Town Council News
Next meeting: Monday » 04.14.08 @ 7:30 p.m. & Monday » 04.28.08 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room. The public is invited to attend.
Actions at the March Council meeting included:
adoption of Resolution No. 2008-01; Adopting Completed Surveys of Block 10 and Johnson Alley Right of Way.
introduction of Ordinance No. 2008-02; Regulations for the Use of Woodward Park and Sports Facilities.
approval of Access to Public Records Policy for the Town of Washington Grove.
authorization to move forward with certain electrical repairs to McCathran Hall.
Meeting with Toll Brothers Scheduled
Toll Brothers, the developer for Piedmont Crossing, has requested a meeting with the Mayor and Town Council in order to present their plan for the new development. The meeting will be on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Washington Grove Town Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 14, 2008, 7:30 p.m., in McCathran Hall, 300 Grove Ave., Washington Grove, Maryland. This hearing is to take public comment regarding Ordinance No. 2008-02; Regulations for the Use of Woodward Park and Sports Facilities. Ordinance No. 2008-02 amends a previous Ordinance No. 99-02, thus making changes to the permitting process and to some rules and regulations for the use of Woodward Park and other sports facilities. Copies of the proposed changes are available in the Town Office.
MEET THE CANDIDATES Evening!
Thursday, April 24 – 7:30 p.m. – McCathran Hall All five candidates will be there to talk about their priorities and to find out about yours. Come and participate!
For Mayor: Darrell Anderson
For three Council positions: Joe Clark, Georgette Cole, John Compton, Terry Kirtz
The meeting will end at 9 p.m., so don’t be late!
Town Elections – Mark Your Calendars!
Nominations for Mayor and Council have closed. Town elections will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 4-7PM at McCathran Hall. The nominees are:
Mayor (1-year term) » Darrell Anderson
Council (two 3-year terms) » Georgette Cole, Joe Clark
Council (1-year remaining on a 3-year term) » John Compton, Terry Kirtz
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.
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Vote for the candidates of your choice on Saturday, May 10 between 4 and 7 p.m.. Come to the Annual Town Meeting, May 10, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Stay for a Great Party afterwards to say THANK YOU to John Compton, our out-going mayor.
Tax Reminder – Washington Grove – 1612
Please fill in Washington Grove 1612 in the appropriate box on your State income tax form. If someone else prepares your tax forms, include this notice with your tax information and if you file electronically; be sure to select Washington Grove under City, Town, or Taxing Area. This DOES NOT increase your taxes, but DOES help ensure that the Town receives its proper share of local income tax revenue. Thanks for your help!
Planning Commission News
Next meeting: Wednesday » 04.02.07 @ 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 » 04.15.07 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room.
Meetings are open to the public. The HPC encourages residents to come for an early consultation when planning a renovation. The HPC recently wrote a review of the preliminary plans for a proposed renovation of the Commercial Corner. These plans may be seen in the Town Office.
Recreation Committee News
Next meeting: Wednesday » 04.23.07 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room.
The public is invited to attend. New members always welcome!
Mousetrap Final Concert of the Season
COLUMBIA UNION CHORUS
Sunday, April 13 – 3 p.m. McCathran Hall
Third Poetry Workshop with David Keplinger
Once more, David Keplinger, who is a Grove resident and a professor at American University, will be teaching a poetry workshop for us here in the Grove. This third workshop is open to all and it is not necessary to have been part of either of the two previous workshops or to have any experience writing poetry to enjoy this one. Some of the participants in the first two workshops were long-time poets and some were complete novices, but all have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about their experiences in the workshop. The Woman’s Club has sponsored these workshops and has made the clubhouse available for them. The third workshop will meet in the Woman’s Clubhouse on Saturday, April 19th at 10 a.m. It will run approximately three hours, and there will be refreshments to fuel the mind and stave off the stomach. The fee is $16 and can be paid in cash at the workshop or with a check made out to the Woman’s Club of Washington Grove. To sign up or for more information contact Betsy Klinger at 301-977-3517 or [email protected]
For Children Young and Old
The Recreation Committee presents master mime Mark Jaster at the annual children’s program on Sunday, April 20 from 2-4pm at McCathran Hall. Mark Jaster presents wildly popular shows worthy of his master teachers Marcel Marceau and Etienne Decroux. Put aside whatever you expected from mime, and prepare to enjoy brilliantly articulate gesture, playful interaction, gentle, inclusive humor and witty musical surprises. A hands-on workshop will follow the performance. Because of the intimate nature of this performance and workshop, this show is limited to Washington Grove residents, family and friends only.
