Bill No.                32-11                        

Concerning:  Boards, Committees, and Commissions – Committee Evaluation and Review Board – Report                                                       

Revised:    11/8/2011        Draft No. 6  

Introduced:      October 4, 2011             

Enacted:         November 8, 2011          

Executive:       November 21, 2011        

Effective:        February 20, 2012          

Sunset Date:  None                             

Ch.   21    , Laws of Mont. Co.    2011    

County Council

For Montgomery County, Maryland

By: Councilmembers Navarro and Rice, Council President Ervin, and Councilmember Riemer

AN ACT to:

(1) establish a deadline for the Committee Evaluation and Review Board to issue its report to the Executive and Council;

(2) require the Board to consider scenarios to reduce County staff time supporting boards, committees, and commissions;

(3) require the Board to review and make recommendations on certain advisory boards, committees, and commissions that request continuation; and

(4) generally amend County law regarding the membership, structure, and functions of boards, committees, and commissions.

By amending

            Montgomery County Code

            Chapter 2, Administration

Section 2-146

Boldface Heading or defined term.

Underlining Added to existing law by original bill.

[Single boldface brackets] Deleted from existing law by original bill.

Double underlining Added by amendment.

[[Double boldface brackets]] Deleted from existing law or the bill by amendment.

*   *   *                                                  Existing law unaffected by bill.

The County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland approves the following Act:

Sec. 1.  Section 2-146 is amended as follows:

2-146.  Terms of committees.

            *          *          *

(c)      Committee Evaluation and Review Board. 

(1)     The County Executive must appoint and convene at least every 10 years, subject to confirmation by the Council, a citizens review committee comprised of [no fewer than] at least 11 members. 

(2)     [This committee] The Committee must review the committee system and each then-existing committee and report to the Executive and Council its recommendations for changes in individual committees and the committee system as a whole.  The Committee must submit an interim report to the Executive and Council within 6 months of appointment and submit a final report within 12 months of appointment.

(3)     The County Executive must designate the review committee’s chair and vice-chair. 

Sec. 2.  Contents of Committee Evaluation and Review Board Report.  As part of its report, the first Committee Evaluation and Review Board appointed [[in 2011]] after November 8, 2011 must:

(a)     develop scenarios for reduction of County staff time used to support the committees[[.  The report must include]][[, and consider reduction scenarios of 25%, 50%, and 75%]]; and

(b) [[estimate]] [[provide the number of hours spent by volunteers for each board, committee, and commission, including by members and other volunteers. Each board, committee, and commission, must provide the number of volunteer hours spent to the Committee Evaluation and Review Board]] include a discussion of advisory board member workload.

Sec. 3.  Continuation of certain board, committees, and commissions:

(a)     Purpose.  The County has many boards, committees, and commissions that provide a valuable service to the County with the work they perform.  These boards, committees, and commissions require significant personnel and operating costs to function.  In Fiscal Year 2011, the County spent an approximate $1.4 million on personnel and operating costs to support the County’s boards, committees, and commissions.  While these boards, committees, and commissions provide a valuable service, there may be opportunities for consolidation.

(b)     Continuation. 

(1)     In this section, the following words have the meanings indicated:

Advisory board means the following boards, committees, and commissions:

Advisory Committee on Consumer Protection

Agricultural Advisory Committee

Airpark Liaison Committee

Cable and Communications Advisory Committee

Commission for Women

Commission on Aging

Commission on Child Care

Commission on Children and Youth

Commission on Health

Commission on Juvenile Justice

Commission on People with Disabilities

Commission on Veterans Affairs

Committee for Ethnic Affairs

Committee on Hate/Violence

County-wide Recreation Advisory Board

Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission

Department of Permitting Services Advisory Committee

Dickerson Area Facilities Implementation Group

Domestic Violence Coordinating Council

Down County Recreation Advisory Board

East County Citizens Advisory Board

East County Recreation Advisory Board

Energy and Air Quality Advisory Committee

Fire and Emergency Services Commission

Forest Conservation Advisory Committee

Friendship Heights TMD Advisory Committee

Library Board

Mental Health Advisory Committee

Mid-County Citizens Advisory Board

Mid-County Recreation Advisory Board

Montgomery Cares Program Advisory Board

Noise Control Advisory Board

Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee

Rustic Roads Advisory Committee

Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board

Silver Spring Transportation Management District Advisory Committee

Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee

Solid Waste Advisory Committee

Sustainability Working Group

Taxicab Services Advisory Committee

Technology Investment Fund Loan/Grant Committee

Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board

Upcounty Recreation Advisory Board

Victim Services Advisory Board

Water Quality Advisory Group

Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board

Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee

Committee Evaluation and Review Board means the Board appointed under §2-146.

(2)     Each advisory board must indicate to the Committee Evaluation and Review Board, within 60 days after the Committee Evaluation and Review Board is appointed, if the advisory board should continue.  Each advisory board that so indicates must provide the Committee Evaluation and Review Board with the following:

(A)    a description of the work the advisory board does;

(B)     justification for why the advisory board should be continued;

(C)     a list of accomplishments from the prior 2 years, including any direct service provided by volunteers to residents;

(D)    a discussion of advisory board member workload;

(E)     a 2-year work program; and

[[(E)]] (F) an explanation of the amount of government resources, including County employee staff time, used and a plan to reduce the use of those resources. 

 (3)    In addition to the duties in §2-146, as part of its report, the first Committee Evaluation and Review Board appointed [[in 2011]] after November 8, 2011 must review each advisory board that requests continuation under subsection (b)(2) and recommend to the Council whether the advisory board should continue. 

Approved: