Council interviews Faisal Amin for deputy director of Office of Management and Budget

Faisal Amin, the county executive’s nominee for deputy director for results at Montgomery County’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), told the County Council on Tuesday he would prioritize performance measurement, transparent communication with the council and cross-agency collaboration if confirmed.

Amin, who described two decades of federal budgeting and financial-management work — including roles at the White House and as chief financial officer at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — said the deputy director oversees planning and deployment of county resources to align with the county executive’s priorities and to provide timely information to stakeholders, including the council.

In opening remarks, Rich Maddalino introduced Amin’s background and noted Amin’s previous federal service and local ties: Amin lives in Germantown, his wife works for Montgomery County Public Schools and he has two sons, one at the University of Maryland and one at Seneca Valley High School.

When asked how he would manage OMB staff and work with agency directors, Amin said his management philosophy emphasizes belonging, open communication, mentoring and creating a “community of trust” that discourages information hoarding. He said he would bring program-evaluation and continuous-improvement experience from federal roles and would convene regular briefings with analysts and program desk officers to track goals and measures.

On racial equity and social-justice budgeting, Amin described experience creating the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights and providing technical assistance and performance-evaluation grants to grantees after passage of major federal infrastructure legislation. He said he would use similar approaches locally to prioritize investments in under-resourced communities.

Asked about specific first-year steps to improve performance measurement, Amin said he would first learn OMB practices, then integrate strategic planning, performance management and program evaluation. He described past practices such as bringing related teams together, holding desk-officer briefings and establishing quarterly performance reviews that fed up to senior county leaders.

Council members asked about contingency planning for uncertain federal funding and potential near-term fiscal shocks. Amin described Montgomery County’s roughly $7.5 billion budget and said two-thirds funds schools, public safety and health and human services; he said the county’s annual budget and supplemental appropriation process allow agility to respond to midyear changes.

On technology and software, Amin said he supported continued investment in financial tools, cited prior use of robotic process automation to reduce errors and speed analyses, and suggested a measured approach to artificial-intelligence tools that augment analysts rather than replace them.

Council members who questioned Amin included Council Member Glass, Vice President Giordano, Council Members Mink, Albornoz, Lukey, Sales and others. Many praised Amin’s experience and signaled support for confirmation; Amin said he was not aware of any conflicts of interest.

No vote took place during the session; the interview will proceed through the council’s confirmation process.