Summer In The Parks
It’s time to register for Summer In The Parks 2008. Children and relatives of Town residents entering grades K-8 are invited to attend. Camp will meet weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. beginning Tuesday July 1st and ending on Friday July 25th; there will be no camp on July 4th. We anticipate that swimming lessons will be in the afternoon, but you will need to register for them separately (and not through me). Fees will be $160 per camper. Since agriculture is the number one industry in Maryland, we have settled on an overall theme of “Think Global, Eat Local”. Activities will include crafts, trips, and drama/puppetry centered on this theme. Most of our crafts will use recycled and re-purposed materials, so please start collecting bottle caps (all sizes), milk/OJ cartons, egg cartons, and toilet paper/paper towel rolls (if you use paper towels). We also plan to integrate athletics into the camp and will be using the field in Woodward Park in addition to McCathran Hall. We are happy to welcome back Gwen Garfinkle, Beth Seals and Allison Clapp to our staff. Expect to see a number of familiar faces among our junior counselors as well.
It is very important that you register your child for SITP as soon as possible so that we can make firm commitments to our staff. The registration deadline is April 30th. If you would like to be added to the SITP Yahoo Group, our primary means of communication for the camp, please contact Jessica Jones by email at [email protected]. If you do not have internet access, please contact me at 301-869-5036, and I will keep you abreast of any correspondence. We are looking forward to a great program this summer!
Jessica Jones
Neighborhood Watch News
Report Crimes & Suspicious Activity!
Mont. Co. Police non-emergency: 301-279-8000
Town Office: 301-926-2256
David Stopak: 301-330-6446
Betsy Klinger: 301-977-3517
Keith Gillis/Leigh Partington: 301-208-1437
Incident Report:
February 29: Animal Problem. The Circle – A dead raccoon found in resident’s yard tested positive for rabies.
March 11: Vandalism. Oak St and Chestnut Rd. – Between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., a resident observed a man (not a WG resident) drilling holes into the base of a tree in an apparent attempt to poison it. A flashlight, a small funnel, and a bottle of an unknown substance were nearby under another tree. The suspect quickly left the scene when he realized that he had been seen. A police report was filed.
March 15: Vandalism and abandoned vehicle. Hickory Rd – Resident reported a stop sign at Oak St and Hickory Rd had been pulled out, another sign thrown into neighbor’s yard, trashcans had been moved into the middle of the road, and an abandoned vehicle was left in the driveway. Report filed with police.
March 19: Animal Sighting. Acorn Lane – Resident reported seeing a coyote or fox around home in mid-afternoon.
Please report criminal or suspicious activity to your Neighborhood Watch Block Captain or Coordinators. Filing a police report, too, helps the police department keep track of criminal incidents and is necessary for police to take action. Of course, for emergency situations call 911.
Lake Committee News
Next meeting: Thursday » 04.10.07 @ 7:30 p.m. in Council Room.
New members always welcome!
2008 Lake Schedule
Lake opens Memorial Day week-end, full time starting June 12th
Life Guard Hours will be Noon to 6:00 p.m.
Lake closes Sunday, Aug. 24th, open for Labor Day week-end
Maple Lake Cleanup
The annual cleanup will be on Saturday, April 12th at 10 a.m.. Please join in and bring your leaf rake, shovel, and wheelbarrow if you have one. Donuts & Goodies will be served! Rain date is Sunday, April 13th at Noon. Call John Hutchinson at 301-926-8767 for details or questions.
