Table of Contents
- Town Council News
- News from Grove Boards and Commissions:
Historic Preservation Commission | Planning Commission - News from Grove Committees:
Borders | Emergency Preparedness and Safety | Forestry & Beautification | Lake |
Lighting | Racial and Social Equity | Recreation | Woods - News from Other Grove Organizations:
Film Society | Sustainability | WG Cares | WG Methodist Church | Woman’s Club - Other Notices: Bulk Trash Collection, Leaf Collection and Shared Use Bike Path Connection Task Force
- Coming Events Calendar
Town Council News
Next meeting: Monday, November 8, 2021, 7:30 pm
The public is invited to attend this virtual meeting via ZOOM at bit.ly/WGCouncilMeeting
Meeting ID: 297 850 640
Password: 074385
Or dial-in to 301-715-8592
Actions at the October meeting included:
- Approval to do emergency work on a drainpipe and the berm at Maple Lake.
- Approval to move forward with the installation of EV Charging Stations in Town after reviews by the Planning Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission.
Town Maintenance Supervisor Needed!!
- Anyone know someone who may be interested?
- Are you interested in changing gears and taking on an important and challenging job, mostly outdoors, and filled with varied activities and responsibilities?
Please contact Town Clerk Kathy Lehman or Mayor John Compton for more particulars and with potential persons.
Volunteers Needed!!
The Mayor and Town Council are looking for volunteers for a short-term commitment to investigate the use of audio and/or video recordings of Town Council meetings. Interested persons should contact Mayor Compton (240-432-5700) or the Town Office (301-926-2256).
Special Town Meeting to be Scheduled
After Councilors hear a brief presentation by the Shared Use Path Task Force at the Town Council meeting November 8, they will be able to question and comment on the report. Town residents will have an opportunity to do the same at a Special Town Meeting which the Council will likely schedule to take place in November or December.
News from Grove Commissions
Historic Preservation Commission News
Next meeting: Tuesday, November 16, 2021, 7:30 pm.
The public is invited to attend this virtual meeting via ZOOM. For a copy of the Agenda, email Chairman Bob Booher ([email protected]).
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3440199688
Meeting ID: 344 019 9688
Washington Grove Historic District’s Period of Significance, its Architectural Diversity, and its Contributing and Non-Contributing Resources
The period of significance for the Washington Grove Historic District spans the years 1873 to 1969. It begins with the establishment of the Washington Grove Camp Meeting and ends in 1969 (50 years before the updated and expanded 2020 form nominating Washington Grove for designation as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places was submitted).
During this period, Washington Grove achieved its design significance in the areas of architecture, community planning and development, and landscape architecture as a town founded on camp meeting principles that evolved to incorporate a range of vernacular and stylistic design trends. This period encompasses the formation and development of Washington Grove as a religious camp meeting, its location as an independent Chautauqua assembly, municipal organization, and the events and activities that contribute to its significance within the context of post-World War II planning and development in Montgomery County.
Contributing resources in the historic district represent a wide variety of architectural styles and forms. While carpenter gothic cottage architecture is iconic to Washington Grove, this style represents less than half of the structures classified as contributing resources to the historic district.
Actually, the next most represented architectural style in the historic district is the ranch house, which generally shares the modest scale evocative of Town’s original cottages. Almost forty residences are categorized as ranch.
In fact, a total of twenty-five discrete architectural styles (e.g., Cape Cod, Bungalow) and forms (e.g., side gable, pyramidal) are called out in the table of Contributing and Non-Contributing Resources in the updated and expanded National Register nomination form.
If you are interested in the range of architectural styles and forms in town, or you are simply curious about how your home has been identified, when it was built, and whether it falls into the contributing resource category, this link will take you directly to the table of Contributing and Non-Contributing Resources excerpted from the 2020 National Register nomination form (PDF).
Planning Commission News
Next meeting: Wednesday, November 3, 2021, 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend this virtual meeting via ZOOM. As part of the Town’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, this Planning Commission Meeting will be conducted online, rather than in person.
