank you guys.

Oh, it's okay.

Okay.

Good evening, everyone.

Mayor Ashton, great to see you.

City of Rockville, City of Council members, great to meet you.

My name's Leslie Porter.

I bought my house at 825 Bryce Road in March of 1998.

I love my neighborhood.

We don't leave.

I'm here to tell you the people, the the company that was hired to give us new sidewalks last summer was awesome.

I believe the name of the company was only Concrete Corporation.

And the guys that worked to do the new sidewalks were fabulous.

They were fun, they were fun, happy to say good morning.

They always left the job sites impeccable.

And when bad weather came, someone came after hours and made sure all newly poured concrete and such was protected.

I mean, this when you hire people based on budget, I get it.

But the but the the uh the caliber of the people who did our sidewalks, they were fabulous.

As were the men who came when we had a water main break after the snow creet storm in January.

These guys worked 12 hours that day to repair a water main break at the top of Brace Road, not far from the Elwood Smith Center.

I gave them coffee and all the protein bars I had that morning, but 12 hours those guys were out there.

Big kudos to them and also to all the men, and I think there's a woman who works on our sanitation department.

Those guys hustle, and I have only admiration for all of them and much gratitude.

Um I notified in back in um November the pictures that I gave you are of a um a a rain grate in Rockville Pike, not far from uh Silver Diner that is collapsing.

And I wanted to give a shout out to umad El Shafell, who helped me get my letter to the right person in the Maryland State Department of Transportation.

However, crickets followed.

I never heard back.

So I went to our delegates, my delegates and state senators, and sure enough, um, Julie Polokovich carr finally got through to the Maryland Department of Transportation, and they said that they are going to address this situation because I pity the poor soul whose car falls into that ditch if and when that rain great collapses.

So thank you, Julie Carr, and thank you all for all you're doing.

Thank you very much.

Yeah, have a great afternoon.

Great evening.

All right.

I should also remind folks uh you were perfectly on time.

We appreciate uh that I should have mentioned up front.

Everyone has three minutes.

You'll hear an audible beep.

Let's be respectful of each other, and uh we appreciate all of your ideas and communication.

Next, we have Jacob Lothar.

Do we have Jacob Lothar?

Welcome.

Uh good evening, Mayor Ashton and member of uh council.

My name is Jacob Layton.

I am 19 years old, a proud resident of Montgomery County, and today I'm standing before you to announce something that many of you will say is impossible.

Inspired by the courage of those who believe in leadership is about vision rather than age or origin.

I'm lodging launching my journey to run for a president of the United States.

I know the immediate response.

I'm 19.

I was born in Russia and adopted into this great nation as a child.

Under my current laws, I'm told I cannot serve in the highest office.

I am here to tell you that the law is not a finish line.

It is a conversation.

I am running to change the conversation.

I am running to prove that an natural born heart is more important than a natural born soil.

My platform is piece by piece.

It is built on three unwavering pillars: animal rights, justice, and peace.

I address, address the concerns of the critics head on.

To those who say I'm too young, I say that the youth of this country are the ones who will live in the future.

We are building today.

We cannot wait for permission to care about the safety of our streets or the quality of our education.

To those who say I am legally buried, I am starting a movement for a constitutional amendment.

I am asking our representatives, including those who walk these very halls, to recognize the loyalty and service and service have no uh borders.

Why am I the right fit for this mission?

Because I see the road through the lens of a builder.

I see animal rights as a foundation of a compassionate society.

I see justice as the glue that keeps our communities from crumbling, and I see peace as a series of deliberate actions.

Not just the absence of war, but the presence of safety and for every family in Rockville and every citizen in America.

I'm starting here in my hometown.

I'm starting my gathering signatures by listening to you and by proving that a 19-year-old with a mission can be the needle of history.

I am Jacob Leyton.

I'm an American by choice, a leader by conviction, and I am ready to lead us towards a future that is safe and peaceful, piece by piece.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to earning your support as we make history together.

Thank you.

Welcome, Drew Powell.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Drew Powell.

I reside at 1035 Carnation Drive in Rockville.

I am also uh on the board of directors of the Rockville Sister Cities Corporation and President Emeritus of the Rockville Sister Cities Corporation.

The Rockville Sister City Corporation is a 100% volunteer nonprofit organization tasked by the Rockville Marin Council to facilitate Rockville Sister City relationships.

These relationships or partnerships include Pinaburg, Germany, and that relationship was founded in 1957.

We're coming up on our 70th year anniversary, and the Elon and Elon City Taiwan founded in 2019.

In these challenging and polarizing times, the Rockville Sister City program is more important than ever.

The Rockville Sister Cities Corporation is honored to help Rockville facilitate and maintain these ascent this essential program.

Highlights of Rockville Sister Cities program include local events such as Rockville's recent Lantern Festival, as and thank you all for coming.

Those that came, it was a wonderful time, as well as the Rockville Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival, which hosted more than 15,000 attendees in September.

Mark your calendars because this year's Rockville Bubble Tea Festival will be held on Saturday on Saturday, September 19th, 2026.

Recently, my younger son Tyler, who was also a member of the Rockville Sister City Corporation, traveled to Elon City in the beginning of this year.

And he met with uh the folks from the Elon Sister Cities Corporation.

He also met with Mayor Chen of the City of Elon, who graciously received him at uh Elon City Hall and sends her very best to the Rockville Mayor and Council.

She asked for him to uh uh relay her message of uh good tidings and and whatnot.

Um and again, my son, by the way, he apologized for not being able to be here tonight.

He had uh he had he had to go to work tonight, so sorry about that.

She all she and the uh Elon Sister City Corporation uh provided you all with a delicious gift.

These are candied cumquats, and if I may present them to you right now, I'd appreciate that.

Thank you.

You guys can get one of the that's it.

Uh I just wanted to uh thank you provide that to you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Next, we welcome Nancy Picard.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of council.

I'm Nancy Picard.

As you're aware, I'm the executive director of Peerless Rockville, and I have a special focus in historic preservation.

But I also wanted to say tonight that I also hold an advanced degree in urban and community planning.

Um, and I have over a decade of experience working with and as a partner to the city of Rockville.

And as a community planner, I'm very well aware that the active participation of citizens in planning and government is a central tenet in planning.

And um, this is needed and recognized at all levels of government at the highest levels.

And as a member of the Rockville community, I wanted to come here this evening and express my concern for the truncated timeframes that lately have been provided to members of the residents of the city to weigh in on really a variety of measures.

Um I've noticed it with the King Farm Master Plan, the zoning rewrite, and now the FY27 proposed budget.

The budget was made publicly available sometime last Friday, leaving the public one business day and one weekend before the public hearing this evening.

While I recognize there is another meeting later this month, it seems holding the meeting tonight gave residents little time to digest and evaluate the actual proposals and the actual dollar amounts that are contained in this 500-plus page document.

To be respectful of the community, I hope this body will consider adding additional hearing dates to extend the window for citizen participation and response.

As for Peerless Rockville, we are alarmed by the drastic proposed reduction in funding with no advanced notice or explanation provided to us.

We will return on March 23rd to speak to our grant request.

Um, and in the interim, would very much like to schedule a meeting with the city manager and any other relevant city parties to better understand this reduction.

Um, which, if adopted, will result in critical loss of staff and programming that benefits the entire community.

So thank you.

Thank you very much.

Now welcome Bob Wright.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the Rockville City Council.

I'm Bob Wright.

I do live at 209 Watts Branch Parkway.

Uh I'm here tonight to give congratulations to Ms.

Kim Francesco and the finance department for their roll out of the budget in the new format.

The format was appealing and easy to read.

I know of no glitches, that's just me.

So the rollout was obviously very successful.

Having said that, I also appreciate the option of having available, created by the software of a PDF format.

Coming from the old school and you know, looking at a book and then getting to the electronica era, uh, that's sort of where people of my age uh reside.

However, the PDF format does allow things that I didn't find in the other format.

So, for example, uh, the format allows for page numbers, which is a help.

It allows for highlighting of text, and it allows for comments to be embedded.

Uh, what was missing, and I don't know whether it could be corrected or not, is if you get the PDF format, there are no numbering for tables or figures.

So that is left.

Now, that is all from a reviewer's point of view who might want to go through it.

If you're just reading the budget to get a general sense, the new format is probably more than adequate.

As I said, it was very uh very pleasing.

So again, congratulations to the finance department for the new format and the successful rollout.

The second thing I want to say is uh thank you for including a pavilion in the Wootonsville Park.

Uh it's been a long time, uh, a lot of effort put in by the people who want it.

Uh and I know the staff continues to gather information regarding the pavilion.

Uh, I'm glad it is in the CIP, although I will note it's out in FY30 and 31.

So maybe during the years, if that could be moved forward, that would be appreciated.

But again, just to have it in the CIP out in that five year period.

I want to thank you.

And I look forward to tonight's uh budget presentation and the work session that follows.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Welcome, Ricky Moy.

May I speak during your budget?

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Welcome, Gabrielle as we hello.

Um, I am here on no official capacity, but I am here to say, save the date, please, for Rockville Pride 2026.

Rockville Pride will take place in Rockville Town Center as usual on Sunday, June 7th from 2 p.m.

to 5 p.m.

We always love having as many council members and of course the mayor, um, as many as possible speak at our event, um, and even just being around to talk with constituents and to join the party.

Um, and also a message to all residents, those of us in the room, those of us watching online, uh, that Rockville Pride will be on June 7th, 2 to 5 p.m.

Uh, and it's gonna be very fun.

We have taken all of our performer applications and have voted on the performers, but we are still accepting applications for artists and authors who would like to table for free at the event.

Um, not sure.

I I believe the correct way to go about that is emailing Dolores, uh, who is listed on the Rockville Pride webpage now with a new email address for this year, which is specific to Rockville Pride related emails.

Uh yeah, that's everything.

Thank you.

Welcome, JD Kumara.

Um City of Rockville, Maryland government, thank you for this opportunity.

This open democracy forum.

My name is James Druva Kumar.

I file for candidacy to be your United States Congress, House of Representatives, Democrat for this Maryland District 8 as JD Kumar, the Democrat primaries on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026.

I have a fun informative website, vote jdk.com, and social media account, Twitter X is at vote JDK.

No longer a limited forum like here.

Please visit the website and social media accounts frequently.

I'm updating with policies, thoughts, ideas.

Thank you.

Now it has been a while, so I'll state state again that I pledge allegiance to the flag of British America, who are founders and framers of our USA Constitution.

I pledge allegiance to USA America everywhere.

My home nation, USA, we're the oldest democracy, always strive, striving to form a more perfect union.

Now, this should not be controversial comment at all.

Uh but as I move forward as a political candidate, I need to discuss this again.

Your Latin American and Central American, I had to do more research based on what you all do here.

Your Latin American and Central American problem, callus groups, LA Callis, militant black nationalists, majority minority, religious, ethnic, and jealous hate groups, all of this promoters supported and funded by our already seceded to Latin America and Central America, Montgomery County, Maryland government, the Epstein Repsteins, the Tacoma Cinco Ocho, the County Juraskin, Axis of Evil, etc.

Warning to all of you again, a four general me on many occasions.

Now please note my home country, India is a founder, investor, founder, emeritus of the original British American USA colonies here in my home nation, USA.

Specifically me, my extended family, advanced civilization regions, and my our ancestral lineage.

And this is so important to mention because many of the young that come now in recent decades from my home country, India cannot make this claim.

My direct family members emanated during the British Empire.

Therefore, I'm the ancestral representative of this, and so my so many divine rights.

This is important to have this research foundational fact to move forward.

I state this not for economic advanced advantages or usurpation, but more for belonging and respect.

So please teach your kids properly.

Don't have them running around like little gangsters, just disrespecting older people, elders, seniors, USA Americans, etc.

I stated before me, we are not your guests here, but some of you perhaps even a lot of you tired, huddled, or are my guests here.

Miss Valeria, you feel me on this?

Kagan Kagan is Russian for Cohen.

But I don't think like this at all.

We are not greedy, we love everybody.

Very American, very generous, before and always, but many of you call us ugly, dirty, skanky, UDS.

Our geography was different in those days.

It took just over a week from South Asia, India, United Kingdom to reach the Atlantic coast, but it took many months to go all the way west coast, California.

Thank you for the same.

So international trade, global trade, different in those days.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

That exhaust the list of those who have signed up in advance.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

And we will have a budget hearing in a little bit.

Okay.

Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas and have testified.

We'll now move on to our agenda item nine, consent agenda.

We have several items for review.

This is an agreement that will help nonprofit uh members of our community access uh resources to find funding.

Uh so it's really uh the city's efforts to try to help nonprofits to uh access more things as we look at um the nonprofit sector has been deeply impacted by the federal transition.

So this is an effort to try to help support nonprofits.

9B is the adoption of resolution to support HB 1142, Maryland Municipal Leagues priority legislation establishing the task force to modernize county and municipal revenues resource sources.

This was an actual addition, uh recent addition that was added last week, I believe on Friday, and this would help uh to um establish a committee at the state legislative level.

There hasn't been a committee like this since the 1970s, is what I'm hearing.

Uh, and so that's really important as the highway user revenues are going to be going down in the future.

Next is the approval of minutes, that's 9C for February 23rd, 2026.

And that exhausts the list of the consent agenda.

I wanted to see if anyone has questions.

Councilmember Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

It's just about consent agenda item nine A.

Should I ask now?

All right, this is for staff or maybe the city manager.

Um apologies.

I think I got these questions out, but it's super busy, so it's all good.

Um just curious about this nonprofit grant resource.

Um, how did how are they identified as the vendor of SOR?

So they actually came to us and suggested their services to us.

One thing I have to stress is that this is a free service of the city, so there's no procurement process with it.

They offered to provide the services.

We reached out to some of our nonprofit grantees that we've worked with for a number of years and thought that this was a great resource for them.

Cool.

Thanks.

I think you answered my next question with regard to whether or not there was a procurement process for it.

And I recognize that although it's no cost to us, there is a nominal fee to the I guess the organizations.

Is that is that a correct understanding?

That's correct.

Um that's all I had.

I just wanted some clarification.

Think, and I think the only reason why the city is doing this agreement is so that there could be a negotiated discounted fee.

Is that correct?

That's also correct.

Okay.

I had a chance to sit in on uh there was a public nonprofit cafe that the team put together, and they actually walked through some of the nonprofits to be able to see.

Uh, so they would enter their um you know mission, uh, the population, and they would be able to um find funding for them.

So that's just a little bit more background.

Okay.

All right.

Do we have a motion to approve?

Councilmember Shaw.

Madam Mayor, I move to approve consent agenda items A, B, and C.

Thank you.

Do we have a second?

Councilman Valerie seconds.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

Excellent.

Thank you.

We're now gonna move on to our public hearing.

I'm gonna ask the city clerk's office if this public hearing has been properly noticed.

Mayor.

The public hearing was noticed twice in the Washington Post on March the 19th.

And sorry, February the 19th and March the 10th.

Thank you very much.

I would like to welcome Daniel Chambers as well as Stacy Webster and Kim Francisco.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the council.

This is our second public hearing scheduled for the FY27 operating budget and capital improvements program.

There will be one final public hearing two weeks from today on March 23rd.

And the public record is scheduled to remain open until April 13th.

In addition to speaking at these hearings, the public can submit written comments directly to the mayor and council via the city clerk, as well as submit responses to the city's community budget priorities survey, which is available at Rockville MD.gov slash budget.

Included in the packet this evening is a summary of all public testimony on the FY27 budget thus far, as well as an interim report on our survey, which has had over 400 responses at this point.

This public hearing was advertised in the Washington Post.

It was posted to the City of Rockville's website, social media accounts, and the Channel 11 Bulletin Board, as well as in the February and March editions of the Rock of Rockville reports.

And once again, there will be another public hearing two weeks from today on March 23rd, uh, with the public record remaining open through April 13th.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

We have some folks who have signed up in advance.

I'm going to start with the folks uh who sign up in advance but switch from community forum to public hearing.

First, we have Mr.

Jake Jacobek, and as you come up, I'll note that uh we will have a time clock.

Please mention your name, whether you live in the city of Rockville, and if you're representing an organization or if you are personally representing your testimony.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Dear Madam Mayor and Rockville City Council, my name is Jake Jakovic.

I live at 319 on Granite Avenue in Croydon Park.

I am the chair of the Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee, and I'm here speaking in my official capacity.

Thank you for providing the community the opportunity to comment on the budget every year.

We, as council neighbor miles stated in our last committee meeting, it feels like we're always coming into budget season, in budget season or leaving budget season.

However, I think that that is city governance, and you know that is his opportunity to form some direction in where our city's going.

I'm here to offer some comments on to for the council to consider with respect to the budget that was just published.

The committee has provided comments on our city's budget over the past four years, and we feel it's impossible to continue important to continue weighing it.

Today we wanted to remind the city, the council of some safe streets projects we have coming up that are longer, longer term, and require some more planning on the part of the city when we complete the, you know, by the time we complete the preliminary work.

The city is working on two projects which will certainly be expensive and require significant effort.

And those ones will be uh the Scott Drive and Vier's Military Use Path and the Fleet Streets and Monroe Streets Complete Streets project.

Both of these projects are important in the city's goals of achieving vision zero, and uh where we will prevent serious or fatal crashes on the roads and have everybody safe traveling around our city, as is our duty.

Scott Drive and Vers Drive will enable safe bicycle access from the western edge of the rock of Rockville to the Millennium Trail.

It runs past uh an elderly facility, elderly living facility, a school, a large number of homes, um, and it'll be provide an excellent connection for people walking or cycling from there.

There's some legwork past that, however, this is a good stuff.

Being that this will be a shared youth path, probably require property acquisition and certain amount of capital work, it will be quite expensive.

The fleet streets and fleet and monrows complete streets project will provide a shared use path for people near town center and richer Montgomery School, access to the town center cycle tracks, and will be a great connection for people in Rockville to walk or cycle to town center from the neighborhoods near the school or even to the school itself.

That will enable our kids to ride their bikes or walk to school instead of being driven and being stuck in lines and all the kind of stuff that comes along with that.

Once again, this is going to be a shared use path in a fairly densely developed part of Rockville.

So we'll also be very expensive.

So it took me a while to get here, Ram Thai.

I am ready to let the city propose considering these Vision Zero projects down the road in the current budget and plan for them in the future.

I ask that the council plan to put money aside to prepare for larger safe space projects such as these.

With both of these projects being in the preliminary stages, now is the time to begin planning on how we can pay for them when they are ready to be constructed.

Please begin planning how to pay for these important Vision Zero projects in our current budget.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much.

Next, we welcome Sarah Basehart.

Good evening.

I'm Sarah Base Hart, the executive director of community Reach of Montgomery County and Mansfield Caseman Health Clinic.

