Download a copy of the Minutes

COLLEGE GARDENS CIVIC ASSOCIATION (CGCA)
MEETING MINUTES, November 13, 2013

GENERAL MEETING
Meeting called to order at 7:05

Welcome

Tom Miner, President of CGCA, welcomed the membership (approx 35) to the meeting. Also attending were Hjarman Cordero, Senior Neighborhood Resource Coordinator assigned to us while Orlando Heyliger is serving in the National Guard and Nancy Pickard of Peerless Rockville who spoke to the group later in the meeting.

Treasurer’s Report

Tom gave the Treasurer’s report as Don Mann was unable to attend the meeting. Tom reported that the Association currently has $8,613.92 ($4,000 is still allocated to the pond study). $2661 was collected for the purchase of the directories and the advertising in the directories and will be deposited by Don later this month.

National Night Out

Susan VanGrack, CGCA Vice President, recapped this year’s NNO. It was another success with approximately 200 attendees, more volunteers than in previous years and lots of police and firemen in attendance. She indicated that new people have to become involved in the planning and implementation of next year’s NNO since the entire CGCA board will be “retiring” after June 2014. People were encouraged to recruit neighbors to participate in next year’s planning and implementation. The cost of the NNO was approximately $600.

New Business

Nancy Picard of Peerless Rockville informed the group that “PR” is working on a project to gather, archive and present the history of the College Gardens neighborhood. Neighbors are encouraged to reach out to PR with relics, photos and stories about their College Gardens “experience.” Nancy said that there would be a formal presentation, Modern Living in Rockville, sometime in the spring – a date yet to be determined – and she hopes that College Gardens will actively participate in the creation of the presentation as well as attend the final show. Nancy left business cards for easy access to her at PR.
If you can share anything from your College Gardens history, please contact:

Nancy Pickard, Programs manager
Phone: 301-762-0096
Email: programs@PeerlessRockville.org
www.PeerlessRockville.org

The 2014-2015 Directory is ready for delivery. Tom has reached out to the block captains by email to advise them that the directories are ready to be picked up and delivered.
Tom thanked Naomi Miner for her role in obtaining the bulk of the advertisers appearing in the Directory. He also thanked Jerry Callistein and Karen Carp for their assistance and expertise updating and formatting the Directory information and preparing it for the printer.
A special THANK YOU goes out to all the Block Captains who collected the updated information and distributed the directories.

As previously indicated $2661 has already been collected during the initial sale of the directory. Additional monies are anticipated once the delivery has been completed.

Elections

June 2014 will mark the end of the two year term for the current officers of the CGCA: Tom Miner, President; Susan VanGrack, Vice-President; Kathy Goldgeier, Secretary; and Don Mann, Treasurer.

Tom informed the attendees that none of the current officers are seeking re-election so recruiting interested parties is essential. Tom is available to assist with this process if anyone would like to discuss further.

Other Business

Radon Gas in Homes

Radon is an invisible, cancer-causing, radioactive gas created during the natural breakdown of uranium in rocks and soils. It’s found in nearly all soils. Tom shared information about the potential radon gas that is present in many area houses. He mentioned some people who recently sold their homes we surprised to find their homes had enough radon in them to warrant remediation before the sale. A radon test is usually required when a home is bought and sold.

As radon is a potentially serious health risk, homeowners who use their basements extensively for kids, guests, and pets might consider testing to determine the level of radon present in their basements. To learn more about radon, the risk, and remediation, follow this link: http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/dectmpl.asp?url=/Content/dep/air/radon.asp

Susan Donahue mentioned that the Cub Scouts did not pick up the food she left out for the food drive last weekend. Similar experiences have occurred with other neighbors. Everyone felt it was important to continue supporting this activity and steps will be taken next year to assist with a better pick up.

An attendee asked what is happening with the Magruders site in College Plaza. Tom did not have an update but has contacted the management company to see if he can obtain one and will add it to the CGCA website.

