Town Council News
Next meeting: Monday » 06.08.09 @ 7:30 p.m. & Monday » 06.22.09 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. The public is invited to attend.
Actions at the April Council meeting included:
- acceptance of the bid from Montgomery County Sanitation and Recycling (our current contractor) for Town refuse/recycling collection. This is a 3-year contract.
- adoption of recommended FY 2010 budget and tax rate.
- acceptance of bid from L.H. Musser & Sons for road repairs.
- decision to try a new calming device in the form of a fat rope on Grove Rd. between #9 The Circle and 405 6th Ave.
Town Elections
Town elections will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2009 from 4-7 p.m. at McCathran Hall. The nominees are:
- Mayor (1year term)
- Darrell Anderson
- Council (two 3-year terms)
- Sheldon Bierman
- Kathie Evans
- Ted Kelly
Please note: A previous Bulletin listed John Tomlin as a candidate for Town Council. He has withdrawn the nomination.
To vote in Town elections, you must be currently registered to vote with Montgomery County at an address in Washington Grove. To verify your registration with the county, please call County Voter Registration Information at 240-777-8683.
73rd Annual Town Meeting
Vote for the candidates of your choice on Saturday, May 9, 2009 between 4 and 7 p.m. Come to the Annual Town Meeting, on May 9th beginning at 8:00 p.m.
Town Council Organizational Meeting Set
The annual Organizational Meeting for the Mayor and Town Council is scheduled for May 26, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room.
*Please note that this is a Tuesday evening.
LOS Special Town Meeting – Update
On April 30, 2009, the Mayor called a Special Town Meeting to determine the sense of the Town on future actions regarding the lawsuit for condemnation of the LOS field, currently owned by Toll Brothers. After a presentation by Mayor Anderson on the history of the lawsuit and possible paths to resolution, and spirited discussions and commentary by participants on both sides of the issue, the Town voted 78-21 to continue the lawsuit. The vote was taken to provide the Town Council and Mayor a sense-of-the-Town, but it did not come without a caution for Town input in the future at critical junctures in the ongoing litigation, especially if major costs to the Town may be incurred. The Town Meeting format put in place by our Founders is truly one of the most unique characteristics of Washington Grove; it is hard to imagine a more democratic exercise.
Deer Park Bridge Renovated, Not Replaced!
Summer Closure June 17-August 30
After years of meetings and negotiations between the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and Town officials and volunteers, DOT has determined that the best solution at this time is to make significant renovations to the Deer Park Humpback Bridge that will keep it safe for the next 20 years. This is very good news for the Town, because since 2005 DOT has variously proposed tearing down the bridge, building a massive fly-over bridge that would have landed in the intersection of Washington Grove Lane and Railroad Street, or replacing the existing bridge with a 3-lane larger bridge that would have landed just short of the home at 103 Brown Street.
For those of you who are new or who have not kept up with this ongoing bridge process-which actually has been a recurrent issue for the Town since the 1980s-this is an example of Town volunteers working cooperatively (and sometimes in conflict) with a County agency to solve a problem. For whatever reason the DOT decided to drop the less acceptable options, we should all breathe a sigh of relief that this issue appears to be off the table for a generation.
The somewhat bad news in this decision is that DOT will need to close the bridge to all car and foot traffic from June 17 through August 30 to complete the renovation. And what a renovation it will be! They intend to build a frame over the existing bridge and loop cables around the existing bridge to support it while they remove the underlying structure for replacement. The replacement structure will use wood, which should allow the bridge to continue to be listed on the County’s list of historic structures (if they had used steel, it would no longer qualify). Closing the bridge will cause disruption to many in Town who cross the humpback each day, but this is a small cost for the spoils of a winning effort. MC DOT will be contacting everyone in Town by letter and/or email with regular updates regarding the closure of the bridge and ongoing construction.
Have a happy summer and plan ahead to account for the possibility of periodic traffic problems on the west border of Town. We will be working with DOT to minimize traffic through Town.
Planning Commission News
Next meeting: Wednesday » 05.06.07 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. The public is invited to attend.
