Committee recommends revised Racial Equity and Social Justice commitment statement be forwarded to full Montgomery County Council

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee recommended on the record that the Montgomery County Council’s revised 2024 Racial Equity and Social Justice commitment statement be forwarded to the full council for consideration.

Mindy Singleton, the county’s racial equity manager, told the committee the 2024 draft incorporates feedback gathered since the original statement’s adoption in 2022, including staff and council input gathered during a gallery‑walk exercise. "The core team looked at it, made those changes according to the recommendations from the staff and the council members, and now we bring that updated version to you," Singleton said.

Council President Prita praised Singleton and the core team’s work, calling the draft "an improvement and a refinement" and stressing that the work is continuous rather than finite. "I really appreciate all of your work," she said, and acknowledged former Council Member Navarro for earlier efforts on the item.

Council Member Katz supported advancing the draft to the full council but asked that the committee ensure there is an explicit reminder that councils review or revise the statement in the second year of each council term to prevent it from being overlooked. Chair Stewart sought clarification on whether that review must be codified; Singleton replied that the new council could adopt the updated statement and review it during its term without formalizing the requirement in statute.

The committee’s action was recorded as a recommendation to move the revised statement to the full council; no formal committee roll‑call vote was recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: the committee’s recommendation will be transmitted to the full Montgomery County Council for action.