I'm here to express our thanks for the funding designated for us to receive from the city for our senior REACH program, the Mansfield Caseman Health Clinic, language outreach program, and housing programs through community services and enrichment grants.

For decades, these programs have fulfilled a critical role in supporting both seniors and formerly unhoused residents of Rockville, as well as teaching English to adult learners and offering health care to low-income patients who do not have health insurance.

The longevity of our programs is not a coincidence.

It reflects consistent results, community trust, and a proven return on the investment that the city makes.

This year, our language outreach program partnered with Meadowhall Elementary School and Twinbrook Elementary School to provide English classes to their families.

We also partnered with Rockville High School, who students helped to provide with our tutoring program for the children while their parents attended English classes.

We received positive feedback from the teachers saying that these children are improving in their classes thanks to the tutoring.

During the last fiscal year, our language outreach program served 94 City of Rockville residents and 28 children in the tutoring program.

This was through classes at schools and at Twinbrook and Lincoln Park community centers.

In our housing program, the Jefferson House and Rockland House, they show the power of stable, supportive housing.

The residents receive a safe home, case management, and the guidance needed to regain independence in their lives.

This year in our housing program, we celebrated two residents who successfully transitioned into homes of their own, an important milestone in their journey toward independence.

Another resident earned her driver's license and was able to purchase a car, creating greater freedom and access to opportunities.

These successes reflect the resilience of our residents and the impact of compassionate, consistent support.

Senior Reach provides wraparound support to older adults living independently in Rockville, under which so far this year, 11 Senior REACH clients have received essential home repair and other home services through REACH's safe and secure program.

Twenty-seven clients receive weekly in-home care services, and a total of 26 clients rely on alert response systems, including the medical necklaces that allow them to call for immediate help in an emergency.

Some clients also receive food pantry deliveries or cleaning services to support them aging in place in Rockville.

Through comprehensive case management, we connect clients to these and other critical resources.

And our friendly caller program provides weekly wellness calls from trained volunteers, reducing isolation and ensuring ongoing emotional support.

The Caseman Clinic is one of the Montgomery CARES clinics serving low-income residents who do not have health insurance.

Our monthly patient encounters have increased by about 20% in the first half of this fiscal year, and we have greater capacity at our newish location.

Most of you have been there and are happy that our numbers are continuing to increase.

In the past year, we've added some new specialists to serve our patients, including a neurologist, an endocrinologist, and a physical therapist.

The need for specialty care is ever increasing, and we are pleased that we've been able to help meet this need.

In the past year, we've also significantly increased the number of diabetic patients receiving a retinal scan and evaluation.

That's 25% more patients are completing this exam each this year, which is critical for diabetic patients.

And while it's not part of the community services and enrichment grant, the Rockville Emergency Assistance Program, REAP, is a program where REACH is able to serve Rockville residents through the funding provided by the city.

These funds prevent evictions and energy turnoffs, fund costly prescriptions or medical expenses, and have done so for 317 residents this year so far.

Through this work, we also referred almost 1,500 people to local resources for dental, vision, clothing, food, and computers.

We're proud to continue this relationship that we've had with you for over 40 years, working together to support the stability of the city's community members.

The need for all of these safety net services provided by REACH and the caseman clinic have not diminished.

If anything, they've grown.

Stable and adequate funding ensures that we can continue to provide high quality, uninterrupted services.

We are proud to be the stewards of public dollars and to be trusted by community members as a safe place to turn when they're in need.

On behalf of Community Reach Encasement Clinic, I urge you to maintain all of the funding for the community services and enrichment grants that preserve these programs and all the other incredible services provided by other grantees.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Next, we welcome David Hill.

Greetings.

David Hill, the president of Rockville Sister City Corporation and representing the organization to explain our community organization grant submission for FY 2027.

First, the constant items since uh all these since FY25 and our grant ask are for the Bubble Tea Festival, in-kind city facility usages, city contribution to student exchanges and lantern festival.

This is a total of 17,000 and is 1,000 less than comparables for the prior fiscal year, so a 6% reduction.

In the proposed grant budget list, we experienced a significant shortfall, though.

The calendar year 2027 is a big year for the Sister Cities, the City Sister City program and RSCC.

We had exceptional costs in our ask since the first half of that year, which arise in FY27.

Our ask was for 32,000, including constant and those one-time activities while this proposed grant line item is holding steady at 18,000, same as the prior fiscal year.

But what we intend to do, we're loosely obliged to do is more, not the same in that calendar year.

The two further unfulfilled asks were $10,000 city contribution for a delegation visit by our German sister city to celebrate the milestone's 70th anniversary of the relationship.

The city and RCC historically have exchanged large official delegations, further visitors, and students for a decennial milestone.

Given international relation concerns, I read to you at the last meeting, sustaining historic relations may be important at this time.

We hope this will be the first visit of Burgermeister Voyster to Rockville, whom along with DAGRP hosted our Rockville delegation so gracefully in September of 2025.

I note that the city contribution for just the last decennial celebration was near 35,000.

Any of this handled by RSCC is apparently sliced out of the proposed grant line item.

Still, let us talk more because the nascent co-planning that we do with our sister city shifts this visit to FY28 timing with the Rockville visit to Pindenburg and FY27.

And different cost assumptions will go into that traveling there, which we do not know yet.

The last biggish exceptional ask was $5,000 city contribution for a potential visit of Mayor Chen and an entourage from our Taiwanese sister city.

This has been pending since 2024 after she and my SEC hosted a Rockville delegation there in 2023.

This apparently also is excluded from the proposed line item.

This may be okay because we know that Mayor Chen cannot visit in the calendar year of 2026, and the alternate time is early fall 2027 was mentioned, which would be in the following fiscal year.

We anticipate both of these activities should occur primarily as reciprocal visits of our sister cities for visits we've already made to their cities.

Especially as we look to the big anniversary with Pinamburg, we do need some idea of what the city will fund.

It spreads across FY27 and FY28.

The current proposed line item answer is nothing by grant funding in FY27.

An answer for FY28 is unknown until this time of next year when we are already into that anniversary exchanges.

RSCC cannot carry the full course, nor should we to operate the city program.

We also need some flexibility to accomplish our mission in these budget cycles.

We do not ask the city for a single cash grant payout as some organizations do.

Since we are a partner organization conducting the city sister city program, we continue to desire another funding method, then a fixed grant cycle with submissions up to 21 months ahead of actual events.

We experienced we've also experienced the third city administration regimen we have interfaced with in five years, and the fit seems a little better this particular year.

With a little more time, one more matter I just want to mention, I would prefer if we could carry over student exchange support from year to year.

For example, the last two years, we did not have a direct exchange supported by the city.

So those allocated funds have been returned and saved by the city.

But that leaves us shy in any given year for a large group trip.

The cost figure in one year is insufficient for a large group and the lead time too far ahead to make a specific bigger ask in one year.

Plus, we will not get ahead in setting aside funding to ever get back to making scholarships to needy students and families that cannot afford this experience than otherwise at full cost.

In all, thank you for 69 years of having Sister Cities and supporting RSCC for the last 40 years of his experience by considering our grant submission.

I'll also just mention really quickly that RSCC celebrates its 40th year this year.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Happy anniversary.

Welcome, Ann Herpster.

Good evening.

Uh Mayor Ashton, members of the council, and Rockville staff.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight.

My name is Ann Herpster.

I'm a King Farm resident of 2021 years.

I'm also the president of the Village Support Network.

It's a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

I'm also current commissioner and past chair of the Rockville Commission on Aging.

So I've been very committed to all things seniors in the city of Rockville.

Village Support Network was incorporated in 2017 with a mission of empowering developing and vulnerable aging in place village organizations across Montgomery County by providing operational support that helps them grow sustainably and to be successful.

For those unfamiliar with the village model, Village is a neighborhood-based organization that provides social engagement activities, transportation support, and other services that allow adults to remain active and connected with their communities.

As we heard earlier with the other individual who was talking about her nonprofit, seniors suffer isolation as they age.

Since 2017, I've worked closely with Trish Evans, the Rockville Village facilitator, and together we have seen a remarkable growth in Rockville.

We've expanded from two villages to 10, all in various stages of development and engagement.

Participation has grown exponentially.

We have over 2,000 villages, Rockville residents now connected to village programs and activities, a 400% increase.

Importantly, this progress has been achieved with only one full-time staff position supporting these efforts.

Through the community services and enrichment grant that we received this year, we have partnered with the city, local villages to expand outreach, support community events, provide technology tools such as building websites, materials that enable them to communicate with the individuals, to engage, to share information.

The work is important given Rockville's demographics.

23% of the residents of Rockville are over age 60, and 27% are over age 55, which is that up and coming group.

And I think this is an important demographic and a group that we have opportunities to engage with.

These villages, volunteer-led organizations, are powered by neighbors helping neighbors, and we exist to support these grassroots efforts.

We have supported more than 25 villages throughout Montgomery County with funds that we've gotten from a variety of sources, but the money earmarked and provided by the city has enabled us to work very closely with the city.

I'm here to respectfully ask for your continued support of the community services and Richmond Grant in 2026, well, 2027 budget.

It allows us to continue supporting.

Additionally, as a commissioner, I'm here to say the efforts and the work that happens in the Rockville Senior Center are unparalleled and don't exist in most of the cities in Rockville.

And I we appreciate that, and it's important that we continue to support the senior center.

The individuals that work there have done a tremendous amount of work to help engage with seniors providing services and activities.

Thank you for your time and your continued continued support of this important demographic in the city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome, Terry Blandon.

Kyle Gallagher.

Thank you for your time, Mayor and Council.

I'm uh Kyle Gallagher, a resident uh for the last 11 years.

I moved here with some friends after college.

Uh, and then six years ago I bought a house.

Um I love the amenities Rockville has to offer and the communities that have sprung up around them.

Uh one thing that is unique amongst communities surrounding DC is Rockville's beltway.

Uh it's a mini beltway, it's the Carl Henn Millennium Trail, and this trail provides the backbone of the city's bicycle infrastructure.

Um, it provides a safe, unified path all the way around the city, uh, but unfortunately, it doesn't really connect that much to the city and into the neighborhoods.

A key thing to remember is like our beltway around the DC, it's useless without the connections.

Um, it can't work alone.

So it has to be part of a broader network uh connecting neighborhoods, schools, shopping, restaurants, and parks.

Uh, without a safe, viable route to destinations, we can only use it as a recreational tool.

Um, some easy connections uh to destinations that are pretty close and fairly inexpensive to do would be the Lakewood Elementary School.

It's there's already a bridge that goes over into the neighborhood.

If we could connect that to the Millennium Trail, that would expand the reach of the bridge to more of the neighborhoods around it.

Um Yale Place, uh, which is along the north part of the Millennium Trail, uh, that goes directly from the north right over towards the uh college.

Uh right now it's kind of wonky, uh, and you either get to choose that wonky route or you can go on 355, which is kind of brutal.

Um the Millennium Trail via the Rockville Senior Center.

There's already a connection right there.

Uh, but then from there to uh Woodley Gardens Park as well as all the way up to the city.

If you you know make it look like there's a real bike path there instead of the sheriffs that are there right now, uh, that would encourage residents to use the entire um what is it, Martin's way?

Um also uh it might provide backup parking for the park.

Uh right now it you routinely overfills and then spills over to the Carmen's parking lot.

Umbrook and uh Chapman to the trolley trail.

Right now, uh none of those lights actually see uh cyclists, so you know there's that, but also the bike line ends right there, and then there's no real safe way without using the sidewalk to get to the actual lane.

This is one block, so it'd be pretty uh you know great if there was another way to do that.

Uh finally, if there's no way to lock up bikes when you get to your destination, um, we kind of need to work towards a better way of that.

And a thing that might come in there would be uh using public right of way.

Um thank you for your time.

Appreciate it.

Welcome, Ricky Moy.

Thanks.

Good evening, Mayor Ashton and the city council.

My name is Rick Moy.

The I have the uh I live at 708 West Montgomery in Rockville.

I have the pleasure of serving and representing tonight as chair of HSAC, the Human Services Advisory Commission.

My remarks tonight will re will focus on the importance of continuing operating budget support for human services in Rockville.

Some of our HSAC commissioners, to include Sarah Base Hart, represent nonprofit organizations that provide essential social and health services across our city and Montgomery County.

These organizations aim to address housing instability, food insecurity, unemployment, and other urgent challenges.

Through site visits conducted alongside city staff, HSAC commissioners have an unmitigated perspective on the impact of Rockville's grant funding to these nonprofit organizations.

This approach improves dignity, reduces waste, and increases effectiveness.

Sunflower Bakery trains and employs young adults with learning differences, equipping them with marketable skills and instills confidence, oftentimes leading to real employment opportunities.

CCACC's new health clinic produces provides diagnostic and treatment services for hundreds of Rockville patients, including a 102-year-old nice young lady I met the other day.

But these residents particularly face challenges obtaining insurance, or may they may have language barriers.

Little known is that uh CCACC serves uh a majority of Asian patients, but also Hispanic patients.

CCACC leverages the volunteerism of many local clinicians as they serve patients.

These programs are part of a broader continuum of care that includes the casemen clinic that stabilizes families, builds skills, and promotes long-term self-sufficiency.

These nonprofits have very low margins, low overhead, and work cooperatively to optimize resources.

We HSAC respectfully urge the mayor and council to maintain strong grant funding for human services in the FY27 operating budget.

This investment directly strengthens Rockville's residents, workforce, and community stability.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

That exhausted list of those who have signed up in advance.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak?

Please.

Please state your name and whether you live in the city of Rockville.

Hello, Mayor and Council.

My name is Max Silverstone, and I'm a resident of Rockville.

I live in College Gardens.

And are you representing an organization?

Yes, and I'm a member of the Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee.

You're representing our back.

I just want to make sure for timing's sake.

Thank you.

Yep.

I try to live as car-free as possible and am a daily commuter on my electric bicycle.

I'm deeply appreciative of the efforts that our elected officials and city staff have undertaken to make Rockville friendlier to transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists such as myself.

The Carl Han Millennium Trail, mere feet from my home, is a safe, convenient, and fun way to circumnavigate the city from A to B.

And the protected bike lanes up the street from here in places like North Washington Street, East Middle Lane, and Beale Avenue are exactly what any of us would want inside of a dense downtown area.

Of course, there are always more improvements to be made as well, which is why I hope in the budget you will make room for the public works department to conduct more studies and increase signage that make the city more bike friendly.

I want to give three examples of the types of places that could use signage.

There are no outlet signs in the city at dead ends for cars, but some of these dead ends have cut throughs for pedestrians and cyclists.

An example is on Millborough Drive in the Potomac Woods neighborhood.

There's a tiny, maybe eight-foot-long path that cuts through the trees connecting to Wooton Parkway, an important artery for cyclists and pedestrians due to carrying the Carhine Millennium Trail.

Spots like this need additional signage that say no outlet except for pedestrians and bicycles.

Another is evaluating the no-turn on red signs to add except bicycles.

These no-turn on red signs are a net good that increase safety.

But bicycles, due to their lack of blind spots and minimal danger posed to other road users, should be exempt at smaller intersections.

The right turn off of East Middle Lane, for example, to North Washington is a perfect example because cyclists land right in a protected lane.

Lastly, there are right turn-only lanes that should allow bicyclists to go straight.

A place I find myself cycling a lot is where Park Road crosses underneath the train tracks towards Maryland 355.

The right lane is a right turn-on lane, but but it is also the most convenient lane for cyclists to use to go straight and land in the East Middle Lane protected bike lanes on the far side of the intersection.

I hope the city will study and install except bicycles in this spot.

And so I hope you will consider these needs when decided on the FY 2027 budget.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much.

Please state your name whether you live in the city of Rockville.

Yeah, JD Kumar, uh congressional uh Democrat or 8th district uh candidate.

Okay, so I'm not prepared for this part.

I should have looked it up in the agenda.

Um, but uh do want to say a few things, right?

I go around, drive around, look at all these uh uh high schools you guys are rebuilding for billion dollars, half a billion dollars.

What have y'all city of Rockville done for the senior center?

The senior center is just total uh crap.

But anyway, I have a plan where I'm bringing in.

I talked about bringing 20 billion here.

I'm actually bringing in a 250 billion dollars here.

That's 50 billion per year over a five-year period.

And part of that is I want to give seniors uh where they can take vac several vacations per year.

I want to give them a 250,000 dollar check towards their home so they can purchase it, and uh full stipend for free full-time caregiver assistance.

So you have to figure out if I get this through in Congress, how you can integrate it with your with your budget.

Now, um Medicaid, I'm proposing a third FICA column, social security uh medical, I'm sorry, Medicaid, Social Security Medicare, uh the FICA taxes, Medicaid, and then uh uh Medicare, right?

So I'm proposing a third separate column because the Medicaid is so controversial, yet it's only two, three percent of the total entitlements.

Half of the entitlements is the entitlements, FDR entitlements.

A large part is departmental war.

So what I'm proposing, and this has to do with how you integrate and how you collect taxes and how the state collects taxes, is to create a third FICA column, but make it voluntary.

So if you really believe in helping people, it's voluntary.

Check mark like you do for the FEC.

Uh FEC money, all you do, all you politicians that do matching contributions, put a check mark for your Medicaid and it's voluntary.

We're not increasing taxes for anybody, but if you really want to help your people and humanity, then we you can do this.

So the reason I mention all this here, and uh again I'm not prepared, is because it's related to your budget and it's gonna cost you money.

Finally, this is very important.

Uh I talked about EIMC established immigrant migrant communities, who I refer now improved it to merit communities, EIMC.

Well, I've asked Montgomery County now to really issue these credentials.

So it's a dual purpose.

If somebody comes into our space, our multifamily home or near our uh hallway, then they have a credential.

It can be encrypted, but it also serves like a green card or a citizen card.

We're in the county, we tell them we love you, we care for you, you have this card, it'll have a number on it.

If you have a problem, you call this number.

I want to get our current rep to start a law firm.

He's a constitutional lawyer.

I'd like him to go move on to do a nationwide law firm.

Now, finally, I have a Twitter account called at May at Make Basics Cheap.

At Make Basics Cheap.

I'm negotiating with corporations to make uh 25 to 50 items.

Like 99 cents Apple bags and 50 cents toothpaste.

Thank you.

And that's gonna impact your impact your taxes.

That exhausts the list of those who have signed up and uh joined from the room.

Just want to offer one last opportunity for those who may not have spoken who would like to speak.

Okay.

Thank you, everyone.

I just wanted to turn this back to staff.

Uh we have another budget public hearing.

Can you please share more about that?

Yes, the next budget public hearing is on March 23rd, two weeks from today.

Thank you.

And uh I know that we also are accepting comments on the budget survey through April 13th as well.

