Credit: Montgomery County, Pa.
The Montgomery County Commissioners hosted a first-of-its-kind orientation for elected municipal officials on Saturday, Jan. 10, convening close to 200 newly elected and sitting local officials to encourage collaborative leadership and improve access to County programs and services for all Montgomery County residents.
The event at Montgomery County Community College featured presentations from several County Departments that routinely work with municipal leaders and their residents, including Public Safety, Health and Human Services, Assets and Infrastructure, Commerce, External Affairs, and the Planning Commission. Our Montgomery County Row Officers, including the Register of Wills, Coroner, Treasurer, Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of Courts, also met with attendees and shared information about their services.
“The County shares many priorities with our municipal partners, whether it’s creating affordable housing and well-paying jobs, or supporting a thriving small business community and resilient food system,” said Jamila H. Winder, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “This orientation event served to better understand the challenges and opportunities our local leaders are seeing first-hand, while highlighting all the ways our talented County staff can help fulfill their vision for their communities.”
County leaders leveraged an interactive software tool during the session to better understand local needs. Attendees answered, in real time, questions pertaining to their most pressing challenges for the coming year, their greatest successes in 2025, and their overall confidence navigating County services and systems, among others. A live display of their responses offered honest, transparent feedback and opportunities for improvement.
“This first-ever Montgomery County forum brought together elected officials representing 90% of Montgomery County and marks an important moment for our community. It’s a clear show of support for our municipal partners at a time when genuine collaboration matters more than ever,” said Neil K. Makhija, Montgomery County Commissioner. “Our residents understand that local government is where real change happens. When it comes to shared priorities like housing, infrastructure, and public safety, we understand that Montco’s next chapter must be built collaboratively. Our County has so much to offer, and we want every municipality to know what’s available and feel confident putting it to work.”
County staff shared the local impact and potential across a broad range of its programs, including:
“Each community in Montgomery County has a unique character thanks to our local elected officials and the will of the residents they serve,” said Thomas DiBello, Montgomery County Commissioner. “With this event, we focused on the many ways the County can help preserve and enhance that character by working collaboratively at the local level.”
With the nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary less than six months away and local events already underway, the forum offered communities a valuable opportunity to learn how to partner with the County Commissioners and prepare for their America250 celebrations. Montgomery County and its municipal partners look forward to highlighting their history and contributions to the nation’s founding story.
