Health and Human Services Committee – Report on Worksession

The Health and Human Services Committee met yesterday, in the first of several committee worksessions deliberating County Executive Leggett’s funding recommendations for the HHS department and partner organizations. For FY11 the County Executive is recommending an appropriation of $246, 759, 450 for DHHS, which represents an overall reduction of about 8% from the FY10 approved budget.

At this session, the Committee’s discussions examined details representing the proposed 13.7% reduction in HHS Administration and Support Services, and included:

• Transfer of staff to the MC311 Call Center
• Changes in general funding and award dollars to programs and initiatives under the Office of Community Affairs—including general health outreach, several ethnic health programs/initiatives; and an after-school program in Rosemary Hills.

During the session, Councilmember Trachtenberg said “We are in a very challenging period and in a traumatic environment in which we must focus on the delivery of services to the most vulnerable. These are not strangers—they are our neighbors, our friends and our family members.” Councilmember Trachtenberg also expressed concerns about the likely disenfranchisement of those served by mental health and disability service agencies; and additionally joined colleagues in tabling several items for reconciliation.

The details of the proposed budget recommendations can be found in the April 12th Committee packet. A summary of determinations will be made available by Council staff. The Committee will continue its discussions on remaining items for the Department of Health and Human Services at the next committee session on Thursday April 15th at 2PM.

MFP Meeting Canceled

Today's Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee meeting has been canceled.

Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee Meeting Today

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, will meet on Today, Monday, April 12th at 2 pm to discuss the FY11 Operating Budget. Specifically, the Committee will consider the Office of Management and Budget, Debt Service and NDAs: Grants to Municipalities in Lieu of Shares, Tax Services, and Restricted Donations. The meeting will take place in the third floor conference room of the County Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or Laurie.Edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP Committee session.

Trachtenberg to Begin Review on Montgomery County FY11 HHS Operating Budget

On Monday April 12th, 9:30AM, the Health and Human Services Committee, on which Councilmember Trachtenberg serves, meets to begin deliberations on the FY11 HHS Operating Budget. The following is on the agenda:

• Health and Human Services: Administration and Public Health Services (includes Minority Health Initiatives)

The meeting will be held in the third floor Council Conference Room [3CCR] of the Council Office Building in Rockville; and will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery.

Please contact Saschane Stephenson, Legislative Aide for Health and Human Services, at 240-777-7963 (direct dial) or saschane.stephenson@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this HHS Committee session.

Councilmember Trachtenberg Speaks at African Affairs Advisory Group Meeting

Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg was guest speaker at last night’s meeting of the African Affairs Advisory Group; a monthly meeting that takes place in the Office of Community Partnerships located at 255 Rockville Pike, Suite 102, in Rockville.

The group was very accommodating of Councilmember Trachtenberg’s tight schedule by agreeing to start their meeting earlier than usual with her remarks which were followed by a Q&A session.

Councilmember Trachtenberg gave the group a very sobering report about the budget and how unprecedented the challenges were facing the County Council as they now try to balance the county’s budget. She explained that since the County Executive delivered his recommended budget on March 15th, that our budget situation has become even more grave because the income tax distribution anticipated from the State Comptroller is now $24.5 lower than previously estimated.

Questions focused on how the group could better advocate on behalf of their unique needs, to which the Councilmember gave some helpful suggestions on how best to reach out to various stake holders in order to formulate clear proposal on what the group was seeking in the areas of health care and business development.

There is a serious ongoing concern about how best to help immigrants from African nations with advanced degrees to be able to continue working in these areas once they are in this country and county. It was noted that many trained doctors, nurses and other professionals are working at low level jobs here in order to support their families because their professional training isn’t translatable here in America. Some suggestions were discussed on how best to work on this issue area and this conversation will be ongoing.

MFP Committee Met as the Audit Committee to Discuss FY 2009 Audits

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, met as the Audit Committee on April 8th at 1:30 pm in the 7th Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building. The Committee session lasted 1 ½ hours and discussed the following topics:

• FY 2009 Audit of the County Employee’s Retirement System Plans
• FY 2009 Audit of the County Government Financial Statements
• FY 2009 Audit of the Fire and Rescue Corporations

Larry Dyckman, Manager for the Office of Internal Audit, and Tim Firestine, Chief Administrative Officer for the Executive Branch, discussed the consequences of the cuts to the Office’s FY2010 budget and the proposed reductions to the Office’s FY2011 budget. Moreover, they mentioned three audit reports in progress which include Compliance with County Wage Requirement Law report, Tuition Assistance Program report and the Countywide Risk Assessment report. The Committee also engaged in a rich discussion of the Audit of the Fire and Rescue Corporations. Councilmembers commented on ways to improve financial management activities of some of the corporations.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or at laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP/Audit Committee session.

Appreciation: East County Citizens Advisory Board

I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to attend the monthly meeting of the East County Citizens Advisory Board last night. I was warmly welcomed by some old friends and I made some new ones.

I thought that we had a very thoughtful and, for me, a very useful discussion of many issues related to Eastern Montgomery County. We talked about the budget crisis facing the County, public safety issues, education funding and maintaining a safety net for the County’s most vulnerable residents.

Most prominently, we talked about giving more attention to economic development issues in the East County. I agreed with Board members that both the Executive Branch and the County Council could do—and should do—more to both promote new development and job creation in the area and to enhance community engagement around these issues.

I learned a lot from the conversation last night, as I do from all of the meetings that I have with residents across the County. I believe that the County’s Citizens Advisory Boards are a critically important part of the community engagement that makes Montgomery County great.

