Montgomery County Legislature approves wide package of 2025 budget amendments, contracts and grants

The Montgomery County Legislature at its regular March meeting approved a batch of resolutions covering 2025 budget amendments, grant acceptances, vendor contracts and administrative appointments.

The measures, most of which were approved without discussion, include awards for 2025 road maintenance and building program contracts, a five-year HVAC controls contract with Johnson Controls, multiple grant carryovers and program grant acceptances, amendments to the 2025 operating budget, and adoption of a local law regulating drone use in the county. One older resolution (Resolution 56 of 2025) was taken off the table and amended before passage.

Why it matters: the votes allocate grant funds, authorize multi-year contracts and change the county operating budget for 2025, affecting public-safety programs, road maintenance, county facilities and certain county personnel positions.

Key actions and context

- Resolution 56 of 2025: The Legislature took this resolution off the table, moved to amend its resolve clause and then voted to approve it as amended. The amendment, as read into the record, directs the county treasurer to amend the 2025 operating budget and to make specified transfers. The dollar figures read into the record were unclear in the transcript; the amendment language as read into the record begins: “Resolve the county treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to amend the 2025 operating budget as follows. Appropriated fund balance $17.07 50, and from a 12/4425, maintenance agreements for 2450, and transfer to miscellaneous supporting services, a 14 16 80 double 0 44 38 in the amount of $35.05.” The Legislature approved the amendment and then approved Resolution 56 as amended.

- Resolutions approving contracts and procurement: The Legislature approved awards and authorized the county executive to execute contracts for 2025 road maintenance and building programs (Resolution 76, sponsors: Legislators Majewski and Kowalczyk) and approved a five-year contract with Johnson Controls for HVAC controls and monitoring (Resolution 78, sponsors: Legislators Wilson and Majewski).

- Grants and budget amendments: Multiple grant-related budget amendments and acceptances were approved, including carryover of fiscal-year-2023 domestic terrorism prevention funds (Resolution 79, sponsors: Kowalczyk and Pollock); acceptance of a New York State Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the Division of Criminal Justice Services and corresponding 2025 operating budget amendments (Resolution 86, sponsors: Allen and Pawlik); acceptance of EMSRFA 2024 County Emergency Medical Services support grant and a 2025 budget amendment (Resolution 95, sponsors: Hedwell Jr. and Allen); and other grant-related budget amendments (Resolutions 80–85, 87, 88, 90 and 91 as listed below).

- Personnel, appointments and administrative items: The Legislature confirmed appointments, established a part-time senior motor vehicle clerk position (Resolution 98, sponsors: Kelly and Allen), appointed members to the Montgomery County Arson Advisory Board (Resolution 84, sponsors: Pep and Majewski), and approved a three-year agreement with Accrete Global Insurance Services LLC, doing business as RDS Services, for retiree drug subsidy recovery and Medicare optimization services (Resolution 91, sponsors: Wilson and Majewski).

- Local law on drones: The Legislature adopted Introductory Local Law C (Local Law 3 of 2025), a local law regulating the use of drones in Montgomery County (Resolution 94, sponsors: Wilson and Majewski). A brief exchange on the floor referenced local experiences and the sheriff was asked to comment; no further debate was recorded.

- Sales tax extension request: The Legislature approved a resolution requesting legislation authorizing an extension of the additional sales and compensating use tax (Add-on Resolution 100, sponsor: Legislator Kelly). The county counsel described this as a recurring measure the county brings forward periodically so the state can extend the county’s authority to continue the sales tax allocation.

Votes at a glance (each approved unless noted)

