President Bob Gross led the meeting, and discussed the block party held the previous month.  All agreed that it was a great success and MSCA thanked everyone involved in an e-mail to those members who have signed up to receive MSCA e-announcements.  The adjoining neighbors were all supportive and there were no complaints about noise or traffic.  Social Chair Vasilia Contos was recognized for her wonderful contribution to the neighborhood.   Many neighbors volunteered, and participation was very good from the community, including many families with younger kids.  The Board noted that it had authorized a monetary “tip” to the very well-received band that performed at the event.

In discussing the positive results, there was considerable discussion about whether the Association should actually do more.   That would require more revenue, so this led to discussion about raising dues to collect more to do more, and to generate some more reserve for contingencies.   Opinion was split.  Even if a few dues payers did not go along with an increase, more money in total could still be collected.  But the goal was to increase community cohesion and participation, and losing even a few dues payers would run contrary to that goal.  On the issue of reserves, no specific scenario requiring reserve funds was identified, since the association is not responsible for any of the real property and operates only on a voluntary basis to cover expenses like painting the signs.  Ultimately, since the Board had agreed at the prior meeting to remain at $50/year, there was not enough of a consensus to revisit the issue for the upcoming year (but that could change depending on the discussion at the next Board meeting).

Returning to the issue of liability insurance from the prior Board meeting, the President (without giving any legal advice) reviewed the laws that apparently apply.  There was some concern that the officers and volunteers needed greater protection against claims.  State law appears to say that having the Association carry a specified minimum level of liability insurance would shield the officers and volunteers as well as can be reasonably achieved.  Research by Board members indicated several sources for such insurance at rates within the Association’s ability to pay.  Price and coverage options would need to be compared between companies and the Secretary collected the potential sources offered and will follow up with multiple companies to get competitive quotes.

Discussion of follow-on social events was lively.  Possible candidates include a backyard movie, which would probably have to wait for spring, and ice skating at Cabin John, which had been done in prior years.  The idea of an ice skating event with pot luck food in a party room will be pursued.  A visit by Santa on a fire truck, also popular in prior years was suggested.  Discussion of any religious sensitivities did not suggest it would be a significant problem and was never a problem in the past, so it will be investigated to see if local fire companies are willing to participate.

The Vice President introduced a survey he proposed to solicit neighborhood input on the Association’s activities.  He covered the questions to be asked, and after some discussion, the set of topics was approved.   The survey will be hand delivered by Block Captains to each home and due back in December in time to summarize the results for the board and for possible inclusion in a newsletter.  A newsletter to solicit dues and update membership updates is due to go out in December, with planned events if they can be definitely scheduled.

As noted at the previous meeting, reconstruction of the damaged home on Whites Ford way was to begin.  It was reported at this meeting that demolition had occurred and the project was underway.

Other topics of local interest noted were the proposed county regulation on “Big Box” and other stores, requiring participation and dialog with neighboring community associations.  As a community association, the Board generally endorsed this idea, but noted that it had a long way to go to actually be approved by the County.  If an opportunity to comment should arise, the President will follow the process to get input from the Board and, time permitting, from interested residents.  The President did remind the Board that it is the chartered duty and authority of the Officers to represent the community when called upon, and not every issue needs to be or can be taken to the membership at large.

Also of keen local interest, the County is discussing the building of a new school off Wooten Parkway to address overcrowding, and the same process would apply if comments are to be submitted.  The President reiterated the need for someone to volunteer for the position of Education Chair to help keep the Board and MSCA community abreast of school issues, and to help prepare testimony for MCPS and County Council hearings on school proposals and issues that are important to our community.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15.

The Board reviewed the question of having its Officers advocate on behalf of the community. All members agreed that this is a function of citizens’ associations, and certainly something the Board unanimously endorses as a function of MSCA, its Board, and its Officers. Acting on behalf of the community to advocate with local jurisdictions in the interests of homeowners is consistent with our bylaws and our standing as a community association. The relevance of an issue to the community has to be considered in each case.