Residents and the public can joining the Zoom videoconference at: https://zoom.us/j/781347688.
Meeting ID: 781 347 688
Or dial in to 301-715-8592 and follow the audio instructions. Please make sure your name is associated with your zoom device in order to be admitted from the Waiting Room.
Building Permit Submission Deadline
The deadline to submit a building permit application for approval by the Planning Commission and review by the Historic Preservation Commission is the 2nd Wednesday of the month prior to the PC meeting at which the permit will be reviewed (this will be in the following month). This timing ensures the HPC will be able to complete a formal review before the PC meeting as this review is required for the PC to approve the permit in a timely fashion. If you are considering any renovation or building project at your house, be sure to get a copy of the procedures to apply for a Town Building Permit which will help you through the Town’s process.
Permits Approved in October
- None
Public Ways & Property Permits (PW&PP) Approved in October
- None
2021 Comprehensive Plan
Comments on the 2021 DRAFT Comprehensive Plan (CP) were received from the Maryland Department of Planning and work continues on reviewing and incorporating relevant revisions. When completed, a Public Hearing on the plan will be scheduled. Meanwhile residents are encouraged to review the plan and send written comments to the Planning Commission if you have feedback. The current 2021 DRAFT Comprehensive Plan is available on our Town website.
The next CP work sessions will be November 15 at 7:30 pm. REMOTE ACCESS ONLY
As part of the Town’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, these Comprehensive Plan Work Sessions will be conducted online, rather than in person. The agenda will be posted at the Town office.
Work Session Access:
Residents and the public may access using Meeting ID: 781 347 688
By dialing in to: 301-715-8592 and following the audio instructions.
OR by joining the Zoom videoconference at: https://zoom.us/j/781347688
Please make sure your name is associated with your Zoom device in order to be admitted from the Waiting Room.
News from Grove Committees
Border Committee News
Next Meeting: Thursday, November 11, 2021, 7:30 p.m., via ZOOM Videoconference.
This Committee meets the second Thursday of each month. All are welcome. Contact Peter Nagrod ([email protected]) for information on how to join the meeting.
Emergency Preparedness and Safety Committee News
Next Meeting: Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82123991201?pwd=TFRsYU5zWU4zeGJiaVkzckhISE5YZz09
By Phone: 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 821 2399 1201
Passcode: 609269
Forestry and Beautification Committee (F&B) News
Next Meeting: Thursday, Nov. 10, 2021; 7:30 p.m. Via ZOOM Videoconference.
To join the Zoom meeting, use https://zoom.us/j/781347688 or dial in to 301-715-8592 and follow instructions. Meeting ID is 781 347 688.
If you have a suggestion for where a new tree is needed, please contact one of the F&B Co-Chairs Georgette Cole ([email protected]) or Audrey Maskery ([email protected]) or our Council Liaison Barbara Raimondo ([email protected]).
Spruce Trees in the Grove
Spruces (genus Picea – meaning pitch in ancient Latin) are usually tall, symmetrical, conical evergreen trees. The genus includes thirty-five species (half native to China), most of which are restricted to cooler regions of the northern hemisphere, growing at high altitudes in the southern Appalachians to New England or at higher latitudes in Canada and the higher elevations of Pacific coastal mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Washington Grove is at the very southern edge of the range where most spruce trees will thrive. The other main cultural requirement for most spruces is moist soil and good drainage. A warming climate may make spruces less desirable in our area.
Most spruces have strong, central trunks. They are distinguished from other evergreen trees by four sharp-pointed needles that whorl and radiate equally around the branch and have the look of a bristle brush. The needles are attached to the twig by tiny pegs that remain on the branch after the needle drops. The needles are attached singly to the branches, unlike pines, which have two to five needles per fascicle. Spruce cones are oblong and cylindrical. They tend to be attached to limbs mostly at the top of the trees and point downward.
