Statement of Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg at the Inaugural Session of the Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission

On behalf of our Council President Nancy Floreen and my other Council colleagues, I want to, first, welcome you to the Council Office Building and, second, to thank you for your interest in serving our County in this important position.

As you know, Montgomery County has faced extraordinary budget challenges in recent years, and the road ahead will be rocky. But I am pleased that the Montgomery County Council has stepped up to meet these challenges directly and has taken essential measures to get our fiscal house in order.

We have reduced expenditures, increased revenues, and established a new reserve and long-term fiscal policy that will help us plan for the future. But there is more to be done, and we have great hope for this Organizational Reform Commission and its work.

Resolution No. 16-1350, that we adopted on May 18, 2010, established the Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission to make recommendations for potential reorganization or consolidation of functions performed by County government and County-funded agencies. Your charge is to solicit suggestions for potential reorganization or consolidation of functions performed by County government and County-funded agencies from: elected officials; County residents; business and community leaders; County and agency employees; bargaining unit representatives; and other stakeholders.

As you know, the Commission must submit its final report to the Executive and Council no later than January 31, 2011. The report must contain the Commission's recommendations to reorganize or consolidate functions performed by County government or County-funded agencies. For each recommendation for reorganization or consolidation, the Commission's report must include the rationale and estimated cost savings associated with implementing the recommendation. Any organizational proposal for County government in the Commission report must take the form of a reorganization plan that the Executive could submit to the Council under Charter §217.

So, there is a lot of work to do. But we know you are up to the task, and we stand by ready to help in any way.

We greatly appreciate your willingness to help us move Montgomery County forward.

Thank you very much.