Town Council News
Next meeting: Monday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., in the Council Room.
The Mayor and Council took public comment about lowering the Town speed limit to 15mph for the 2nd month in a row.
September Council actions include:
A vote to accept the Ordinance lowering the Town speed limit to 15mph.
New Street lights coming
At long last the requests for street lighting on lower Ridge Road and on Maple Ave. have been addressed by PEPCO. The Mayor and Council made the recommendation for 5 new lights on the unlighted section of lower Ridge Road and for 1 on Maple Ave. between Brown & Railroad Streets. PEPCO hopes to have them installed by December of this year.
Watch For Crosswalks
Town Maintenance will be painting crosswalks at Oak Street & Maple Road and at Oak Street & Grove Road in the near future.
Casey Field: Nothing New.
A revised Oxbridge plan will be presented to M-NCPPC soon. Mayor Compton has requested a copy of this plan.
Shady Grove Master Plan Meeting
A community meeting to present the staff draft of the Shady Grove Sector Master Plan is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2003, 7:30 p.m. at 16641 Crabbs Branch Way.
Planning Commission News
Next meeting: Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. 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 is $10.00, 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 permits as well.
The following building permit applications were approved:
#8 Circle Renovation/Addition
112 Chestnut Demolition
#12 Circle Porch
303 Chestnut Ramp
112 Ridge Rd. Addition
Historic Preservation News
Next meeting: Oct. 21, 7:00 p.m. Council Room.
These meetings are open to the public.
Camp Meeting Project
The camp meeting tradition in Montgomery County will be the subject of a folklore research project conducted by the Historic Preservation office of the Montgomery County Planning Department. Researchers will be conducting oral histories and gathering written and photographic memorabilia related to camp meetings, including Washington Grove, Emory Grove, Damascus, and Spencerville. In order to raise awareness of this significant cultural tradition, the Historic Preservation office aims to develop a publication on camp meetings. This folklore project is funded by the National Park Service through the Maryland Historical Trust. If you have firsthand knowledge of Washington Grove or other camp meetings, or if you have written material to share, please contact Clare Cavicchi at 301-563-3402.
Maple Lake News
Lake Committee Meeting:
Tuesday, Sept. 23rd at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room.
Recreation Committee News
Next meeting: November 5, 2003, 7:30 p.m. Council Room.
The public is invited to attend.
Washington Grove Singers Return
Rehearsals begin: Tuesday, September 23rd at 7:30 p.m. in McCathran Hall.
All voices (minimum age 15) are welcome, no audition is required. For more information call Kathy Lehman at 301-926-1253.
Last Call for Reinforcements!
The current leadership of the Recreation Committee will retire this year. Volunteers are needed to head this valuable committee. The Recreation Committee is responsible for many of the activities and programs that we have all come to know and love in our Town. Meetings are every other month and new members are always welcome. Don’t let this well-oiled machine stop running.volunteer today!
S.I.T.P. Leaders Retire
For several summers, Karen Kelly and Missy Yachup have been the organizers and the implementers of the Summer In The Parks program. The Recreation Committee is looking for someone to take over management of the program. If you are interested, please call Kathi Carey-Fletcher at 301-330-9485.
Go “Nuts” with Carolyn
All children in Washington Grove, ages 5 and up, are invited to perform the whole story of the Nutcracker on December 12th and 14th. Rehearsals will be on Saturday mornings from 9 – 10 a.m. in McCathran Hall beginning October 4th. YOU MUST CALL Carolyn Rapkievian at 301-519-2021 by Oct. 4th if your child cannot attend the first rehearsal.
Clay Court Crew Sought
We’re looking for volunteers to help with the regular maintenance of the clay courts during the tennis season. If you can help, please call the Town Office at 301-926-2256.
Neighborhood Watch Formed
Report Crimes & Suspicious Activity!
