Accomplishments and Initiatives

Climate Change...

• Add new zero-emission buses in FY27 and fund critical charging and facility infrastructure identified in the County's comprehensive Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Transition Plan. This plan outlines strategies for reduction of fleet emissions, assessment of infrastructure needs, and determination of optimal fleet composition. By advancing cleaner technology and essential upgrades, the County supports the Climate Action Plan goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 and strengthens a more sustainable, resilient transit system.

• Expand the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Program in existing and additional Parking District facilities to meet increased adoption of electric vehicles, including the introduction of Level III Fast Charging infrastructure.

  
  
  
  

• Complete transition to electric landscaping equipment with most leaf blowers, trimmers, and mowers now electric, resulting in decreased greenhouse gas emissions, reduction of noise, and improvement of air quality throughout downtown Silver Spring.

• Explore opportunities to partner the Parking Lot Districts with the Montgomery County Green Bank and/or other stakeholders to install solar canopies on parking garages that can provide community solar.

Racial Equity & Social Justice...

• Allocate more than $2.56 million in on-going funding to continue services in Children, Youth, and Family Services originally funded through the Lighthouse Initiative. In addition, include almost $4.6 million in funding to continue the Lighthouse Initiative as a three-year grant program.

• Enhance supplemental funding for the Developmental Disability Service Provider Supplement ($559,000), the Adult Medical Day Care Provider Supplement ($62,000), and address the rising costs of Senior Nutrition Program meals ($143,000).

• Montgomery County Public Libraries, the Circuit Court, the Leggett Executive Office Building, and the Council Office Building are available for free facility use, ensuring that residents across the Montgomery County have equitable access to public spaces.

Thriving Youth and Families...

• Expand support for the County's Healthcare for the Uninsured Program. This includes an increase of the reimbursement rate from 45% to 52.5% of the cost of care ($1.56 million), provision of dental equipment and supplies in Montgomery County Public Schools ($50,000), support of Montgomery Cares endodontic services ($19,000), expansion of the East County dental services pilot ($15,000), and expansion of Care for Kids specialty dental services ($9,000).

• Foster greater accessibility to programs for adults 55 years and older for whom English is not their first language. Expanded 55+ offerings to include programs taught fully or partially in multiple languages, including Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, French, Korean, Japanese, and Sign Language. Inclusive Multilingual Programming broadens participation, strengthens inclusivity, and ensures that older adults can engage in programs that honor their diverse backgrounds and communication needs.

• The Community Engagement Cluster builds strong community trust and participation by convening 23 Community Exchange townhalls, creating consistent dialogue with residents, and generating more than 500 direct touchpoints with County residents.

• Use a variety of methods to ensure there is food access to address persistent inequities and disparities among residents and direct their engagement with our local food system. MC Groceries, Maryland Market Money, local grocer partnerships, and the Nutrition Benefits Outreach Grants maximize nutrition benefits and food retail access for Montgomery County families while reducing time and transportation barriers.

• Ensure safe and responsible management of clinical settings including County performance of nursing home inspections beginning in FY27 ($399,000), expanding of nurse/manager staffing ratios in school health settings ($340,000), and bolstering the ability to recruit and retain skilled contractual dentists ($197,000). DHHS will maintain compliance with State requirements, including enhancement of tobacco retail enforcement capacity ($78,000) and replacement of dental program equipment ($75,000).

A Growing Economy...

• The Silver Spring Urban District is strengthening small business growth by partnering with Montgomery County's Business Center to connect local entrepreneurs with key resources and promote their brands on Instagram, boosting the district's overall economic vitality.

A Greener County...

• Expand the County's electric vehicle charging infrastructure through continued collaboration between the Office of Energy and Sustainability and Fleet Management Services, supporting ongoing growth of the zero emission fleet. To date, 206 electric vehicles have been added, with 24 new charging stations scheduled for installation in FY26 and another 33 stations in design to meet future charging needs across County facilities.