Time permitting, the Board agreed that communicating on issues with the wider membership is desirable, and soliciting input to determine the sense of the community is definitely in order on many occasions. Polling and voting, however, are not required and the Board and the Officers do what they believe is best in specific instances. It is expected that the Officers will consult with the Board. Where there are active Chairs of relevant committees, their advice is greatly valued. The Board would love to see more active members in these positions. Bringing local issues to the attention of members through community e-mail bulletins is also a service that the association can provide.

Moving to current business, the Board reviewed the upcoming events, most importantly the annual meeting scheduled for May 16, 2011, at Beverly Farms Elementary School. The President welcomes suggestions for a speaker if there is any specific topic of interest.

The Board discussed the Treasurer’s report on dues collection progress. A reminder notice will be sent out with the next bulletin announcing the annual meeting and yard sale. The yard sale will take place Sunday afternoon May 22^nd. Vice President Steve Schuck will organize the event again this year.

The Board endorsed the idea of holding more community social events. It will pursue an event like the Ice Cream Social last year and investigate the possibility of a block party with a band as we did a few years ago. Having one event in the northern section and one in the southern was favored.

The Board also discussed other communications media, such as Facebook with a discussion forum, or adding a classified ad sort of function on the web site. The Vice President will discuss options with our web site manager, Tony.

A number of possible items to discuss with the County were raised. The repaving job on the southern section is already showing cracks that need to be sealed. And the woods along White’s Ford Way should be cleaned up, whether by the County or by our landscaper being the question. Our landscaping contractor is doing a good job and will come up for annual work renewal shortly. The Board gave the President permission to proceed with specifying the work to be done.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00.

The annual meeting of the Montgomery Square Citizens Association was held as required by our bylaws, on May 17, 2010 at Beverly Farms Elementary School. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 by President Bob Gross. As a courtesy to our guest speaker, the agenda began with his presentation.

Our speaker was Mr. Thomas Pogue, the Community Relations Manager for the Montgomery Count Department of Transportation, covering our area. Mr. Pogue’s office provides a lot of informational offerings for the local communities, and he provided packets for those in attendance. He described a re-organization of the County departments which separated the former Department of Public Works and Transportation into independent units. The Department of Transportation covers many issues of concern to citizens, including road maintenance, pedestrian safety, snow removal, parking, Ride-On busses, traffic engineering, etc. Valuable resources and information on the Department that he highlighted are available on the Montgomery County website: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ The Department’s main telephone number, 240-777-6000 will be replaced this year with a centralized county-wide help desk, dialing 311.

Mr. Pogue took several questions from members, covering hot topics. Snow removal was one, after the sever winter. Residents questioned whether damage to curbs caused by snow plows would be addressed. Mr. Pogue responded that the Department does plan to drive the snow plow routes and assess any damage. Residents can also report damage themselves to the number above. A standardized “service request” process will be used and residents should be sure to get a service request number to use for follow-up. In response to a question on speed humps, Mr. Pogue said that traffic calming is still an active program. There are strict criteria on speed and traffic volume, with surveys and citizen input required. After the repaving of the southern portion of the community, speed humps were replaced with lower, broader models according to current guidelines. A resident noted that the striping on some was not adequate visibility. Relevant to Seven Locks Road, there are open studies still on the Sidewalk and Bikeway, and other improvements such as repaving. The County remains far behind on repaving due to budget constraints.

Mr. Gross thanked Mr. Pogue for his long record of service to the County and to the community and for coming to our meeting.

In the community portion of the meeting, members discussed the Treasurer’s report, and a report from the President. The community finances are in good shape, with sufficient revenues to meet projected expenses. About 260 households contributed dues this year. This is slightly above prior year participation rates, representing diligent work from the Membership Chairman and the Board to encourage participation. Funds go predominantly to maintain and beautify the neighborhood entrance areas, to print the community directory, and support a few neighborhood events. Events included a special ice cream social with entertainment by our neighborhood’s resident Elvis Tribute Artist which was well attended. The annual yardsale, with support from Vice President Steve Schuck, got good feedback and will remain on our calendar. There was some discussion on the community directory, validating the consensus that it should print information on participating residents only. In part, this is as an incentive, but it also reflects reality that without submission of the dues and information form, we have no basis to list members who do not respond.