Lifeguards needed for Maple Lake this summer
We have several applicants, but need one or two more lifeguards. Hours are from 12-6, seven days a week. Lifeguards 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 detail.
Geese
The geese are frequenting the lake, and may be making a nest. Please do not disturb or feed them, and tell others not to also. Call John Hutchinson or Ann Philips if you have questions or notice any unusual activity.
Woman’s Club News
Next meeting: Thursday » 04.17.07 @ 7:30 p.m. in Clubhouse.
Fenny Lin of Lulu Florist will present a program on Flower Arranging in anticipation of the May Flower Show. We especially invite young people who have participated in the children’s division and are bridging into adult categories. This is a return visit from Fenny. Last year’s program was extremely informative and hilariously entertaining. Please join us.
The new Washington Grove Directory is hot off the press!
Copies will be for sale on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13 from 1:00 to 3:00 at the Club House. After that weekend, they may be purchased at the Club meeting on April 17, at the Flower Show, or at the Town Office. Cost is $5.00 each. A tremendous thank you to all who helped with the publication of this community resource! A special thanks goes to our Chairperson, Devon Cohen, to our ad solicitors, Jamie Amagai and Mary Kay DuBois, and to our proof readers, Georgette Cole, Mary Kay DuBois, Brenda Gumula, and Joli McCathran.
Flower Show “Much Ado about Flowers”
Sunday, May 4 – A flier will be delivered to your door in the next few weeks
Yard Sale
Spring cleaning reminds us of the annual Woman’s Club Yard Sale on a Saturday in early June at the Club House. We will accept items of household goods, no clothing please. This is one of the main fundraisers for the Woman’s Club. Items you no longer use can help us pay our exorbitantly rising utility bills. You may drop off items on the Club House porch after Memorial Day Weekend or at the Mahaffey home. Please call to arrange a time (240-631-8064).
WGUMC News
April 4th-7:30 p.m.; The Grove Katrina Relief photo show will be held downstairs in the church, with coffee and dessert. All are welcome! The Grove made this possible, and we are delighted to have George Paine along to take photos so that you can see the work made possible by many contributions.
April 11th-7:30 p.m.; Environmental Ethics discussion will be held at the church.
April 27th-11:00 a.m.; Our “Yom HaShoah” Holocaust memorial service takes place at the church, including lovely music from Cantor Susan Berkson.
Woods Preservation Group News
Did you know…? The woods that surround the town have even begun to develop a number of characteristics typical of old growth ‘Oak-Hickory’ forests, a topic we can return to in a future piece on the Grove’s Natural History. But did you know we have a couple of champion trees for Montgomery County and Maryland? You’ve been driving right by them. But they aren’t Oaks or Hickories, they are Pine trees. And as a bit of a geographical reminder that we are in fact on the south side of that Mason-Dixon Line, they are from the Southern Yellow Pine branch of the Pine tree family. On the corner of Oak Street and Chestnut is Maryland’s biggest Short Leaf Pine, the state tree of North Carolina. Montgomery is on the very edge of this species’ northern range so this is almost certainly as big as this tree can get living around here. Along Grove Road next to the garden just west of the soccer field in the park is Montgomery’s biggest Pitch Pine. Pitch Pine is the southern pine with the most northern range and is unique among Pines in its ability to sprout little branches from old parts of the trunk, just like many hardwood trees. By rights it should be the state tree of New Jersey since it is the defining plant of the state’s famous Pine Barrens – which cover » of the state. But apparently the Pitch Pine was too low brow for some legislator, and the Red Oak got the nod – a fine tree, indeed, but of no particular biological/geographical significance to the state. Next time we’ll discuss a couple of other champions in our midst.
Bulk Trash Pick Up Scheduled
The Town has scheduled a bulk trash collection for May 17, 2008. Please make note of a 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 piles of metal debris first and then come back for the rest of the “junk”.
ARBOR DAY
Saturday, April 19, 2008. Meet at McCathran Hall at 10:00 a.m. Rain date is Sunday, April 20th.