In Montgomery, council office renovation proposal draws fire

Tensions between the Montgomery County Council and the school system are a staple of annual budget deliberations, but a proposal to spend $31million to renovate the councils aging office building has turned into more of a schoolyard brawl.

Board of Education President Patricia ONeill on Monday called out the council and accused members of exercising poor political timing by considering the project when school officials are trying to win additional construction money from state lawmakers to address overcrowding.

We have 9,300 children in [classroom trailers], ONeill said. We have children sitting in some classrooms with coats on because of poor heating systems.

Those comments followed an e-mail that Council President George Leventhal sent to council members late Friday warning that the school system intends to campaign against appropriations for council facilities. On Monday, he said ONeill and the board were being unreasonable.

In the school systems view, 100percent of the budget should be available for school construction, he said. Their plan is that any available dollar should go to school construction.

Sen. Nancy King (D-Montgomery) has sponsored a bill that would provide $20 million a year in state funds to leverage the issuance of $700million in school construction bonds. She said Monday that the councils renovation plans likely would have no impact on her measure, which has no better than a slim chance of passage this year.

Schools take up about half of the countys operating budget, and education officials routinely press for millions more than County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) or the council are willing to provide. Council office renovations are one of this years flash points.

The council is weighing a plan to amend its capital improvements budget to modernize its headquarters on Maryland Avenue in Rockville. Parts of the facility date back to the 1940s. The plan would replace heating and air conditioning systems, lighting and windows, and expand office space for council members and its research arm, the Office of Legislative Oversight. It also calls for renovation of the buildings first-floor auditorium.

About $25million of the total cost would be covered by proceeds from the sale of general obligation bonds.

An alternative proposal calls for renovating the Grey and Red Brick Courthouses for new council offices. The Grey Courthouse is vacant with the opening of the new south tower of Montgomery County Circuit Court on Jefferson Street last year. The cost is an estimated $36million, which would also be financed with bond funds.

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In Montgomery, council office renovation proposal draws fire