Secretary Tom Hall announced that no new nominations for the Officers of the association were received, but that current incumbents did volunteer to continue in office if elected. A motion was made and seconded to re-elect the serving Officers, passing unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00.

The fall meeting of MSCA Board was held at the home of the President, Bob Gross, on September 27, 2009. The President, opened the meeting at 7:40 and welcomed a new neighbor and volunteer. The Board discussed the repaving of the southern portion of Montgomery Square. It was the opinion of the Board that the President’s frequent contacts with the County on this subject should be credited with success in lobbying for this improvement. While the work was still in progress, this is a great benefit overall. A question was raised as to whether the speed humps would be re-installed after paving. The President had inquired about this with the County and determined that they would be.

Treasurer David Grossman reported annual dues collection had ended with a total of $12,470, from about 250 households. Landscaping expenses have stayed under control with the new contractor and we should end the year with some reserves.

Vice President Steve Schuck discussed the printing schedule for the annual MSCA Directory and the fall Tetragon newsletter. Sequencing of dues collection with the printing of the Directory is important to minimize the possibility of missing the names of participating members. The fall Tetragon will come with the solicitation for 2010 dues and information updates. Tetragons and Directories should be distributed through Block Captains, maintaining the duties and opportunities for these volunteers to participate. The Board revisited the decision not to list non-responsive households by name and phone number, and decided to stay with the program and not guess at names and phone numbers, relying instead only on the returned dues and information sheets.

Based on inquiries from a couple of households, the Board discussed whether MSCA can or should assist in the upkeep of the Montgomery Square signature brick walls at the main entrances on Seven Locks Road and Falls Road. Previous research had indicated that the walls are within the property boundaries of the homeowners at those corners and that while MSCA does landscape on the homeowner’s property, it is by permission of the property owner only, and not an obligation on either party. However, there was a sense that the signs defined the community identity and were in the interests of the community. Previous precedents noted by the Secretary, Tom Hall, were that the Board had paid to repaint and reletter the signs themselves many years ago. In another case, a homeowner contracted at her own expense to refurbish the brick wall on her property to meet her requirements. Subject to funds available and the size of potential expenditures, the Board may choose to assist property owners in maintenance of the signs and, if practicable, the walls over time. However, the potential size of the problem and cost estimates would be required. A volunteer was selected to survey the affected walls and see about getting estimates for the next meeting.

In closing, the President thanked the Officers and volunteers.

Meeting was adjourned.

The annual meeting of MSCA was held at Beverly Farms elementary school on May 4, 2009, as publicized in advance and in accordance with our bylaws.

Bob Gross, President, opened the meeting at 7:35. Bob introduced the board members present and reviewed accomplishments from the past year. Thanks to efforts from the Vice President, Steve Schuck, Treasurer David Grossman, and Membership Chair Roger Hahn, annual dues collection went more smoothly and quickly than ever. About half of households particpated in the first wave, and a follow-up mailing is expected to increase the percentage. Treasurer David Grossman reported that collecting dues via the new Post Office Box helped manage the mail better as well. With the percent participation, the association will be able to fund its normal complement of activities. The largest expenses is, as always, landscaping and maintenance of the landscaped areas. A new landscape contractor was selected by the Board this year.

This is the first year in recent times where households not responding to the mailed request for information updates and dues will not be listed by name in the annual MSCA Directory. The Board had decided in a previous meeting not to list names and numbers of non-responsive members, since we are listing their names by permission only. We do solicit responses more than once, and do so by direct mail to the adddress so that everyone who wishes to participate may do so. Ideas for increasing participation to a goal of 80% were discussed, including more on-line group communication media.

Bob Gross went over many items of local interest dealing with development issues. First, he gave a review of the Seven Locks Road Sidewalk and Bikeway Project, which is still progressing through the County’s planning phases. Second, the membership discussed the water main replacement project on the southern side of Montgomery Square. Homeowners are concerned about the overall condition of the road surface already and what it will look like after Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) finished its project. The President has continued to push for complete repaving, between WSSC and the County.

