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Montgomery County committee recommends $180,000 supplemental appropriation to hire displaced federal workers
Summary
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee unanimously recommended forwarding a $180,000 supplemental appropriation to fund two contractors and overtime in the Office of Human Resources to implement a hiring preference for displaced federal workers; the measure would recur through July 2027, bringing total estimated cost to $360,000. A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4.
The Montgomery County Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the full council consider a $180,000 supplemental appropriation to implement a county hiring preference for displaced federal workers.
Miss Casali presented the request, saying, “The requested amount for this is $180,000 and the source of funds is general fund undesignated reserves.” She told the committee the funds would temporarily increase Office of Human Resources capacity to carry out Bill 10-25e and Executive Regulation 24-25, which created the hiring preference.
The packet shows $125,000 would be allocated to two full-time contractors to perform document verifications, candidate contacts, eligible-list creation and screening interviews, while $55,000 would cover anticipated county staff overtime. Casali said the appropriation would cause an estimated 0.3% decrease in projected FY26 year-end reserves and that the $180,000 request would recur until the bill’s sunset in July 2027, making the total estimated cost $360,000.
Sam Freshour, chief of policy at the Office of Human Resources, told the committee the appropriation covers two fiscal years and that OHR has already used some existing resources to begin implementation. “It is for 2 fiscal years,” Freshour said, adding that staff had done preliminary work so contractors could begin at the law's effective date.
Freshour described a large initial wave of applicants: some job postings received more than 400 applications, and eligible lists may contain 200 to 300 names. He said contractors and recruiters must review each application to confirm minimum qualifications and documentation of eligibility categories, including veteran status, disability and displaced federal worker status.
Council member Friedson said he supports funding implementation but pressed OHR for clearer details on overtime use, asking whether overtime would be used to cover nights and weekends, who would oversee contractors, and whether unused overtime funds would revert to fund balance. Freshour confirmed unused funding would not be reallocated to other programs and that overtime is intended to meet service-level agreements during the initial surge.
Friedson asked that the appropriation include language restricting flexibility of the overtime funding to this program and requested that OHR report back with a timeline and updated estimates of overtime and contracting costs before the full council’s budget decision for the next fiscal year. The chair agreed to work with OHR and staff to tighten the appropriation language before the item goes to full council.
The committee recommended the appropriation move forward to the full council by unanimous voice/hand vote. A public hearing on the supplemental appropriation is scheduled for Nov. 4; the full council will consider the recommendation at a later meeting.
