Montgomery County Executive's Faith Community Advisory Group Purpose:

The purpose of the Faith Community Advisory Group (FCAG) is to ensure that the County Executive is well-informed of, and able to, act effectively in response to the needs and concerns of the Faith Communities in Montgomery County.

Objectives:

The Faith Community Advisory Group will:

• Advise the County Executive of the needs and concerns of the faith communities in Montgomery County.

• Promote communication and information among all faith communities in the County.

Collaborate with government, nonprofits, and community organizations to create a just, healthy and, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., beloved community.

Tasks: The Advisory Group’s primary tasks include the following:

• Advise the County Executive on the needs and concerns of faith communities in Montgomery County, including but not limited to advice regarding land use issues, budget priorities, policy, legislative, and regulatory initiatives, and program implementation. The Advisory Group provides leadership in preventing and responding to hate and violence impacting the faith community.

• Identify and actively communicate with faith communities to bring their needs and concerns to the attention of the County Executive. Inform faith communities of County programs and resources beneficial to them. Apprise the County Executive of the existing and potential community benefits that faith communities offer to the County.

• Serve as a resource to the County Executive in identifying individuals for County task forces, boards, committees, and commissions, and, as appropriate, for county government positions, to represent the evolving diversity and priorities of the faith communities in the County.

• Identify opportunities for increasing the cultural competence of the County government workforce to better serve the faith communities in the County and for enhancing the public's awareness of the culture, traditions, and history of faith communities in Montgomery County.

• Identify opportunities and facilitate the removal of barriers for collaboration among faith communities with government, community, nonprofit, and private organizations to better serve existing and emerging needs in Montgomery County.

• Perform other tasks as requested by the County Executive, including reviewing and commenting, as appropriate, on existing or proposed federal, state, county, or municipal legislation, regulations, policies, or programs that affect faith communities in Montgomery County.

• To encourage the voice of faith communities in public affairs in Montgomery County.

Representation:

• Representatives comprising the Faith Community Advisory Group will be appointed by the County Executive. To help assure full representation of the diverse faith communities in Montgomery County, there will be a minimum of two representatives from each county council district. Advisory Group participants will not be limited to fixed terms of office and the composition will not be set at a fixed number. The County Executive may add representatives to provide needed expertise or representation at any time.

• Representatives comprising the Faith Community Advisory Group serve at the pleasure of the County Executive. Two-year terms are recommended and the terms of advisory group members should be termed to the county executive. A representative may be recommended for removal from the Advisory Group for failure to attend 25% of scheduled meetings each quarter.

• In order to bring expert opinion together across the range of issues that affect the faith community in Montgomery County, it is recommended that the County's prohibition against serving on more than one County board, committee, or commission not apply to this Advisory Group.

• The Chair will be designated by and serve at the pleasure of the County Executive, or until the Advisory Group chooses its own leadership.

Organization:

The Chair will collaborate with the County Executive's Office of Community Partnerships to set the dates and prepare the agendas for meetings of the Advisory Group. Representatives are encouraged to suggest discussion topics.

• The Advisory Group may establish committees or working groups in order to achieve its mission. Current working groups are: Religious Land Use (RLUWG), Education, and Neighbors in Need (food insecurity, mental health).

• The Advisory Group may adopt rules to ensure the orderly transaction of its business. Meetings: The Advisory Group will meet at least quarterly each year or more often as determined by the Advisory Group. Meetings may take place in person, virtually or both.

• The Advisory Group will seek to meet with the County Executive at least twice each year and as necessary. One of these meetings should include an annual report of the activities of the Advisory Group.

• The Advisory Group will be fully transparent to the public. The Office of Community Partnerships will be responsible for public notice of the time and place of meetings and maintaining a public record of attendance and a summary of actions taken.

• Meetings of the Advisory Group will be open to the public except for discussions allowed to be held in executive session pursuant to County law. Staff: The Office of Community Partnerships will provide staff support and act as the point of contact for all issues related to this Advisory Group.