Montgomery County Maryland Operating Budget

Budget Year / Version:

Mission Statement

The mission of the Office of the County Attorney is to act as the Chief Legal Officer of Montgomery County Government and to conduct all its legal business.

Budget Overview

The total recommended FY22 Operating Budget for the Office of the County Attorney is $6,429,488, an increase of $68,125 or 1.07 percent from the FY21 Approved Budget of $6,361,363. Personnel Costs comprise 87.05 percent of the budget for 77 full-time position(s) and one part-time position(s), and a total of 41.70 FTEs. Total FTEs may include seasonal or temporary positions and may also reflect workforce charged to or from other departments or funds. Operating Expenses account for the remaining 12.95 percent of the FY22 budget.

County Priority Outcomes

While this program area supports all eight of the County Result Areas, the following is emphasized:

Effective, Sustainable Government

Program Performance Measures

Performance measures for this department are included below (where applicable), with multi-program measures displayed at the front of this section and program-specific measures shown with the relevant program. The FY21 estimates reflect funding based on the FY21 approved budget. The FY22 and FY23 figures are performance targets based on the FY22 recommended budget and funding for comparable service levels in FY23.

Initiatives

OCA successfully pivoted to teleworking during the COVID 19 pandemic by instituting policies and procedures to provide legal services remotely and to limit the number of personnel in the office to meet COVID 19 requirements.
Successfully defended a legal challenge in Federal Court brought under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) seeking the reversal of the County Council's decision not to extend water and sewer to several parcels of property in Burtonsville to protect the Patuxent River watershed.
Provided OCA oversight of an enforcement workgroup to coordinate all citations/closures with SAO related to COVID 19.

Innovations and Productivity Improvements

Expanded the electronic citation application for use by more departments. Enhanced the application to allow inspectors to save a preview version of the citation ticket before final issuance. Code enforcement supervisors can now review and approve a citation after inspectors update information. Continued to train inspectors in Permitting Services, Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection, Office of Consumer Protection, and Animal Services and Adoption Center on this application.
Implemented an online payment portal for debt collection payments including dishonored checks, False Alarm and other miscellaneous payments. Debtors can pay by credit card or personal check via the payment portal and daily payment reports can be viewed online.
Migrated all existing non-procurement contracts in Zymaging to SharePoint to create a Non-Procurement Contracts Resource Center to better implement AP2-4. Created a one-stop shop for contract administrators; provided online agreement checklist to create and update contract/MOU/grants information and allow contract administrators to upload support documentation. Created a workflow process for department contract approval, OCA review, and Finance verification.
Converted all paper workflows with Child Welfare Service to electronic forms and all court-related forms to electronic format. Established new ad-hoc e-filing procedures to match the changes made by the courts. Enabled all attorneys to appear in 100% remote court appearances. Provided trainings session for HHS on remote court participation.

Program Descriptions

Litigation

Through this program, OCA represents the County (and other members of the Self-Insurance Fund) before all courts and administrative agencies in which claims for relief are sought in connection with alleged wrong-doing by members of the Self-Insurance Fund and their employees. Under this program, OCA also provides the County with...

Program Performance Measures	Actual FY19	Actual FY20	Estimated FY21	Target FY22	Target FY23
Debt collection ($000)	$11,693	$7,412	$7,500	$8,500	$9,500
Forfeitures collected ($000) ¹	$384.68	$301.16	$323.95	$323.95	$323.95
Debt collection - cost/revenue ratio ²	4.1%	6.5%	5.0%	5.0%	5.0%
Code Citations processed ³	6,253	7,074	6,086	6,086	6,086
Debt collection - collected/total referred ratio	139.5%	120.0%	110.0%
Code enforcement collected ($000)	$656	$437	$557
Code enforcement - Win/loss ratio	99.38%	99.68%	99.42%
Worker's compensation cases: Total net gain to the County ($000)	2,960	3,629	3,058

General Counsel

This program provides general counsel services to the agencies and instrumentalities of the County government. These general counsel services include providing legal advice to the Executive and Legislative Branches of County government; review of legislation and transaction for legal sufficiency; collection of debts owed to the County; representation of the...

Administration

Under this program, administrative support, financial and operational management, and oversight is provided in support of the Litigation Program and the General Counsel Program. Also provides administrative, research, and technical guidance and support to divisions within the Department. Allows for an equitable distribution of work assignments, to cross-train staff, and...

Program Performance Measures	Actual FY19	Actual FY20	Estimated FY21	Target FY22	Target FY23
Overall average rating from Internal Customer Satisfaction Survey (1-4 scale)	3.38	3.38	3.38

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2022 RECOMMENDED Budget

Archives

Data

Budget Snapshot

6.4M FY22 Recommended
Operating Budget

41.7 Full Time
Equivalents

Budget Trends

Program Contacts

Contact Carolyn Kilgariff of the Office of the County Attorney at 240.777.6766 or Rafael Pumarejo Murphy of the Office of Management and Budget at 240.777.2775 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