The wood of spruces is typically strong for its weight. There are several spruce species important to the timber trade, the Christmas tree industry and to landscapers. However, the most common use is for pulp and paper production.
Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
Native to northern and central Europe, the fast-growing Norway spruce has been planted extensively and naturalized in colder parts of North America. Rockefeller Center’s annual Christmas tree is a Norway spruce, ranging in height between sixty-five’ and one hundred.’ In our area, they rarely reach greater than sixty feet tall and thirty feet wide. The wood has some interesting uses, such as for making sounding boards for musical instruments and spruce beer from new leafy shoots. Norway spruce is the most recognizable spruce variety in Washington Grove, where they are usually found singly. They are easy to spot by their generous size and by the shape of the pendulous branchlets descending from lateral branches (Photo #1). The large downturned cones are purple when immature, turning brown in the fall (Photo #2).
A common pest of Norway spruce are bagworms, strange caterpillars that develop in silken bags with bits of interwoven twigs and foliage (Photo #3). The exquisitely solitary females remain in their bags throughout their lives, expanding the bag as they grow. Males emerge from their bags for the sole purpose of mating with the females. A severe bagworm infestation can kill a young tree. Bags should be removed before the eggs hatch in June.
Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens)
Of our eight native spruces, Colorado spruce is planted most commonly, the bluer the better for most nurseries. Native to the western U.S. (the state tree of Colorado and Utah), it is more drought tolerant than other spruces. The Colorado spruce is most familiar as an ornamental landscape tree. It is also often sold as a living Christmas tree, which includes a root ball that can be planted after the holidays. It’s also popular because it rarely sheds its needles indoors. A dwarf variety was planted front of the memorial bench at the southeast corner of Acorn Lane and Chestnut Streets (Photo #4).
A major problem of Colorado spruce in Washington Grove is Spruce Needle cast disease due to the fungus Rhizosphaera, which causes needles to turn brown and fall off. The disease gradually spreads upward and around the tree. Infected trees have few needles near the trunk and look thin, or see-through. Branches die if year-old needles are infected over a three- to four-year period (Photo #5). In contrast, the disease is inconsequential in natural forests. Norway spruce is relatively immune from severe infection. University of Minnesota Extension has a thorough description of how to manage the disease. Because these trees do not thrive in our area, making them more susceptible to disease, they are best avoided.
Lake Committee News
Next Meeting: Thursday, February 17, 2022, 7:30 pm
Lighting Committee News
The next TWG Lighting Committee will be on December 8th at 7:30pm via Zoom. Generally, we meet the fourth Wednesday of every month but since we will be competing with holidays in November and December, the FB Committee has graciously given us their time slot on the 2nd Wednesday – December 8th.
Our next TWG Lighting Committee Meeting
Time: Dec 8, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82180430815?pwd=ejk2bS9xL0dnLy85ZlFjV1k2c2ROdz09
Meeting ID: 821 8043 0815
Passcode: 175067
One tap mobile – +13017158592,, and follow directions
The feedback on the trial installation of three bollard, low voltage lights along the pathways by McCathran Hall has been positive. There is currently discussion about adding one or two additional bollard fixtures. We hope that TWG residents will go by one evening and check them out. We would like to hear feedback about these light fixtures.
Utility costs are among the highest individual costs that any municipality bears, particularly in small municipalities like The Town of Washington Grove (TWG). TWG needs to be proactive so we can both to maintain costs and preserve the historic integrity of our lighting. This might include purchasing our own streetlight fixtures so we can maintain aesthetic and economic control of our lighting and utility needs and be able to choose our own energy provider/source. Our intention is to take our solid (but dated) streetlight fixtures and renovate them to modern standards including dark-sky compliance and intrusion control.
Questions, ideas or concerns? Please contact Virginia Quesada at 301-706-7933 (cell) or [email protected], or Robert N. Johnson at [email protected].