I just want to see if anyone has any comments or questions about the budget hearing process.

Councilman Valeri.

I don't have a question about the process.

I guess I have a question to um to one of the um Ms.

Picard during community forum.

I did notice as well that it's a bit of a truncated time period.

Would it be possible to include an additional hearing?

Um I think that it's a it's a very valid point, and especially for folks who um may volunteer and don't have that kind of quick ability to turn around and give their their input.

Um, it allows for a little extra time.

Is that something that we could build into the timeline for the budgeted option?

Mr.

McHallik.

Yep, Mayor, we absolutely can do that.

Um, I'd recommend we talk about that.

The LPT meeting.

Um, but April 13th looks like a reasonable date to plug that in.

Okay, that that was my only question, Madam Aaron, thank you, Mr.

City Manager.

Thank you.

I support a budget public hearing extend addition as well.

Do you need anything official from us, Mr.

Mahalik, to make that happen?

Absolutely do.

Okay, great.

So there do we have okay.

Let's just do a thumbs up.

Crystal clear.

Thank you.

Okay, all right, thank you.

All right, so for the listening public, we'll add an additional public hearing on April 13th.

This will not change our ultimate timeline.

Uh, and actually, our surveys open until April 13th anyway.

Uh, so we'll fit within our schedule.

Excellent.

Thank you.

All right.

So uh that is uh the conclusion of this budget public hearing.

There'll be one on March 23rd, there'll be one on April 13th.

You can fill out the budget survey.

You can actually sign up now for March 23rd if you're interested, uh, so that we can hear your testimony.

And I also would like to just encourage us to uh reach out to the boards and commission so that they are reminded about the budget public hearing dates now that we've added the initial one.

Okay, thank you very much.

Now we're moving on to agenda item 118, and so we have a full night of budget, a couple of agenda items coming up for the listening public to follow along our journey.

We'll be moving on to introduction and possible adoption of an ordinance to amend ordinance number 14-25 to appropriate funds and levy taxes for this is for FY26, which is essentially a budget amendment number three.

And just so you know, our journey after this, we'll be moving on to introduction of an uh ordinance to appropriate funds, and then we will have our FY27 budget work session.

So thanks to everyone for watching.

Thanks for staff to sticking with us and helping us through this process.

With that, I'd like to welcome Mary Sue Martin as well as Kim Francisco, and I know you have uh Stacey Webster here with you as well.

Thank you all.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the council.

This is the third budget amendment for FY26.

This amendment includes funding for the recognition of the choice hotels grant expenditure based on their meeting all of their performance requirements.

Several one-time initiatives and equipment replacements detailed in your agenda packet tonight.

Contracted water mean repairs and WSSC water usage due to weather-related breaks this winter, emergency equipment repairs and maintenance at the water treatment plant.

Replenishment of contingency in the water, sewer, and parking funds.

Recognition of a one and a half million dollar land and water conservation.

Excuse me, conservation fund grant for Redgate Park.

Several of the items on this amendment support the mayor and council's initiatives related to the environment as well as the local economy, as explained on packet page 188.

If this amendment is adopted tonight, the total appropriated by fund would change as shown on the budget ordinance in your attachment one.

Tonight's staff recommends that the mayor and council introduce the ordinance, leave the layover period, and adopt the ordinance.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate that summary.

I know that city managers sent us a preview.

This also information posted online, and I know thank you for answering many of my questions.

I may have one or two follow-ups, but I think this is pretty straightforward.

Colleagues, does anyone have any questions before I asked?

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Uh just to confirm, because we'd mentioned choice, and I know I often get questions about this.

They have moved to Pike and Rose.

Uh this was a coordinated deal with the county.

Uh, there are no additional funds going to them.

They uh and we did not pay the full did we pay the full amount to them in total that we had originally planned to Madam Mayor.

We did um make that payment to choice.

There was a clawback provision if they did not meet the performance requirements.

And um, after coordinating with our counterparts over at the county, um, they determined and we agreed that they did meet those performance requirements.

So this is just a recognition of that expense.

It is not an outlay of any funds to choice.

Thank you very much for the clarification.

Uh, one thing I will say is uh sometimes we piggyback with the county for some of these kinds of business incentives, and so I wonder they may meet the county because they stay in the county, but they leave Rockville.

So just something for us to consider that if they leave Rockville, that they might be a clawback specifically for Rockville.

So I just wanted to share that for the future, Mr.

Mahillick.

Agreed.

I thought you might.

Okay.

Thank you.

And then the other question I asked just because you mentioned water main breaks, they're climate change has resulted in more water main breaks, a change in weather ups and downs.

Uh, and the city is proactively doing work, not just fixing water means, but also proactively working to replace pipes throughout the city.

I believe it's something like a mile per year, uh, a little bit more than that.

So just want the listening public know what's going on and what's included in this.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mahillick.

You got it right, Mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Shaw.

Um I just wanted to thank staff uh for their work on this.

And I did have a quick question.

Um I saw that there was no equity impact statement here, and I just think with the significant amount of money, the amount of work, the infrastructure.

I think there is an equity impact.

Um so uh if you can share some information a bit later um how this would impact equity, I would appreciate it.

Councilman Shaw, is that for the whole budget amendment or uh for the watering breaks, just so we're giving clock staff clarity.

Um, this statement, the impact statement is under all of these changes, so it would be applied to all of the we can provide a summary.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate that.

Okay.

If there are no okay, Councilman Van Greg.

Madam Mayor, introduce the ordinance to amend ordinance number 14-25 to appropriate funds and levy taxes for FY 2026, and this will be budget amendment number three.

Thank you, Councilmember Valerie.

I move to waive the layover period.

Thank you.

Councilmember I'll just give it to Councilmember Jackson for this one.

Go ahead.

Oh, I just second it.

Okay, it's been seconded.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

I just want to note we don't have councilmember Miles, he just stepped out briefly, but we have enough people to do this.

I want to clarify.

Okay.

We have all right.

So now we're going to um potentially.

Oh, there he goes.

You're just in time to vote.

Okay.

So just so we can have uh unanimous.

Uh, we made a motion to waive the layover period.

Great.

I thought so.

All right.

Do we have a motion to adopt?

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, yeah, Mayor.

I move to adopt the ordinance number 1425 to appropriate funds and levy taxes for FY 2026 budget amendment number three.

Thank you, Councilmember Shaw.

I second.

Thank you.

All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Thank you, Mary Sue Martin and Kimberly Francisco.

Um, we will now be moving on to agenda item 11B, which is focused on focused on FY27.

This section will be focused on the introduction of an ordinance to appropriate funds and levy taxes for fiscal year 2027.

Mr.

Mahillick.

Mayor Ashton, members of council, good evening.

Um we are very pleased to present the recommended budget for next fiscal year.

Um the budget really does reflect budget priorities identified by this mayor and council.

A lot of input from our residents, which we included in your packet, which is great that we've received so many comments, and of course, recommendations from the various departments.

The total recommended budget is one 187 million dollars across all funds.

It represents a very modest 6.6% increase.

It does maintain a flat property tax rate while maintaining healthy reserves.

Let me stress again, we are not recommending a property tax increase.

It's always worth saying that more than once.

Um, the proposed utility rate and user fee adjustments, our structure to sustain long-term infrastructure investment, maintaining service reliability, and to comply with our cost recovery framework.

The proposed capital improvements plan is robust and supports 56 projects, including seven entirely new projects, highlighted by the much anticipated Farmstead Park.

The budget continues strategic investments in high priorities for this council, which is public safety, economic development, and housing affordability.

Thank you very much.

So I also want to welcome Ms.

Stacey Webster and welcome back, Kim Francisco.

Is anything you would like to add?

Um so thank you, Mr.

Mahalik, uh, for sharing the FY2027 budget overview.

I wanted to just take a moment um to highlight how the FY 2027 budget is being presented this year.

Uh, for the first time, the city is publishing the budget document as a digital budget book using a digital platform.

This allows the mayor and council as well as residents to explore the budget in a much more interactive and user-friendly format than a traditional PDF.

Um, so I wanted just to give a brief overview for for you and for the watching uh members of the public.

So this is what our budget book looks like now.

Uh on the left side, you'll see a full table of contents.

Each section can be expanded so the users can quickly jump to areas and find things like the guiding principles, different fund summaries if you're interested in a certain particular fund.

And then, you know, CIP projects, you can jump around these sections very easily.

So, as an example, if I wanted to look at the new King Farm Farmstead Master Plan Phase One project, I could find that easily just by coming into the table of contents, going under CIP projects, into recreation and parks, and finding the King Farm project.

Here we can see also there's a path at the top.

Those are all links that are interactive and will allow you to navigate the budget document more easily.

So our capital project pages still include one or more images, but now there's also a discrete location map for discrete projects.

We have also coded new projects this year as new, like this one is new three for increased transparency for users of the document.

Consistent with previous years, you will still find things like changes from prior year, any mandates or plans, project notes, the associated guiding principle, and things like that.

Capital costs and funding sources continue to be shown in this format, and the project timeline now appears at the bottom.

With the timeline specifically, the date reference corresponds to the fiscal year that the noted milestone is expected to occur.

It's not intended to be the exact date.

So we are focused to have we are planned and scheduled to have a focused CIP discussion on April 13th.

So another thing I want to show in this document in this format is just some functionality with tables and charts.

If we look in the executive summary section, for instance, we can scroll down and see some tables and charts.

It is a dynamic document.

So if we want to see these in an expanded form, we can close that and all of a sudden our pie chart gets bigger.

Other things we could do, for instance, if we wanted to look at the history of FTEs as shown here, but maybe I'm not so interested in the temp FTEs.

I can remove those.

And then suddenly my chart changes for me, and it can be focused in just on the full-time staffing levels.

If we scroll down to our pie charts, we can hover over different areas and isolate information that we're interested in.

If we're looking at licenses and permits, for instance, we can hover that cell that section of the pie is highlighted.

We can also look this way and see that's four percent of general fund revenues.

It's very transparent.

You can see that different ways.

Okay, operating departments.

Okay.

Now, if I go into the police department, we still provide an org chart as we have in the past in these departmental sections.

We show fiscal year 2026 accomplishments, a fiscal year 2027 outlook that's consistent with even the previous budget's presentations.

Um in this format, we have more financial charts presented.

We actually show more years of historical actuals in this format.

Um previously we would have one prior year of historical actuals, now we have three.

Um so we show information by fund, by division, and by category for both expenditures and revenues.

And similar, similarly to before, we provide an explanation of significant changes that's also consistent with our previous budgets.

We get that functionality, like I mentioned when we look at these different charts and tables.

So if for instance I wanted to look at police revenues, but I didn't really want to focus on the general fund.

I just wanted to look at parking and speed camera.

Well, I can take that out, and then it just completely removes that from the charts.

So it really allows our users to navigate these charts, have more interactive abilities to drill down on what the elements they're most interested in seeing, and look at the data in different ways.

Now, if we look at the field services bureau within the division sections, and all of the division sections have the same format, we continue to have performance measures and short-term objectives, just like our previous previous format.

Um then we again show expenditures and revenues when applicable by cost center and by type.

And consistent with our prior presentation, we note reasons for significant changes when there are any.

So in addition to these enhanced visualizations, you know, this document is formatted and structured to support screen reader technology, allowing people who use assistive devices, the ability to navigate the headings, the sections and tables more easily than traditional PDF documents.

In addition, if you look at the bottom here, there's a little tab that says select language.

So that is encouraging.

We feel engagement and promoting ease of use for our users.

Traditional budget books are often hundreds of pages long.

And the digital format reduces some of those barriers to access, allowing users just to jump around to the areas that they find most interesting and most important to them.

That being said, anyone can convert this to a PDF if interested.

So there's an area to do that as well.

Thank you, Mr.

Wright, for coming and talking about your experience with that.

You can create a PDF document if that's your preference.

However, you do lose quite a bit of uh functionality and formatting with with that view.

Um so we are encouraging people to access the content in in this digital format.

Um, and we hope that we find users, we hope that our users find this transparent, informative, and uh helpful.

And that concludes my overview.

As part of budget introduction, all we need to do tonight is introduce the budget, the ordinance we know will undergo will undergo changes over these next several work sessions.

So this is just for interrupt introductory purposes only tonight.

Thank you very much.

Does anyone have any questions about we're not going to go into the initiatives generally yet?

Uh very broadly on this uh you know, introduction and uh display a budget approach.

So I saw Councilmember Valerie, Councilmember Van Greg, Dr.

Miles, Councilman Jackson.

Thank you.

Um and thank you to the entire um uh finance slash budget team.

I think I always call you all the budget team, and I can't get it out of out of my head, but you do so much more than that.

Um I know that it this in particular, if if I can um geek out a little bit is really awesome.

Uh I especially coming from an accessibility uh perspective, I think it is fantastic and uh accessibility in general with the the myriad of languages for sure.

Um if if it just again as a geek, just for two things.

One, I and I know where you're coming from on the PDF creation for sure, um, but and I would want to always push people toward the more um uh robust feature-filled option, but I also wouldn't want to take away from as somebody who's sitting up here with a binder because for me, like learning-wise, sometimes for me to really um, and I think a lot of folks too are neurodivergent, um it to internalize things, it's very difficult in this kind of it's cool, don't get me wrong.

Um, but just there might be other reasons that people would want a PDF.

But I just wanted to put a pin in that.

Um, is there a way?

And so that's one thing.

Second thing, is there a way to easily search?

Because one of the things that um when I started following the city budget as a community organization president, and I'd be sitting there like highlighting, I I could not have told you where to find certain departments, you know.

Like I it took me a little while to kind of get the hang of things.

So you know, I would probably do like a search for um college gardens, and then it would show every time that is mentioned in the budget.

Is that something that you can do in the super cool like interactive version?

I I couldn't necessarily see if it was there.

So I think that the search, if you do a search, it's generally gonna search on the page where you are.

It's not going to necessarily do a complete document search for a certain word or a term.

Um, I I don't think it will it will do that automatically.

It'll look at the page you're on.

Okay.

That's what I was kind of thinking, and it just might be something to consider, you know, maybe in next year's budget or whoever is up here, the budget after that, um, that having the ability, because again, the table contents, you know, I'm I'm finally getting the hang of it, right?

Um, but I wouldn't know in the past where to find certain things.

So anyway, we can make the language more accessible and kind of take it out of the the government jargony space of like I know what an operating budget is, right?

Um, but I think sometimes that can be a barrier to accessibility.

Having said all that, this is super cool.

And I love the drill downs, especially on the data.

that um that having the ability because again the table of contents you know i'm i'm finally getting the hang of it right um but i wouldn't know in the past where to find certain things so um anyway we can make the language more accessible and kind of take it out of the the government jargonese space of like I don't know what an operating budget is right um but I think sometimes that can be a barrier to accessibility having said all that this is super cool and I love the drill downs especially on the data so I just want to say kudos on that for sure thank you very much thank you Councilmember Van Greg um first and foremost just echoing what you've heard from a number of people this is fantastic I mean being able to go through and have that interaction I know took a lot of work and really is helpful because anybody who is not as familiar with the budget as I know some of us are it really allows you to compartmentalize and work with the data so it's fantastic.

The only other thing I'd mentioned you know kind of echoing what uh former councilmember Wright said if you print out the budget and download it from PDF which is a great option so you can do what I often like to do and just you know look go through it um it references page numbers and has specific a table of contents so you can actually reference hey on page number blank.

However in what you have here which is a great interaction if I'm looking and I know council former councilmember right talked about an image or a graph but also with regard to a specific notation there's no reference other than on one of the pages with regard to the you know the operational of the city managers.

So being able to actually pinpoint within a page number or some type of reference.

So that whether you're reading it from a PDF, whether you've got a big binder or whether you're looking online you can all uniformly have some type of reference I don't know how you do that and maybe it's a uh something that like if you click on some section or a graph it says reference page number blank on the PDF so that when someone is giving us a comment saying I'd like to comment on the graph on page blank um because they'd get the reference without having to fully download the PDF to find out where that reference is it just could be helpful when people are interacting with us or even when we're interacting with staff.

I mean you guys know you get questions from us throughout this process most of us probably have you know or will be downloading the full budget in the PDF but I think a lot of other residents might not go through that step.

So it just might be another reference that being said that's just a small criticism because this is just absolutely fantastic and you guys did a fantastic job.

Thank you very much talk to Miles.

Thank you madam mayor thank you all I feel like the grumpy uncle where I just I'm so set in my ways and I'm kind of like by birthday like millennial adjacent but just it's hard.

But I will say um first off as a city manager said thanks for collating all the community input uh it was packet page 19 it's now packet page 24 the summary of written testimony was super helpful um helped me index that and then could go through the responses with even better fidelity.

I did I did download the whole 569 page PD I'm just a creature habit.

And so you'll be getting my question.

I got through about a fifth of it so far by packing page number um but again I'm just a creature habit I do appreciate that you walked us through how to use like I tried using it Friday I was like dude this is way above like gray hairs are popping out as I was doing it.

But I think that it is as um you articulated a way to make it more accessible and I will also say that the overall format even if in PDF it seems to be cleaner and easier for me to understand.

I think each year I learn a little bit more I'm still learning new things but I like the way it was presented.

One day I'll do it online but yeah I'm a creature habit and appreciate what y'all do.

Take care.

Thank you Councilmember Jackson thank you thank you mayor and uh Dr.

Mouse thank you for making me feel really old as uh the oldest person on this uh dias uh I feel even older now listen we're lucky we're alive how about that we celebrate live better hairline oh shit we got on that it's back to Dr.

Councilmember Jackson thank you mayor um no thank you to staff uh this is really an excellent um uh presentation and uh I just want to say I mean you you have consistently raised the bar um you know this is a third budget now that uh we've uh been through uh the cycle and uh the the first one it was like doing farm a fire hose uh honestly um for many of us up here well I wouldn't say that for me um but over time it's gotten easier and it's because the staff has done such a great job of laying out the budget and then uh explaining it in a way that um it's really understandable for residents and for uh us on on on the council and for nonprofits and others that we work with so I I just want to say thank you for that and um thank you for including it in multiple forms I mean this digital form is uh fantastic I mean uh you went through um what it is in there and uh how do you use it and it's really interactive and it's really laid out nicely so

So I I just want to say thank you for that.

And um thank you for including it in multiple forms.

I mean, this digital form is uh fantastic.

I mean uh you went through um what is in there and uh how you use it, and it's really interactive and it's really laid out nicely.

So um I don't know who did the actual kind of work, but it thank you for doing that because I think this is really a great document.

It's uh uh as uh Barbara was talking about.

I mean, it is just really uh usable.

But I think the the PDF option is also uh really important as well.

I know being many people are gonna download the PDF and uh use it, uh maybe print it out or uh use it on a computer computer when they're not connected to uh uh wireless.

