Rock Creek Hills Citizens Association

Minutes of Meeting:  October 13, 1999

 

 

Shannon Hamm, President, called the meeting to order at 7:40 PM.  Due to the scheduled dedication of the Kensington Campus of the Grace Episcopal Day School, the meeting was held in the library.

 

Emergency Closure of the Stoneybrook Drive Bridge:

The bridge on Stoneybrook Drive, crossing the CSX tracks, was closed at 6 PM, on October 13th for emergency repairs to the abutment on the northwest corner of the bridge.

 

Note: For the latest information on the bridge closings, please check the RCHCA web site at http://www.RCHCA.org.

 

Old Business:

  1. Minutes:  Approve minutes of the May 12th, 1999 meeting.

 

Motion to approve the minutes.

 

Vote:  Approved the minutes

 

  1. Treasurer’s report by Deanna Marcum:

 

Opening balance                                                             $9123.25

Total Income                                                                         $  280.00

Total Expenses                                                                     $  960.76

Ending Balance                                                                        $8442.49

 

Motion to accept the Treasurer’s report.

 

Vote:  Accepted

 

3.      Committee reports

 

·        Health and Environment report by Jacqui Stevens: Montgomery County has a web site devoted to year 2000 issues and advisories.  The web site is at http://www.co.mo.md.us./pio/y2k.

 

·        Covenants report: Details are in the September 1999 newsletter.

 

·        Membership report: Ruth Silverstein has prepared welcome packages for new neighbors.

 

·        Transportation report by John Robinson

 

o       Study regarding HOV on the beltway is 6-9 months off.

o       Balance of power seems to be shifting toward transit.

o       Considering a trolley from New Carollton to Bethesda.

 

 

New Business:

 

1.      Vote on changes to the by‑laws. 

 

The proposed by‑law modifications were read and discussed.  Some of the issues discussed were:

·        Article III‑Section 2

o       Not setting dues in the by‑laws but determining at the October meeting.  It is believed that the dues have only changed three times in the history of the Association.

·        Article VII‑Section 3

o       The cost of an emergency meeting

o       Changing from 20 members to a percent of the membership

·        Article VIII

o       The rationale of changing the number of standing committees

 

Motion: To approve the by‑laws changes as proposed

 

Vote: Unanimous approval

 

Note:  The modifications to the by‑laws were published in the September 1999 newsletter and the updated by‑laws are available on the web site (http://www.RCHCA.org).

 

2.      Park concerns – Lt. Steve Tucker and Cpl. Howard Battle

 

Lt. Tucker is the Director of the patrol program for the Maryland National Capital Park Police.  Cpl. Battle regularly patrols the parks in the Rock Creek Hills area.  They stressed that community involvement is crucial to addressing problems.  Problems related to the use of soccer fields are occurring County‑wide.

 

Every call goes into a database and the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

 

Lt. Steve Tucker can be reached by phone:       (301) 929-2745,

or email:                                               STucker@mncppc.state.md.us

 

Cpl. Howard Battle can be reached by phone:      (301) 929-5981 X5131

 

The Park Police number is:               (301) 949-8010

 

As always, in an emergency call:                        911

 

3.      Deer population concerns – Rob Gibbs, Montgomery County Deer Management Working Group

 

The deer population in the area is increasing and the tolerance is decreasing.  Deer live predominantly on the edge of a forest.  Suburbs have the same characteristics as the edge of a forest.  Deer are returning to areas where they haven’t lived in 100 years.

 

There is not a single solution to the problem posed by the deer population.  Some methods of control are: fencing, repellant, and reducing the deer population.

 

The Montgomery County Cooperative Extension Service and the Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Commission sponsor workshops on deer damage control.  Interest was expressed in having a workshop in Rock Creek Hills.

 

4.      Update on the Town of Kensington activities – Leanne Pfautz, Kensington Town Council

 

·        Revitalization of Howard Avenue – lights and trees should be up by the end of the month

·        Safeway/Shell

o       Safeway is looking at expansion

o       Issue regarding contamination of the Shell property

·        Kensington Cabin Park

o       Park is not ADA accessible

o       County has proposed selling to the Town or taking down the cabin

·        October 23rd is Community Service Day.

·        Wake Drive traffic concerns with the closing of the Stoneybrook Drive bridge

 

5.      Election judges are needed in Montgomery County for March 7, 2000 and November 7, 2000.  Interested parties should contact Renee Grove at (240) 777-8572.

 

6.      RCHCA will attempt to schedule a meeting with Elder Salisbury, Director of the Mormon Temple Visitors Center, to discuss the current construction project and pressing issues.

 

Note:  Notices were sent to all residences in RCHCA and the meeting was held on November 3rd at the Mormon Temple Visitors Center.

 

7.      Any input to the newsletter should be submitted to Sam Hoxie one month before the next meeting.  For the January newsletter, the input should be submitted by the first of December.

 

US Postal Service:                        Sam Hoxie

                                                9711 East Bexhill

                                                Kensington, MD 20895

 

Email:                                       samhoxie@erols.com

 

8.      Motion to adjourn

 

Vote:  Accepted