Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is setting the stage to directly engage with the Black and African American community to discuss the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Operating Budget. In this series of "Community Conversations," the next event aimed at collecting input and opinions from this community will take place on Monday, Nov. 10, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center inside Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Rockville. These meetings are part of a broader initiative featuring 12 different forums, each tailored to address the concerns of various segments within the county, as explained by Montgomery County's official announcement.
Elrich emphasized the importance of public participation in these discussions, stating, "I urge every resident to participate in these discussions; your feedback shapes our future.” These conversations are designed not simply to inform, but to actively gather perspectives that will shape how the county allocates its financial resources. They are set to be held across five separate regions of the county and will be conducted in multiple languages, offering residents multiple opportunities to be involved either in person or virtually. One specific aim of these conversations is "to garner input and feedback on how tax dollars are spent" and "gain valuable insights from these conversations that help guide our decisions and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year," according to the same county press release.
Interested parties who are unable to attend in person have the option to participate virtually. These virtual sessions will include two non-English language forums, with one provided in Spanish and a multilingual forum with interpretation services in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Details about these conversations confirm that platforms such as Facebook and YouTube will livestream the events. Furthermore, the sessions will be televised on multiple county cable channels, ensuring widespread access and engagement with the budgetary process.
For those seeking further information or requiring special accommodations, Montgomery County has made the commitment to provide sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids or services upon request. Mark Roper, contactable at 240-962-1743 or via email at [email protected], has been tasked to coordinate these efforts. TTY users can use Maryland Relay 711 to request accommodations. In an effort that is described as good-faith, requests should be made preferably at least three business days before the event.
