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Montgomery County Council holds budget hearing, approves $520,000 COVID vaccination grant supplemental appropriation
Summary
At a public hearing on the FY25 budget, the Montgomery County Council approved a $520,000 supplemental appropriation for a state COVID mass vaccination grant and heard public testimony urging support for schools, parks, public health and community programs.
Montgomery County Council on April 2025 held a public hearing on supplemental appropriations and the FY25 capital budget and voted to approve a $520,000 supplemental appropriation for a state COVID mass vaccination grant to Public Health Services.
The vote followed a public hearing that also included presentations and testimony on a proposed $974,664 supplemental appropriation for Montgomery Cares, a $650,000 capital allocation for a diversion center, and a $500,000 countywide facade easement program. Dozens of residents and nonprofit leaders testified about priorities for the FY26 operating budget, including school repairs, affordable housing and social services, parks funding, support for LGBTQIA+ services, and criticism of certain environmental spending.
The $520,000 appropriation (Supplemental Appropriation 25-68) was moved by Council member Fanny González and seconded by Council member (Sales). The council recorded nine affirmative votes; no opposing or abstaining votes were recorded in the hearing transcript. Council staff described the source of funds as a state grant and said council action would follow immediately after the hearing. The council president noted action was taken at the meeting.
Other items on the agenda were presented as public hearings and closed without immediate council action. Supplemental Appropriation 25-58 would add $974,664 to the Department of Health and Human Services for Montgomery Cares, with funds from general fund undesignated reserves and an accompanying amendment to Operating Budget Resolution 20-526 section G to designate the Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County Maryland Inc. for noncompetitive contract status. The FY25 capital budget hearing included a $650,000 allocation for a Department of Health and Human Services diversion center (funded in part by general obligation bonds and state aid) and a $500,000 state-aid funded amendment to the capital improvement program for a countywide facade easement program; the hearings noted committee work sessions scheduled in April and deadlines for submitting materials.
During the public comment portion, speakers urged the council to preserve and expand services and capital investments. Leslie Graham, president and CEO of the Primary Care Coalition, urged maintaining increases for the Montgomery Cares and Care for Kids programs, saying, "The health care being provided for 35,000 uninsured neighbors, 3% of our county's population, it can't wait." Philip Alexander Downey, chief executive officer of the Montgomery County Pride Family / MOCO Pride Center, urged continued and expanded funding for LGBTQIA+ community spaces and services, saying investments in affirming, community-led care "save lives." Other speakers pressed the council to fully fund Montgomery College workforce programs, Montgomery Parks' maintenance and invasive-species management, MCPS capital and operational needs for schools with long-standing building problems, Interfaith Works' prevention programs, down-payment assistance for affordable homeownership, and local senior center grants.
A separate stream of testimony criticized some county environmental and water-quality spending practices and the use of water-quality fees for operating expenses rather than direct water improvements. Testimony also included calls to end discretionary county support for the Maryland Israel Development Center and opposition to further property tax increases in light of federal job losses and inflation.
The council closed the public hearing session and recessed to return for evening business. Committee work sessions and deadlines cited by county staff remain scheduled in April 2025 for follow-up deliberations and formal council actions where required.
Less-critical items and forward-looking requests mentioned during public comments included requests for a bus depot solution at MCPS Shady Grove, expanded after-school academic supports, and increased transparency on bus-service studies and park invasive-species rules. No additional formal council votes on the FY25 capital items were recorded in the public hearing transcript excerpt provided.