Sidebar: College Plaza is owned and managed by Combined Properties. In searching the web for contact info, Tom came across this summary and detailed demographics of the shopping center.

While on this topic of College Plaza, Tom pointed out a new advertiser in the new CG Directory, Matt’s House of Kabob, which is located in College Plaza. Tom has been there a number of times and gave it a good recommendation.

Mike Phillips asked if Montgomery College will provide a representative to discuss plans for the parking garage that we are hearing about. Susan Swift, CG neighbor and Director of Community Planning and Development Services at the City assured the group that by code they must advise the neighborhood of any plans that will impact it. At this time there is no indication when a meeting with Montgomery College will occur.

Paul O’Brien noted that the College Gardens Park had received numerous awards and asked if there was a way to display all the awards that the CG Park has accumulated – local and national.

Update: Tom checked with the City and secured a list of the awards the Park has received. The awards are:

• American Public Works Association – Public Works Project of the Year (winner in the Environment category for under $5 million) – April, 2012.
• Maryland Department of the Environment – Smart, Green and Growing Partnership Recognition Awards for Sustainable Infrastructure/Innovation in Stormwater Management – July, 2011.
• Montgomery County Department of Transportation – Keep Montgomery County Beautiful Award of Excellence, Cityscape Level II – 2011.
• Montgomery County Department of Transportation – Keep Montgomery County Beautiful Award of Excellence, Cityscape Level I- 2010. · Peerless Rockville Preservation Award – October 2010.
• Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association – Environmental Award for Partnership with a Civic or Environmental Organization – 2010.
• Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture – Gold Leaf Landscape Beautification Award – 2010.

Ben Wright, a Boy Scout of Troop 1415, gave a power point presentation of his Eagle Scout project – cleaning and replanting the circle on Tulane Court. With the guidance and assistance of the College Gardens Garden Club, Ben transformed the overgrown circle into a beautiful area of foliage that will be maintained by neighbors and the garden club. Some of the pictures Ben shared at the meeting are included below.

Many thanks to the Gardens Club and its President, Sue Mabry, for helping Ben financially and with their extensive knowledge of plants.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue VanGrack
President
Tom Miner
1601 Auburn Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 873-2509
Tom.Miner@LongandFoster.com

Vice President
Susan VanGrack
808 Fordham Street
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 279-2266
SVanGrack@writ.com

Secretary
Kathy Goldgeier
1520 Columbia Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 424-7149
KBodGold@aol.com

Treasurer
Don Mann
1615 Auburn Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
(240) 403-7550
DonMann@gmail.com

Download a PDF file of the Meeting Minutes

CGCA President Tom Miner called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.

Radon: President Tom Miner said that as a realtor, he’s aware that some neighbors are discovering radon in their basements when they sell their homes and the buyer asks for a radon test. Tom will pull together information on simple radon tests and remediation and distribute it by email.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Don Mann reported that CGCA has $10,098 in the bank and has spent $125 since the fall meeting, on renting the room for this meeting and on signs advertising the Rockville Mayor and Council candidates’ debate the civic association co-hosted last fall. He said $5,000 of the total is money donated by Karen Carp to fund regular biodiversity studies of the Colleges Gardens Pond. (More details below.)

Election of officers: Each of the current officers was nominated to serve a second two-year term: President, Tom Miner; Vice President, Susan VanGrack; Secretary, Kathy Goldgeier; Treasurer, Don Mann. All four were re-elected unanimously. Their terms will expire in the spring of 2014.

Stream Restoration Update: John Hollida, an engineer for the City of Rockville Department of Public Works, reported on plans to repair three storm drain outfalls in the Upper Watts Branch Park Forest Preserve that runs through Woodley Gardens and College Gardens, and to study whether other outfalls also need improvement. Outfalls, near Azalea, Astor and Princeton Place were identified in a 2001 watershed study as needing repairs, which are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2014. The recent stream improvements adjacent to the lower Woodley Gardens Park ball field were part of the same project. At issue is the erosion around the concrete outfalls that allows nutrients and sediment to flow into the Chesapeake Bay, and erosion that widens the stormwater channels and carries water too close to private property. Hollida said the trees and Native American artifacts in the stream bed are always taken into consideration.

