Government Operations committee approves multiple CIP amendments, defers ADA Germantown pool and energy study

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee reviewed a package of Montgomery County capital improvement program (CIP) amendments and recommended approval of most items while deferring two projects for more information.

Committee members recommended approving a new HVAC project for the Brookville Depot, recognized a supplemental appropriation and two-year funding for an elevator modernization program that includes replacing unreliable elevators at Progress Place, and approved several planning and facility updates. The committee deferred action on the ADA compliance CIP item that included work for the Germantown Outdoor Pool and on the Energy Conservation MCG amendment until more scheduling and impact details are provided in April.

The committee’s staff presenter noted that the Brookville Depot HVAC project was submitted in January and resubmitted in March with timing and funding-source adjustments but without material changes to scope. “It is creating it’s building a new HVAC system for that facility. It’s a 40 year old system currently in place, so it will be replacing that,” the presenter said.

David Theis, Director of the Department of General Services (DGS), told the committee DGS had reviewed the packet and did not disagree with staff recommendations, but urged the council to consider the projects’ importance as routine but critical facility work. “These are represented a lot of things that are typical for General Services, the routine things that people don't see but are critical to be done,” Theis said. He also highlighted the Brookville Depot and asked the committee to note poor conditions there.

Gregory Boykin, Deputy Director of DGS, said schedules have not been finalized for some projects such as the correctional facility work, but that some work will continue even if project scopes shift. “We have not finalized the schedule for the correctional facility. However, it is important to note some work at the correctional facility will continue continuously. It isn't as if we're not doing anything,” Boykin said.

On the elevator modernization item, staff said the executive recommended $1.2 million across FY25 and FY26, including an FY25 supplemental appropriation to replace elevators at Progress Place. Committee members expressed support for replacing and renovating heavily used conveyances. “Progress Place was built to more of a hotel standard than an industrial standard… if it moves, it breaks,” a council member said, noting repeated service calls and wear on that facility’s systems.

Staff recommended approval for (a) the Brookville Depot HVAC project; (b) recognition of accelerated expenditures for the Council Office Building renovation to move FY25 costs into FY24; (c) the elevator modernization program and the FY25 supplemental for Progress Place; (d) recognizing a previously approved FY25 supplemental related to the Exelon‑PEPCO merger fund; (e) additions and revised lists in the Facility Planning MCG for early studies, including a possible co‑located park police facility at the Fourth District police station and assessments for Western County Recreation Center and highway maintenance depots in Poolesville and Damascus; (f) a $100,000 transfer from the ADA compliance project into the Facility Site Selection project to cover a deposit for land acquisition for a community building; and (g) recognition of cost savings from renovation work to add lactation facilities in county buildings.

Staff recommended deferring recommendation on the ADA compliance CIP item because the executive submitted a March amendment that appeared to withdraw the Germantown Outdoor Pool scope; staff said more time was needed to understand knock‑on impacts. The packet identified a proposed addition of $3,280,000 for the Germantown Outdoor Pool in one iteration and a $100,000 transfer from ADA compliance into facility site selection; staff recommended postponing action on that item until April. Staff also recommended deferring the Energy Conservation MCG amendment until April to provide schedules and to assess the impacts of a March amendment transmitted the prior Friday.

Committee members asked staff to provide project schedules and sequencing for the prioritized items so the committee can better evaluate tradeoffs among projects if funding or timing shifts are necessary. Staff said it will provide schedules for the items listed in the packet at the April meeting.

The meeting record shows no roll‑call votes on individual items; several recommendations moved forward by unanimous consent after members said they had no objections. The committee adjourned after recognizing the cost savings associated with the lactation‑facility work and thanking DGS staff for completing that work under budget and ahead of schedule.

The committee will revisit deferred items — the ADA compliance item connected to the Germantown Outdoor Pool and the Energy Conservation MCG amendment — at its April meeting when staff provides additional schedule and sequencing information.