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Newsletter, Sep. 2008

Email: manager@chevychasesection5.org

VOLUME 42 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2008

At the June 10, 2008, Section 5 Council meeting, the Council approved a $1,000 real estate tax rebate for each of the 227 households in Section 5 for the fiscal year 2009. This real estate tax rebate will be posted on residents’ tax bills for the coming year.

The County Council adopted a stringent budget that will hold property tax rates at their current level, offer taxpayers a lower credit on their taxes than last year, and expects to make up the deficit through increased assessments, higher energy taxes and other cost cutting measures. The property tax plan proposed by the County Executive did not pass. Instead, the County Council agreed to give residents a property tax credit of $579 and not to raise the property tax. For those of you who contacted Council members regarding the larger proposed increase, it seems clear that the Council acted with your contacts in mind.

Ellen’s Run is held to remember our dear friend and neighbor Ellen Vala Schneider, whose involvement in our community touched and inspired so many. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Community Scholarship Fund and the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County. Over 700 individuals participated in Ellen’s Run last fall. We hope that you will be able to join us again this year and bring family, friends, and neighbors.

Ellen’s Run is a 5K race/3K walk beginning at Candy Cane City Pavillion (7901 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase) on October 19, 2008. Sign-up by October 11: $25 (adults – includes a Tshirt), $10 (3-12 years old – includes Tshirt). After October 11: $35 (adults.)

The Section 5 Council has agreed to pay Montgomery County Sanitation and Recycling, Section 5’s trash hauler, to collect recycling on the Tuesday after a holiday. If a Monday is one of the 6 trash holidays, recycling will be collected on the Tuesday after the holiday. If a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Friday, the regular household trash collection day, there will be only 1 collection that week because Section 5 has 2 household trash collection days.

Holidays which are observed by Section 5’s trash hauler:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Memorial Day
  • July 4th
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

Since 1997, only plastic bottles with narrow-necks could be recycled in the County due to limitations of recycling markets. However, because of recent developments in the recycling industry, the County is now able to expand its recycling program by collecting additional plastic containers from single-family homes. You may now recycle all plastic bottles, containers, and lids including jars, pails/buckets, and food-grade plastic tubs. ITEMS ALLOWED:

  • plastic bottles
  • beverage containers
  • yogurt containers
  • peanut butter & mayonnaise jars
  • ice cream, butter, or margarine tubs
  • plastic lids
  • deli containers & trays
  • plastic beverage cups
  • flower pots
  • laundry detergent tubs (with plastic or metal handles)
  • kitty litter containers (with plastic or metal handles)

Do not use plastic bags for your recyclables. The trash company will not pick up any recyclables in plastic bags. The plastic bags are recyclable through many grocery stores, but not through Section 5’s recycling program.

  • They come in different sizes and shapes to fit almost any fixture for indoor or outdoor use.
  • They are available for 3-way switches and dimmers.
  • One of the labels on the bulbs is kelvins. This identifies the warmth of the light. A 2700 kelvin on a bulb label is similar to the light tone of a household incandescent bulb and is the most common Kelvin sold for households.
  • Best prices are at Wal-Mart, Costco or on line at www.bulbs.com.

Please help reduce the risk of global climate change. Log on to pepco.com and take the pledge to replace at least one light in your home with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3,000,000 homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equal to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

On April 22, 2008, the County Council passed a new ordinance, effective August 4, 2008, which requires any person selling his/her house to provide the buyer a home energy audit as part of the home inspection process. Home energy audits are to be paid for by the buyer, and the definition of what is involved with a home energy audit is described in the ordinance. Before signing a contract for the sale of a single family home, the seller must provide the buyer with:

  • Material approved by the Department of Environmental Protection of Montgomery County that gives information about home energy efficiency improvements, including the benefit of conducting a home energy audit.
  • Copies of electric, gas and water home heating oil bills or cost and usage history for the home in the immediate prior 12 months unless the home was unoccupied for the entire prior 12 months.

A Wider Circle has served more people in the past year than ever before, furnishing the homes of 750 families in 2007,(up from 600 in 2006). A Wider Circle was recently recognized by the Catalogue for Philanthropy as one of the region’s finest small charities and also by the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region through receipt of the Linowes Leadership Award.