Related Links

Montgomery County MD Home Page

Budget Summary

Title	Actual FY20	Budget FY21	Estimate FY21	Recommended FY22	%Chg Bud/Rec
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages	4278015.00	4297742.00	4248130.00	4441986.00	3.4
Employee Benefits	1349511.00	1230736.00	1210162.00	1154669.00	-6.2
County General Fund Personnel Costs	5627526.00	5528478.00	5458292.00	5596655.00	1.2
Operating Expenses	764206.00	832885.00	592303.00	832833.00	0.0
County General Fund Expenditures	6391732.00	6361363.00	6050595.00	6429488.00	1.1
PERSONNEL
Full-Time	76.00	76.00	76.00	77.00	1.3
Part-Time	2.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.0
FTEs	43.20	41.20	41.20	41.70	1.2
REVENUES
Federal Financial Participation Reimbursements	244730.00	250000.00	250000.00	250000.00	0.0
Other Intergovernmental	-45876.00	45630.00	45630.00	45630.00	0.0
County General Fund Revenues	198854.00	295630.00	295630.00	295630.00	0.0

GRANT FUND - MCG
EXPENDITURES
Salaries and Wages	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Employee Benefits	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Grant Fund - MCG Personnel Costs	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Operating Expenses	17592.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Grant Fund - MCG Expenditures	17592.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
PERSONNEL
Full-Time	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Part-Time	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
FTEs	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0
Grant Fund - MCG Revenues	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.0

DEPARTMENT TOTALS
Total Expenditures	6409324.00	6361363.00	6050595.00	6429488.00	1.1
Total Full-Time Positions	76.00	76.00	76.00	77.00	1.3
Total Part-Time Positions	2.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	0.0
Total FTEs	43.20	41.20	41.20	41.70	1.2
Total Revenues	198854.00	295630.00	295630.00	295630.00	0.0

FY22 Recommended Changes

Title	Expenditures	FTEs
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
FY21 ORIGINAL APPROPRIATION	6361363	41.20
Other Adjustments (with no service impacts)
Increase Cost: FY21 Compensation Adjustment	156862	0.00
Increase Cost: FY22 Compensation Adjustment	63082	0.00
Shift: Deputy Privacy Official Position Transfer from HHS to OCA [Administration]	52325	0.50
Increase Cost: Personnel Cost Increase for Deputy Privacy Official Position Shift [Administration]	30871	0.00
Decrease Cost: Print and Mail Adjustment	-52	0.00
Decrease Cost: Retirement Adjustment	-14247	0.00
Decrease Cost: Lapse Administrative Aide Position [Administration]	-48640	0.00
Decrease Cost: Annualization of FY21 Personnel Costs	-82385	0.00
Decrease Cost: Lapse Administrative Specialist II Position [Administration]	-89691	0.00
FY22 RECOMMENDED	6429488	41.70

Program Summary

Program Name	FY21 APPR Expenditures	FY21 APPR FTEs	FY22 REC Expenditures	FY22 REC FTEs
Administration	2257575	12.95	2187636	12.70
General Counsel	4103788	28.25	4241852	29.00
Litigation	0	0.00	0	0.00
Total	6361363	41.20	6429488	41.70

Charges to Other Departments

Charged Department	Charged Fund	FY21 Total$	FY21 FTES	FY22 Total$	FY22 FTES
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
CIP	Capital Fund	483202	2.80	483235	2.80
Board of Appeals	General Fund	76335	0.50	77302	0.50
Correction and Rehabilitation	General Fund	159607	1.00	159561	1.00
Cable Television Communications Plan	Cable TV	114160	0.50	111140	0.50
Permitting Services	Permitting Services	211260	1.00	205768	1.00
Finance	General Fund	180262	1.05	182531	1.05
Finance	Risk Management (Self Insurance - ISF)	3102886	21.00	2906534	21.00
Housing and Community Affairs	General Fund	93653	0.50	94958	0.50
Housing and Community Affairs	Montgomery Housing Initiative	186430	1.00	186626	1.00
Health and Human Services	General Fund	0	0.00	83477	0.50
Health and Human Services	Grant Fund	194294	2.40	194294	2.40
Intergovernmental Relations	General Fund	29015	0.30	29397	0.30
NDA - Retiree Health Benefits Trust	Retiree Health Benefits Trust Fund	32183	0.17	32207	0.17
NDA - Retiree Health Benefits Trust	RSP-Disability Benefits (LTD2)	11359	0.06	11367	0.06
NDA - Montgomery County Employee Retirement Plans	General Fund	18931	0.10	18945	0.10
NDA - Montgomery County Employee Retirement Plans	Employees Retirement Savings Plan (RSP)	18931	0.10	18945	0.10
NDA - Montgomery County Employee Retirement Plans	Retirement Fund (ERS)	79512	0.42	79571	0.42
Human Resources	Employee Health Self Insurance	18931	0.10	18945	0.10
Parking District Services	Bethesda Parking	22832	0.10	22228	0.10
Parking District Services	Silver Spring Parking	30410	0.20	30405	0.20
Police	General Fund	178216	1.00	178384	1.00
Recycling and Resource Management	Solid Waste Disposal	141985	0.75	142091	0.75
Recycling and Resource Management	Solid Waste Collection	47328	0.25	47364	0.25
Total		5431722	35.30	5315275	35.80

Funding Parameter Items ($000s)

Title	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25	FY26	FY27
COUNTY GENERAL FUND
EXPENDITURES
FY22 Recommended	6429.000000	6429.000000	6429.000000	6429.000000	6429.000000	6429.000000
No inflation or compensation change is included in outyear projections.
Labor Contracts	0.000000	113.000000	113.000000	113.000000	113.000000	113.000000
These figures represent the estimated annualized cost of general wage adjustments, service increments, and other negotiated items.
Subtotal Expenditures	6429.000000	6542.000000	6542.000000	6542.000000	6542.000000	6542.000000