Minutes

Park Hills Civic Association General Meeting

December 10, 2014 7:30pm

Silver Spring International Middle School

1. Introductions – 22 members of the community attended.

2. Treasurer’s Report – Elsie Klumper reported that PHCA had a current balance of $288.  She also noted that PHCA now banks with Monument Bank in downtown Silver Spring and that arrangements have been made to accept dues via PayPal at the PHCA website www.https://parkhillscivic.com/

3 Secretary’s Report – Paul Guinnessy reported on the October 2014 General Meeting.  The minutes were approved.

4. New Silver Spring Library.  Staff from the Montgomery County Department of Libraries briefed the membership on the transition to the new library building at the corner of Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue.  The new library will be the largest one in Montgomery County with 60,000 square feet available.  The library entrance will be on the 3rd floor where the customer service desk and self service machines are based. On the same floor, there will a Media lab with a 3D printer, Apple computers, and more high tech stuff (fax machines, copiers, tablets for use inside the library) to encourage teens to visit.  The entire 5th floor will be dedicated to children & youth resources.  The meeting rooms at the library can seat at least 150 people (which can be split in half).  These rooms are not dependent on the opening hours of library for use. The library will standardize on RDF technology (a small chip in the book) to count books in and out.

Other community benefits include a small disability resource area and ADA compliant materials. There will be more open hours (66 hours in total) with the library open seven days a week and 9am-9pm Monday to Thursday. The building has better wifi that’s on a faster T1 high speed backbone. There may be a adult book club held during the day.

There is no date yet for when the library will open.  More information about the new library at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DGS-BDC/SS/710302.html

5. Vote on PHCA Dues Increase.  A Motion to increase PHCA Annual Dues from $10 to $15 was passed unanimously.

6.  Silver Spring Village.  Gary Klauber reported on the Silver Spring Village program and its recent activities. SSV provides services for elderly people so that they can age in their homes. They have 75 paying members (both full and associate). They have had 12,673 hours of personal volunteer service (moving bins, tax service, groceries etc..). There has been 120 events (meals, trips, talks etc…) over the last year. The big news is that the group is going to pay for a part time employee in the upcoming future. For more information, visit the website at http://silverspringvillage.org

7.  Purple Line Update.  Chris Richardson (Vice-President) reported on a recent MTA-hosted meeting with parents, teachers, MCPS administrators, and neighbors on Purple Line impacts on Sligo Creek Elementary School,the Silver Spring International Middle School, and the Dale Drive/Wayne Avenue Middle School.  He reported that Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer had expressed concern about the impacts on Wayne Avenue and would hold a County County committee hearing on the issues.

He also reported that residents on Wayne Avenue had received  notices from MTA regarding the impact of the Purple Line on their residential properties.  Many properties would be affected by the temporary construction easements and property takings required  by the Purple Line footprint.

Tina Slater, a PHCA member, who is also on the Board of  Action Committee for Transit, gave a brief update on the current status of the Purple Line. She noted that it will be sometime after Gov-elect Hogan is sworn when we will find out whether the Purple Line will go ahead. It may be frozen for four years, but the federal authorities might not provide the federal contribution if the project is delayed.

8.  General Announcements.  Alan Bowser (President) reported that:

Sweeping the Creek/Adopt A Road – Park Hills Civic Association had won an award for collecting the most rubbish in Sligo Creek Park.

The Thanksgiving Parade – For the second year, we were the only civic association in the parade. It was a great success.

Need for Volunteers.  PHCA needs volunteers to help deliver meeting notices and to support other association activities.

9. Report from the Office of Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker.  Dave Asche, a legislative aide for Tom Hucker, gave a brief update on Hucker’s committee assignments and the set up of the new office.

10. Adjournment.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:02pm.