Annual Council minutes, Apr. 2006

SECTION 5 OF THE VILLAGE OF CHEVY CHASE

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

Date:                April 4, 2006

Time:                7:30pm

Place:               5906 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase Village Hall

Present:            Margy Abbott; Peter Gray; Frances L. Higgins; Farooq Hussain; Ira

Rosenbaum; Andrew Smith; Section 5 residents

1. Welcome

Andrew Smith welcomed everyone. 

2. Community Outreach Program

      Andrew introduced Commander Wayne Jerman, 2^nd District, Montgomery County Police, who assured the audience that Chevy Chase is still a safe place to live and raise children.  He said that one adult male has been arrested who was involved in the breakin in the 3700 block of Underwood St.  He said that there have been other crimes in the District of Columbia which have links to the Underwood St. crime.  He said that the police department is doing everything possible to prevent such an incident from occurring again.  The 2^nd District telephone number is 301-652-9200 and the non emergency police number is 301-279-8000 and he strongly suggested that residents call the police when they see anything suspicious..

Commander Jerman introduced Officer Dana Matthis, Community Services Officer, 2^nd District.  She offered several suggestions which residents can perform to make themselves and their homes safe.  She suggested that everyone lock doors and turn on outside lights.  She said that a resident may call the police station to have an officer to come to his/her house to conduct a safety inspection.  She said that criminals are looking for an opportunity to commit a crime and  everyone should have a plan to put into effect if someone accosts him/her.  There was a question and answer period.  At 8:00pm everyone who was interested to asking additional safety questions moved to another room and Section 5 conducted its annual meeting.

3. Chairman’s Report

                  Andrew listed the actions which the Council performed during the last year:  A. Enacted a tree ordinance; B. Provided free trees for private property;

      C Considered enacting a noise ordinance; D. Investigated the possibility of obtaining

zoning overlay authority; E. Donated $10,000 to two charities involved with Katrina victims; F. Donated $50,000 of open space funds to the Village of Chevy Chase for the purchase of the Wohlfarth property.

4. Vote on Tax Rate

                     Andrew moved that the tax rate for Section 5 remain at $0.00 per $100                                 assessed property value for the fiscal year 2006-07; Peter seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.   A resident expressed some concern about continuing to have a zero tax rate because he would like to see the town employ additional police protection; Margy assured him that the town has sufficient funds to employ additional police protection even with the zero tax rate.

5. Treasurer’s Report

Margy said that the town has 10 CD’s which earn an average of 4%

interest.  She said that there is an increase in four budget items for the fiscal year    2006-07:  trash, personnel, community activities and office & printing.  The increase for trash was due to the increase in gasoline prices, the increase in personnel will provide a raise for the manager;  the increase in office & printing will fund the new web site, and the increase in community activities will allow the Council to contribute to community projects like the Chevy Chase Historical Society’s video project. 

6. Citizens Concerns and Suggestions

Farooq said that the newsletter should be placed on the town’s web site. 

      There was some discussion and it was decided to place the newsletter on the web site

      and to continue to send hard copies to residents. 

                        A resident asked if residents could advertise in the newsletter for odd jobs

      such as babysitting and lawn work.  The manager will place a notice in the next

      newsletter asking residents to advertise about odd jobs.

                        Andrew said that some residents have contacted the town about the town

     offering a reward for the arrest and/or conviction of the persons involved in the

      Underwood St. breakin.  There was some discussion.  One resident expressed his

      concern that the offering of a reward would bring additional attention to Chevy Chase

      and this could cause additional crimes.  Farooq said that a reward should be only a

      part of an overall plan to make Section 5 safe.  He said that the town should engage

      an expert on crime prevention to assess the overall safety of Section 5.  David Asher

offered to write a letter to the Montgomery County Police Department asking for additional police protection and also what it plans to do to make Section 5 safer.  He said he has friends with criminal investigative experience and he will ask them what Section 5 should do to make the town safer.

                        Margy moved that Section 5 offer a reward of up $25,000 for the arrest

     and/or conviction of the persons involved in the Underwood St. breakin.  Farooq

     seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.   The Council asked the manager to

     contact the abutting towns and ask if they would be interested in contributing to the

     reward fund. 

                        The manager will place a notice in the newsletter asking for volunteers 

     to help reactivate the Neighborhood Watch Program. 

7. Manager’s Report

The Wider Circle, a charitable organization, will send flyers to the

     residents asking them to notify Wider Circle if they have usable household items

     which Wider Circle could donate to economically disadvantaged people.  Someone

     from Wider Circle will collect these items before the May 6^th spring bulk pick up

     collection.  The manager has not heard from Long Fence concerning the correction of   the fence issue on Leland Ct. 

                        Andrew moved that the meeting be adjourned.  The next meeting will be May 9, 2006, at 7:30pm at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave.