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March

Date: March 11, 2014

Place: Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave.

Time: 7:30 PM

Present: Frances L. Higgins, Nancy Pines; Chris Richardson, Greg White, 1 Section 5 resident

  1. Agenda Item: Minutes

    Chris moved that the minutes of the February 11, 2014, Council meeting be approved as presented; there was a second and the motion passed unanimously.

  2. Agenda Item: Citizen Concerns

    Greg said that he finds it difficult to back his van out of his driveway on Williams Ln. because there is a telephone pole on the left side of his driveway in the public strip and there are cars parked directly across the street from his driveway. There was some discussion about solutions to his problem. A resident suggested that the Council have portions of the curbs which are located directly across the street from a driveway on the north side of Williams Ln. painted white as a signal to residents that they should not park directly across the street from a driveway.

    Action:
    The manager will count the number of driveways on the north side of Williams Ln. which are directly across the street from a stretch of curb where cars could park. She will present her findings to the Council at the April meeting. The manger will contact the Village Police Chief about the length of the white strips to be painted on the south side of Williams Ln.

  3. Agenda Item: Discussion of Ordinance to Restrict Through Truck Traffic on Williams Lane 5

    A Morton Thomas, Inc., an engineering firm, has been engaged to conduct a traffic survey on Williams Lane some time in March. The Morton engineer said she would need a full week during which there is no snow forecast before the company will begin the survey. A snow plow would destroy the survey wires strung across the street. The manager will continue to stay in touch with A. Morton Thomas, Inc. about the survey.

  4. Agenda Item: Discussion of Changes to Election Regulations

    The proposed election regulation changes involve the deadline for a candidate to declare his/her candidacy for election, to remove his/her name for his/her candidacy and to submit a statement of his/her qualifications and reasons for candidacy.

    Chris asked the manager if she had received any calls about the proposed changes; she said that no one had contacted her. The new wording for the election regulations is in bold:

    Sec. 2-200 Placement of names in nomination for office by:
    (b) In either case, the declaration or nomination must be in writing and submitted to the manager “by the first (1st) day of March.” Change words in quotation marks to read: “thirty days (30) prior to election date.”

    Sec. 2-300 Withdrawal of nomination.
    Any person nominated may withdraw from nomination by written notice to the section manager “by the tenth (10th) day of March.” Change words in quotation marks to read: “20 (twenty) days prior to election.”

    Sec. 2-400 Voluntary statement by nominees; notice to voters of annual meeting and candidates.
    (a) Each candidate may submit a statement of no more than 200 words as to qualifications and reasons for candidacy. Submission of this statement is voluntary and if submitted, must be received by the section manager “on or before March 10th.” Change words in quotation marks to read: “30 (thirty) days prior to election.”

    Action:
    Chris moved that the proposed changes to the election rules be enacted; there was a second and the motion passed unanimously. The manager will have these new changes posted on Section 5’s web site in the appropriate place in the election rules section.

  5. Discussion of 2014/15 Budget

    Tim had earlier given a copy of the proposed 2014/15 budget to each Council member; this sheet also contained the revenues and expenditures for the three most years as well as the revenues and expenditures for FY 2013/14 to the end of March. All of the expenditures for 2013/14 are within budget except for snow removal. There have been record snowfalls this winter.

    The figures for revenues are all approximations because the State income taxes are not known until residents pay their State income taxes for the year. There was much discussion. The Council decided to wait until the April meeting before it votes on the proposed budget for FY 2014/15; Tim and Peter will be at that meeting.

  6. Agenda Item: Building Inspector’s Report

    Permits granted:
    3804 Thornapple St. ‒ back yard fence
    3826 Woodbine St. ‒ demolition of house and garage

  7. Agenda Item: Manager’s Report

    A resident has asked the manager about placing a flyer advertising the St. John’s Episcopal Church’s consignment shop located at 4504 Walsh St. There was some discussion about the fact that the profits from this shop belong to the church. There was some discussion that Section 5 would be supporting a religious organization if it placed the flyer in the newsletter. It was mentioned that notices about A Wider Circle, a charitable organization, are placed in Section 5’s newsletter; however, all the profits from A Wider Circle go back into that organization.

    Action:
    The Council decided to place a one-time notice in the Section 5 newsletter about the St. John’s Consignment Shop noting that the profits go to the church.

    Montgomery County Park and Planning had a meeting last week at which time it accepted opinions both for and against the division of the property at 7111 Brookville Rd. into two building lots. Section 5’s Council had previously decided not to oppose this division.

    A new resident on Thornapple St. has contacted the manager about having Section 5 help with her back yard water problems. The resident has a sump pump which pumps water onto the back yard and causes a swamp-like condition. The resident asked the manager if she could channel the outflow from the sump pump into Section 5’s gutter. The manager explained to the resident that Section 5 could not allow her to connect a pipe from her sump pump into the public gutter because this water could freeze in the winter and cause a hazard. The County has contacted the resident and said that the County will connect her sump pump drain to the County storm drain system some time in July.

    A resident has asked the County and received permission to change his address from 7405 Connecticut Ave. to 3826 Woodbine St. This resident has applied for a permit to demolish his house and garage and will have his new house face Woodbine St.

    A resident on Underwood St. has removed her driveway apron which belongs to Section 5 and installed a new driveway apron. The manager has telephoned and emailed the resident that she has destroyed Section 5 property. The manager will report to the Council about the resolution of this problem at the April Council meeting.

  8. Agenda Item: Adjournment

    Chris adjourned the meeting. The next Council meeting will be held Tuesday, April 8, 2014, at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave., at 7:30 PM. The Village Hall has handicapped access. Everyone is welcome.