• As part of its zero-emission fleet transition, the County has incorporated 82 battery-electric buses into the Ride On fleet and plans to add 22 more by the end of FY27 for a total of 104 electric buses. In addition, the County will receive its first 13 hydrogen fuel cell buses, introducing a complementary zero-emission technology designed to support longer-running routes where battery-electric buses are not yet practical. Hydrogen fuel cell buses offer faster refueling times and longer ranges, making them well-suited for service patterns that exceed current battery-electric capabilities and strengthening the County's ability to deliver reliable, zero-emission service across the full network.

Easier Commutes...

• Advance the Ride On Reimagined Service and Implementation Plan, a long-range strategy shaped by extensive research and community input to create a more equitable and sustainable transit network. The plan's first year delivered foundational upgrades to infrastructure and existing routes, with continued expansion aimed at improving accessibility, increasing service availability, and supporting long-term mobility goals. In FY27, implement all-day Flash Bus Rapid Transit service to the Burtonsville Park and Ride.

• Expand Ride On Flex service to include new zones in Poolesville and Damascus, adding to existing service areas in Rockville, Wheaton, and Olney. This growth supports the Ride On Reimagined effort to modernize mobility by offering on-demand, curb-to-curb microtransit that improves first-mile/last-mile access, reduces wait times, and better serves communities that lack convenient fixed-route options.

• Enhance rider access and trip planning by expanding use of the Ride On Trip Planner, a real-time digital tool that provides step-by-step directions, route options, travel times, and service alerts across the network. Integrating GPS tracking and live data, the platform helps riders make informed decisions, reduce wait times, and navigate the system more efficiently. As part of the County's Intelligent Transit System strategy, the trip planner improves accessibility for all users especially those less familiar with transit by offering an intuitive experience on both desktop computers and mobile devices.

  
  
  
  
  

An Affordable, Welcoming County for a Lifetime...

• Expand support for the County's Services to End and Prevent Homelessness by providing almost $1.17 million to address an adult shelter budget gap due to increased emergency shelter operational costs and one-time funding that was not sustained. Provide almost $439,000 in funding to fill an outreach budget gap and to expand outreach services to help unhoused individuals successfully seek support and become stably housed.

• Provide $102.0 million to support the production and preservation of affordable housing units in Montgomery County. This investment includes allocating $86 million and incorporating $10.1 million in FY26 loan repayments into the Affordable Housing Acquisition and Preservation CIP project, $2.0 million for the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, an additional $128,000 in loan repayments for the Nonprofit Preservation Fund, $2.2 million to revitalize Common Ownership Communities through the CIP-supported Common Area Assistance Loan Fund, and $1.62 million for the Montgomery Housing Initiative (MHI) Fund.

• Allocate $52.3 million to the Montgomery Housing Initiative Fund to sustain programs and projects dedicated to developing and preserving affordable housing and related services. This funding will support renovation of distressed housing, development of units for residents with special needs, rental assistance and rapid rehousing initiatives, homelessness prevention and relocation assistance, homeowner downpayment assistance and counseling, home accessibility improvements, services under the Building Neighborhoods to Call Home and Housing First programs, and the development of mixed-income housing.

• Add one position in the Office of Landlord and Tenant Affairs for implementation of legislative mandates required in Bill 31-25 to provide tenants with timely eviction notification.

• Increase funding for fair housing testing by leveraging Federal resources to identify and assess evidence of housing discrimination within Montgomery County.

• Allocate $7.07 million in the Housing Initiative Fund for required debt service to support leveraging additional resources for the Housing Production Fund, which finances construction of mixed-income, mixed-use developments.

• Continue funding to support the Rent Stabilization Program, which implements legislative rent stabilization mandates and maximum allowable rent increases.

Safe Neighborhoods...

• Continue funding to operate the County's red light and speed camera program. A new vendor was selected to improve the program's efficiency and to enhance public safety; the new vendor will utilize the most current level of software and hardware technology on the market.

• Establish a dedicated K9 Unit in the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation to enhance institutional safety; deter the introduction of contraband; and support facility operations through targeted search, detection, and security functions.