Racial and Social Equity Committee News
Next meeting: Sunday, November 14, 2021, 2:00 pm
All are welcome! Folks who would like to attend should email [email protected] to get the Zoom link. More information on how to join the committee, our goals, past meeting minutes, and historical resources can be found at https://linktr.ee/RacialEquityGrover.
Recreation Committee News
Save December 11th for This Year’s Virtual Holiday Show
Come dream with us on December 11th at 7:30 PM for a livestream of A Midwinter Night’s Dream, a virtually real holiday show! It will be like nothing you have ever dreamed before!
For the livestream, go to www.mmctv.org and click on Watch LIVE in the upper right-hand corner. Viewers can also watch this on TV on Channel 16 on Comcast, Verizon and RCN.
Tai Chi Sessions in McCathran Hall
Attention All Grovers! Tai chi practice helps reduce stress, increase balance and focus, and can increase strength, flexibility, and aerobic conditioning. Join leader Claire Rosser and your neighbors for free gentle tai chi sessions in the Hall Wednesday mornings from 10:30 to 12 noon. Note that the lessons involve a minimum of instruction; participants follow along with Claire. Wear comfortable clothing. MASKS REQUIRED. Contact Christine Dibble at [email protected] or 240-702-6719 for more information.
Woods Committee News
Next meeting: Monday, November 1, 2021, 7:30 pm via Zoom Video Conference.
Join the Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82405334979?pwd=WG9YdVR1U2lSWDlXMHpWaFlyNzRXdz09
By Phone: 301 715 8592
Meeting ID: 842 2294 2851
Passcode: 733964
Our meetings are regularly held on the first Monday of each month. The December meeting will be on the 6th.
The WC has scheduled a trail maintenance workday on Thursday, November 11th from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm to finish clearing the new path for the re-routed trail at Bradfield Crossing. Volunteers are welcomed and needed to dig up greenbrier roots, cut back greenbrier and other growth along the trail edges, and spread wood chips to identify the new trail section. Please bring garden gloves, hedge clippers, and shovels. Dress for the weather and bring tick repellent to apply to clothing.
Our volunteer Bow Hunter Fire Fighters of Maryland (BHFFMD) continued their bow hunting in our East and West Woods. No deer were harvested in October. Members of BHFFMD are EMTs and firefighters who and are vigilant about public safety, and therefore, there is no reason to curtail our use of the Woods. They will bow hunt at sunrise and sunset. The archery season extends through January 31, 2022. Please contact Joan Mahaffey or Pat Klein if you have any questions.
A reminder to please stay on the walking trails to protect understory native plant vegetation and avoid tick exposure to you and your pets. Do not use trails that are too wet and muddy to avoid soil erosion and damage to your boots! Stay healthy and safe and enjoy the autumnal beauty of nature in our East and West Woods Preserves.
News From Other Grove Organizations
Film Society News
Stream Mon Oncle Antoine – Discussion on Sunday evening, November 21
Stream Mon Oncle Antoine free on Kanopy, then join your neighbors to discuss it on November 21 at 7:30 pm on Zoom. The Zoom link for the discussion is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85700443168?pwd=Mm9wcDB0U3llMXErakV3Vi9nSThPQT09 (Meeting ID: 857 0044 3168).
In the days before Christmas, in an asbestos mining town in the 1940s in rural Quebec, a young teen, Benoit, works for his uncle Antoine, an undertaker and owner of a general store, frequented by locals who gather to shop and gossip. In this coming-of-age film, regarded by many critics as one of the best Canadian movies ever made, Benoit closely observes the adults around him—their generosity as well as petty transgressions, cowardice, betrayal, sex and finally, death.
The film’s genuine affection for the characters despite their flaws, the rich local colors and desolate wintry images, the villagers’ earthy language, and the drama of life and death situations, form the background for Benoit’s passage from adolescence to adulthood.