Mont. Co. Police non-emergency: 301-279-8000
Town Office: 301-926-2256
Betsy Klinger: 301-977-3517
Washington Grove is launching a Neighborhood Watch program. Twenty-two residents have agreed to serve as block captains with responsibility for 9 – 11 houses each. They will soon be contacting the residents of each home and also distributing information about reporting crimes, identifying valuables, improving security around the home and about the Neighborhood Watch program. Special thanks to Chris Kirtz who has volunteered to be the program coordinator and has jumped in with both feet! For more information about the program, call Chris at 301-990-7935. Other safety related news is that the police have stepped up patrols around Town and at Maple Lake. If you see a patrol car or bicycle, please let the officer(s) know that we appreciate having them here!
McCathran Hall Change in Regulations
Out of concern for the peace and quiet of the neighborhood, the Mayor and Council decided to change the stop time for activities in McCathran Hall. The new time for activities to stop is 10:00p.m.. This change is effective now and will be official upon completion of the current Town Ordinance revision project.
Trash Service to Improve..They Promise!
After many phone calls, e-mails and one meeting, we think that most of the confusion about trash collection and recycling in Washington Grove is finally cleared up. What residents may not understand is that Waste Management gets charged by the County for throwing away material that should be recycled. This cost could get passed on to the Town Please see the flyer for “the rules”. Save money, save a tree!
Lost and Found
If you lost something this summer, you might find it here. For more information you may call the Town Office, 301-926-2256
Clerk’s Corner
Did you know that recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to light one 100 watt bulb for 4 hours?
Charles E. Hawk (1933 – 2003)
The first Town SuperGrove, Charlie Hawk, died suddenly on August 30th at Manor Care Rehab Center.
Not many people in Town remember the beginnings of this iteration of Labor Day physical activities (known at first as Field Day), and few may know that before Craig English took charge and authenticated the events, Charlie was crowned “SuperGrove” at the original potluck supper near the fireplace. I don’t remember that he had won a lot of meets; his coronation was a spur of the moment inspiration. That it became legitimate and highly coveted is a wonderful transformation.
A lot of us remember Charlie in his healthy days, as the Town Drummer, a guitarist, and composer. And residents of more than a couple of decades will never forget CHUCK’S TRUCK, a fabled pickup that moved pianos (hoisted by several Town fathers or singly by Charlie Frances) from hall to gazebo, transported everything from beauty queens to folding chairs, and was decked out in various d´cor for parades of official and unofficial natures. Chuck’s Truck was the precursor of the Town Truck and come with Charlie behind the wheel. Charlie, of course, lent it to whoever else needed to haul something around Town if the master wasn’t available.
There are a skiddillion snaps of the Town Drummer at the flag pole, marching down Grove Road, giving the flourish for the Mayor at the Town Hall. Charlie’s finger dexterity was still up there even in the past few weeks.he perididdled on the metal rungs of his hospital bed with élan. Anybody who was around for the evening gatherings of the 70’s at the fireplace, listening to Fred Tippens, Don Doughty, Bob Bordeaux, Emmette Keese and Charlie work their way through a repertoire of original, popular and folksongs has wonderful memories of hearing the voices of this Town.adults, teens, little kids.all part of the magic. Any gathering meant music and most of it was made by Grovers for Grovers.
Perhaps it was some of that enthusiasm that coalesced as Music Weekend, and – yes – Charlie was at the table when the idea popped up, “Why don’t we devote a whole weekend to Music?” He helped bring that about, and even wrote a number that I’m afraid had disappeared called, “Ahhhhh” (being the sigh of relief one feels coming into the Grove from the outside world).
Charlie was the brain behind the original Decadence Party, held ten years ago as Carol U. turned 70, He and I turned 60, and Jim Fletcher reached 50. Mary K. DuBois joined in our plans to celebrate this year to mark yet another decade. Charlie turned 70 on Saturday, August 16. The Town seems awfully quiet today without him.
Ann Briggs Sunday, 31 August 2003
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR CHUCK HAWK
SEPTEMBER 28TH, 11:00 a.m.
Pot luck to follow. Please bring a dish to share.
Contributions in memory of Charlie may be made to:
Marine Toys for Tots
715 Broadway Street; Box 1947
Quantico, VA 22134