4Business: Benchmarking to Be the Best for Business
County Executive Marc Elrich and Council Vice President Sidney Katz are embarking on a multi-pronged joint initiative: 4Business – Benchmarking to Be the Best for Business.
The objective is to engage the local business community in a grassroots campaign to assist businesses to locate, grow and prosper in Montgomery County.
Six Listening sessions were held across the County to receive input from businesses about what they need to succeed, and to engage them to share their experiences in locating and growing their businesses in Montgomery County. The County will continue to seek feedback on what can help businesses to be successful. The 4Business Climate Survey is now available online!
4Business is a joint initiative of County Executive Marc Elrich and Council Vice President Sidney Katz to identify steps the County can take to make it easier for businesses to locate, expand and thrive in Montgomery County. 4Business is shorthand for Benchmarking to Be the Best for Business.
Montgomery County is an excellent place to live, work and start a business. The County boasts world class schools, transportation options, diverse and engaged residents and a high quality of life. In addition, local businesses benefit from proximity to the federal government and other high-value customers in a variety of industries. However, there has been negative commentary which is why the County Executive and Council Vice President are engaging local businesses to find out what they need to be successful and what unique obstacles exist that make it difficult to start or expand in the County. The 4Business Initiative will result in actions that will improve local business experiences.
The plan is to create targeted actions after hearing from businesses as to what they need. The 4Business Initiative began by inviting businesses to share their thoughts and experiences working with Montgomery County government. The County Executive and Council Vice President hosted six listening sessions in all parts of the County to hear from businesses personally. Businesses also are invited to provide feedback by email, by submitting comments using an online form and by completing a survey. Details regarding these opportunities are available on the 4Business web site: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/business/4Business.html
Information collected will be used to create targeted action plans for County Departments.
What’s next? Input from the listening sessions, emails and online submissions, along with survey results, will be compiled by topic. Two public charettes (facilitated public discussions) will be scheduled in the early Fall to discuss feedback and proposed actions.
Benchmarking will study the regulatory environment for businesses in Montgomery County as compared to those in nearby jurisdictions. The objective is to determine if regulations and requirements in Montgomery County are substantively different in content, effect or application when compared to regulations and requirements affecting similar business types in surrounding jurisdictions.
Please visit the 4Business home page at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DPS/business/4Business.html. You can read transcripts from the listening sessions, find useful business links and submit comments either with contact information or anonymously. You can also send an email with comments to 4Business@montgomerycountymd.gov. We want to hear from you. Also, check the home page after July 22 to take the business survey that will be posted. Business feedback and input is critical to helping Montgomery County improve the level of service provided to the business community.
In order to develop topics and proposed actions we will need to have all comments received by August 31, 2019.
There will be an action plan to implement legislative, process or other changes. Progress on the action plan will be tracked on the 4Business home page.
4Business Listening Sessions
Below is a list of the listening sessions that took place across the County. For transcripts see below under 4Business Public Engagement.
- Wednesday, April 17, Council Office Building, 3rd floor Hearing Room, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville.
- Thursday, April 18, Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda.
- Monday, May 6, East County Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring.
- Monday, May 13, MidCounty Service Area, Charles W. Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Wheaton.
- Wednesday, May 22, Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring.
- Monday, June 10, Upcounty Regional Services Center, 12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown.
The 4Business Listening Sessions have been completed and County Executive Marc Elrich and Council Vice President Sidney Katz thank everyone who attended and appreciate the business feedback received. For transcripts see below under 4Business Public Engagement. While the 4Business Listening Sessions have concluded, comments can still be submitted by email to 4Business@montgomerycountymd.gov or by entering your comments below – which may be anonymous if you choose.
4Business Engagement