Mon Oncle Antoine reflects French Canadian culture in the period when French-speaking Québécois were treated by their government as second-class citizens, restricted to menial jobs in factories, mines and logging camps owned by the English-speaking ruling class. The film examines the prevailing social conditions, previewing transformative changes that were to come a decade later. Directed by Claude Jutra, 1971, Canada, 1 hour, 44 minutes, French with English subtitles.
Stream Mon Oncle Antoine for free on Kanopy, a streaming service offering independent features, foreign and classic films, and documentaries. Kanopy is provided by Montgomery County Public Libraries to its cardholders, who can view up to ten films per month free. Any Internet-connected device will work, including computers, tablets, and televisions with streaming capability or streaming sticks. If you don’t have a library card, you can get a “digital” MCPL card free online. Mimi Bolotin, 301-977-7331, will happily help anyone get a card or use Kanopy.
Sustainability Group: Climate Action News
Next meetings: Tuesday, November 2 and Tuesday, December 7, 2021, 7:30 pm
Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3440199688
Meeting ID: 344 019 9688
Heating Survey Underway: Please Participate
Town residents recently received an email with a five-question survey about household heating sources. The information will help the Sustainability Group assess the town’s carbon footprint and plan a strategy to reduce fossil-fuel based heating in Washington Grove. We encourage you to return the survey.
How Old Is Your Furnace?
Is your furnace getting on in years? Furnaces usually last 15 to 20 years. If yours is getting old, this is a suitable time to evaluate replacement options. Modern furnaces are much more efficient than older ones; installing a new one will benefit you and release fewer carbon emissions into the atmosphere. However, there are good options to consider before buying a new oil furnace.
Many residences in Washington Grove now rely on electric heat-pump systems for heating and cooling their homes. A heat pump is a device that transfers heat from one space to another, such as, outside your house to inside your house on chilly days or vice versa in warmer weather. Often heat pumps are the primary system and are backed up by another source, such as oil, natural gas, propane, electric resistance, or wood. Relying mostly on the heat pump is the most efficient and cheapest way to go and the consumption of fossil fuels is greatly reduced, which is a big plus for our climate. Bob Booher would be happy to answer questions about electric heat pumps.
A few homes in town rely on geothermal heat pump systems for heating and cooling. The ground around your home maintains a fairly even temperature all year. In cold temperatures, a geothermal heat exchanger draws heat from the earth and moves it into your home. In warm temperatures, the system reverses the airflow to move hot air out of your house and into the soil. Burning fossil fuels is avoided, and, after the initial system installation costs, there are few maintenance costs. Paul Patrone would be happy to answer questions about geothermal.
Town Joins “Sustainable Maryland”
The Town Council has passed a resolution to join our neighboring communities in Sustainable Maryland, a collaborative effort among nearly 90 organizations, including the Maryland Municipal League and several research centers at the University of Maryland. Its mission is to “enhance livability for all Marylanders by helping municipalities choose a direction for their sustainability efforts, improve access to resources needed to implement action, measure their progress, and gain recognition for their accomplishments.” It certifies municipalities as they “go green.” Our Town’s current efforts put us well on our way to certification.
Town Establishes Voluntary Inventory of Electric Yard Tools
Fall is upon us…and so is an opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint in outdoor activities. This is an excellent time to begin to retire gas-driven equipment and switch to electric-powered ones, especially if your electricity is coming from renewable sources. These include battery or corded equipment for mowing, trimming, edging, pruning, mulching, and leaf blowing. Chainsaws also can be electricity driven. If you use a yard work service, why not make your electric tools available to them when they work in your yard?
The Sustainability Group has established an inventory of electric yard tools. Now you can learn about fossil-fuel-free yard tools that are owned by your Grove neighbors. Ask questions and see them in action. Add to the list yourself and join the discussion. Let’s share what we know about electric yard tools at Yard Tools for a Greener Grove.