• Host community outreach events to focus on emergency preparedness, including the second Ready Montgomery Public Safety and Preparedness Fair, providing residents with education on response skills and climate resilience. Expand outreach to Spanish-speaking residents and increase engagement with older adults.

• Allocate funding to maintain Alert Montgomery, the County's emergency public alert system, ensuring residents receive timely and reliable emergency notifications while strengthening public safety and community resilience.

• Upgrade street and pedestrian lighting to brighter, energy-efficient LED fixtures, enhancing visibility, safety, and sustainability throughout the Wheaton Urban District.

• Expand the Alcohol Beverage Services Licensee Education Program, to include a partnership with the non-profit organization Safe Bars, to provide free bystander intervention and de-escalation training in preventing sexual violence.

• Restore 25 positions to the Emergency Communications Center, reflecting success by Police in hiring and retaining civilian call takers.

• Transition the Drone as First Responder Program to dock-based drones. This will significantly enhance operational efficiency and response capabilities. Automated docking stations allow drones to launch, fly, and recharge with minimal staff intervention, enabling rapid deployment for calls for service to reduce response times, increase situational awareness, and improve officer safety. The system provides real-time aerial intelligence before units arrive on scene, and the increased availability and autonomous flight capabilities will expand coverage to more areas of the county.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Effective, Sustainable Government...

• Modernize the Department of Health and Human Services' enterprise Integrated Case Management (eICM) system by transitioning from outdated, high-risk software to the new eICM 2.0 platform, strengthening cybersecurity, and improving customer service and continuity of care.

• Deliver nearly 50,000 resident conversations through Monty 2.0 in its first two years, providing 24/7 access to information on thousands of County services. Monty 2.0 expands address-specific tools such as voting locations and leaf collection schedules. Upcoming enhancements will allow residents to submit select service requests directly through the chatbot, strengthening Monty 2.0 as a key customer service channel.

• Recommend funding to update the electronic systems associated with the County's ethics programs of financial disclosure, outside employment, and lobbying registration and reporting.

• Develop a tool that electronically generates deeds of temporary construction easements by partnering with the Department of Transportation's Property Acquisition Section, enabling the Office of the County Attorney to streamline deed reviews and accelerate project timelines.

• Advance the Department of Transportation Property Acquisition Section's use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital workflow automation by training staff and deploying AI-assisted document review, data analysis, and correspondence tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and transparency in the acquisition process while enabling staff to focus on higher-value strategic tasks.

• Alcohol and Beverage Services, in partnership with Montgomery College, created a customer service training program for retail employees to strengthen the retail customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.

• Organize and coordinate twelve operating budget forums during development of the County Executive's FY27 Recommended Operating Budget, giving residents an opportunity to share their input. Ten forums were held in English, including sessions tailored for the African-Caribbean and Black/African American communities, educators and families, and older adults. Two forums provided multilingual support, including one in Spanish and another in English with simultaneous interpretation in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese to ensure broader accessibility and inclusivity.

• Improve audio and video livestreaming of the vote by mail canvass to enhance the transparency of the Board of Elections' operations.

• Develop and launch a skilled-trades apprenticeship program in electrical, plumbing, and HVAC to address workforce shortages, strengthen in-house capabilities, and build a sustainable talent pipeline for the Department of General Services.

• Partner with the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions to offer 360-degree virtual tours of rental facilities, enabling Community Use of Public Facilities customers to remotely explore available spaces at Montgomery County Public Schools and the Silver Spring Civic Building and better visualize ideal event settings.

• Launch an innovative Housing Portal that enables landlords to register the rents and fees they charge to enforce provisions of the County's rent stabilization law. The Department of Housing and Community Affairs will continue to enhance the portal's efficiency, customer experience, and utility by incorporating other publicly-facing department programs and services.

• Improve the County's hiring process by attaining a 93 percent merit-position fill rate, marking the highest occupancy level in more than five years.