This excitement about these honors is tempered by the more than 100 telephone calls the agency receives each day, many of which come from children and adults who do not have beds on which to sleep. Calls also come from shelters and low-income schools asking us to expand the educational programming (workshops on stress management, healthy self-esteem, and financial management). These programs are aimed at populations with minimal access to this type of information – people who also struggle to obtain items as basic as toilet paper and shampoo. Presently, there are 293 families on a waiting list for the agency’s services. Every one of these children and adults deserves a bed – and more. Collectively, these needs can be met.

For more information about how you can help in this effort, call 301-657-1010 or access the agency’s web site

The Friends of the Library, Bethesda Chapter is looking for book-lovers to assist in their ongoing used book sale. Volunteers are needed every day to process and organize donated books. This is a really fun opportunity: scheduling is flexible, training is available at your convenience, and best of all – you get first pick of great books at incredibly low prices. To sign up, or for more information, please contact Sarah Fleischer. MCPS has approved this activity for SSL credit.

Visit the Montgomery County Library website. Check out Peal’s Picks and much more…

There is a problem in Section 5 with barking dogs left outside. The problem is with dog owners not the dogs themselves. Barking dogs can be a good thing if they are barking to scare off would be burglars. However, there are some irresponsible dog owners who do not pay proper attention to their dogs when they are outside on their own property. Dogs are placed outside sometimes for hours and the dogs bark. Sometimes this happens late at night. This can be extremely disturbing to neighbors, especially at night. Please be courteous to you neighbors and don’t allow your dog to be outside and bark for long periods of time.

Section 5’s tree removal permit application requires the tree contractor’s name, and DNR license number. Permits will not be issued if this information has not been provided.

Council meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm at the Village Hall, 5906 Connecticut Avenue. The September Council will be held Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 7:30pm. Everyone is welcome.

A REMINDER TO RESIDENTS: A Section 5 permit is required to erect any dwelling or other building or to make any material structural alterations or additions to an existing building. Also, there is a Section 5 ordinance requiring a permit for the erection or replacement of a fence. Residents are also required to show a copy of their fence plans to their abutting neighbors. There is a new storm water management ordinance which requires a permit to construct, rebuild or re-construct any off-street parking area, construct or replace (but not re-surface or repair) an existing driveway, driveway apron or curb cut; excavate or grade yards, install a sump pump or new sump pump discharge.

Please check your house number and be certain that it is visible from the street. Cut back any shrubbery that may obscure the number. It is very important that emergency personnel are able to see the numbers from the street.

Faulty wiring, overloaded circuits and misuse of extension cords are common electrical hazards in many homes. So how can you reduce potential wiring dangers? Take a moment to review how you can keep your family safe from electrical hazards.

  • Use extension cords only as a temporary measure. If a permanent solution is required, consider installing additional electrical outlets.
  • Install tamper-resistant receptacles to prevent children from sticking objects in outlets. These devices have spring-loaded shutters that close contact with slots.
  • Make sure ground fault circuit-interrupters (GFCIs) are installed in areas where water is used such as kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor areas, basements and garages.
  • Check with your building contractor to ensure arc fault circuit-interrupters (AFCI) are installed in all new construction. An AFCI shuts off circuits during arcing, usually caused by damaged wires or cords.
  • Keep plugged-in appliances away from water and water sources.
  • Never overload electrical outlets, power strips, surge protectors or circuits, and never run any electric cords under rugs, carpets or in walkways.
  • Carefully inspect extension cords. Replace those with frays, damage or other wear.

In light of the upcoming referendum on slots in the November election, Woman’s Suburban Democratic Club of Montgomery County, offers a FORUM ON SLOTS, featuring Scott Arceneaux, senior advisor to Marylanders to Stop Slots, taking the anti-slots position, and Maryland Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, taking the pro-slots position. Bruce DePuyt of News Channel 8 will moderate the discussion. Montgomery County Council Member Nancy Floreen will introduce the evening.

The forum is free of charge and is open to all. Questions will be taken from the audience.

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 7:30-9pm.

COUNCIL MEMBERS; Andrew Smith, Chairman; Ira Rosenbaum, Vice-Chairman; Margy Abbott, Treasurer; Chris Richardson, Secretary; Peter Gray, Building Inspector.

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