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Stakeholders urge clear scope and accelerated timeline for proposed infrastructure funding work group
Summary
At a public hearing, county staff, Planning Board chair and residents supported forming an infrastructure funding work group but urged clearer scope, greater DOT representation, a facilitator and an accelerated timeline so recommendations could affect the FY27 budget.
The Montgomery County Council held a public hearing on a resolution to establish an infrastructure funding work group. Four in-person speakers offered testimony and suggestions for the proposed body.
Ken Hartman (assistant chief administrative officer) testified on behalf of County Executive Mark Elrich and recommended that the work group prioritize funding for new infrastructure and upgraded standards rather than repairs, increase county transportation representation on the panel, and accelerate the timeline to deliver actionable recommendations by December 2025 so budgetary changes could inform the FY27 budget.
Planning Board Chair Artie Harris supported the resolution and urged explicitly identifying infrastructure categories (transportation, schools, climate resilience, utility undergrounding, water, sewer and telecommunications) and suggested the council provide staff support to the work group. Resident and civic-organization speaker Lee Kaiser asked for a clear scope for transportation projects, more transparency in capital-budget reporting by district and equity focus area, and recommended an audit of the capital budget book for consistency.
Longtime infrastructure analyst Glenn Orlin recommended a smaller, focused work group (9–10 members plus a facilitator), argued for a budget to support contractual assistance and outside facilitation and suggested the work group develop a set of alternatives with pros and cons rather than selecting preferred political options.
Speakers generally agreed the county’s current patchwork of impact fees and taxes is insufficient to meet large infrastructure needs and urged the council to develop a coordinated funding approach; several urged the council to fund outside assistance and hire an experienced facilitator to ensure the work group’s productivity and timely deliverables.