Switching to electric equipment has many benefits. The most important one is reducing fossil fuels that are worsening the climate crisis. Noise reduction is another big improvement that we will appreciate when the old ear-shattering equipment is gone. Another benefit is getting rid of messy, smelly gasoline cans that are a worry to have around our homes and garages. And, finally, many users of electric equipment report that the new tools are lighter weight, easier to use, and require much less maintenance than gas-driven versions.
The Sustainability Group thanks you for moving, step by step, as expeditiously as we can to reduce our carbon footprint.
Washington Grove Cares News
Town residents can reach Washington Grove Cares to make requests for neighborly assistance in three ways:
- Email us at [email protected],
- Fill out a request form on our website at washingtongrovecares.org, or
- Call and leave a message at 301-944-2962, and someone will return your call shortly.
Note that our telephone number has recently changed. 301-944-2962 is the new number. Please correct our telephone number on page 3 of your 2020-2022 Washington Grove Directory. We will deliver Washington Grove Cares refrigerator magnets, updated with the new telephone number. To request one, call us at 301-944-2962, leaving your name and street address.
WG United Methodist Church (WGUMC) News
Christmas Village Bazaar
Saturday, November 20, 9 am – 4 pm. Handcrafted centerpieces, wreaths, table runners, stockings, decor and much more are featured in our charming Christmas Village. Large selection of wonderful gifts of all types, for all ages. Take home tasty goodies from our North Pole Bakery. MASKS REQUIRED.
Please Join the Washington Grove United Methodist Church on Zoom for our Traditional Thanksgiving Eve Service
We will be celebrating our annual Thanksgiving Eve Service on Wednesday, November 24th at 7:00 pm on Zoom, and we hope you will join us. The link will be available on the Church’s website at http://washgroveumc.org.
Woman’s Club News
Washington Grove Elementary School Needs Our Help!
Bringing Music to the Students
As bringing music to the students is one of our major outreach programs this year, we were delighted to receive this note from Rose McCathran Brechmacher, a graduate of Washington Grove Elementary School’s music programs! Many of you have had the opportunity to hear Rose and her husband Ryan, both professional musicians, who along with their two sons, often come from New Jersey to play for Town and Church events. Rose’s note:
This letter is to advocate for a donation to be made in support of the general music program at Washington Grove Elementary School. While music study is among the most rewarding experiences a person of any age can pursue, music study for children is especially valuable. This is due to the malleability of the developing brain, the formidability of self-esteem, and the establishing of self-growth potential. Music study is an avenue through which students can transcend into being the best humans possible.
There is no doubt that maintaining a music program can be costly. This is largely due to the obtaining and maintaining of musical instruments, travel expenses for performances outside of school, and music scores for the teacher and students. Such expenses are often not sufficiently funded in school budgets. Sadly, this is the case here. With the kindness and generosity of a monetary donation, the music teacher would have more resources and stronger capacity in order to best serve the young students of Washington Grove Elementary School in their musical and personal endeavors.
— Rose McCathran Brechmacher
Music matters, and we are seeking donations to help support the instrumental music program for the fourth and fifth grade students at Washington Grove Elementary. Both L&L Music in Walnut Hill Shopping Center and Lashof Violins on East Diamond Avenue work closely with Ms. Terri Moraca, the music teacher. You can purchase needed items from them or give a check to the Woman’s Club for us to make the purchases.
- Instruction books
- Reeds for the woodwind instruments
- Rosin and violin bows
The Teachers’ Supply Closet Needs Restocking!
The Teacher’s Supply closet is always in need of restocking, so of our Club’s Outreach programs try to keep the Teachers Supply Closet full. Without community support, the teachers end up buying needed supplies for the less fortunate children out of their own pockets! These are some of the things always needed:
- Glue sticks
- Hand sanitizers
- Paper
- Pencils
- Pencil sharpeners
- Tissues
Winter Coats, Hats, Scarves and Gloves
All winter, we will continue to collect hats, coats, gloves, scares and other winterwear for the needy children of Washington Grove and the surrounding schools, because the need keeps growing. Our local schools work together to try to ensure that no students go through the winter without adequate winter wear. They are in contact with each other, and trade around as needed to secure the right sizes. So, as you sort your closets this fall, please consider donating any outgrown or out loved winterwear that you could donate to these kids.