And for the light rights like myself, um, you know, I I still have uh I have in the back a printed out version that I'm gonna take home and and uh use and and mark up and uh do uh all the things that you typically do with with paper.

So that said, I mean it's it's it m meets the the how you use the budget um is your own preference.

And so I think you've done a fantastic job of giving us options, uh, which is really uh fantastic.

Uh so kudos to you and uh look forward to uh talking about the budget further.

Thank you, Councilmember Shaw.

I um want to echo my colleagues.

You've done a fantastic job in making this more accessible.

Um and also, you know, because this is the first year that we are doing it in this format, it would be good to have any analytics um with the website.

Um, particularly how many downloads there are to a PDF, where some of the traffic could be coming from, um, as well as uh how many clicks we're getting on some of the sections like housing or police, just to kind of inform um where people maybe where people have their interest um and can help to inform next years and how we how we want to um conduct our outreach.

But overall, fantastic.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fulton the first thing I was gonna say, Councilmember Shaw just said there's a rich amount of data that can come from having the interactive format if we have the ability to track that.

I think it would be awesome.

The second thing I was gonna say is um I just really appreciate that you guys pick up some of the stuff that we're talking about about how much we care about accessibility and we we care about transparency, and you come up with ways to like advance those goals that we didn't even ask for.

So thank you for that.

And like the web version is just one example, like throughout the budget are other examples of of city staff coming up with ways to do things that we didn't even ask you to do.

So thank you for that.

I look forward to all the budget conversation.

Thank you.

Uh I want to echo the comments of all of my colleagues.

I agree with everything they've said.

Uh thank you for coming up with this new version.

I just also want to say thank you for trying new things, right?

We always can tweak things and ask for things, but you had to start somewhere, and I think we have to be willing to try new things.

So thank you for that.

And I want to encourage it.

I particularly like the uh idea of uh making it more accessible from an ADA accessibility perspective as well as a language access.

Can you just go to the section is there any way to put the select language up higher just because I'm just what just wondering, just so that when people are looking at things that you may not they may dismiss this whole page because they may not see it at the bottom.

Just a thought.

I don't think that I have the ability to customize the location, but it's something that I can ask.

Provide feedback.

Yeah, okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Um I also want to echo my c my colleagues' comment on search.

So I am one who searches the budget regularly.

And I do it over years, and I know the FAB does it.

I want to thank their them as well.

Um so I I just want to think about as you're giving feedback to the team as how we improve the searchability searchability of the document.

So that's an additional thought.

Um I'm also interested in the data uh to see how this gets used uh and you know, views versus downloads.

Um on the download part, I want to see is it possible to post the full link to the PDF.

I did get some feedback from multiple people who were trying to navigate the uh version, but they also are their budget super users and they like to dig in into pages and to search.

Uh, but they were at they were going to the PDF because they couldn't search the interactive.

So maybe when we solve the interactive search, then we won't need the PDF, but I still think that we need to have an easier way to get to the PDF.

Um, I have downloaded it.

It actually takes some time before, so you have to like put in an email, and then it gets emailed then to you, then it takes time to download.

So it created three steps where there was one.

So I think as we're since we're in a state of transition, might want to consider just really posting a PDF with page numbers and and you know, TARS noted as my as uh my colleagues have shared as well as um Mr.

Wright, former councilman right has shared as well.

Um so I I I wanted is that is it possible to post a download version so that you don't have to send an email?

The other thing I want to note is not everyone has email.

Yeah.

Uh so um accessing the PDF, just making it easier one click might be something to consider.

Yeah.

Can we do that?

Okay, thank you.

Oh, thank you.

Okay, one second.

Uh and then uh I talked about analytics.

The other thing is um while we while we have the budget survey, as we're going to this more advanced tech, which I love, we might want to just put a printed budget book by the budget survey in our FOIA, just so that anyone who wants to access it can.

Uh, they can come and scan the pages and you know, while they're waiting to talk at community forum or just just to make that fully accessible for all kinds of users.

But really, really nice job.

Um, I love that you can um play with the tables.

I don't know, I haven't played with this one yet, but whether you can actually save the date the manipulations you do with the table if you can download them.

That's another that's a whole nother level, but I'll leave that for next year.

I will say that um part of the ClearGov platform includes a transparency portal.

And so when you talk about downloading things or even digging into more years of history and other charts and graphs, those are things that um are included in our FY2027 outlook.

So it's something that we will be working on once we uh wrap up with budget.

This was kind of uh phase one.

Um, and then we'll move into that transparency portal going into the new new fiscal year.

That's wonderful.

Thank you.

And is this a new vendor that you have to keep up with over time and pay?

Okay, so with that said, I do think it's actually very, very important that we every year post the PDF ourselves so that we always have that access in the event that you don't use the same vendor or something changes over time, because then you're gonna have to move all that data.

So that might be another good reason to make the downloadable PDF like right on our page.

Councilmember Valeri.

And also testing, testing, testing.

This is probably the best way to do it because it can be an iterative process.

Um, because this is this is awesome, like at first blush, but um, I know we can do a lot a lot more, I'm sure.

Um I just wanted to flag because I was sitting here as as a web designer and sitting here going, oh, let me see, because I was on my laptop looking at it previously.

So on the mobile version of like the this initial home page, the translation link does not appear.

It is only by clicking on um what they call it in the biz the hamburger, which is the the navigation, and then you see it.

So it might just be maybe some some slight language to um and I can share screenshot if anybody, but um, but yeah, no, it it that would be maybe just the only edit that might be needed.

Um, because I know I love the Google translator, it's always gonna do um things better uh overall, but if folks don't know how to get there, they might just kinda see that and be like, eh, and like go somewhere else.

So and communities that are not as proficient in English are of course um uh less likely to have desktop or laptop computers, so that mobile um design and responsive design that way is really important.

I'll just close this portion and say um I I know we have an introduction to do.

Um but again, thank you for trying something new.

Thank you for thinking about accessibility, both in terms of just different disabilities as well as language and uh allowing people to manipulate and play with the data so that they can customize their experience.

So very well done.

We appreciate you trying new things and uh look forward to the introduction.

Okay.

All right, colleagues, we have an introduction to make.

Who would like to make it?

I'm gonna volunteer somewhere.

Okay, Councilmember Larry.

Sure.

Um I introduced the ordinance to appropriate funds and levy taxes for fiscal year 2027.

Thank you.

Miss Francisco, is there anything else you need on this one?

Nope.

Excellent.

Again, excellent work.

I'm going to propose since we have a longer session that we take a brief break.

Okay.

And let's come back in about five minutes.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, members of the council.

Tonight is Mayor and Council's first work session on the FY 2027 proposed operating budget and capital improvements program.

We'll focus on, like the mayor said, strategic initiatives included in the operating budget.

We'll review the budget by fund and we will walk through proposed revenues and fees.

So the proposed FY 2027 budget totals 187.1 million, a 6.6% increase from the FY 2026 adopted budget while maintaining the current property tax rate.

The proposed CIP includes $35.2 million in new appropriations supporting 56 capital projects.

The general fund transfer to the CIP totals $12.3 million, reflecting the city's continued commitment to infrastructure and capital maintenance.

This year we're also introducing a new digital budget document, which offers improved accessibility and functionality, which I demonstrated for uh the listening audience earlier.

So before moving further into the budget, we'd like to briefly highlight our surveys and how those priorities align with the proposed budget.

So two prior two I'm sorry, surveys help inform the city's budget planning.

So the community survey, a statistical survey that was conducted last fall, identified the following top priorities economic health, public safety, utility infrastructure, transportation, and communication.

The community budget priorities survey, which is still underway, highlights quality neighborhoods, active living, infrastructure maintenance, community safety, and economic development.

As we move through the budget over the coming work session work sessions, we believe that you will find that there are resources dedicated to all of these areas.

Residents can access that survey using the QR code that's on the screen, or by visiting RockvilleMD.gov/slash budget.

Interim survey results accompany the public hearing materials and a final report will be provided with budget adoption.

So this evening's presentation focuses on the operating budget and the strategic initiatives that align with the mayor and council's guiding principles.

The general fund represents about 67% of the city's budget.

The proposed budget includes more than three million dollars in funding for initiatives that are aligned with the mayor and council's guiding principles.

I'll briefly highlight key initiatives that align with each focus area.

Under stewardship of the environment infrastructure, the proposed budget includes a second electric vehicle bus for the Rockville Senior Center, expanded contractual services for right-of-way ball planning, additional community garden plots, and expanded recycling in parks following a successful pilot program.

City work plans also continue to advance from the climate action plan, which includes work on the flood resiliency master plan and the green space management management plan.

Within economic development, the budget includes 1.6 million for Rockville Economic Development Inc.

This supports small business grants, incentive programs, and expanded marketing tied to the city's life sciences branding initiative.

The proposed budget also introduces a murals and private development grant pilot program to enhance placemaking and strengthen the visual character of commercial areas.

FY 2027 will also mark the completion of the economic development strategic plan and work will advance on the Rockville Pike Neighborhood Plan update, an important effort for both land use planning and economic development.

The FY 2027 budget includes several public safety investments, including converting two police officer overfill positions into permanent positions, adding one sergeant position to strengthen patrol supervision and support new special units, and increasing pay rates for officer owned call overtime.

Additional investments include continued CCTV modernization work.

If you recall, we started that initiative last year, so this is year two of that two-year project.

Funding is also included for a school pathway lighting feasibility study, security improvements at park pavilions and restrooms, and $50,000 in emergency vehicle replacement assistance for the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department.

Housing remains a key priority for the mayor and council.

The proposed budget includes the addition of one community enhancement codes inspector to strengthen rental housing inspections and improve housing quality within the city.

The budget also includes half a million dollar general general fund transfer to the housing opportunities fund.

That supports the down payment assistance and employee home ownership assistance programs, but also provides important funding that will allow the city to participate in GAP financing opportunities, which can expand our affordable housing within the city.

The proposed budget also advances effective and efficient service delivery through several organizational investments.

These include a new assistant city attorney position, expanded child care staffing at Montrose Discovery Preschool, temporary procurement support, organizational development initiatives within human resources, and expanded community services and enrichment grants.

Funding is also included to extend the outdoor swim season at the Rockville Swim and Fitness Center, following a success a successful pilot program.

Together, these investments strengthen internal capacity and the resident experience.

Next, I'll provide a brief overview of the FY 2027 operating budget by fund.

As I mentioned, the general fund makes up about 67% of city appropriations, 95% of governmental fund appropriations.

So the general fund is the city's primary operating fund and accounts for most government activities.

Special revenue funds account for revenues that are restricted for specific purposes, including the special activities fund, the community development block grant fund, and the speed camera fund.

The debt service fund is used to pay principal and interest on taxpayer supported long-term debt.

Overall, the general fund represents approximately two-thirds of the budget and about 78% of full-time positions.

The city's enterprise funds operate similar to private businesses where expenses are supported by user fees rather than tax revenues.

These include water, sewer, refuse, parking, and stormwater management funds.

These together total $55.5 million or about 29% of the FY27 operating budget and support major city services.

General fund revenues are projected to increase 7.2% to $125.5 million in FY27.

Property taxes remain the largest revenue source, accounting for 43% of general fund revenues, and they're increasing due to growth in assessed property values.

Other notable increases to revenues include income tax, red light camera citations, recreation program fees, tax duplication revenue, and investment earnings.

Highway user revenues are projected to decline in FY 2027 and even further in FY2028.

I will say that we did receive a tax duplication update, and so we are going to be increasing that by about $300,000.

And so that's great news for the city.

Personnel costs remain the largest category and includes 5.8 new FTEs along with a 2% cost of living adjustment and merit increases.

Operating expenditures include contractual services, utilities, training, supplies, and equipment.

The general fund also supports significant transfers, most notably to the Capital Improvements Program and the Debt Service Fund.

The city policy requires that we maintain an unassigned fund balance equal to at least 20% of general fund revenues.

The FY2027 proposed budget recommends using $4 million in reserves to support the FY27 through FY31 CIP.

Even with this use of reserves, the forecast indicates the city will maintain reserve levels above the policy threshold.

As part of this year's budget, the mayor and council will need to adopt new refuse and stormwater management fees.

The annual refuse rate is proposed to increase $20 or about $1.67 per month.

The stormwater rate is proposed to increase $10 per equivalent residential unit.

Water and sewer rates were previously adopted on a three-year schedule following the last cost of service study.

The FY27 budget includes funding for a new cost of service study that will inform the next round of rates.

The FY2027 fee summary document provides a comprehensive overview of proposed fees and user charges across all city departments.

Some permitting and development fees are proposed to increase following a recently completed fee analysis and benchmarking with neighboring jurisdictions.

Moderate adjustments are proposed to certain recreation fees, while many others are proposed to remain flat.

So this is a 4.3% increase in utility costs and roughly a 4% increase in taxes and fees paid through that property tax bill.

Staff believe that these are modest increases that support the continued delivery of high quality municipal services.

Looking ahead, we have a work session on operating expenditures and community grants scheduled for March 23rd.

We will also hold a public hearing on March 23rd.

On April 13th, we will have our third work session focused on the CIP, debt issuance, final balancing.

We will hold an additional public hearing on April 13th.

And on May 4th, we are scheduled to adopt budget.

Tonight's discussion focuses on the operating budget, strategic initiatives, and proposed fees.

And with that, I will turn the discussion over to you, Mayor Ashton.

Thank you very much.

So just to uh flag, I know um March 23rd is going to just keep the schedule up here is going to focus on operating expenditures.

Do you also want us to talk about operating expenditures today?

Because I thought we were gonna really focus on fees the intentional initiatives.

Yes, initiatives and fees is the focus of tonight's okay.

Just want to make sure we're we're focused because I know that we'll have another bite of the apple with operating expenditures and grants on the 23rd, and then April 13th will be CIP and uh balancing, among other things that you've listed.

Perfect, thank you.

Um, I have one overarching question since I know fees is a big part of our discussion.

Uh, is it possible for us to get the benchmarking that was done?

Because the the report was fantastic study.

Uh it included more about what Rockville is, what it was, what was before and what is proposed, but I couldn't see the benchmarking that you all had an opportunity to look at.

So you is that data available to share with us.

We'll get you everything we have, and if benchmarking is a key consideration for the council, we'll make sure to give you everything we have on that.

Excellent.

And then this you'll probably hear this this coming from multiple colleagues, but I know that it was focused on um Maryland jurisdictions, given that we're looking at trying to improve Maryland's economy and by some measures uh and some reports, Maryland doesn't always rank as favorably as we would like it to uh in terms of cost to do business, affordability, etc.

We also should be looking at other jurisdictions that are ranking favorably so that we can make sure we're comparing because we want to be ranked favorably in the future.

Yeah, with subsequent studies, we're happy to add pure cities outside our region.

The challenge is to make sure we're comparing apples to apples when looking at fees.

So we'd have a little more analysis, but in the future we can do that.

If there for the ones that have the highest fees uh that we might have a question about tonight, would it be fair to say that we could check and see some neighboring jurisdictions to make sure that we're not pricing ourselves out of opportunity in this area?

So we have done some of that, and that's how we got to our final recommended fee.

But if you guys call out a certain fee that may give you some questions, then we'll make sure we provide you all the data we have for that particular fee, including what cities we've benchmarked against.

Excellent, thank you.

Okay.

So uh just to help keep us focused.

I'm wondering if we can go back to the special initiative slides and kind of go by those and we can go down the road, uh, if that's all right with you.

So I think ahead of you had the environment, public safety.

If you can go back up, I think there's two more slides.

Perfect.

Okay, right there.

Let's start with stewardship and the environment.

Uh, last time we started on that side, I'm gonna start on the other side now.

Uh, Councilmember Van Grak.

Uh I mean, uh everything here looks great.

I don't have specifically any any comments.

I think you're looking at the right direction.

I think this is the right perspective.

I know from the environment commission.

Um, uh the way we're focusing on the budget.

I know they're gonna come, I think, on testimony, testify on the 23rd with some of their thoughts into the budget, more than just the general issues.

So I think when we when we get into that, they'll be able to give their comment a little bit more of some of the areas that we can be more stewardship in the environment.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Bashaw.

Um, I strongly support everything here on this slide, and also just wanted to share that um, particularly expanding our community garden plots, and I think that's incredibly important for um addressing some food insecurity issues.

Um yeah, I agree with everything on this slide.

Thank you.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, uh Mayor.

Um, I support everything on this slide, and uh would be remiss not to call out uh it's better than community garden plots.

I'm really interested in that and uh uh how we're gonna do it, but that's another conversation for another day.

Thank you.

I was excited to see what you have here.

Uh and I want to thank you for continuing to build upon our climate action plan, but also to support our infrastructure.

And I know the things that we're doing that are not even listed here, like we talked about earlier, replacing pipes, so we're really focusing on correcting infrastructure before it breaks down.

So I appreciate the annual work that you do to that uh for that.

And I know we'll talk more about that in CIP.

In terms of the environmental piece, um, I do want to thank you for uh putting in the recycling program in parks.

That's something we've heard around, but I want to give some credit to our Girl Scouts who really pushed in and wrote nice letters to say why not try it.

Uh and thank you to our city manager for looking at the data and seeing that it worked out very well.

Um community gardens, I've been talking about this for years, and I love that we're having this here because it's such a popular thing in some parts of the city, but it's just not available in others.

So um I I love everything you have here.

Um others, I would be remiss if I didn't say uh I would I know that we're gonna try to get more get our first solar done this year, but to continue to expand.

Is that something that you can just speak to how you're rolling that out?

I'm happy to speak to that.

Um, yes, we plan on um making sure that when we cut the ribbon on the um senior on the community center that the solar is there and fire it up and ready to go before um the end of the year.

Um, but then we're gonna do uh a bit of a pivot with the help of hopefully some some grant funds, which we should learn about in two months.

Our goal is to actually do a master plan to add EV solar to a number of different facilities in the city over the next several years.

So that that study is gonna allow us to do one study instead of doing them piecemeal, which we think is the right thing to do.

Hopefully, then select one or less um contractor to do a number of those projects.

And then our goal, as I talk to the team, is to provide a new solar initiative at a new city facility every year for the next several years after that.

Thank you.

I also want to acknowledge the city's efforts to expand composting to more parts of the city, which you've done this past year and a half or so.

Um the two other big things I wanted to flag.

Um, thank you for putting the water first water fill station in City Hall.

Uh, and I know we're trying to get that out into other community centers.

Uh, we've already saved 300 plastic water bottles from going into the trash or recycle.

Um, and then the floodwater plan, there is something on engaged rockfill.

I I would assume that they're gonna be working on some implementation of that or roll out, um, but that would also go under this section.

Is that right?

Okay.