The Secretary, Tom Hall, reported that no new nominations had been received for the Officers of MSCA. All current officers, however, agreed to continue to serve if selected. A vote of those present was unanimous for retaining the current Officers.

In closing, the President noted that he wished to thank the Officers and volunteers. He thanked everyone for coming.

Meeting was adjourned.

The summer 2008 meeting of the MSCA Board of Directors was held August 26, 2008, at the home of the President, Bob Gross.

The President opened the meeting at 7:30. The Board discussed progress in dues collection, where an additional notice was mailed to homeowners who had not responded. The notice reminded people that we would not be listing information in the 2009 MSCA Directory for households not responding since we had no validation for their information to print. The notice resulted in an additional 40-50 collections, bringing up our participation rate considerably.

Vice President Steve Schuck discussed the preparation of the directory for printing. He has reformatted the data from a publishing format into a database so that more flexible reports, mailings, and printable directory listings can be tailored as needed. The layout of the book was demonstrated to the Board’s approval. The book will contain the bylaws, information on services by local residents, a cross index of street addresses to homeowner names (when available), and the main directory itself. Some advertising will help offset part of the printing costs.

The Board discussed how best to distribute various materials. It decided to mail out the formal request for dues, with return envelopes, to fit into a normal pattern of billing and payment, rather than use door-to-door flyers which might get discarded too easily. Bulk materials like the newsletters will continue to use local kids, while Block Captains will get involved by asking them to deliver the directories and keep any extras to give to new residents.

Ideas for the newsletter to accompany the directory were discussed, and relevant parts of the Montgomery County codes covering things like pet waste, unkempt yards, trash, leaves, and other topics will be included.

The state of the neighborhood roads was discussed and Bob Gross reported the substance of his conversations with County representatives. In brief, the County has insufficient funds to do all the work that it should do, so there is an indeterminate wait on getting roads resurfaced or repaired. After water main work in the southern portion of the Association, the water authority, WSSC, must repair the damage to the road. However, their practice is to pave just the areas trenched out, not the whole road. Getting the water authority and the County to collaborate and just fix the whole road at the same time was suggested by Bob, but without any action by the County. Short of hiring lawyers or lobbyists to be more aggressive in badgering the County, there appears to be no work forthcoming in the near term. Bob will continue to see if neighboring associations such as Regency Estates are lobbying the County on the same issues and align with them where possible. If an association member has the time and energy to pursue this more actively, he or she should volunteer for the Roads Committee chair and work on it.

Bob brought the Board up to date on the Seven Locks Sidewalk and Bikeway project. A new project manager has been assigned as the project moves ahead into the next planning phase, Phase II. In this phase, survey work for rights of way and topography will be done and a facility planning estimate will be completed. If this work is completed as scheduled, it will result in a budget request being submitted along with others in the June 2009 timeframe. The project manager will be happy to meet with representatives of the Association. This is another area needing volunteer help to stay in contact with County officials.

The Board discussed landscaping plans and contracts. The decision was to retain the current contractor for the next season, with pansies to be planted for fall. Landscaping will continue to be the largest expense for the Association in 2009.

The meeting was adjourned at 9PM with the next meeting to be in October, only if necessary. If possible, review and production of the Directory and newsletter will be coordinated online.

Meeting was adjourned.

The annual meeting of MSCA was held at Beverly Farms elementary school on May 19, 2008, as publicized in advance and in accordance with our bylaws.

Bob Gross, President, opened the meeting at 7:35. Bob introduced the board members present and highlighted existing vacancies on the board, asking for volunteers. He emphasized that all positions were open to new volunteers. Committee chairs for the Social Committee, Transportation, and the Improvements Committee are needed.

Treasurer David Grossman reported that over 175 households had already paid dues for 2008, and that the treasury of the Association was adequate for projected expenses. The largest expenses is, as always, landscaping and maintenance of the landscaped areas.