Building Permits
If you are going to erect a building or structure (including fences), make structural alterations to, or move any existing building or other structure, you must first obtain a building permit from the Washington Grove Planning Commission. The Town zoning ordinance governs setbacks, lot coverage and height. Applications are available at the Town Office at 301-926-2256. The permit fee for a major building permit (addition/renovation) is $40.00. The fee for a minor building permit (fence/shed) is $10.00. Checks should be made payable to the Town of Washington Grove. Interior renovations, which involve electrical, plumbing, or load-bearing changes, generally require a County permit. A shed requires a County permit as well. The Town must first sign off all applications for County-required building permits. The Historic Preservation Commission will review most permit applications as well.
Historic Preservation News
Next meeting: Tuesday » 05.19.09 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. Meetings are open to the public. As always, the HPC encourages residents to come for an early consultation when planning a renovation. The HPC can offer valuable, free advice BEFORE you spend money on architectural drawings. Bounce your ideas off the HPC – no charge!
Recreation Committee News
Next meeting: Wednesday » 07.22.09 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. The public is invited to attend. New members always welcome!
Music Weekend will be June 19, 20, and 21
- Friday night at the Gazebo: King Soul band with Tom Clifford, Memphis-style blues, pizza and beer.
- Saturday night at the Gazebo: Rock N’ Roll Relics
- Sunday morning at the Gazebo: Baroque Breakfast with Homewood Brass.
In the event of rain, all events in McCathran Hall
Heads Up!
There will be no July 4th brunch or picnic this year, but post-award POPSICLES will return!
Lake Committee News
Next meeting: Thursday » 05.14.07 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. We need to get together to plan for swim lessons, life guards, and making the lake even better for this summer. New members welcome and encouraged! Call John Hutchinson if you have any questions or suggestions.
Lake Combination has Changed
The combination lock on the ‘inner’ gate at the lake has been changed. Please contact any of the following people for the new number:
- John Hutchinson – Home: 926-8767, Work: 301-240-3148, Cell: 240-997-5820
- Town Office (301-926-2256)
- Any Lake Committee member
Lifeguards Needed for Maple Lake
We have several applicants, but need one or two more lifeguards. Hours are from 12-6, seven days a week. Life guards must be certified in Lifesaving, CPR, and First Aid. (We can help you get the training.) Pay is $10 to $12 per hour. Call Marida Hines at 301-519-8730, for details.
Lake Patrol
The Lake Committee is looking for an adult who would be interested in being a Lake Patrol this coming season at Maple Lake. This is a great opportunity for individuals who are retired, teacher off for the summer, individual looking for extra work, etc. Hours are flexible, and compensation is negotiable. Contact Eric Selby at (301) 963-7073 for details or questions.
Geese Update
We are using the Humane Society’s protocol again to humanely prevent eggs from hatching this spring. In the past several years a pair of geese has nested in an area easily accessible to our egg-oiling team. They drive away the other geese during nesting season and then leave when their eggs do not hatch. Please do not feed or harass the nesting pair or disturb the nest. If you see a nest built, please call Ann Philips or John Hutchinson. We encourage visitors to the lake to take along a plastic bag and scoop droppings. THANKS!
Neighborhood Watch News
Report Crimes & Suspicious Activity!
Mont. Co. Police non-emergency: 301-279-8000
Town Office: 301-926-2256
Joe Clark: 301-869-7944
Keith Gillis/Leigh Partington: 301-208-1437
Incident Report:
- March 26: Speeding. Maple Rd – Resident reported a speeding trash truck headed down Maple Road (toward Center St) at 8:37am. Very high speed on wet road.
- April 17: Theft. The Circle – A bicycle was stolen from resident’s porch.
- April 23: Theft. 100 block Grove Ave – Someone stole a statue from a resident’s yard. The statue is approximately 2.5 feet tall, weighs about 60 lbs, and resembles a gargoyle.