Helping Archways Kids and Their Families
The holidays are here, and we’re hoping to provide some special treats for the Archways families and various residents at Becky’s House, Priscilla’s House and the Men’s and Women’s shelters. Cakes, cookies, and other baked goods would brighten up their holidays! For those of you who love to bake, homemade would be delightful, but store bought would be appreciated, too. Your baked goods can be dropped off at Wendy’s house (119 Grove Ave.) on December 13th and 14th. To avoid the interest of our many woodland creatures (squirrels, possums, foxes, etc.) it would be better if you drop them off there rather than leaving them on the Woman’s Club porch.
For Christmas, we’re making plans for some special treats for the six Archways families. Many groups collect and distribute gifts, so we are concentrating on things that can be enjoyed as families. We are giving them $50 Giant cards so they can have a nice holiday meal, and packets of coco mix to share on those frosty winter nights. Donations for this would free up our limited resources for our many other outreach programs.
Please Think about the Men of Our Local Shelters Who Always Need Socks
As the fall weather turns colder and the brutal winter weather approaches, please think about how hard it is on the homeless if they have no socks! We are doing a big push over the next months to collect new white socks. These are always the most requested items at homeless shelters. Our goal is to make sure that all of the men in our local shelter have at least two pairs of socks, and it would be wonderful if we could give them more. Also, since there is turnover there, new men coming in will be in need of socks, too. There’s no such thing as too many socks to go around!
We’re Still Helping Out Where SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Formerly Food Stamps) Leaves Off
As the needs of those around us continue, our Club is collecting some of the much-needed items that SNAP doesn’t pay for. We are collecting these items for the apartment residents of the MoCo Coalition for the Homeless’s Archways Program and those who depend on the help of the Interfaith Food Hub.
Especially needed are:
- Deodorant
- Diapers – sizes 3 and up
- Diaper wipes
- Feminine hygiene products
- Hand sanitizer
- Laundry detergent
- Paper towels
- Pedialyte – any flavor
- Similac – especially the blue boxes of powder
- Toilet paper
Where to Drop Off Your Donations
Monetary donation checks should be made-out to the Woman’s Club with a notation in the Memo field if you want them to go towards a specific project, such as:
▪ Archway or Shelter Projects
▪ Music program
▪ School Supplies
▪ Snap Plus
▪ White Socks
All donations can be dropped off either on the Clubhouse porch or in the painted can on Wendy Weisbard’s porch at 119 Grove Road.
Other Notices
Bulk Trash Collection
The Town has scheduled a bulk trash collection for November 17, 2021. This date is a WEDNESDAY, not the usual Saturday. Materials may include furniture, appliances (nothing with Freon like air-conditioning units or refrigerators), rugs, large toys, small auto parts, etc. Material may NOT include construction by-products from your renovation projects, large automotive parts, or tires. Items should not contain gasoline or motor oil. Please keep your metal separate from the rest of your trash.
Leaf Collection
Leaves, They Are A-falling
New and long-time residents alike are reminded of the Town contract for bulk leaf removal each autumn. The contractor, Green Earth, Inc., will make regular but unscheduled pickups of leaves raked or blown into windrows within six feet of any roadway or walkway, excluding Railroad Street, 2nd Ave., 3rd Ave., 4th Ave., 5th Ave., and Boundary Street. This service began on November 8, 2021 and ends January 4, 2022, or as soon thereafter as we agree the work is complete. This is the only time to have leaves removed without bagging for recycling. The contractor will time pickups based on the availability of full truckloads for vacuuming. One or two spectacular fall weekends in November or early December usually have most of us raking at the same time. If you rake when most others are raking, the windrows will probably disappear relatively quickly.
