Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett is facing an uphill battle for his plan to build new offices for county agencies in Gaithersburg.
In December, Leggett pitched the idea of building county facilities in Gaithersburg on multiple sites, possibly including land owned by General Electric. By combining offices, Leggett said in his State of the County Address, the county could save millions in coming years, spending less on leased property and becoming more efficient with time and energy.
The proposal is still in the early planning stages – there’s not even a price tag yet – but council members are digging in.
Montgomery County Council President Mike Knapp wants to see a fully formulated plan before he gives his endorsement. There’s a lot of moving pieces, Knapp said, and he wonders what happens if one piece, a land purchase for example, falls through.
There’s also the question of funding, he said. Leggett said combining several county facilities at one or two locations would be “cost-neutral,” but Knapp said it could be years, decades even, before that saving is realized, possibly leaving the county swimming in debt just as a faltering economy is causing budget cuts.
Then there’s Gaithesrburg where city councilors are worried about losing tax-generating property to the untaxable county, increased traffic, and noise from trucks rumbling to and from warehouses.
“I’d much rather see a housing community than an industrial site,” City Council Vice President Henry Marraffa said. “But at the same time, we’re keeping an open mind.”
The County Council will be briefed on the proposal today.
