County reviews plan to consolidate public, school and college access channels under Montgomery Community Television

Montgomery County council's government operations and fiscal policy committee spent its Feb. 20 meeting reviewing an executive strategic plan that would consolidate the county's public and education access media operations under Montgomery Community Television (MCT). Committee members stressed the county must align letters of agreement between MCT and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Montgomery College with a revised county master contract and legal review before the consolidation is complete.

The plan, submitted to the council as required by fiscal-year 2026 budget resolution No. 18, would fold three access operations into a single external organization operating under an updated contractual agreement with the county. "A new paradigm is needed," Dr. Torregas told the committee when introducing the packet of materials the executive submitted. Derek Kenny, the county's community engagement manager, said the strategy aims to "consolidate the county's community and education access media operations under a single external organization, which is Montgomery Community Television," and to streamline governance,…