- Approval of earlier meeting minutes — mover/sponsors: from the floor; outcome: approved. - Acceptance of budgetary transfers — sponsors: Kowalczyk and Wilson; outcome: approved. - Acceptance of procurement record — sponsors: Kowalczyk and Wilson; outcome: approved. - Resolution 56 of 2025 (amended) — sponsor: (motion to take off table and amendment read by a legislator on the floor); outcome: approved as amended. - Resolution 76 — award bids/authorize county executive to execute contracts for 2025 road maintenance and building programs; sponsors: Majewski and Kowalczyk; outcome: approved. - Resolution 77 — restructure Department of Public Works staffing; sponsors: Wilson and Pat; outcome: approved. - Resolution 78 — authorize county executive to sign Johnson Controls contract for HVAC controls and monitoring (five-year term); sponsors: Wilson and Majewski; outcome: approved. - Resolution 79 — amend 2025 operating budget to carry over FY2023 domestic terrorism prevention grant funds; sponsors: Kowalczyk and Pollock; outcome: approved. - Resolution 80 — amend 2025 operating budget for additional Stop DWI funds for a “Save a Life” tour; sponsors: Sweet and Majewski; outcome: approved. - Resolution 81 — amend 2025 operating budget with forfeiture funds; sponsors: Hedwell Jr. and Pollock; outcome: approved. - Resolution 82 — amend 2025 operating budget, 2024 Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant Program; sponsors: Sweet and Wilson; outcome: approved. - Resolution 83 — amend 2025 operating budget, Department of Justice bulletproof vest program grant; sponsors: Sweet and Pollock; outcome: approved. - Resolution 84 — appointments to Montgomery County Arson Advisory Board; sponsors: Pep and Majewski; outcome: approved. - Resolution 85 — amend 2025 operating budget, 2024 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) grant; sponsors: Wilson and Peck; outcome: approved. - Resolution 86 — accept DCJS/E.B. JAG FY2020 grant and amend 2025 operating budget; sponsors: Allen and Pawlik; outcome: approved. - Resolution 87 — authorize county executive to sign approved childcare facilities agreements for 2025–2026; sponsors: Majewski and Wilson; outcome: approved. - Resolution 88 — authorize county executive to amend HomeRun and TurnAbout agreements and sign additional agreements; sponsors: Hedwell Jr. and Peck; outcome: approved. - Resolution 89 — authorize county executive to sign memorandum of agreement with Montgomery County paramedics and emergency medical technicians; sponsors: Sweet and Allen; outcome: approved. - Resolution 90 — authorize county executive to modify Davis Vision contract to include safety glasses; sponsors: Pep and Majewski; outcome: approved. - Resolution 91 — three-year agreement with Accrete Global Insurance Services LLC, DBA RDS Services, for retiree drug subsidy recovery and Medicare optimization services; sponsors: Wilson and Majewski; outcome: approved. - Resolution 92 — confirming county executive appointments to the Board of Ethics; sponsor initially withdrew sponsorship, matter was later advanced and recorded as passed; sponsors: (initial sponsor withdrew); outcome: approved (sponsorship and candidate slate to be further reviewed by county executive per remarks). - Resolution 93 — adopt and authorize funding projects included in the 2025 capital plan; sponsors: Pep and Pollock; outcome: approved. - Resolution 94 (Introductory Local Law C / Local Law 3 of 2025) — local law regulating drone use in Montgomery County; sponsors: Wilson and Majewski; outcome: approved. - Resolution 95 — accept EMSRFA 2024 County EMS support grant and amend 2025 operating budget; sponsors: Hedwell Jr. and Allen; outcome: approved. - Resolution 96 — proclaim April 2025 as Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month in Montgomery County; sponsors: Kelly and Sweet; outcome: approved. - Resolution 97 — approve abstract of audit claims; sponsors: Wilson and Kowalczyk; outcome: approved. - Resolution 98 — establish position of senior motor vehicle clerk (part time); sponsors: Kelly and Allen; outcome: approved. - Add-on Resolution 99 — authorize county executive to sign agreements for control of grass and brush on county roads for 2025–2026; sponsors: Sweet and Pollock; outcome: approved. - Add-on Resolution 100 — request legislation authorizing extension of the additional sales and compensating use tax; sponsor: Kelly; outcome: approved.

Meeting process and engagement

Most measures were presented by legislators identified as sponsors and approved without floor discussion. The meeting included the regular roll call, a moment of silence for recently deceased veterans and public communications (a letter of gratitude from the Mohawk community regarding transferred land was placed in binders). The sheriff answered one query about drone activity when the local drones law was discussed. A sponsorship on Resolution 92 was withdrawn on the floor; legislators indicated the ethics-board nominations will return after additional review by the county executive.

Ending: The Legislature adjourned after completing the agenda and the approved add-on items.