Three College Gardens residents serve on the task force that is helping to assess conditions in the stream valley and decide on other repairs: Paul O’Brien, Jim Carleton and Lou Marinelli, as well as CGCA President Tom Miner. For more information on the stream program and to see photos and task force meeting minutes, go to http://www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/publicworks/wattsbranch.html.

Pond Biodiversity Study: Thanks to $1,000 from the City of Rockville and a $5,000 gift to the civic association from CG resident Karen Carp, the College Gardens ponds has been surveyed twice—once before the park renovation and once afterward—to measure its plant, bird, animal and invertebrate biodiversity. Chris Hakenkamp, who performed the two studies, reported that whereas the old pond had poor water clarity, a few species of pollution-tolerant invertebrates and only two types of shoreline plants, the new pond is teeming with wildlife. The new pond is much bigger, with 130 meters of shoreline and vegetation that extends three or four feet into the water, creating a much greater habitat. The pH balance is good; the water is much cleaner and reaches a depth of six feet.

The only negative findings are goldfish, which presumably came from someone dumping  their aquarium into the pond, and 1-centimeter-long leeches, which could have been carried there by birds, turtles or frogs.

Hakenkamp’s conclusion is that the new pond is a big improvement in biodiversity and while it is not yet as diverse as you’d expect in a mature suburban pond, it is well on its way.

City Council member and College Garden resident Mark Pierzchala noted that the College Gardens Park redesign has won seven awards, at the city, county, state and national level.

Website and Listserv: Tom Miner thanked outgoing webmaster MarshallFisher and new webmaster Jerry Callistein, who has redesigned the website, at www.collegegardens.org. Please visit the website for civic association bylaws, meeting minutes and newsletters; historical information about the neighborhood; a link to the Garden Club of College Gardens; and neighborhood news. To add your name to the private civic association email list to receive neighborhood news, email Tom Miner at Tom.Miner@longandfoster.com. To join the College Gardens Yahoo group to share suggestions or ask questions among neighbors, send an email to collegegardens-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Directory: It is time to update the College Gardens neighborhood directory, which is done every two years. The cost will remain $5 for one copy and $3 for a second copy. Block captains will be knocking on doors over the summer to update information and the new directory should be out in mid-November.

Welcoming New Neighbors: One resident asked if the civic association still greets new residents with a welcome basket. The answer is no, but Karen Carp said the Garden Club brings each new family a geranium and an invitation to join, and realtor and resident Naomi Miner said she brings new residents a civic association directory and welcome information from the city of Rockville.

National Night Out: Vice President Susan VanGrack, who chairs the annual National Night Out event at the College Gardens Park (this year: Tuesday, August 7), said ours is the biggest such event in the city and possibly in the county. She asked residents to be sure to invite any new neighbors and to promote it especially to families with children. Susan Donohue, who organized the activities for kids last year and will do so again this year, asked for more middle or high school students to help.

Rockville Summit and new construction: City Council member and neighborhood resident Mark Pierzchala said the city will hold a second “Rockville Summit” in November and invited anyone who is interested to join one of the working groups exploring how Rockville can maintain its excellence in these challenging economic times. For more information, go to http://www.rockvillemd.gov/events/summit.html.

Mark also said this will be the last year Hometown Holidays uses the surface parking lot across from the Regal theater in the same way because construction will begin at the end of the summer on a residential building on that spot. The building will have ground-floor retail and two floors will be a hotel run by one of the Choice Hotels brands. Choice Hotels will be headquartered in the new building going up at the corner of Middle Lane and Rt. 355. Eventually, there will be two buildings on the movie theater lot, but there are no immediate plans for the second.

Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Goldgeier
CGCA Secretary