That's correct.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Um, the last thing I was gonna mention is goes under the infrastructure and efficiency bucket is um, and it's not a specific, you know, spend this much money at all.

It's really about looking at how we can use analytics and AI uh to improve city services and data analytics.

And I'm hopeful that we can explore it this year.

Um I've been looking at best case uses and and case studies from other cities.

Um, the city of Chicago is using it to help support um predictive modeling to see what buildings have quality housing issues.

Uh uh, and they're also using it to see the complaints that come in, analyzing them and identifying which buildings might have the most issues.

So it's not just taking in a human and putting in the spreadsheet, they're kind of like leveraging the analytics to be more effective in terms of making sure there's quality housing across the city.

Boston is using it to look at their permitting processes and seeing how are permits going out on time, what are the stop gaps, how can we improve?

So I just I'm not it's not a general prescriptive uh prescriptive request, but just to look at are there analytical tools that can help us um improve our infrastructure and our processes.

Thank you.

Councilmember Valeri.

Yes, thank you.

Um I I love both the environment and infrastructure.

Um so a couple thoughts.

Um I'm I'm I'm I'm supportive of all of these except for one.

Um that'll be my teaser.

Um I know that often the Rockville Senior Center buses are really just used for a lot of recreation purposes.

Um I kind of see this as I mean it the senior center uses it, but I know that um the city has used it like when the Lincoln Park Community Center um was uh being renovated, it almost seems like just a rec butt like bus.

So I just wanted to flag that for the uh community that um because it seems to me like oh man, second EV bus, and some people haven't gotten their first one, but really the buses that are utilized more broadly in the city.

So um I just want to flag that.

Um I I am I am challenged by the second bullet point.

Um, especially because annual bulb planting is actually not good for the environment at all.

I know Mr.

City Managers, like I knew Valerie would probably say something about this, but it is both economically a bad policy decision and not environmentally sustainable and not good for the environment.

So it would not be supportive.

I'm sure I'll get outvoted on that, but might be something in the out years we can look at more uh sustainable, environmentally friendly landscaping in public right-aways.

That would that's my dream.

Um and I will continue onward with my dream.

Um absolutely love community garden plots.

I think that um I think the ones that I've I've been able to to visit and hang out with.

Um, the folks in King Farm are just rocking it for sure.

And elsewhere, I just want to make sure that we have geographic parity when we do expand community garden plots.

So we are looking at um, you know, a prioritization based on just greater geographic parity.

Um, I'd be very supportive of that.

Um I I think Mr.

City Manager, I think you shared um previously.

Um, what did the metrics of success look like?

Because I know that um especially on uh these sort of pilot projects in in our parks, um, that if it's not not been there before, that maybe adherence to it would not make it look like oh, this is not successful because people are are throwing you know garbage in you know the recycling one.

So I'm really curious about what the metrics were on what success looked like it was levels of contamination more than anything else.

Okay, but we changed the way we did signage and that helped a lot.

Okay, yeah, that's what I kind of I suspected it was the level of contamination.

I also think it's just you know, um ongoing public education efforts too.

I think signage goes a long way on that.

Um, and then finally, um just want to co-sign um uh solar uh Madam Mayor's uh point, and I would love to have City Hall be one of the first locations too.

I'm sure that um the DPW team is like giving me like you know the the the look of death.

But um, hey, if the town of Somerset can have solar on their city hall, I think we should be able to so thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Fulton.

I'm good with all this.

There's nothing that I see that's missing that's not covered like through operating or other stuff, and I support all of it.

So thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, madam mayor.

I associate myself largely with the comments and my colleagues supporting the points here.

I had a question.

This is not fair because I didn't ask it in advance.

I apologize.

Um with regard to the implementation of our climate action plan, I think we're trying to reduce our greenhouse gases by 50 percent to 2005 levels by 2030.

Um, and I do recognize as well that we're in a tight budget year.

Um from a staffing perspective, are we good on terms of implement implementation of the climate action plan for this in the out years?

Um we are.

We are okay.

And again, we've already discussed um some of the things we're looking at with regard to procurement.

Still interested in ways to for us to achieve some of our climate goals via procurement.

Um, and uh wait what recommendations they have back from their report and to see whether or not they have a monetary um note to them.

And I guess and if so, I guess we can discuss it for future budget years.

Um, but other than that, I'll I'll hold my fire for now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Van Greg.

Well, yeah, I just want to clarify because um I know we were to we've we've got separate sections for operating and CIP.

I've got other issues related to environmental issues that are in the CIP and operational.

So should we be discussing that now here today on this or should we be going in?

Because I know that the it's kind of like a mixed bag, and I want to see where it's best to address those issues because I mean I do have other things related to the environmental infrastructure.

I think we're just looking for overall feedback on the projects that we've listed in these areas, but if there's deeper media questions when we get into operating, that would be the better time to ask us.

But thinking if there's anything that's like a high-level initiative, I would know as we go through that, like not like uh small project base, but if there's something that's like it's a big initiative that we haven't discussed, so it's not here.

That's I think also fair game as we go to the slides.

So when I started and I showed that big wheel with all the dollars, and I said more than three million, that's operating funding.

So the initiatives that we're calling out here are things that are funded through the operating budget.

Um if we were talking about capital projects, I would have told you about the new project about building energy performance measures, right?

And that's where some of those solar initiatives come through.

Um but we're trying to focus a little more operating with these first two work sessions and then focus CIP on the third.

Thank you.

So we're gonna go on to the next section, and we'll start off with Councilmember Shaw.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I do support um all the uh proposed options here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Jackson.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Um yes, uh actually, no questions.

I do support everything uh here on this page.

Thank you.

Uh just very brief for me.

I support everything here.

Um, when is the economic development plan gonna be completed?

Just so we have a sense of that.

It'll be completed within the next four months.

Six months?

End of the year.

What's that, Bra?

End of this year.

End of this year.

Yes, okay.

I was I was look for eating okay.

I should have just kept adding a month till I have to I saw his uh, you know, everyone is like, wait a minute.

Um so thank you for that.

I just I just wanted to flag that um if there's something that is a major initiative or something that comes out of that plan that we need some flexibility to expand here.

Thank you.

Councilman Valeri.

Yes, I I definitely support both of these.

Um mostly because I'm I'm really excited about the the second bullet point.

Um, Mr.

City Manager, can you just give a quick like elevator pitch on on this and kind of what it's gonna look like as far as from the the city budget side of things?

Yeah, I'll I'll just say broadly.

I'll just talk about broadly and then Kimberly will give the actual numbers or give her a second to look it up.

But it's amazing how popular our placemaking um initiatives are citywide.

I mean it's very stunning, whether it's uh new signage we're doing in the community, painting, you know, IHart Rockville over a bridge, etc.

But also our murals, right?

But there's so many murals that could be painted on walls that are not owned by the city or by um a private utility company.

So we're just providing private businesses that have really prominent walls the opportunity to do a 50-50 um grant program with us to do murals and private development.

It is a pilot program, I want to stress that.

We're not sure what the take rate's gonna be, but we're gonna give it a shot.

And Kimberly, can you talk about the numbers piece of it, please?

Sure.

So the budget includes 37,500.

And I think the idea is that that would um provide that 50-50 match for about four different private um developments, and so we'll we'll see how that goes.

See how it goes.

That's awesome.

I'm I'm very excited about that.

And of course, I support this.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fulton.

Yes, I support all of this.

I maybe I just echo what the mayor said about having a buffer.

It's it's I can't think of anything that's missing here.

But when I just suppose the small slice of this pie with like what we've said, both of the surveys had economic health and economic development listed fairly high.

I can't think of anything we should be spending more money on, but I do want to make sure we have enough room that we can really invest in this where we can.

Otherwise, it looks great.

Thank you.

Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I support everything here.

That's all.

Thank you.

I have one quick follow-up question, and then I see Councilman Van Gregg next.

Um you made me think about your your private development grant pilot program, and we think about whether we should um also think about something in the future, and maybe not this year, but um if we're gonna be funding potentially on private properties to do art, should we also have something where we get private properties to be more accessible?

This has come up where it's like people can't get into a building.

I I just wanted to just put it out there for discussion, and maybe it's an initiative for a later period of time, but I see that as economic development as well.

Yeah, I'll just say one little piece of it.

Um we haven't developed the um the program details yet, but that's a really good point, Mayor.

The last thing we want to do on this particular pilot program is to do a mural on a private wall that only a handful of citizens can view and appreciate.

So we're gonna make sure that they are on a wall and a mural that a lot of people can see.

If it's in the back corner that only people can get to by a private parking lot, that wouldn't um hit the mark on this.

And then as we continue to grow our art programs, and you know, as you know, we have a great um art manager.

If we can do other collections of pieces beyond murals and other private areas, that would be great.

Yeah, and I and I also should have clarified, I was meaning also um we've heard and seen in some surveys in the past that uh we are doing better by accessibility from FMN ADA perspective, but it's the private properties that they never unless they redevelop, they don't have to be accessible.

So I just wanted to flag it from that perspective.

Thank you, because I see that's economic development.

Councilman Van Greg.

So um I also support um what you're doing here with economic development.

Um I obviously these uh two avenues are great, but I want to expand a little bit on what Councilmember Fulton was saying.

I actually agree with her.

I think we need to do a little bit more with economic development.

I think that we heard from um ready when they were here, and or that I've met with members of Ready, and one of the things is is about the partnership.

I think we've talked about when we've had our economic development session, more integration with making sure the city is interacting with ready.

And I think you know, we even heard, and I guess we'll maybe get to them later some of the ideas that ready had in the ways that city can help with economic development.

So I think this is a good start.

Um I like the fact that we're engaging more with ready about how the city can help in, and I think maybe that that pie piece can be expanded a little bit because as we've seen time and time again, I've seen in studies throughout the country when cities invest in infrastructure areas with city beautific with other things that the economic development folks are suggesting can help bring not only residents in but businesses in because this is a place they want to invest in.

They want to see the city do well too.

So I agree um and echo what Councilmember Fulton was saying.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

And I know that we'll have the economic development plan and also everybody's having their strategic planning session this April, which we're all invited to.

Next we have public safety, and Councilmember Jackson's up first.

All right, thank you, Mayor.

Uh so public safety, uh basically uh I agree with uh all of these uh uh programs.

Um I just have a question on uh public safety, uh which really is kind of uh um uh an addition, uh I guess.

So we're gonna have the annexation discussion later uh in the year.

And so uh had you taken that into account uh and uh because how we will it affect the budget to actually annex some of the uh areas we're talking about.

Yeah, thank you.

Um two ways we're addressing it.

Um, one is as you all recall, we're really only recommending annexing areas of the city that we know aren't um let's just say high generating use of uh police services.

Um when it comes to Shady Grove, and you're right, you're kind of projecting the conversation we'll have in a little while.

It's we're recommending only annexing half of the property, not the whole thing, because that will reduce it.

But the other thing I want to call out is this uh street crimes special unit and improve patrol operations.

If we annex some of the areas into the city, particularly um commercial areas that we know right now currently have a fair amount of calls for service from the county, that special crimes unit is gonna be able to go into that area, you know, show our patrol and hopefully tamp down that crime in a much more efficient way.

So as of this next budget year, with the annexations that I think the council may entertain, I think we'll be um just fine with the public safety complement we have, but in subsequent years, if we annex more greater properties, we won't be bashed about asking for additional resources.

No, thank thank you.

Uh I have a question on the public restroom security improvements.

Um, first of all, uh what are we talking about right there?

Thank you for your question, Councilmember Jackson.

Um, this is in regards to um the initiative to have restrooms and parks more open and accessible to the public.

And so, in order to do that, um, we need um locking systems, we need um cameras and monitors to make sure that um those facilities are kept clean and safe and undisturbed.

Um so that requires um some equipment, it requires Wi-Fi um and connectivity to keep those um cameras going and um feeding the appropriate people so that they know if there's an issue to respond to.

No, thank you.

Now I was hoping that was the answer because I've uh heard from many uh people uh who you know are kind of uh disappointed that they're the park and then uh the right restrooms are or closed and they had to go home to use the bathroom or take their kids home.

So I think this is right on in line of where we should be going.

The last question I have is the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department emergency vehicle replacement assistance.

What is that?

This is $50,000 in funding to the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department to assist them with the acquisition of an emergency response vehicle.

Okay, so it's a it's in the grants, and we'll get to that later, of course.

Uh I will put a pin at that because uh uh uh when I discuss that uh uh uh grant, but uh for now, yes, I support all of this.

Thank you.

Uh everything here looks good to me.

I just have a question.

I'm not gonna go through my list now, but I did read all of the community feedback survey and proposal projects and want to get a sense of when you'd like us to mention or is staff going through those to see what can be done this year and map out next year, because there are some really good points in there, including the bathrooms, which we've addressed.

But just if you could help us understand, because I I did highlight a number of things from the community input.

So if you have a specific question about a specific proposal project, please send that over to us because staff has looked at every single one, and we can let you know um what the feedback is.

Um there's some items that were requested that staff looked at and said, Oh, yeah, we can go fix that next week.

And then there are other things that we looked at and said, that's not in the city.

So um the response varies.

So if you can um just send us if you have a specific question about one, we can help get back to you.

Okay, so I won't read my three page list now.

Um, but I do want to thank all the residents for providing feedback because it was very, very helpful.

Um, on the ones that are not in the city, but seem to me important.

Um, I would I if it's a proposal project, we do have that contact.

So I was just wondering if you can refer it referred over to the county, particularly for the public safety ones.

Is that possible?

We can we can look for a way to reach out to that person and direct them to the care.

And some of them were state as well.

Um I may not exactly know where to direct them all.

But yeah, I think if we mostly give them to either to they mostly would go to public works and they have contacts.

Or department of transportation.

Yes, yes, exactly.

Exactly.

Excellent.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Valeri.

Yes, hello.

Um, so just before I I start getting into my list, um, for budgeting purposes, vision zero falls under public safety, correct?

Okay, cool.

I just want to make sure I still got that right.

Um, okay, so looking through all of these uh things for sure, I support.

Um I would like to we'll put a pin in it.

Um, because I do have some questions around the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department um item, but put a pin, I'll go into the rest of these things.

Um around the funding for a school pathway lighting feasibility study.

Um I know that often we look at you know the direct path that um that students will walk to school, but I also want to get put out a consideration for where um students catch their bus as well.

Um, because for instance, there is a bus stop at um the Twinbrook Community Recreation Center.

Um that is uh a very heavily used bus stop for Richard Montgomery, and when it is extremely dark in the morning, there is zero lighting.

Um not even ambient lighting coming off of the tennis courts or anything really.

So I think that from a public safety perspective, looking at the totality of how um students get to school, I would be something I I would I would love to um kind of talk through.

Um, and I appreciate uh Mr.

City Manager um kind of talking through uh how the overlap between calls for service and um annexation, definitely in terms of um uh adequate public facilities for public safety, um, because I definitely that is an important consideration.

Um, but that nothing should be attributed to an area that we might be looking at for annexation if there is a high level of calls for service, um, because uh that should not be a disqualify a disqualifier um on face value.

Um so most of the vision zero things um are in the CIP, so I'm not gonna go into any uh of those yet.

Um but that is definitely another place where the overlap of the the proposed the project um there are so many times, and once again where it's like please fill this pothole or this sidewalk segment is broken.

Like that I think that's great that people are reporting it, um, but it that's just part of the regular operations of of city maintenance.

But I just had like a little mini brainstorm.

So the way we were talking about the the private property pilot for for murals, um wouldn't it just throwing it out there a random thought?

Um one of the biggest locations of uh vision zero um non-adherence is private property.

Um, and in particular, uh there are many times as um our our CPD can tell you that the um collision occurs in a parking lot where you know um we don't have you know the ability to say, hey, maybe you should improve the site lines here, or perhaps you could make a clear walking path.

Um I I I do walk almost exclusively, except when I'm in a car with the loved one or Uber.

But um, I think that that would be a really interesting concept to see ways that um there would be um kind of the same program that would encourage businesses to make vision zero improvements on their private property, and if there's a way to do some sort of match to do that, I think that would be awesome because I think that unless that that private property um is undergoing a renovation um or you know, significant changes, we don't have the ability to really make any changes, and the area continues to be not safe.

So um, yeah, that's kind of what I'm thinking through.

But yeah, that popped in my head.

And then finally, um, I do continue to support, it's not noted here, um, and perhaps we'll get more in-depth on it.

I continue to support the in-house mental health specialist for RCPD.

Um, probably now more than ever, given um a lot of the uh uh issues that the community is facing.

So that's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Fulton.

I'm good, nothing to add, thanks.

Dr.

Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh, did want to bring up a point for clarification, as was mentioned by the colleague.

What is this or do the FTEs, how are they finding?

Are we are we making any changes to the in-house mental health person or no?

Or how are we funding this one?

So that's not a modification to an FTE, that's a modification to a contract.

To a contract.

Thank you.

Contractual services.

So can you say it in uh in a different way for me to understand?

So let me give you the complete answer.

It's probably better during the operations discussion, but okay.

Um would you rather hear it there, or you want to hear it now?

Now it's cool, just for my clarification and we come back.

So we are in a really fortunate position in that the county provides mental health crisis response to the city 24-7 through 65.

It's an amazing program, it's been in existence for a number of years, and we really take advantage of that program.

When we're when we get a call for service, there are times when the police department needs to go out by themselves, and there are other times when we're pretty understanding based on the details that we get a dispatch that it involves someone experiencing mental health crisis.

So we co-respond, right?

County sends someone, we go somewhere, we go together, and the police officer co-responding realizes that it's less of a crime that's been occurred, and most importantly, that's a safe situation, then the officers will back out, and so mental health crisis specialists will take over the scene if you will and provide the services.

It's actually a better, more thoughtful way to provide someone with care that is having a mental health crisis situation.

Um a number of years ago, um, there was a recommendation to actually embed one of the mental health crisis response workers into the city because that's a value-added service.

We had to agree to pay for that.

And when you consider the contractual arrangement we have with the county now, that is somewhere between 180 and 200,000 a year to provide that additional support.

What we realized recently is that the embedded um person that's been assigned to the city has been on extended leave, right?

And we of course want to respect when people need to go on on leave, but would during that time when we didn't have someone embedded in the police department at all, when we called for service 24-7 through 65, we still had a mental health crisis response worker respond with our employees, and the police department thought that that service was very well provided by the county.

So our recommendation is why would we want to pay that extra amount of money to have that person and better win the organization when we're gonna get that resource no matter what?

It's also an opportunity for us to be able to fund like the new FDE for the sergeant.

That's why we're making that recommendation.

Understood.

Um and you could, Madam Mayor or city manager, just let me know if if this is discussion best had now versus operations.

I would say if you want to give an indication as to a follow-up on this one, and then we can have a more complete discussion.

But if you have an opinion that you wanted to share to give them some thought to come back, that's fine.