Notice regarding Solicitors: Montgomery County Code requires that every individual door-to-door solicitor must obtain a solicitor’s license from the County (Girl Scouts are exempt). Solicitors are issued a photo ID that must be worn at all times while soliciting. Hours of solicitation are limited to between 9 am and sunset. To avoid giving away information about you or your home to potential thieves, Montgomery County Police recommend not purchasing anything from door-to-door solicitors and not even letting them into your house.
WC Annual Flower Show
“Spring Comes in on Little Cat Feet”
Come to the Woman’s Club on Sunday May 31 and we’ll all celebrate the wonderful animals in our lives, both in our homes and in the natural world. The Flower Show brochure with details and schedule will be delivered to your doorstep the weekend of the 23rd.
Woman’s Club Yard Sale
Our annual yard sale is scheduled for Saturday June 13. We are accepting donations of household goods that are clean and in reasonable condition. No clothing please. The porch will be open for drop offs the week before the Yard Sale. If you wish to make a donation before then, please call Joli McCathran or Georgette Cole.
If you have not yet paid your annual dues, a check for $15 can be sent to Cynthia Werts at PO Box 232. Thanks!
WGUMC News
Grove Relief– Many thanks to all who helped to fund our recent project with “Rebuilding Together of Montgomery County”! You donated and purchased items at the March Silent Auction, designed and planned the repairs, and came out on April 18th, 19th, and 25th, using hearts and hands to help needy neighbors in Gaithersburg. As a result, an elderly resident who is blind and handicapped due to a stroke now has new front steps he can navigate with his walker, with a double hand-railing for his use and his wife’s, as well as new grab bars, shelving, floor transitions, and repaired door jams and railings inside. At our second project, a woman who has Parkinson’s disease can now safely use her front walkway, where the addition of an extra slate stone and repositioning of the whole walk made it level again, and where her back fence was also repaired and repainted. Through this town/church effort the compassion of our community shows. You are good neighbors to those in need in the surrounding community too! Thanks again.
Photos of these and earlier Grove Relief projects and an interview with the fascinating Crusoe family, where we worked on April 18th and 19th, are at https://judy-young.livejournal.com
Play Group– We’ll meet on Wednesday May 13th, 9:30-10:30 am, and Wednesday May 27th, 9:30-10:30 am, downstairs in the church, so children can play and parents and grandparents can talk! All families welcome.
Forestry Committee News
Next meeting: Monday » 06.01.09 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. All are welcome!
Arbor Day 2009 was a banner day for Washington Grove. The Forestry Committee and the Woods Group joined forces to celebrate (and improve) our beautiful Town. The Forestry Committee hosted several programs at McCathran Hall for adults and children interested in horticulture. The Woods Group and additional Town volunteers reconfigured the Cherry Avenue trail in the East Woods. Many, many thanks to all the people who organized these events and to the huge number of Town residents and neighbors who turned out as volunteer labor. In Wade Park the ceremonies honoring Susie Cox with a memorial tree were a fitting tribute to a wonderful human being who loved Washington Grove and its beautiful trees.
The Forestry Committee for Washington Grove was established to monitor and help maintain the health of the Town trees and other plants. We work on the Town parks and public areas. Keeping these areas beautiful and healthy is our goal, but we can’t do it without the participation of our Town residents. If you are interested in trees and/or gardening please join us. Go Forestry Committee!
Washington Grove Town Within a Forest Now Available on DVD!
$10.00 each at the Town Office. Many thanks to Allan Janus for making this possible!
Bulk Trash Pick Up Scheduled
The Town has scheduled a bulk trash collection for June 6, 2009. Please make note of a fairly new requirement to separate your metal from the rest of your trash. The truck will make two (2) passes through Town. They will pick up the metal first and then come back for the remainder. Collection may include furniture, appliances (not those with freon), rugs, large toys, small auto parts, etc… Materials may NOT include construction by-products, large automotive parts, or tires. Please place items “curbside” by 7:00 a.m.
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Clerk’s Corner
- Bulletin Deadline
The deadline for getting information into the Town Bulletin is the 24th of the month. - No power mowers or power anything outside before Noon on Sunday’s…. Please and Thank-you.
- Drive 15 Enjoy the Scene!!