(Credit: Montgomery County Office of Communications)
(The following information was provided by the Montgomery County Office of Communications.)
After more than 100 days on the job, the Montgomery County Commissioners reflect on their achievements to date and look forward to their next goals in the administration.
Since taking office in January 2024, the Commissioners have taken a considered approach to several key policy areas including housing and homelessness, public safety, and economic development, while emphasizing more community engagement and input at the County level.
“When we swore in together in January, we agreed on some top priorities that we knew we needed to tackle first. I’m proud that not only have we been able to work together to make strides in these areas, but that we also have a blueprint for the future too,” said Jamila H. Winder, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “We have launched multiple initiatives that directly impact the families who live and work in Montgomery County. This includes financial support for our first responders, helping people stay in the homes they love, and giving County employees more time with new family members. We have accomplished a lot in these first hundred days, and we are not stopping there. This is just the beginning of what we aim to accomplish.”
“We have already taken incredible actions that are for the betterment for all Montgomery County residents,” said Neil Makhija, Montgomery County commissioner. ”We approved a $2 million dollar investment in public safety systems that are going to help our law enforcement better serve our residents more effectively, transparently, and equitably. One of the first votes we took as Commissioners was to provide up to 100% County property tax relief for firefighters and EMS volunteers. In just our first 100 days we’ve taken action on voting rights, climate, housing, public safety, and so many issues that are critical to Montgomery County residents. I’m thrilled that we have a County Board that is committed to protecting the right to vote this year and every year for all of our residents–and we are just getting started.”
“It is invigorating to look back on my first 100 days as County Commissioner and consider what we have achieved so far,” said Thomas DiBello, Montgomery County commissioner. “We worked together to tackle some major issues right out of the gate, and we’re working nonstop to listen to and engage the community on the issues that matter most to them. We’ve doubled the amount of time someone has to comment during our public meetings. We're also moving the meetings around the County and Limerick will be the first stop on May 23. We might not always agree on everything and yet we always have insightful discussions and debates about the decisions we make for the County. This is exactly how governing should happen."
Taking Steps Towards Housing and Human Services
All three Commissioners cited affordable housing and homelessness as a key priority for this administration, as they sought to enhance and amplify the impact of the work of last year’s Homelessness Task Force.
The Task Force renewed strong collaboration with municipalities to achieve targeted results, including an enhanced Code Blue cold-weather response effort for Montgomery County’s most vulnerable citizens, which was first implemented this winter.
The Commissioners made several more advancements within their first 100 days, including the launch of a new call center for homeless response in February. Now housed within the Department of Health and Human Service’s Community Connections Program, the call center allows vulnerable citizens to connect directly with trained County staff when most in need.
The Commissioners announced two funding programs to help Montgomery County residents remain in their existing homes, whether they need help with essential repairs or with mortgage payments and back taxes. The County’s flagship economic development program also expanded to support its first ever affordable housing development.
Investing in the Public’s Safety
In January the Commissioners announced a $2 million investment in the County’s public safety systems, providing funding for local municipal police departments to modernize their records management in alignment with the county system. This is the most significant expansion of the system since 2016, demonstrating the Commissioners’ commitment to public safety and galvanizing Montgomery County law enforcement to serve residents more effectively, transparently, and equitably.
“This is moving us towards transparency. I think that’s something that we all seek in trying to make better decisions,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. “In my role as District Attorney, my goal is to seek justice for all. That is the important concept this will move forward—and do it in a transparent way. Sharing information with the public is our goal. Expanded records management will increase the ability to analyze information to help us on crime trends, geographic areas that are having issues that we can respond to.”
In February, the Commissioners launched a new tax rebate opportunity for volunteer first responders. For the first time ever, Montgomery County’s 3,000 fire and EMS volunteers can now apply for up to 100% County property tax relief.
This program is supported by local volunteer fire companies and public safety officials. “This initiative will keep fire suppression in our community both cost-effective and sustainable,” said Andrew Rathfon, chief of Fort Washington Fire Company.
“Lower Merion is an expensive place to live and most of our volunteers have trouble living there because of the expense of things,” said Blaine W. Leis, chief of Gladwyne Fire Company. “This literally will bring it together [for them] to be able to afford a house when they otherwise would not be able to. We are fortunate to be here in support of this initiative. We believe [this initiative]it can start a dialogue with those municipalities that don’t already have a tax incentive and allow all our compadres throughout Montgomery County to open a door and provide a better tax incentive for everybody in the County itself.”
Championing the County Workforce
Demonstrating a true commitment to working families, this month the Commissioners announced the Commonwealth’s most robust parental leave policy for government employees, offering at least 12 weeks of leave at 100% pay. Approximately 3,000 full-time Montgomery County employees are now eligible for these enhanced benefits.
County employees were also invited to tell their stories, share their experiences, and be recognized at a series of panel events to celebrate Black History Month and Women’s History Month.
Enhancing Community and Civic Engagement
To improve engagement with the diverse communities across Montgomery County, several key appointments were announced early in the year, including new County Solicitor Benjamin Fields, new Director for Commerce Stephen Forster, and new Director of External Affairs Sarah Charles.
The Montgomery County Commission for Women was relaunched in March, garnering interest from over 100 applicants ready to improve the lives of women and girls in the County. In May, the Commission will appoint its first members, who will provide valuable input for informing policy decisions in the years to come, exemplifying the Commissioners’ inclusive approach to decision-making.
The Commissioners have demonstrated their readiness to listen and to respond to public concerns. Public comment periods in Board of Commissioner Meetings have been doubled, and some future meetings will be held at different hours and locations across the County to allow for more accessibility. In direct response to public concern, the Commissioners also informed the public regarding potential pathways for the Airy St Prison property, including an analysis of the potential outcomes of various options for the site. The Commissioners also plan to host evening meetings around the County in the coming months.
In late March, the Commissioners advanced the creation of a new initiative to work with community partners on food security. The Food Policy Council is yet another example of the Commissioners embracing and leveraging relationships at all levels to foster sustainable strategies on key issues.
Ensuring Secure and Inclusive Elections
To ensure that every County resident has an opportunity to have their voice heard, the Board of Elections has ardently worked to promote voting access. Voter Services office hours and drop box access were expanded to make sure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised during the 2024 Primary election scheduled during Passover. And for the first time, the County celebrated civic engagement at a Voter Hall of Fame ceremony, an initiative recognizing dozens of long-time dedicated voters and encouraging all residents to be part of the democratic process.
In these first 100 days Commissioners Winder, Makhija, and DiBello have set a precedent for the next few years for connection and collaboration, and a willingness to engage the community at large in the decision-making process.
“On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, we want to say thank you to all the hardworking people—County staff, community advocates, residents voicing their opinions, and others—for their support and dedication to bringing our collective vision into a reality,” said Winder. “This journey has just begun.”
