Committee presses for clearer small‑business metrics as it approves redeployment plan

Montgomery County’s Economic Development Committee reviewed recommended staff shifts for the Business Center team and a reallocation plan for unspent small‑business support services funds, emphasizing measurement, intake consistency and service coordination across departments.

Ken Harmon Espada (county executive staff) said three contracts in the Business Center budget will shift into the county administration budget because those services align more closely with administration activities. Staff described an overall recommended operating reduction of roughly $63,487 tied to contract moves and compensation adjustments, and flagged an existing vacant manager position that, if eliminated as described in the packet, would save about $132,000.

Nadia Klute, the county’s small business navigator, outlined Business Center activities in 2024: proactive outreach by liaisons, more than 2,000 direct assistance sessions, support for incubator members, and administration of several grant and assistance programs. Klute said the team uses a CRM to track interactions and can produce reports on outreach geography and case status; she argued the liaison role is central to outreach and recommended keeping the liaison position to preserve continuity during any transition.

Council Member Sales pushed for standardized documentation of interactions. "There should be a standard form and a checklist," Sales said, requesting clearer intake, tracking and closeout procedures so the committee can judge how many businesses have been reached and what outcomes resulted. Staff said CRM reports can show counts of interactions and sessions for businesses that requested assistance, and pledged further reporting at future work sessions.

On the packet’s 2.1 line item (the vacant position), multiple members opposed elimination and said the committee should hold the position to permit an orderly transition if incubator staff move to the business center. Staff and OMB staff said they will update full‑council packet numbers to reflect any approved shifts.

The committee also supported a plan to redeploy unspent FY25 contractor spending to award competitive challenge grants and fund new providers. Staff explained a proposed $1.7 million NDA that would create competitive grants of roughly $150,000–$250,000 for new partner organizations and a separate challenge to provide coaching and support for small federal contractors who have lost contracts.

Next steps: staff will update packet details with OMB for full council, provide clearer CRM and intake reporting in follow‑up work sessions, and prepare public materials on business center services for constituents.