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March

Date: March 10, 2015

Place: 5906 Connecticut Avenue, Village Hall

Time: 7:30 PM

Present: Tim Hanlon, Scott Livingston, Nancy Pines, Chris Richardson, three Section 5 residents

  1. AGENDA ITEM: Minutes

    Chris called the meeting to order. Tim moved that the minutes for the March 10 2015, Council Meeting be approved as revised. Nancy seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

  2. AGENDA ITEM: Citizens' Concerns

    Alice Joseph, a Thornapple Street resident, said that she would like to replace her fence on the south side of her property. She said that the construction company which is erecting the two new houses at 7111 Brookville Road has removed all the bamboo which served as a buffer between her property and the new houses. Since the bamboo has been removed, the southern view from her property has lost its green view.

    Alice asked the Council if she could install the fence with the finished side facing her property. Chris explained that the Section 5 ordinances require her to install the fence with the finished side facing her abutting neighbor. She said that the construction company owner has stated that he does not object to having the unfinished side facing the two new houses. Chris asked Alice to provide a letter from the construction company stating his position. Alice will provide such a letter.

    Alice said that she will contact Bernadette Taylor, the resident at 7115 Brookville Road, to determine her views on the fence installation and report to the Manager.

  3. AGENDA ITEM: Update of Section 5 Land Survey

    When the surveyor from AMT was placing the stakes for the survey, he discovered that some of the stakes will be placed inside private fences. Chris said that the Council should notify these residents before the stakes are placed.

    Wendy and Milo Coerper, Brookville Rd. residents, asked why the Council had contracted with AMT for the land survey. The Manager explained that Section 5 had never had a survey of the metes and bounds of Section 5 and thus did not know its exact boundaries. Wendy asked where the monuments will be placed and the Manager offered to leave a copy of the survey with the monuments designated on the Manager’s porch and Wendy may collect it.

    Action:
    The manager will obtain a list of residents from AMT who will have stakes and/or monuments placed inside private fences and notify these residents of such action.

  4. AGENDA ITEM: Discussion of Section 5's FY 2015-16 Budget

    The manager will provide the Council copies of the last three years of Section 5's revenues and expenditures before the April Council meeting. The Council members will review these materials and be ready to discuss and vote on a budget for FY2015-16. The Council must vote on the 2015-16 budget at the April meeting because it must send a copy of the budget two weeks before the Annual Meeting, May 5, 2015.

  5. AGENDA ITEM: Treasurer's Report

    Tim said that all the expenditures are within the budget except snow removal. This item is approximately $30,000 over the budget.

  6. AGENDA ITEM: Building Inspector’s Report

    Permits granted:
    7502 Glendale Rd. - installation of patio in rear
    3612 Thornapple St. - 2 story addition in rear

  7. AGENDA ITEM: Manager’s Report

    The B-CC Rescue Squad contacted the Council about donating $15,000 to help defray the cost of a new ambulance. The present ambulance is old and in need of repairs. There was some discussion. Chris reminded the Council that it has a policy about not making charitable donations on a regular basis. It was suggested that a donation for an ambulance is a service that benefits the entire community not just one segment.

    Action:
    Tim moved that the Council donate $15,000 towards the purchase of a new ambulance for the B-CC Rescue Squad. Scott seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The manager will send a cover letter with the check stating that the donation be used to help defray the cost of a new ambulance. Chris said that someone from the Squad should send the Council pictures of the new ambulance once it has been purchased.

    An AMT surveyor said that any discrepancies between the new survey results and existing property markers will be noted in his report but not changed.

    There was some discussion concerning the HB 113 currently in the State legislature. This bill would increase the limit for which a person could sue a municipality. Before 1987 the State of Maryland enjoyed sovereign immunity; however, in 1978 the State Legislature enacted the "Local Government Tort Claim Act" which allowed municipalities to be sued to the limit of their insurance policies. HB 113 will increase the cap set in 1987. MML is lobbying against this bill and Section 5 supports this lobbying effort.

    The new governor, Hogan, said that he will try to increase the amount of money in the State's budget for highway user fees.

    AMT has not completed the installation of the monuments for the land survey because of the snow and ice.

    Bill Sinclair, a Williams Ln. resident, contacted the manager about Section 5 pruning private trees that interfere with pedestrians' access to the public sidewalks. The Council decided not to take any action at this time; however, it did ask the manager to contact residents to prune their own trees that overhang the sidewalk and impede pedestrian access.

  8. Adjournment

    Chris adjourned the meeting. The next meeting will be held April 14, 2015, at 7:30 PM at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Avenue. The Village Hall has handicapped access. Everyone is welcome.