Please place your windrows within six feet of the road or walkway (keeping in mind car and pedestrian traffic).
Green Earth will collect leaves by working from one end of the Town to the other, typically starting with Ridge Road working their way across the community, first removing piles along roads for safety reasons. After making one pass along roads, they will focus on walkways. If roads become obstructed before walkways are completed, roads will be cleared until they are safe. Then collection will resume along walkways. Weather may affect this process. Rain can restrict movement of large trucks on the avenues and accumulated snow or freezing rain may make piles too heavy to vacuum.
The contractor will not remove leaf piles that contain branches, brush, pruned limbs, and cut ornamental grasses. Please do not add these to leaf piles. They foul the vacuum and Green Earth will not collect piles containing this material.
If a particular leaf pile has lingered for an inordinate amount of time, please call Kathy Lehman at the Town Office, 301-926-2256, or e-mail [email protected].
Happy raking! It’s the rite of autumn, particularly in a town graced by so many beautiful deciduous trees.
Shared Use Bike Path Connection Task Force
The Shared Use Bike Path Connection Task Force plans to deliver its report to the Town Council at the Council meeting on Monday, November 8.
It is expected that the Task Force Report will be available to residents on November 8 or 9 on the Town website.
This Report will be the culmination of the truly significant effort of nine resident volunteers appointed July 12 by the Mayor and Town Council. Mary Blake, Kriss Grisham (Co-Chair), Gretchen Horlacher, Andrew Hotaling, Jeff McCrehan, Eva Patrone, Oscar Ramos, Nick Suzich and Gary Temple (Co-Chair) will have spent hundreds of hours meeting almost weekly, taking much public input and undertaking extensive research in order to fulfill the following charge to the Task Force.
The Task Force will evaluate options for shared use path connections to the Town and will present its findings in a report to the Town Council and to Town residents. Study of the options by the Task Force should include fact-based evaluation of short-term and long-term effects on the Town of each potential connection using criteria such as:
1. Overall safety
2. Impacts on specific areas of the Town
3. Environmental and historic impact
4. Legal implications of the Town’s responsibilities regarding maintenance and liability
5. Ease of access to Metro by Town and neighboring communities
6. Recreational value of a shared use path
7. Social equity implications
8. Potential impact mitigations needed for each connection
9. Projections of 10-year use from MCDOT or other sources for this shared use path connection, considering all available data for similar shared use paths.
The Town owes each member of the Task Force a tremendous debt of gratitude for the time and energy they have expended to help Grove residents and the Town Council make the best decision regarding the bike path connection.
Special Town Meeting to be Scheduled
After Councilors hear a brief presentation by the Task Force at the Town Council meeting November 8, they will be able to question and comment on the report. Town residents will have an opportunity to do the same at a Special Town Meeting which the Council will likely schedule to take place in November or December.
November Coming Events Calendar
(All meetings via ZOOM Conference unless otherwise indicated)
November 1 Woods Committee 7:30 pm
November 2 Sustainability Group 7:30 pm
November 3 Planning Commission 7:30 pm
November 4 Swing Time Big Band 7:00 pm – Town Hall
November 7 Holiday Show Filming All Day – Town Hall
November 8 Town Council 7:30 pm
November 10 Forestry & Beautification 7:30 pm
November 10 BUILDING PERMIT SUBMISSION DEADLINE
November 11 Trail maintenance workday 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
November 11 Border Committee 7:30 pm
November 13 Holiday Show Filming All Day – Town Hall
November 14 Holiday Show Filming All Day – Lake
November 14 Racial Equity Committee 2:00 pm
November 16 Historic Preservation Commission 7:30 pm
November 17 Bulk Trash Collection
November 18 Swing Time Big Band 7:00 pm Town Hall
November 20 Christmas Village Bazaar 9:00 am – WGUM Church
November 24 Lighting Committee 7:30 pm
Cancelled – November Meeting of Emergency Preparedness and Safety Committee