Yeah.

That's fair.

Thank you.

Um I guess you know, when we move forward to the operations section of these discussions.

Um again, not having given staff the benefit of the doubt of having my question out in advance.

If we may be able to have information if available on the difference, if any in response times um to situations that ultimately get dispositioned as a mental health emergency, that'd be helpful just to see compare comparing things.

Um my personal um recommendation or waterfall is similar to my colleague.

I would prefer having somebody in-house.

I do recognize the expense.

Um, however, I you know, I want to make that uh that that gut feeling, I guess buttress it with the data out there if if available.

If I'm wrong, I'm I'm you know, I'm I've I can I've I've said a wrong before.

Uh but just to have the data so we can have uh that discussion.

But I would prefer to keep them in-house if at all possible.

That's all, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Happy to provide that data.

Thank you.

Councilmember Van Grack.

Um obviously I think this is a great uh uh uh a great overview for public safety.

I think um this is great.

Um just to to focus in on the first thing with the two FTEs.

I think this goes to one of my questions, but one of those who's FTEs that we're adding here is with what we're doing with the with the community engagement officer with Rockville High School.

Right?

That is correct.

Excellent.

So I uh not only with that, um I've only heard positive things about the street street street crime special unit.

So I think you guys staff is doing just a fantastic job of getting to this issue.

Um I also will echo with what my um uh colleague, Councilmember Jackson said.

Um, the support we that this body's been doing with the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department has truly been fantastic, and I know they've appreciated it, appreciated it given some of the backlog of what they're doing.

Um I know that it on my quick, you know, um uh jotted down notes.

I think we we've done only about 25% of what they're looking for, might need to be uh as Councilmember Jackson using his phrase, put a pin in that, look at that.

Um, but I really appreciate what you guys are doing and emphasizing um our public safety, the degree you have here.

So thank you so much.

Thank you, Councilman Bujal.

Um I also agree with my colleagues with all of these items.

I will say with the street crime special unit, I know that's a a new um initiative.

Um and just considering the context of high unemployment, our um our shelters are full to the brim.

Um there's been a rise of evictions, particularly in Rockville, and um we have uh increased uh housing instability in Brockville.

Um that some of these uh so the street crime special unit will be equipped with some resources um to share with residents.

Okay.

Absolutely okay, thank you.

Thank you.

I my colleagues when we think of two other things, if that's okay.

Um, one is uh we talked about public safety during our public safety work session, and one of the things we raised um uh, and no, I've been trying to follow up on this, is public safety is is about enforcement, but there are also things like you have in here vision zero.

Um, but there's also the human side, which is how do we prevent crimes by helping people uh with wraparound services.

So um one in particular that I wanted to flag is uh you services for at-risk youth.

And I don't know how we're dealing with that in this budget.

I know we can get more into that, and I hopefully get more answers as we get into operating.

We have an incredible Latino youth development program.

Uh it hasn't been expanded too much for in some time.

And so I would love to look at that and say, are there other ways that we can help support at-risk youth?

Usually our police know who they are, usually teachers know who they are, uh, people who need help we want to prevent that crime.

We want to prevent you know, things escalating to where multiple lives could be ruined.

It could be, you know, self-harm to others, self-harm to self with self-harm as well.

So I that's one thing I just wanted to say for me is kind of missing from the youth services piece, and my colleagues, when we think about that, uh I appreciate some of the comments that you all have said because I wanted to raise that in particular.

Um and you talk about um the school pathway lighting feasibility.

Um I just wanted to raise another thought about what I've heard from some of our senior commissioners and uh people who live in senior living communities, they might also need to be in the future a look at um senior living pathways.

Uh there are situations where people who are um older Americans or older Rockvillians are trying to get to city centers or neighborhood shopping centers just to get out of that community to enjoy the whole of Rockville, and they're finding that their trip hazards or issues.

I know that there are folks recently with Brightview that we looked at that and we helped make their pathway to the pharmacy a little safer.

Uh so I just wanted to note that as uh something that I don't think we have fully talked about, but we have addressed some specialized projects is not only thinking about youth and safety to school, but also senior safety.

Um I don't know if that's a study or just I wanted to raise that issue.

Some of my colleagues' comments and we think about that as well.

Um I I support my colleagues' comments on the request for data on the in-house mental health specialist.

Um I think the data points that they requested make sense.

Um I was also wondering uh are our officers trained and equipped to know when there is a need for a mental health intervention.

Uh, as my colleagues said, does it have has it had an impact on response times?

Uh and then the other thing that came up when the previous council were talking about the mental health specialist staff shared with us that that mental health specialist will also support our officers.

I understand that may or may not have happened, but what are we doing to support officers?

It is not easy to be in fire, it's not easy to be in policing.

And um making sure there's mental health supports for them is important as well.

I don't think it's send them to an employee service line is enough.

Sometimes you have to have something where people are seeing it more visibly on a on a regular basis.

Let me follow up.

I don't want to give a clipped answer.

We'll provide uh detail on response times data on usage of the um mental health crisis response and also what potential outside services could we augment to provide care for our individual offices.

Officer.

I have one thing to add.

Councilman Valerie has one thing to add to that point.

Uh yeah, I just wanted to add to that.

Oh, it just came out of my brain.

Um, oh, the fact that the mental health specialist, the embedded mental health specialist was also providing uh victim's advocacy services.

So the solution that has been proposed doesn't address that at all either.

So really that cost was two hats uh combined.

And I would I would like that data as well.

Um, and I suspect that the training requirements would be difference between a licensed clinical social worker and a police officer, but I could be wrong.

So that would be interesting as well.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Let's move to the next slide.

I guess that's me.

So we have housing here.

I I definitely support um the code inspector.

I know that it is to my understanding, this is gonna support the enhanced inspection program.

Is that right?

And you mentioned that you would add this in.

That's correct.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

And then uh we would also be supporting the uh homeownership and down payment assistance program and sourcing for affordable units.

I think I mentioned this earlier, but we were expecting about one point something million back this year, and that may be a little bit later.

So we're adding funds in, and then hopefully in the future for the next year, we'll have that return funds to be able to support the HOF.

Is that right?

That's correct.

We are expecting um, I think 1.2 million back.

Um, the timing on that is a little uncertain.

So this infusion of that half a million dollars will help get those balances right now, not including the 1.2, up to a point where we should be positioned to um provide some gap financing if if needed.

Okay.

Um, and there's also things that we've talked about through our landlord tenant code update, the increased need for education outreach.

That's all gonna be factored in later, and you know, as we go through the year and and have a you know, actually finalize some of those efforts that will be included as well.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Valeri.

Thank you.

That was my question as well.

That um that this perhaps is is a shorter list now, but is going to get extremely long, possibly.

Um I think this is all extremely straightforward with that in mind for sure, but also um, and it kind of goes back and forth between housing and uh effective and efficient service delivery, um, something that Madam Mayor mentioned, but I think it's good to either pin or have a longer conversation.

But the the AI tools that we could be utilizing to streamline and create efficiencies around housing for sure, if that requires um you know, some financial um uh resources, then I think that that would be worthwhile as well because I think it kind of straddles those those two issues.

But um I I agree with the the rest of this as well.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fulton.

Yeah, I agree with this, no concerns, but I I think it's just worth for anyone who's like these slides are not describing every single thing we're doing on these scenarios.

Like we have we talked a lot about housing, we're doing a lot on housing.

So it's just worth clarifying.

Yep, as the new initiatives that aren't already covered and funded, and we've talked about at length.

I think this is perfect.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Mouse.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I have no issues and you can support everything on the housing slide.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Councilman Van Greg.

I support what we're currently doing, and I support these uh initiatives that we have here.

I think this is a really good focus on housing.

Councilmember Shaw.

Um I support these initiatives and um uh so the one additional um FTE, um, this will also help with the increased tenant requested inspections as well, correct?

Because I know we talked about like the land, the regular typical the the landlord standard landlord inspections, but this will also help with perhaps increased tenant inspect tenant requested inspections.

So let me let me make sure we're clear about that.

So when there's a when there's a proposed when there's something wrong with someone's unit, they're supposed to talk to the property owner first.

The property owner doesn't get something fixed, then we can strongly encourage the renter then to send a note to the code enforcement team.

That's when we'll go out and do an inspection.

What this is really doing is our annual inspection program.

If you guys remember we had a work session on it, we have a brand new program, it's annual inspections attached to the rental license, where now we have a certain percentage that if they fail a number of inspections, then they get assigned to a senior um community enhancement code inspector that's gonna do an additional number of inspections in that particular building.

So, yes, in totality, it absolutely helps the renters.

I just wanted to provide some clarity on that.

I I do understand that.

Um yeah, I do understand that.

Um, I just think that things um issues and repairs are probably found quicker when the tenant um requests it and requests an inspection, that's more frequent than I think it was like every other year or something, and we're not going into every single unit and all of that.

So um, so just to answer the questions.

So this is not for tenant requested inspections, this is for the standard landlord.

Correct.

Okay, so thank you.

Okay.

Um I do think uh this is something that we could discuss of having increased inspections from uh particular tenants, especially if you know if part of the if part of the apartment building is being inspected, there may be other tenants that would be encouraged by that, and um it could lead to more inspections.

Um so I just think we can kind of like think through that and discuss that as we move on with the budget.

Um, and also just to be clear the homeownership down payment assistance program, which is um a really great program, that only applies to I think it's like 250,000.

Is that correct?

The funding for both the employee homeownership assistance program and the homeownership down payment assistance program that's available to the community combined, has a 250,000 dollar budget.

Okay, so that's about like 10 home 10 homes or so.

Okay, so it's not it's not a significant part of our community, um, if it's like 10 families or so.

Um, and I know that this is a pilot program, um, but I just wanted to be clear on the scale of how many people it's reaching and the actual need.

Um I do overall agree with this, um, and I look forward to more of a robust discussion on housing.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, uh Mayor.

Uh I basically agree with uh this uh entire page, but I want to drill down a little bit.

So thank you, Councilmember Shaw, for uh your question on the uh homeownership uh program.

So I won't get into that, but can you tell me a little bit?

So you say source for retaining and adding affordable units.

Can you explain a little bit about that?

Sure.

So that refers to the ability to participate in uh gap financing arrangements.

So if the city is approached uh by a developer who wants to create affordable housing in the city, um they will sometimes reach out to um nonprofit or government partners looking for assistance.

Um typically the more outside assistance they have, the more affordable they can make their units, and then they wouldn't necessarily um only be doing 15 or 20 percent, they could make more of the building affordable or have all of the building in fact be affordable.

So as the finances change, um our involvement can bring additional affordable units into the city by way of getting involved in those agreements.

And how big or uh what size is the housing opportunities fund in dollars?

Yeah, dollars.

Um I can tell you that after looking forward, okay.

Once this $500,000 is added, once we take into consideration the programmatic initiatives that happen in the housing opportunities fund, there will be over a million dollars there that would be available to the city if we want to participate in a gap financing arrangement, somewhere to the tune of 1.2 million.

Yeah, and and so I thank my uh colleague uh council member Shaw for raising this.

So uh, you know, I think one million dollars is a good start, but um, you know, it's expensive as it is to build new buildings uh and and um in in Rockville uh but uh everywhere.

Um I don't think one million dollars gets us there, but I I think it's a good start.

I think uh it's an innovative uh program, and uh I don't want to you know uh have the discussion right now, but just put a pin in it uh and and maybe uh in the future we can talk about really uh scaling it up to make it so that it's really attractive to uh developers and others who want to build affordable housing.

Thank you very much.

I I will just add uh some of the experiences that I've seen the DHCD Department of Housing Community Development Team do is um they have helped with um layering financing between private uh nonprofit, uh the county uh as well as the city.

Uh so sometimes there are buildings that go up for sale, and uh there is a right-of-first refusal process, and so the city would add in a million to point two, as we've done in the past to the stack uh to be able to preserve those units uh as affordable versus going straight market rate.

Uh so that has been especially helpful.

Um I've also seen you all do it for um buildings that were at risk when there was a high um unpaid balance uh by tenants for whatever reasons because life happens, uh, that you've been able to go in and help save that building because that building, because of the lack of of financing, could collapse and not be affordable.

So I appreciate the flexibility, and I think also in our comprehensive plan, it called for looking at collaborations with CDFIs, community development financing institutions.

Uh that's not something I've seen just yet, but uh look forward to the city continuing to explore this as well.

So I just uh want to say thank you for for doing this, and I believe as we get the RIT money back, that will also give us some additional funding to engage with.

Um I have a the my last question that my colleagues reminded me of is the HUF also gets added to through sales of MPDUs.

Is that not right?

That's correct.

So if an MPDU um I believe if it sells like for a profit, then some portion of that comes back to the city, or if it sells um earlier than it's supposed to, then some portions can come back to the city.

Okay, and I'll just say it would be helpful to the council to be able to share what strategic opportunities we are working on or considering what came through that we couldn't afford, and so maybe that might provide insight as to you know what we need to add in the future, that would be helpful.

Um, and then uh when it talks about the inspector here, um, it's my understanding that uh the tenant sometimes tenant um complaints and concerns can lead to enhanced inspections.

And I'm hopeful if we ever go to some sort of AI tool analytics that we can start taking all kinds of complaints and seeing where there is volume to help us provide decision making opportunities on where we need to pay more attention to.

Okay.

Thank you to my colleagues for their thoughtful feedback and uh how we've been able to feed off of each other.

Okay.

So next is Councilmember Valerie.

Right.

Is it me?

That's you.

All right.

I'm like, what time is it?

Um, no, there's no excuse for that.

Okay.

Um so I feel like a lot of things like in the Venn diagram of our priorities, um, things kind of cross over.

And because I think that a lot of the the goals of effective and efficient service delivery impact everything else as well.

So I I applaud you for being able to pull together things because I'm like, you know, um, I I could probably made this slide like even longer.

Um for sure to the points that are here, and I'm just going to stick to those because otherwise it's a rabbit hole.

Um I know for this budget for sure.

I appreciate expanding the community grants and um the REAP funding.

Um I want to just put my eternal pin because I feel like um we've been saying this for a little bit, but um FY 2028 will be a post Medicaid cuts um time period, and when you have these those additional costs, or um the community is is impacted by that, then you're gonna see an expanded need from our nonprofits.

So I just want to flag that.

Um I know you guys probably already know, but for the public as well, that things things are are shaky, but okay right now, and it's very possible that things will get a lot worse for a safety net.

Um I think that that would also apply to the overlap on the housing opportunities, as my colleagues mentioned.

I think we're gonna have a bit of a perfect storm.

Um absolutely excited about the neighborhood signage initiative.

Um just rocking and rolling on that.

Excellent.

Um I'm I'm I'm I'm kind of confused about the last uh bullet point about the extended outdoor swim season, how how that might fall under this category.

I I don't, I I mean I might be missing something about this, but um I mean I guess effective, maybe like uh community enhancement fair enough.

Fair enough.

Okay, enhanced community experience.

No, no, that's that's yeah, no, that's that's that's extremely valid.

I think Brecken Parks found that when they did the pilot and kept the pool open for an extra, I think it was two weeks that they saw strong attendance and everyone seemed to like it, and the weather seemed to hold up and allow for it, and um they expressed an interest in continuing that.

Yeah, no, I I definitely I definitely support that.

Um honestly like getting more ideas like that from uh Wreck and Parks would be great.

So if there's other areas um and again going to kind of like let's try some some new things too, um dovetailing uh what uh Madam Mayor mentioned previously.

There was one thing that um uh city wreck and parks used to do that actually was really effective, and it was done in the um Lincoln Park community.

It was very effective in reaching uh uh especially uh marginalized kids, and that was midnight basketball tournaments.

Don't know why it ever stopped, but um thinking about things like that and obviously there would be a budgetary impact for that, but I think that that would be um something kind of cool to try that.

I say that as someone who's never played basketball.

Um, but it's also a safe place for people to be able to hang out and watch basketball.

Um, so I'll throw that out there because your last bullet point um it inspired me, but all this looks great.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Fulton.

Looks good to me.

I support all of these.

Thanks.

Councilmember Miles.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

So see myself with the comments of my colleague to the right.

Councilmember Van Grack.

I support all of these, might have some details of things we can potentially do more, but we can get into that later.

So looks great.

Councilman Shaw.

I support all of these, and I have a question around increased food insecurity.

Is there any place where that addressing that issue falls into I think the best place we would see that would be looking at our community services grants?

Okay.

And the funding that we provide to those community partners.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

So I support all of this, but since we're talking about uh new positions or um uh adding uh temporary uh positions, I just want to uh uh clarify and uh I wonder city manager I was gonna ask this question, I asked it uh before.

Uh could you provide some background as to the city's process for evaluating what to uh whether to hire new uh staff of full-time equivalent?

Uh to the city do an evaluation of services, try to repurpose staff.

Like, can you just walk us through the what went into this budget and uh to your decision to to recommend you know hiring more staff?

Um let me say that we received a number of requests for additional staffing levels, much like you've seen over the past number of years, but because it's an uncertain economic times, we're really really thoughtful about any ongoing costs, and obviously adding you know, full-time staff is a big ongoing cost.

Trying to avoid layoffs in the future.

Not that I predict that, but never want to get anywhere near that.

So the first thing is reevaluate the the request, the initiative of the new program, et cetera.

Do we really need it?

Number one.

Number two is Kimberly, Stacey and I are really firm about.

Is there anything that you're currently doing in your program in your budget that you could take away that revenue and then use that revenue to hire somebody else?

That's that's one thing.

In other words, do something less to do something more.

Second thing is do we really need to hire someone to do the work, or could we use a consult?

There's a couple neighborhood plans that we just funded this evening through your budget amendment where we're using consulting services and instead of hiring staff.

Then can we use temporary staff?

Then could we use interns, and then it could be do partner part-time staff, and then finally, after all that's exhausted, then it's potential for adding a new FTE.

So we go through that with all the positions.

No, thank you.

And uh that really helps uh I hope the the public understand what kind of thought goes into the budget process before it's uh uh uh submitted to the mayor, the council and to to public uh uh scrutiny.

So thank you for that explanation.

Thank you.

Uh I have a couple of quick questions.

Um it doesn't have to be answered now because I know the city attorney's office is not here, but can you share more information about what is the intent of the city attorney position before we approve that?

I do want to be careful about speaking on behalf of the city attorney, but I will say on the three of us support this position.

One, it's we're gonna move over the MPIA requests out of the city manager's office to the city attorney's office.

We think that's a much more efficient way to do it.

Right now, the city manager's office handles it, and then we hand it off to the attorneys to do even more work.

We think it should start there and end there.

We think that's a much more efficient process.

Number two, is there's just more and more work for the city attorney's office, whether it's procurement work, contract work, code changes, etc.

