Montgomery County to Host 12 Community Conversations on FY27 Budget

Starting on September 8 in Bethesda, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and community partners will have 12 Community Conversations from September to November to collect feedback on the operating budget for Fiscal Year 2027.

As authorities prepare a recommended budget to present to the County Council in March 2026, forums will be hosted throughout the county in a variety of languages, with the majority being presented in hybrid format.

In order to gather feedback on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Operating Budget, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, the County’s regional services offices, and community partners will have 12 Community Conversations between September and November, according to the press release. The first discussion will take place at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Office’s East-West Room on Monday, September 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The address of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Office is 4805 Edgemoor Lane.

Ten of the twelve discussions will take place in English, with two addressing issues for older persons, one addressing the concerns of educators, parents, and kids, and one each for members of the Black/African American community and the African-Caribbean diaspora. There will be two forums that are not in English: one in Spanish and a multilingual English forum with Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese interpretation services. Residents will also have the ability to engage virtually in eleven of the twelve forums, which will be hybrid. The Beacon 50+ Expo’s Community Conversation will only take place in person.

The County is currently developing its operational budget for FY27. By Monday, March 16, 2026, County Executive Elrich must present a suggested budget to the County Council. After that, the Council will have two months to examine the spending plan. A final budget must be adopted by June 1st at the latest. On July 1, the FY27 operating budget will become operative.

“Your input shapes our future, so I encourage all residents to take part in these conversations,” stated County Executive Marc Elrich. These community discussions are held in order to get opinions and suggestions regarding the use of tax dollars. These discussions provide us with insightful information that informs our priorities and decision-making for the next fiscal year. The budget represents the values and aspirations of our community. There are several opportunities to engage and be heard, with one forum in each of the County’s five regions and discussions held in a variety of languages.

The following is the schedule for the Community Conversations:

• 
  Bethesda-Chevy Chase Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Sept. 8. 7-8:30 p.m. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Office, East-West Room, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  UpCounty Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Sept. 15. 7-8:30 p.m. BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Older Adults Community Conversation at The Beacon 50+ Expo
  
  . Sunday, Sept. 28. 3-4:30 p.m. Silver Spring Civic Center Building, 1 Veterans Place, Fenton Room, Silver Spring.
  
  In-person only.
  

• 
  African-Caribbean Diaspora Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Sept. 29. 7-8:30 p.m. Montgomery College, East County Education Center, Community Event Room, 2221 Broadbirch Drive, Silver Spring. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  East County Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Oct. 6. 7-8:30 p.m. White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane, Social Hall, Silver Spring. Hybrid. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Mid-County Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Oct. 13. 7-8:30 p.m. Wheaton Community Recreation Center, 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton. Hybrid. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Spanish Language Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Oct. 27. 7-8:30 p.m. Gaithersburg High School, Auditorium, 101 Education Blvd., Gaithersburg. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  MCPS Educators, Parents and Students Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Nov. 3. 7-8:30 p.m. Carver Educational Services Center, Auditorium, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Black/African American Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Nov. 10. 7-8:30 p.m. Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Family Life Center, 608 North Horners Lane, Rockville. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Older Adults Community Conversation
  
  . Thursday, Nov. 13. 12:30-2 p.m.

• Leisure World, 3701 Rossmore Blvd., Clubhouse 1 Crystal Ballroom, Silver Spring (Only Leisure World residents may attend in-person at Leisure World)
• Satellite viewing location: Damascus Community Center, 25520 Oak Drive, Damascus
• Satellite viewing location: Wheaton Community Recreation Center/Senior Center, 11701 Georgia Ave., Social Hall, Wheaton.
• Riderwood Senior Living Community residents in Silver Spring can view the presentation in their homes on Riderwood TV.
• Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Multi-lingual Community Conversation
  
  . Monday, Nov. 17. 7-8:30 p.m. Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC), 9318 Gaither Road, Suite 215, CCACC Art Gallery, Gaithersburg. This forum will be conducted in English with interpretation services provided in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

• 
  Silver Spring Community Conversation
  
  . Tuesday, Nov. 18. 7-8:30 p.m. Silver Spring Civic Center Building, 1 Veterans Place, Buffalo Soldiers Great Hall, Silver Spring. Click

  here

  to participate virtually.

Subject to channel availability, the Community Conversations will be broadcast live on the following cable channels and livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube:

• County Cable Montgomery (CCM): Comcast channels 6 and HD 996; RCN channels 6 and HD 1056; and Verizon channel 30

• Montgomery College Television (MCTV): Comcast channels 998 and 10; Verizon channels 10; and RCN channels 10 and HD 1059

• Montgomery County Public School (MCPS TV): Comcast channels 34 and HD 1071; Verizon channel 36; RCN channels 89 and HD 1058

• Montgomery Community Media (MCM): Comcast channels 21 and HD 995; RCN channels 21 and HD 1055; and Verizon channel 21

• Montgomery Municipal Channel (MMC): Comcast channels 16 and HD 997; RCN channel 16; and Verizon channel 16

• Takoma Park City TV: Comcast channel 13; RCN channels 13 and HD 1060; and Verizon channel 28

On request and with as much notice as possible—ideally at least three working days before to the event—the County will supply sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids or services. You can reach Mark Roper at 240-962-1743 or send an email to [email protected] for additional information. A sincere attempt will be made to make accommodations in every case (till the event date). Maryland Relay 711 is available to TTY users.