Bob Gross went over many items of local interest dealing with development issues. First, he gave a review of the Seven Locks Road Sidewalk and Bikeway Project. We had asked the MSCA membership for input on this project to gauge whether the Board should represent the community as being generally in favor of the concept or not. Almost 100 participating members responded favorably to the idea, subject to some concerns that will have to be addressed when more detailed plans are available. A very few negative responses were also received, but the consensus was to support the County’s project at this time and watch for impacts to the homeowners along Seven Locks Road as special cases.

Second, the membership discussed the water main replacement project on the southern side of Montgomery Square. Homeowners are concerned about the overall condition of the road surface already and what it will look like after Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) finished its project. Information from the County to date is that WSSC will only repave the disturbed area in a strip along the road, not the whole road. The President has inquired about whether the County and WSSC can partner and do the whole road, but County funds are very limited for any repaving work and we have not found a way to convince the County to act as of yet. There may be recourse if the work done by WSSC is not done well enough for the County inspectors. The Board will continue to look for opportunities here, but could use some help in staying on top of this issue. A member noted that with more dues collected, MSCA could afford more legal and lobbying support to pressure the County and WSSC, but not with current resources. If a goal of 85% participation could be met consistently, a material difference would be possible.

The Board agreed to press for a higher participation goal and attendees discussed how to go about increasing dues collection, and the relationship between paying dues and receipt of the MSCA Directory, and/or inclusion as a listing in the directory. All combinations of the options were considered, with pros and cons debated with the membership at large. The consensus of the meeting was to continue thanking those who had paid, publicly in the Tetragon, and to target those who had not with a specific letter from the Board in the mail asking for their directory information and the dues payment. The Board was persuaded by the argument that if households do not respond with their desired directory listing names and telephone numbers, the Board cannot justify listing them in the 2008-2009 directory that is being prepared for printing. Absent knowledge of who the homeowners are and absent their permission to list them, the Board should discontinue listing the names of non-responsive homeowners. This will be explained in the mailing. The Board apologizes to anyone who may have paid and not been recorded properly, and they can correct any mistakes before printing. On the question of whom to give directories, the Board found that the consensus was for giving it to all households as a neighborhood resource and to maintain the value of advertising space in the publication, which helps offset printing costs. While some members did not initially like the idea of giving the directory to non-paying households, the overall benefit of doing so, along with the change to not list non-participating members, was accepted as a package by the Board.

Board members discussed the upcoming directory printing. Advertisements will be solicited, and any members who wish to have ads run for their businesses can contact the Vice President, Steve Schuck.

Bob reported that the annual Yard Sale was a success, with about the same number of households participating as in prior years. Efforts to get the advertising out and signs put up were appreciated. Thanks are due to Steve Schuck for the effort. Another large banner sign will be procured for next year.

Another local development issue discussed was the Montrose Road and Route 355 area. Plans for improvement to Montrose east from Rockville Pike to Georgia Avenue are on hold, and the State is holding up money for the Rockville Pike and Montrose Road overpass. However, a meeting on the overpass/intersection scheduled for June appeared to indicate that construction would start. No further information was available at the time of the meeting, however.

The Secretary, Tom Hall, reported that no new nominations had been received for the Officers of MSCA. All current officers, however, agreed to continue to serve if selected. A vote of those present was unanimous for retaining the current Officers.

In closing, the President noted that he wished to thank the Officers and volunteers. He thanked everyone for coming.

Meeting was adjourned.

The spring 2008 meeting of the MSCA Board of Directors was held March 17, 2008, at the home of Vice President, Steve Schuck.

The President, Bob Gross, opened the meeting at 7:30. The Board discussed printing the MSCA Directory for 2008, considering whether to distribute the directory to dues paying members of MSCA or to all residents. Advantages for giving the book to all residents won out, including making the book more attractive to advertisers. Discussion turned to the status of information and collection. As is normal, the current response rate is about 40%. The Board decided to get out a flyer with another call for dues, announcement of the yard sale, and a reminder about the annual meeting. It was decided to include a list thanking those residents by family name who had paid, along with apologies to any whose names we had missed, plus an encouragement to pay for those who have not. A last round will accompany directory distribution, with an insert asking for dues from those who still have not paid, with books being delivered by Block Captains for further encouragement.