So we think additional capacity there not only helps that office, but also helps every single department that's requesting um assistance from the city attorney's office.

Thank you.

Will you be moving that position then from the city manager's office over to the city attorney's office?

So net it'll be neutral to the city.

It will not be neutral.

There's a significant cost differential there.

Okay.

I'd love to be able to get more information about that offline.

You bet.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um the other thing I'll ask is that does that reduce the amount of outsourcing we're doing uh for the legal?

And that's not something I know you can answer right now, but I think it's important to consider those things.

We'll add that to the list, Mayor.

Thank you.

Um on the neighborhood service, the neighborhood signage initiative.

What didn't we first of all?

I love it.

Did we have something about signage in this year's budget and how this will be expanded?

Can you just add to that?

So this so this year there was funding for that, and that funding was intended to um deal with the design and to do like the further the very first couple signs, maybe even the first sign.

Am I right, Jim?

Okay, five signs.

Okay.

Um, and so this is just a continuation of that to provide uh more of those neighborhood welcome signs.

Can we get information about what was done and what's planned?

Sure, that's not to be right now.

Okay, great.

Um the uh Rockville emergency assistance funding.

Um, I know that some of us raised in work sessions the idea of having a small pot of money that would help people pre-eviction.

Uh does this cover that, or is that something we have to discuss later in operating to add so the funding that we're adding here in REAP.

Well, there's two things happening actually with two things worth noting.

Um for as long as I can remember, there's been refunding that's been in the general fund, and then there's been refunding that's also been in the special activities fund.

Something that we're doing this year is moving all of that into the special activities fund so that it's all the entire program is budgeted in one place to be more transparent and easy to see what's coming in, what's going out.

You can better gauge the need when everything's in one place.

Um HCD has seen an increase in requests and in need, and so the extra funding that we're adding in this year is intended to address that uptick in requests and needs so that we are keeping up and managing um what we're seeing come in.

In terms of I think what you might be talking to maybe a program modification.

And I'll take it from there.

So, yes, we are contemplating based on some feedback we received from council about doing a program design change that would allow there to be a small amount of money that can be provided to a tenant that's in um distress before an eviction um notice is served.

So we're gonna come up with some numbers and bounce it off for you guys.

It won't impact the budget per se, it's more a program design change, but um, we're having those conversations, and as soon as it's ripe with a solid recommendation, we'll share that with the body.

Okay, so you'll have enough budget to potentially roll out that idea in FY27.

Okay, that's what I wanted to know.

Thank you.

All right, and then um my colleague, Councilman Ma Shaw mentioned the food and security piece.

Made me think about something that I saw this past year.

So Richard Montgomery Rockville High School are in our allocation area for the holiday services with Thanksgiving and the end of year holiday.

It's my understanding that Wooton is not.

Um, and we had about 40 requests uh from there.

So I just wanted to just look internally and see is there anything that we need to do to support that uh for DHCD.

I don't need an answer now, but I just wanted to flag that as an issue that came up this year.

That's something we'll have to circle back on.

Okay, thank you.

Um in terms of effective and efficient delivery.

I know we're doing a lot on the grant side.

We've previously and and other discussions have had uh comments about the sponsorship program that rolled out.

Are you guys seeing an uptake in that?

Is that something that's helping to extend your work?

Again, I don't need an answer now, but I know we looked at um uh about you know, through that program being able to support things in the city.

So I just wanted to flag that as a comeback.

I know we created a policy for it, but I don't know how it's doing.

We would have to get staff to provide an update for that.

Okay, and then what is the organized organizational development and human resources initiative?

Um that is funding um targeted at making adjustments to the performance evaluation process, um, the onboarding process, just some of those kinds of things, um, building out more um employee education, manager leading um trainings and things like that for staff internally.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, and that's in lieu of adding an FTE, by the way, go to go back to Councilmember Jackson's question.

Thank you.

It's an added FTE.

Just the opposite.

Instead of adding an FTE, we're gonna be doing it with contractual services.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Uh, and then um I've already mentioned comments on you know, using analytical tools or something related to AI, so I won't repeat all those comments here, but um related to HR.

I've received, I think um, Mr.

City Manager, you received requests from a principal asking about some jobs and some internship opportunities.

This comes up every budget season.

Since you had HR here, I just wanted to raise it again.

I'll ask more questions during operating, but I wanted to flag the issue.

Okay.

All right, Councilmember Shaw.

Um I I support in theory the um providing resources to tenants for pre-eviction.

Um, I I think in practice, um there are a lot of different opportunities for uh tenants and landlords to uh discuss an arrangement where sometimes they won't get the eviction.

And so with limited resources, I think it just may be important to take into account like where on the eviction cycle that that could happen, because there's just a lot of a lot of a lot of opportunities for mediation and for the landlord and the tenants to make a deal kind of before the eviction, especially with extending the eviction notice.

So I I think we should just look at the whole cycle when when we're making that decision for these extra resources.

Thank you, Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'm sorry I didn't ask this question uh earlier, but uh I've just molding it over as of uh listen to my colleagues talk.

So when we talk looking at the expended community services and enrichment grants.

Um can you tell me how that process worked?

Because uh did we have did we have a strategy or did we have um uh initiatives that we really wanted to uh support, or uh was it just hey, we opened up the uh the grant process, and whoever applied, then we considered them for uh a grant so in terms of expanding the community services and enrichment grants.

What that means is we've expanded the number of grant recipients.

If you look at that listing in the budget document, you'll see that there are 49 different recipients there programs.

Um so that's an expansion.

Many, a number of them are first time applicants.

So uh we're also introducing two new categories.

One is legal services, and the other one is uh immigrant communities services.

Um and so uh those things came as the recommendation, not just from staff, but from a whole committee that reviewed and evaluated these applications.

Um and I believe uh you all have been provided access to the digital binder that includes an overview of the entire program in terms of what the process is, the composition of the committee that did all that review work, um, and how they came about to their recommendations.

Now the the budget includes expanded funding, and I think that reflects one again the judgment of that committee, but also their understanding of the needs of the community and wanting to be more responsive.

Yeah, and and I just asked that because uh I looked at uh uh some of the the grants, and they're all uh wonderful uh organizations, but it seems to me that we could do a better job maybe of uh aligning our initiatives uh with our nonprofit partners.

Uh just like uh I noticed that we gave more grants to uh food uh uh organizations, uh food pantries or the distributed uh food, uh there were immigrant groups there, uh there was legal aid, and all of that is important.

I mean, that's all a priority of the mayor and council.

Um and I guess if you know we didn't have uh an over uh uh influx of uh uh grant applicants, then it was fine.

But it in the case, maybe in the future, especially as uh things go um uh sideways with uh the the federal government or uh uh uh funders, um, you know, we could have really have a big influx of uh uh grant applic applications.

So I think it would behoove us to have a strategy and uh really look at the categories of where we want to put a money for the biggest bang for the buck, just you know, um uh so that we're aligned with our priorities and with our partners so we'll get back to grants also.

We'll get more information about that.

I would love to uh make sure that between now and then we're getting more background, as my colleague mentioned on the expansion rationale.

Uh I know Councilman Van Crack previously mentioned the discussion on legal services and some other players and organizations provide that.

So just wanted to make sure we're getting that information as well.

Yeah, Mayor, we sent you everything that we have is on that link that's I have the binder, yes, but I think just a quick summary from stuff on the rationale of the two sections.

Okay.

Yeah.

Immigration makes total sense.

The legal services is something that given the comments from my colleagues, I think it would be helpful to get more information on.

We'll roll that into the presentation about that.

Okay, thank you.

That was the last category in terms of initiatives.

So we're happy to entertain any discussion on revenues, fees.

Just checking to see if anyone needs a break.

All right.

So now we're going over to utility rates and then fees, correct?

However, you however you'd like to.

So utility rates can just to give us some background.

This is just what was you're proposed, you're including what was already approved in May 2024.

Water and sewer rates, yes, we're approved in May 2024.

The only thing that this council needs to do as part of this budget adoption process is adopt refuse and stormwater rates.

Are you changing that other than what was approved?

Nothing is changing to water and sewer rates.

Refuge and stormwater rates do need to be approved for fiscal year 2027.

Okay.

Please provide some background on the rationale for the increases that you're proposing there then.

Sure.

So the refuse and stormwater funds are enterprise funds, as are the water and sewer funds.

They're intended to be self-sustaining and not relying upon any taxpayer dollars.

So the fees that are set need to provide for the services, the operating services in capital improvements.

So we take a working capital model and we look at what the costs of service are and propose to be for the year ahead, and that includes capital projects.

And we model out what revenues would be required to maintain those funds and the service delivery that is proposed.

So to the extent that we would reduce or cut those revenues, that would mean a potential reduction in things like services, service levels, equipment replacement, um, capital projects, things like that.

Thank you.

I my colleague is gonna go uh when she comes back, we'll we'll go and ask questions.

I'll just ask one more um one or two more overarching questions.

She'll be back by then.

But um the AMI, is that gonna help us reduce costs and is that gonna be rolled out in this fiscal year?

AMI has the potential to offer a lot of efficiencies for the water system, also for users.

Um it in the short term, it's going to cost us quite a bit of money to invest.

Um, and the your question was will that be rolled out during FY27?

Correct.

Will you start rolling it out in the yes?

Okay, thank you.

So we'll keep an eye on potential savings in the future after the initial infrastructure investment.

Okay, and the last overarching question I was gonna ask, and then we'll go to Councilmember Fulton, who's next to go up first, um, is the Potomac interceptor.

Uh so I have a question because these are enterprise funds, and it's supposed to be self-sustaining, but we have a unique situation that we're still learning about.

Um Rockville is not in charge of maintaining that Potomac Interceptor, but because we have a capacity agreement with WSSC, uh, there is a percentage that we support of WSC's share.

I have seen that WCC, the overarching project, not what WCC is responsible for, not what Rockwell's responsible for, but the overarching project numbers in the 20 million range, and then last week I saw them in the 600 million range, and of WCC will pay 31% of that, and Rockville would pay 15.8 potentially of WCC's 31% share.

So and I know we're applying for federal funding as well, but um my question is is there anything that we need to be doing to um maybe think about reserves or setting aside, or will that hit user rates?

So what would be the approach there?

So right now all of those funds would be in the CIP in the Blue Plains Capital Project.

Um we don't exactly know the full impact and the full scale.

We don't know exactly what federal support might be there to provide a cushion.

Um those are things we still have to wait and see.

Um, in terms of reserves, um, we the sewer fund has some degree of reserves, but we're also trying to make sure that they main it maintains those reserves.

We just got that fund really healthy and into compliance.

So there's not a strong surplus of reserves in the sewer fund, even though it is um within policy targets.

That being said, it's a fluid situation, and it's something that we'll continue to monitor.

And if there is something that is um required of the mayor and council or an update that we need to share, we'll make sure that happens.

Um if we get we we hope to get information to inform this next rate study.

That's really important.

So the next rate study is planned for fiscal year 2027, and that's when we'll be adopting rates for FY28, 29, and 30.

So it's gonna be really important that we have information by the time that study gets underway because we're gonna want to make sure that rates are set appropriately so that the city's uh costs are are built in some kind of way.

Thank you very much.

I would love to make sure the mayor and council's kept abreast on that project.

Um, because I said it could be overarching project is 20 million to 600 million, and I hope it's the smaller amount, and Rockville's share will be much smaller than that.

But um, I I would have concern about everything hitting the ratepayer because of this unanticipated piece, and I want to make sure we're insure affordability.

All right, I'm gonna go to council member Fulton.

I don't clarifying on the slide.

I literally can't understand the slide.

Okay, let me count Councilmember Fulton's gonna go uh first and then we'll come back.

Yeah, I have a question that I just came up with all on my own.

Um can you say what RTS means under water RTS?

Does that mean ready to serve?

This means ready to serve.

Yeah, okay.

Um so that's fine.

Um I'm fine with the rates.

I do have, I'm sorry, I do have one question broader based on the conversation that we just had.

Um I right that we keep a 20% overall reserve for unanticipated, unbudgeted fiscal shocks that we couldn't have planned for.

We do, however, that's in the general fund.

So it's not exactly the same as being, I mean, could we transfer that over to the water fund store fund?

We could.

Um we might not necessarily recommend it, but we we could.

Okay.

Otherwise, I'm good with these.

Thank you.

Dr.

Miles.

Yeah, my question with regard to rates was answered uh both earlier and by city staff.

The biggest concern I raised with regard to the rates and the changes that are being proposed.

Um, not specifically for utility races, uh some of the um permit fees that we'll talk about later.

We can address later, but I have no concerns with what's on the slide in front of us now.

Thank you, Councilman Van Grack.

Thank you.

Um I I took a look at some of these rates and um compared to some of the other um jurisdictions around here, and I have to tell you, I think you guys are online.

The only thing that I might note is because of some of the potential costs that the mayor was talking about, we might need to go higher, but we're not there yet.

We don't know what they're doing.

I think these are modest increases.

So you clearly have done your work into looking what these rates are, and I think it was a good projection in May of 24 as well, because they seem to have aligned with what other annual rates are doing.

So just overall, great job.

Councilmember Shaw.

I agree with my colleagues, no concern with these rates.

Thank you.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, uh, Mayor.

Uh first of all, I I'm not concerned with these rates.

Uh uh, I don't like increasing rates at all.

Um, but this makes sense uh to me.

I would just be remiss not to note that not every citizen of Rockville or every resident of Rockville is on city water or city sewer.

I mean, there's a large portion of the city, uh, one seventh, one one sixth that is on uh WSSC.

And the WSSC has said that they're gonna pass the cost of repla repair or replacement of the that uh sewer line um onto the ratepayers.

So we'll maybe we have the discussion down the road.

Uh another thing we're gonna put a pin in, but if that's the case and uh the ratepayers are paying WSC FC for uh the cost of the the the sewer, I don't know.

Uh then should we be talking about the city paying or should we be talking about the rate pairs uh of the city's services?

Just something to put uh food for thought.

Thank you.

Just to clarify, I think the city's water is for 70% of the population and WCC is 30%, so it's a little bit higher, actually.

Um all right.

Well, I think you've gotten our feedback on this section.

Um, sorry, Councilman Valerie, I apologize.

It's like I don't even exist over here.

No, I'm kidding.

Um, and no, and I apologize.

I just really was confused by RTS.

Um my biggest point on this was the impact of the interceptor if WSSC to to Councilmember Jackson's point, they're already saying they're gonna pass the costs on.

Um, then do they know something we don't know?

I think the soonest we know on that the better.

Um I'm extremely concerned about the increase in the in the water rate.

I understand completely about um again, going back to the perfect storm, right?

Like we we are already in a tenuous place.

We're about to shake up the safety net even more, and we're looking at a nine percent change um in what I now know is water ready to serve.

Um so I'm I'm extremely concerned with that.

Um I think that's a significant enough jump um that it would it would give me pause.

I can either ask Councilmember Air Van Grack to share his work um or I can ask for it separately.

I would really like to see the regional comparison as it is right now, maybe with what regionally um jurisdictions are doing, whether they're um already announcing they're gonna pass the costs on, what did the last rate increase look like?

I can of course, you know, talk to my neighbors who are on WSSC, but if somebody has a more um uh you know well researched uh comparison, I think that that would be that would be helpful to me in general.

Um, and this goes to the the I know we'll get to fees, but just generally for me in terms of making Rock Bill um more welcoming and opening open to people um, you know, moving here.

I I want to know, you know, are are we increasing this at a rate higher than um honestly that we need at this point, knowing that there's already stressors on the community.

So that that's that's where I'm coming from, and I know everyone said it already.

I'm just gonna say it again.

The Potomac Interceptor issue is just giving me heartburn.

Um, and the soonest that anybody knows anything, it would be great uh for that information to be shared with mayor and council as appropriate.

Uh to my colleague's point on this, um, I think in learning about the fix that's going to be required.

Uh because we are not responsible for maintenance, but we are responsible fiscally for repairs.

Um it might be good also just for the city to have a board seat.

I know that's something that's a larger discussion, but um I was looking at some of the decks that WSSC is sharing, and this is not the only project where support is needed.

And I was looking at the the share among jurisdictions that some of things might come back to us.

So I I just think that everyone is now gonna be focused on how to prevent and support infrastructure, and so we need some keep keep an eye on this, not only for Rockville residents through our own water, but also for the Rockville residents who are on WCC water.

Thank you.

I think we're on to the next fees.

Okay.

Councilmember Miles, you're you're next.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

And as I previewed my previous response, it received a response or replied to my question with regard to the fees and the changes, specifically with regard to new construction and alteration, fire protection systems, electrical permit, site plan application, zoning applications, so stormwater alternative fees.

Um it was just a marked increase in uh the larger concern is you know, to what extent is this hostile tool or make it more difficult for development, uh, which is something that we really want to push with specifically with regard to housing, but more broadly to make this city amenable to people who want to come here and do business.

I do recognize staff's response in terms of um cost recovery and and such.

Um I just hope we can perhaps and I and I recognize that the fees, the the proposed fees are being used in the budget, I think as being proposed uh for FY2027.

I I mean I I am not a budget expert, and I don't want to get back into the habit of looking for nickels under couch cushions, but if we can find a way to moderate them, that'd be great.

I'd I'm just thinking more broadly about you know the impact, potential impact on on development that these uh in some cases rather steep increases can have.

Uh welcome any response that you have, but I did receive it offline and I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Van Grack.

Um I'm gonna start very similar to my my colleague.

Um a lot of these fees that we're proposing for um new development, while I understand there's a cost recovery aspect to it.

Obviously, there's that's an important part for the city.

We've all almost every single time we've come to the fee discussion, at least since I've been sitting here, and even prior when I've watched it, we talk about the jump that you can make while looking for the recovery.

A number of these jumps are pretty steep.

And we've talked about even some in some types of fees being 30%, even when we're talking about some smaller fees.

And if we're gonna be communicating to folks that we want developers, we want builders, whether it's multifamily units, whether it's a single, you know, lot that someone's trying to build on, we're proposing some significantly jumps.

And um, I just saw this afternoon, we actually got a letter from the Maryland Building Industry Association that they themselves have noted that a number of our fees are dramatically steep.

Now, I have not I mean, they mentioned a bunch, I've got a bunch of my note, Councilmember Miles got a bunch of his in his notes.

I don't know what the answer is is to which one specifically, and I don't want to be, you know, claim to be the fees expert in development to say, oh, we need to take this one down, take this one down.

But I think there probably needs to be a macro discussion about um the increases we're doing.

I know the mayor talked um earlier today about all the different jurisdictions that we're competing with.

Um I know that when the these first came out, I looked at just some of our neighboring jurisdictions, like Gaitersburg and Montgomery County, and I actually looked, oh, you know, they we're in line, and the increases you're proposing, I think are in line.