Many thanks to Board Chair Bill Strassburger and the ECCAB members for their hospitality and their service to our community.

Trachtenberg Office Proud of Colleague Wil Gutierrez for Serving as Resource for FY11 Operating Budget Public Hearings

The Trachtenberg Office is proud that our colleague Wil Gutierrez has been invited to serve as a staff resource for the Montgomery County Council as its conducts its Public Hearings for the FY11 Operating Budget. Wil has assisted our County residents who need Spanish language translation for their Public Hearing testimony.

Wil serves as Councilmember Trachtenberg’s Administrative Assistant and Director of New Media.

MFP Committee Meeting as the Audit Committee Today

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, is meeting as the Audit Committee today at 1:30 pm. The Committee will discuss the FY09 Audit and Management Letters Review, Auditor Contract Renewal and Impact of Round 2 Savings Plan on Internal Audit’s FY10 Work Program. Representatives from the the Department of Finance, Board of Investment Trustees and Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service will be present. The meeting will take place in the 7th Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

Trachtenberg Office Attends 2010 Volunteer Recognition Ceremony

Naomi Bloch represented Councilmember Trachtenberg at last evening’s 2010 Volunteer Recognition Ceremony, an annual event hosted by The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program to honor the exceptional commitment of the dedicated men and women who serve as outreach volunteers on a 24/7 “on-call” basis to comfort and support victims of sexual assault and other crimes in Montgomery County.

A special thank you was extended to the King Farm Community Center, where the ceremony took place again this year, for their generous hospitality to the Volunteer Program.

Opening remarks were made by Nadja Cabello, Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program Manager. Remarks and expressions of gratitude were made by special guests that included Raymond Crowel, Chief Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, Department of Health and Human Services; Captain, Kathi Rhodes, Family Crimes Division; Samantha Davis, Victim Services Advisory Board Chair and Naomi Bloch on behalf of Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg.

Certificates were then presented to 57 Honorees with additional Special Awards that included the first ever “Outstanding New Volunteer Award”; the “Tea Maxwell Memorial Outstanding Volunteer Award” and finally the announcement of the names that will be added to the “Thousand Hours Club” plaques.

Trachtenberg Office Attends Kick-off Event for Arab American Heritage Month

Naomi Bloch represented Councilmember Trachtenberg yesterday afternoon at the event: Giving Peace a Voice: Enriching Minds, Engaging Hearts, Transforming Communities, the kick-off ceremony for Arab American Heritage Month that took place from 12:00 to 2:00 in the Theatre Arts Arena –Rockville Campus of Montgomery College.

After welcoming everyone, Enas Elhanifi, Arab American Heritage Month Coordinator, introduced Dr. Hercules Pinkney, Interim President, Montgomery College who made the opening remarks.

The Keynote Speaker, The Honorable Donna Edwards, Maryland Representative, U.S. Congress, was introduced by Dr. Sonya Chiles. who talked about how important it is for everyone to listen to people unlike themselves from other cultures and points of view and not to just talk “at” one another and that she has found, through her travels to the countries in the Middle East, that no matter what country, religion or culture they are from, that the “people on the ground” all what their children to grow up in peace; in a world without violence.

She took questions from the audience after her remarks. Several questions focused on the challenges of the peace process particularly as it pertains to Israel and the Palestinian people; the Settlements and Iran to which Rep. Edwards responded that there is much work to be done, that peace is difficult work and that all stakeholders have work to do and a role to play and that these negotiations need to be taking place behind the scenes and not in front of the cameras or in the newspapers. And she told everyone of the repeated desire expressed by the people in all the countries in the Middle East for more leadership from the United States on these issues.

The Special Guest Speaker was Ms. Dalia Mogahed, Senior Analyst and Executive Director, Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and Member of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Ms. Mogahed referenced U.S. History and the writings of the Founders to remind everyone how this country was build on the idea that people were free to worship in whatever way they wanted to without prejudice. She referred to a book that told the story about the contributions of Arabs and Muslims made as soldiers in Americans wars all the way back The Revolutionary War. She wrapped up her remarks by stating that Arab Americans do not want to be merely tolerated but embraced for their continuing contributions to life in America.

Entertainment by jazz musicians Lena Seikaly and Samir Moulay Elmehdaoui and food were provided to cap off the program.

For more information about the Community Dialogue Series Celebrating Arab American Heritage Month at Montgomery College – April 2010, please contact: Enas Elhanafi at: 240.567.1759 or email: mailto:enas.elhanifi@montgomerycollege.edu.

Trachtenberg Office Attends Caribbean American Advisory Group Meeting

Naomi Bloch attended last night’s monthly meeting of the Caribbean American Advisory Group representing the Trachtenberg office. The meeting took place, as usual in the Office of Community Partnerships located at 255 Rockville Pike, Suite 102.

An update was given by Daniel Koroma about last Saturday’s Census rallies that took place at three different locations around the county to educate about the importance of the 2010 Census Count for Montgomery County. The day’s events had positive and measurable results and it deemed a great success!

The various committees reported to the Group Chair, Ms. Rayness Mayne, about the status of the planning taking place in advance of Caribbean Heritage Month kick-off event to take place at the Executive Office Building Cafeteria on June 4th at 6:00 pm. The festivities being planned will include music; food; dance and speakers that will highlight the Caribbean communities here in Montgomery County.

The purpose of the Advisory Group is to ensure that the County Executive is well informed of and able to act effectively to respond to the needs and concerns of the Caribbean community living and/or working in Montgomery County. For more information about the Caribbean American Advisory Group, click here.