Bob provided an update on the Seven Locks Sidewalk and Bikeway project. We had done a poll with the dues collection form to solicit comments from residents on this project. The majority of responses were in favor of such a project. Based on this response, the Board will continue to monitor the project for impacts on the neighborhood as designs mature, but will express to the County planners our support for the concept in general.

The Board noted the recent plantings and cleanup of the landscaped corners. Several residents have commented on the flowers favorably. Landscaping will continue to be the largest expense for the Association in 2008.

Board members from the southern portion of Montgomery Square are concerned about a water main replacement project being undertaken by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC.) The project will cut a major trench in the roadways, which will then be covered by asphalt in a swath about three feet wide. That will leave the rest of the streets in their already deteriorating condition. The road condition has been raised as an issue with the County for years, but budget reductions have largely stalled resurfacing projects for neighborhood roads. Also, the less expensive resurfacing methods, such as the slurry method used on the northern section’s roads several years ago, are no longer favored by the County due to their limited useful life span. The preferred method of grinding down the surface and reapplying new asphalt is considerably more expensive and unlikely to happen any time soon. The Board discussed options for trying to get the County to work with WSSC and to consider doing the whole road instead of just the three foot strip. The County’s response to date is that they are doing a full study of County roads needing resurfacing and they will address the priorities identified by the study. Bob will pursue this with the County and local elected officials, but realistic chances of getting satisfaction are slim.

The next meeting was set for May 5, 2008, to discuss plans for the annual meeting on May 19, 2008.

Meeting was adjourned.

The fall 2007 meeting of the MSCA Board of Directors was held November 13, 2007, at the home of Steve Schuck, who was approved by Board to fill the vacancy as Vice President.

The President, Bob Gross, opened the meeting at 7:30. He welcomed the new Vice President, particularly as an additional representative of the northern half of the community, with hope for expanding participation and interest in that area.

Topics discussed and conclusions were as follows.

Membership dues for 2008 will stay the same as the previous year, $50. While there may be more projects the association could undertake with more revenue, $50 is adequate for landscaping upkeep and a few social activities. With an active Improvements Chair, the association could entertain more ideas.

The President plans to get out our newsletter, The Tetragon, at the end of December. The Tetragon of this season includes the request for homeowner dues and directory updates. The Board discussed ideas for better communications, using e-mail. The directory does not have all members’ e-mail addresses, but we can pursue the idea of self-registration on a “moderated” listserv, such as at Yahoo Groups. Secretary Tom Hall volunteered to investigate.

The need for an updated paper directory was also discussed. Anne Stadnicki, who has volunteered most of the effort for the last few directories, would be able to help, but needs more help this time around. New Vice President, Steve Schuck, will take a look at the underlying data and see if he can get a publishing package to work with it.

Bob discussed the status of projects in the area, specifically the Potomac Sidewalk and Bikeway program. This program has proceeded to its next phase in the County’s capital project planning cycle, which will provide a design and cost information. This project is generally welcomed by MSCA since it will greatly improve the look and utility of Seven Locks Road for pedestrians and cyclists. However, several property owners are impacted by some of the designs, so continued vigilance in following the planning is required. Bob met with the County’s planning lead, Aruna Miller and the County’s contractor during the preliminary planning phase and had some impacts on the process. Steve will see if he can draft an article for the newsletter on this subject for Bob. The idea of putting some sort of “sense of the community” ballot in the newsletter was discussed, but the association has more need for someone to track the issue and volunteer as Roads Chair to work this.

On the subject of landscaping, the Treasurer, David Grossman reported that we had funds of about $12,000, and expected landscaping bills that would take two thirds of that. The Board remains concerned that bills are not submitted quickly to the Treasurer, and this will be addressed with the contractors.