So I commend you, similar to what I was talking about before, about looking to some of our closest neighboring jurisdictions.

However, in reality, we're not just competing with our closest neighbors.

As the mayor said, we're competing with Virginia, we're competing with uh potentially other jurisdictions in Maryland that might be just to the north of us that might not be as expensive to invest in.

So I think it might need to take a broad brush look to see where we're increasing substantially and where there is an avenue that we won't potentially diminish um development.

I know it's tough for me to say, hey, there's a potential problem.

I don't know what the solution is.

Um, and sometimes it's tough, you know, for staff to hear that from elected officials.

And I wish I had an exact rubric, but we might want to just take a broad look at theirs, especially to the ones and the fees where we're going over double what we were in the last fiscal year.

Um, one other question I did have, it was gonna be in my notes, but I figured you guys might have it because it was part of your presentation.

What percentage of our revenue on an annual basis comes directly from the income tax percentage that we get from residents?

Do we have that?

Or is that something that we might need to follow up from?

Yes.

Did you mean income tax or do you mean permits?

No, no, I I'm switching slightly differently.

No, no, no.

I I was not meaning, I I was actually just this was just in my lineage of notes when trying to put it percentage from it.

So yes, I was actually referring to income.

Um, I don't have that number right off the top of my head.

Um I can get that to you.

Okay, all right.

It was just something that I know when when we were you were talking about earlier, and I wanted to make sure I didn't forget that.

Okay.

Um, so another question that um with regard to fees and charges that I've brought up before, and I want to kind of bring it up again, just and it's actually a little bit in the other direction.

I know um some of the fees that I think we charge for kind of rental seems extremely low.

And I know with some of our, you know, community centers and even with the renting of Glenview, when I've looked kind of to neighboring jurisdictions, we seem very low.

Was some of the rationale there was that because we're not looking for cost recovery in those areas, and it's kind of a benefit, or I'm just wondering if it's still in an avenue that we've just looked, and that's where we think the revenue can be.

That's a great question.

So, recreation and parks um services has a completely different cost recovery structure in years past, we've shown it like a pyramid.

Um, and so you have things like parks that have it can be zero cost recovery, right?

We're not charging people fees to come to the park.

Um, but then there are things like um private, you know, music lessons.

Well, that's more of an individual benefit.

So it's weighing individual benefit versus community benefit, and so it's a tiered system.

And so um to answer your question, renting facilities absolutely does fall under a cost recovery structure.

So then uh let me ask you this because I know we've seen the pyramid chart before where we're talking about all especially with regard to recreational parks, which one's cost recovery, which one is are we looking for kind of a benefit just to pass through?

Um, to what degree with all of our fees, or do are we doing that with any of our permit fees, or are they all in the same revenue chain where we're just saying what is the best income for the city that we're not discouraging, for example, development?

So when we're looking at permits and licenses, those are regulatory programs that we do strive to obtain full cost recovery on.

That being said, um, there are instances where we might not want to obtain full cost recovery, and so uh because we want to stay competitive, right?

But in that case, then those do end up being taxpayer subsidized services.

So then that brings me back to that's a perfect explanation.

That brings me back to kind of the first question.

To what degree with some of these increase increases, are we directly attributing it to the exact cost that we're potentially incurring versus an avenue of where we think we can potentially make additional revenue from the permits and the fees.

So at a high I think I understood the question.

I hope I'm I'm gonna take a step at this.

So at a high level with this particular fee analysis, um benchmarking was done when it was available.

There are some cases where there aren't really good benchmarks because you know, we might have some fees that are unique, or you know, there's a unique nuanced structure for how we structure our fees.

Um so when we didn't have a good comparable data source, we were just increasing those some by just an inflationary factor, which is basically what we've been doing since 2011, because that was the last time a comprehensive study was done.

So in the areas where we did have good benchmarks, we looked at the calculated cost recovery fee and determined whether that needed to stick or if there were benchmarks that would indicate we can't go that high.

And so when those reliable benchmarks existed, we kept those fee increases.

Now you have some fees that are just um so infrequently used that they weren't really dug deep into um because they just only happen a couple times a year, for instance.

But they're on our fee summary, and so there's some of those as well.

They may not have also had a good comp, but maybe just got an inflationary increase.

Does that help answer the question?

It does.

And uh, you know, I I know this is something that you've already heard, I know the mayor talked about it, Councilmember Miles talked about it, I've talked about it.

We're probably gonna hear from a number of my colleagues as well.

It might be worth it because this is kind of our day to talk about fees and charges and revenue, and we've got a lot of other issues in the work session.

I don't know if it benefits us, because I think you know, just as I said before, the one of the worst things an elected official can say is I see a problem, but I don't know of a solution.

Um, so I don't know if there might be a benefit for either briefings during the week or some other avenue for have a further discussion of this.

Because I don't want to necessarily leave this and say, hey, do something, I don't know what it is, but I think it merits further discussion.

And I don't know if it's a question from Mr.

City Manager, what you think is kind of the best avenue, because I'm sure you're gonna hear from some of my colleagues on this too.

Yeah, maybe just a couple of comments to add what Kimberly said, and then I'll answer the question directly.

Um I know I've worked for many other cities.

Um, raising development review fees are never popular, never ever.

I mean, it's just it's all it's a borderline necessary evil, let's be honest with it.

But the challenge for us is you know, we can do a calculation.

If we're doing a subdivision review, site plan review, we know who touches it from the from the permit tech to the engineer to the planner, et cetera.

Take the salary times the time spent, and then the number spits out, right?

We do try to be as cost recovery as possible, but it's generally described if it goes outside of what we consider a peer review in the region, then we do rec make a recommendation and pull it back.

Here's the challenge though.

There are inherent equity issues with this as well.

If you are um a developer, if you're someone that is doing a significant improvement to your property, and we say that artificially, you know, that that fee is just way too high, we're gonna throttle it back.

It doesn't mean we cut back our services.

We're still gonna provide the care to make sure that someone gets the permit, but that means that instead of it being a user fee for the person or directly benefiting from that service, it's passed on to the to the taxpayer.

And that's what we're trying to close up that gap.

The other thing about the steepness of the of the increases, can at least I went through our fee study and I saw that some of our fees were not changed since 2009.

That made me you know, really raise my eyebrows.

That's where the steepness comes from because we haven't touched them.

The challenge is if we continue to forego those fee increases, they're just gonna get steeper and steeper and steeper.

So to answer your questions specifically, what I would strongly recommend is that you guys just send to me any particular fee that you guys think is out of range, and we'll give you all the detail that we have on that.

But that's really what our study was is to evaluate this on an equity basis relative to our peers to try to be as cost recovered as possible, but let us know what fee you guys are uncomfortable with, and we'll provide you additional information.

Just in the ones that we're talking with, and and again, maybe I'm missing something.

We've got some fee just on the first page of the fees.

Okay we can do that thank you appreciate it um I I want to echo the comments of my colleagues um and I do think that's a good idea to just circle back with you and um share the specific fees that we have a concern with um because I do think this requires further discussion um I will say that um even if even if the fees are comparable like to Gathersburg for example there's a lot of different factors like Gathersburg the the land is a little bit cheaper so you know there's just a lot of different factors to to consider um and I I am concerned um as my colleagues have shared I am concerned about the negative impact on development um and making sure uh developers are choosing Rockville um I know that last year I was concerned about the landlord license fee um and the concern of that being transitioned to the tenant um and I saw that it it was the same this year which is a good thing um uh and I I think that these fees I have more of a concern about development than to a tenant since these aren't like existing homes right now um these are future homes um but I do agree with the thought to circle back on the specific the specific fees because there's just there's a lot of them that have been increased.

Thank you.

Thanks uh mayor so uh uh first I'll switch uh uh the the the direction uh for a second and say thanks so there's two types of fees in here there's uh the community planning uh fees and then there's listed recreation and parks fees and I think you guys did a good job at least on the the the recreation and parks fees it and holding the line and keeping them where they they they are um you know uh we know that residents you know uh uh are going through uh a tough time and you know I I think that it's a recognition that we should keep the line where it is and so I thank you for uh you know proposing a budget that doesn't increase uh fees for residents and the clo class and and programs I think that should be said now on the other one on this uh community and planning and and the rest I hear what you're saying uh Mr.

City Manager about you know uh tell us tell you exactly which fees um you you know we have questions about but I'm sitting here looking at uh the pages and I have a lot of uh highlights uh that have questions on so I don't know what the answer is um but if there's a narrative or something that kind of lays out why um uh staff chose to increase certain fees versus uh others um that would help me a lot um you know I and I I told you before uh when we met on uh Friday you know I was looking for a a pattern um I was looking for you know something to like click in my head of like oh this is why uh the these fees increased and I I just didn't find it because I think uh you know it just it just seemed looking at it and and total like it was kind of random now I know it isn't I mean you've explained exactly why they um they increase but you know I think we just need a little bit of more information and a little bit uh maybe comparison to the other um uh municipalities so to help us understand because right now just looking at it it just I can't make sense of it.

Yeah I want to thank my colleagues for the very thoughtful questions um and uh I did share some feedback in February uh and started out this meeting that I do think that we need to look not just our neighboring jurisdictions but then the jurisdictions that we think are doing well economically in terms of economic development but also maintaining the values of the services they provide to the residents I think that's critical as I noted Maryland is not yet at a point where we're recognized for a strong uh you know uh and business incentives we will get there and I believe under this administration the state level we will get there but I think we get it need to think very very critically about that and how do we add to that I also think compounding with the fact that there is a lot of things happening at the federal level with tariffs and other things that I know that there was a Supreme Court there's there was some rulings but there are other things that are being charged and some some taps that are still going through particularly on steel and others that will impact housing and economic development.

And I believe under this administration, the state level, we will get there.

Uh but I think we get it need to think very, very critically about that and how do we add to that.

I also think compounding with the fact that there is a lot of things happening at the federal level with tariffs and other things that I know that there was a Supreme Court, there's there was some rulings, but there are other things that are being charged, and some tariffs that are still going through, particularly on steel and others that will impact housing and economic development.

So in general, um, I really appreciate that you have done a fee study.

I may not be ready to implement that just yet because of the times that we're in with needing housing with the the tariff concerns and other pressures that are causing.

So there were a couple that really stood out to me, and I'll note that new construction fee for single family and townhomes, which we are seeing some projects, uh, 114% increase.

Um the multifamily new construction, 107% increase, occupancy per square foot, 5k, uh 96% increase, rough wiring outlets, 53% increase, sign fees, 147% increase, EV charging, 28.6, single family rental license, 100%.

Uh and uh site plans, 25%, sediment control, a thousand percent, uh, solar 50%.

Uh on the recreation and park side, I think you all did a fantastic job here.

Um, the only one that really stood out to me was the youth classes and programs, which there was something around a 30% increase.

So I just those are the ones in particular for me that if we're going above 10% increase, I kind of want to see how do we map against those other jurisdictions.

I can tell you um count, I'm sorry, Mayor Ashton.

Um with that particular recreation fee, that it's that's just tied to a change in the registration structure.

So that that's one particular program where there was a separate registration for annual performance and then a separate registration for the class, and that just put the annual performance and the class fee together and combine those two as one registration.

So it's just a change in the registration structure.

It's not a wholesale significant increase to the programs.

What is the percent increase to the programs?

Is there none?

I I would have to, we would have to extrapolate that one program out and then.

Okay, that will be helpful.

But that was the only one from the recreation programs.

I think the other ones looked really good.

But that was I just wanted to clarify there's one program that that drives that range change, and that's the reason.

Okay, and it and it just so happens to be on the youth, and we're talking about that.

I believe it's a theater program.

So there's like a end of year like annual performance, and it's connected, it's a separate, it used to be a separate registration.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It also went down.

Yeah.

So I I will say I generally support all the recreation ones because I think the you try to stay close to the same.

Uh, and so that's not the issue I have.

It's the other ones under um the new construction and a couple of the other ones I just mentioned.

I will also say I'm concerned about the single family rental license fee, one up a hundred percent.

Um, I appreciate that you did not increase the multifamily, but we did just increase these fees last year.

Um, and that will get passed on to tenants, that that level of a fee.

Uh, so that is one that stood out to me as well.

Um, so if there's a for those larger ones, that's where I kind of really want to hone in on what are other jurisdictions doing.

But I in general I'm feeling less comfortable about some of these higher fees this year.

Maybe you know, as tariffs, the tariff situation changes and the economy changes, and you know, we're seeing more housing starts all over uh Maryland, I might feel differently, but that's that's where I'm concerned.

Thank you.

So I think what I'm hearing from the mayor and council is that you want some additional information, including benchmarking information on those larger um residential multifamily construction related fees, and then um single unit rental licensing.

Um that's what I'm hearing talked about.

I think you're gonna get us information about the youth programs.

And the other one I'll say is I just don't think we should be increasing the EV and solar fees.

Uh, we made a strategic decision to keep those very affordable uh and try to encourage more.

I think there are energy prices are going up, and so to the extent that we're encouraging more um ways for people to exercise resiliency in the face of potential energy rate increases.

I I would want to do.

Uh we have two more colleagues to hear from.

So I just want to note that.

Councilmember Valeri.

I'll be fast, I promise.

Um I appreciate everything that my colleagues have said.

I think that in the absence of the the benchmarking report, that a lot of us, and I won't speak for anyone, that would have been helpful to me to determine and understand the rationale behind some of these increases.

That would have been helpful to me to determine and understand the rationale behind some of these increases.

Without seeing that it's a black box, I I you know, I don't know how we got here, but if you if we see that, okay, um, the landscape looks like this on this permit or that permit, here are is some context, which means that we need to increase it by this much.

I think that's I think that would be that would help me to better to feel better in particular about some of the new construction uh fee increases.

If we are trying, if housing is one of our um one of our priorities, and then on the one hand, and then on the other hand, we're increasing the fees significantly, then we're kind of undercutting our our own, in my opinion.

It would make me feel like I'm undercutting my own uh strategic priority super quickly to uh Mr.

City Manager's point.

I was just doing a quick highlighting um of all the fees that I could see that the last time they were adjusted was before 2011 thereabouts.

There's actually no increase suggested.

So those I would be like, oh, okay.

Let's see, meter disconnect reconnect fee 2006.

It's been 50 dollars before, 50 dollars proposed.

Like, I mean, I'm not saying I'm just using that as like one example here, but you know, that to me would make a a lot of a lot more sense.

It's these increases when we just adjusted them last year that has my head kind of I'm scratching my head, or even the context of I'm just gonna hang out miscellaneous utility fees.

Um, knowing the percent in increase too in that table would have been like a cool um data point to share with us too, because now I got to do math, and I'm already not real strong on math, but it's it's significant enough that um I I don't feel entirely comfortable without knowing some of the rationale, and I'll say it even more succinctly um than others have said.

I I want to do better than what Virginia's doing on some of these because I want people to pick, choose Rock Bill and be intentional about building here and having their businesses here, and in order to do that, we need the best rationale for some of these fees, in my opinion.

Thanks.

Councilmember Fulton.

So I do agree with my colleagues that it's hard to evaluate these fees without sort of seeing the benchmarking.

At the same time, I like I started out this conversation.

Like you all know that we care about like like making sure we get some development around here.

I assume these fees like you came to these with that in mind, and there's some ration.

So I'd love to see it.

Um I do want to keep it as low as possible to be as inviting as possible.

I also don't want our taxpayers to subsidize or our services to our residents to take a hit.

That's the balancing act you all are doing.

I just think it's like, can you show us a little bit of the math in that way we'll be able to feel comfortable with it?

But I'm sure that that's what you were doing.

Switching gears entirely to some serious deja vu because I asked this every year.

Um, and I guess I never remember the answer.

There was state law last year that allowed us to increase our speed camera violations based on the which I'm super excited about because I've been asking about that since like before I started red light camera violations, stay the same.

We go back and forth on whether this is like state law, whether it really requires a state law change.

Can you help me remember what that is and whether there's anything we can do there?

There's nothing we can do.

No, we we have to follow state law.

So the increase that you see propose, and uh madam mayor, you put this question in writing as well.

We're just following state law.

That's we're required to do it, and so um we are completely beholden to them in terms of what uh we can assess with our automated ticketing system.

So you should call me out because it's not a budget question, but is where I'll say it because we had because several of us agitated about this a couple years ago, it got some traction, and that actually helped contribute to the state law change on the um speed camera.

So if like Linda's Miranda's still awake, like let's just like put that on list for other ways we can tackle that one.

Absolutely.

Thanks.

I think you've heard a lot from my colleagues on this.

Uh and just want to say thank you.

I know this was not an easy job, uh, and uh we appreciate the additional data you're gonna provide and listening to some of the concerns we have.

Okay.

I think that's it for this section.

Uh but I'll just say this the finance department is doing incredible work.

Um, I can tell you that I know other jurisdictions that are not in the place we are financially because of the rigor that you all bring to the table.

Uh so I want to acknowledge that.

Uh we all have dreams that we want to see, but we have to also make sure that we're not creating a problem for future residents and for future councils.

And so just wanted to really thank you for the level of professionalism you bring to the table and supporting the vision, the ideas, and our residents and stakeholders as well.

Thank you.

All right.

So we will meet again March 23rd.

Thank you.

Councilmember Shaw.

I just wanted to make a comment on the budget survey.

It was great to see that this early on that 20% of the respondents were renters, and I think that is an uptick from last year at this very early stage.

Typically, we see populations that are underrepresented.

Typically, they um they provide feedback later in uh the process, but to see 20% at this stage is really incredible.

And I think that is from a lot of uh uh tenant organizers, tenant associations, half of the multifamily buildings now have a tenant association.

There are a number of tenants that provided feedback around rent stabilization last year, and we're looking for the budget survey this year, so it's really good to um I think it's a good example of engaging um a population that has been traditionally underrepresented.

Um, and I I just wanted to also just thank you again for the work that you were doing.

I know you were sharing um uh uh the survey to a number of tenants, but I I also think it's just tenants also sharing it with themselves.

Thank you.

Okay, we'll now be moving on to mock agenda.

We had a detailed meeting with leadership planning team meeting earlier today, and just checking to see that we're all good.

All right, so now we're moving on to old new business.

Uh I think we're good here.

We mentioned that we're gonna work on a letter with uh to support the WCC's letter for federal funding for the Potomac Interceptor.

Um, I also heard that um the Maryland Women's Business Center is gonna be seeking seeking a letter from us uh to support their earmarked submission.

So we'll try to get get more information about that so we can get that done on time.

Thank you.

All right, do we have a motion to adjourn?

Councilmember Valeri.

I move to adjourn.

Do we have a second?

Councilmember Shaw seconds, all those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Thank you to our team, thank you, staff for sticking with us.

We appreciate you.

Thank you, all of our residents as well.