The Board again discussed possible mergers with neighboring associations, in part because of the difficulty in recruiting active volunteers from within MSCA. The members noted significant differences in funding models and expenses between the various community associations, which would have to be addressed. Previous discussions with Regency Estates were cordial, but ended with a recommendation to cooperate and share where appropriate. Steve Schuck was asked to contact an officer from Potomac Woods Citizens Association to see what their opinions would be on this subject. The idea of polling the MSCA membership was discussed but deferred since we have no concrete plans on the table to choose from anyway. Merger remains an option if an adequate level of participation in MSCA leadership positions cannot be sustained.

In closing, the President thanked everyone for coming.

Meeting was adjourned.

The annual meeting of MSCA was held at Beverly Farms elementary school on May 29, 2007, as publicized in advance and in accordance with our bylaws.

Bob Gross, President, opened the meeting at 7:45. Bob introduced the board members present and highlighted existing vacancies on the board, asking for volunteers. He emphasized that all positions were open to new volunteers, including his. The position of Vice President is especially important, and Committee chairs for the Social Committee and the Improvements Committee are needed.

Treasurer David Gross reported that over 170 households had already paid dues for 2007. From discussions, the Board will use the Block Captains to ask for one more round of payments. Bob noted that the bulk of the funds go to landscaping and gave several examples. A member drew attention to several bushes on the Inspection House Road island, and some trees that needed attention. There was also some discussion about the selection of plants and the need for deer resistant varieties. Bob will convey these issues to the landscaper.

Bob went over many items of local interest dealing with development issues. First, he gave a review of the Seven Locks Road Sidewalk and Bikeway Project. The study phase of this capital improvement project has begun, and there have been several meetings to kick off the study. The County Planning Commission has approved proceeding to a more detailed planning stage. There was some discussion about whether this would be considered a useful project to Montgomery Square, or more of a nuisance. Since there is no bike path there now, projected usage is difficult to predict. There will likely be some in favor, and some opposed. The possibility of a survey of the community was discussed, and a volunteer to run such a survey may be available from the attendees.

The second development issue discussed was the Fortune Parc project. The developers had asked the County for approval for a change in the site plans for the project. They proposed changing several four-story rental garden apartments into 8-10 story condominium buildings similar to the one already being constructed. Several objections to the proposal and to the process for handling it were advanced by local citizens associations. Ultimately, the county approved the changes, which introduced an underground garage, added more green space, and eliminated the rental properties in favor of owned properties. As with the bike path, there was discussion about how to know how many MSCA residents have what opinions on the subject. There was a general sense of the meeting against the large amount of local development. Again, something of a survey may be possible if volunteers are willing.

In open discussion, some members discussed service from Ride-On and the desirability for more frequent runnings on the #38 line. David Grossman had previously e-mailed the County on this issue without effect, but will revisit it again with them. Another discussion was on sightings or bears and coyotes. Information on coyotes in our area is posted on the MSCA website at www.montgomerysquare.org/coyote.htm.

Another discussion involved governance of Montgomery Square Copenhaver Swim Club and delays in buying back membership bonds. The Officers noted that the pool and the citizen’s association (MSCA) are legally unrelated entities and the association cannot directly help with such issues. However, we did get a briefing from the pool at the last annual meeting and referred interested members to the appropriate officers of the swim club.

As in prior meetings, Bob mentioned that there had been some discussion about mergers with other local citizens associations, specifically Regency Estates. They have rejuvenated their association and do a good job pubishing newsletters and keeping up with local issues. Their newsletters are online at: www.regencyestates.org. However, the way that the associations collect money and use it are quite different. The current thinking is to continue to cooperate and team up on issues of joint concern, such as roads and development. Attendees suggested expanding the distribution of the Regency Estate Newsletter to Montgomery Square residents, and the Board may follow up on this possibility.

Secretary Tom Hall called for nominations for the Board and for the Officers of the Corporation. He noted that the President, Secretary, and Treasurer had agreed to continue in office if no volunteers came forward. There was some interest and a sign-up sheet captured those who may be willing to do some work for the association. There were no formal nominations from the floor and the current Officers were re-elected unanimously.

In closing, the President noted that he wished to thank the Officers and volunteers. He thanked everyone for coming.

Meeting was adjourned.