LAST CHANCE on Neighborhood Survey

WECA Neighbors – We have had a tremendous response to the neighborhood survey we’ve been telling you about, with more than 400 people completing it so far. As a reminder, this is a survey that will help shape Rockville’s Comprehensive Master Plan, which will affect planning decisions in and around our neighborhood for decades to come – it’s hugely important to make sure your views are represented.

 

Since the responses are still coming in, and we know that many of you have plans for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend (Rockville’s Hometown Holidays festivities, or otherwise!) we have decided to extend the deadline through Tuesday, May 31^st. This is your last chance, so seize the opportunity to let your views be heard by completing the survey.

 

The survey is available online here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RockvillePA4

 

The password to access the survey is: 2016

 

To learn more about the Master Plan, please visit the City’s website at www.rockvillemd.gov  and click on “Rockville 2040.”

 

Have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend, and a great summer ahead.

 

Important WECA Neighborhood Survey + Chestnut Lodge + Hometown Holidays!

Dear WECA Neighbors – What do YOU think?

This is a final call to please share your opinions with us regarding life in our neighborhood and City of Rockville services by completing an important neighborhood survey by May 27^th. There is more detail and links to the survey just below, plus a quick update on the proposed redevelopment plans at the historic Chestnut Lodge site, and a reminder of Hometown Holidays festivities.

 

Please take the time to complete the survey if you haven’t yet done so – your opinion is important, so make it count!

 

1. Important Neighborhood Survey: let your views be heard!

The City of Rockville is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Master Plan, the blueprint for shaping everything about our community. This was last done more than 30 years ago in 1986. WECA and the Woodley Gardens East-West Neighborhood Association will be reporting on our neighborhood as part of this process. We need your help and your input by completing a brief online survey.  The results of this survey will be the basis for virtually every decision made in developing a report to the City's Long Range Planning Division and to the Planning Commission. This anonymous survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.

 

We strongly encourage you to take the survey online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RockvillePA4

 

The password to access the survey is: 2016

 

We ask that you complete this survey by Friday, May 27th.  Make sure your voice is heard in this important process as we plan for the next 30 years in our community!  To learn more about the Master Plan, please visit the City’s website at www.rockvillemd.gov  and click on “Rockville 2040.”

 

1. Chestnut Lodge Proposed Development Plans

On Monday, May 16th, shortly before midnight, the Mayor and Council voted in favor of a motion proposed by Councilman Pierzchala to deny the application for townhouses to replace Chestnut Lodge. There was relatively little discussion before the vote was called. Mayor Newton, Council members Feinberg and Pierzchala voted to deny the townhouses and Council members Onley and Palakovich-Carr voted in favor of the townhouses.  In accordance with the motion of denial, staff was instructed to prepare a resolution for the next Mayor and Council meeting (future agendas are available here, as they are prepared: http://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter ). For those interested, you can watch the discussion on Rockville video, available here (it is item #20): http://rockvillemd.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=3529

 

1. Hometown Holidays is nearly here! Saturday, May 28^th through Monday, May 30th

The weather over Memorial Day weekend promises to be nearly perfect for the annual Hometown Holidays celebration, hosted by the City of Rockville Mayor and Council. Come out and join your neighbors in what promises to be fun for all ages, with awesome live music, tons of food options, kids’ inflatables and rides, a sand beach, and more. The festivities begin on Saturday, May 28^th and continue through Memorial Day, Monday, May 30^th with the favorite Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade. For more information, visit: http://www.rockvillemd.gov/index.aspx?NID=665

WECA: Change to WECA Officer Slate + Thurs, May 19th at 7pm General Membership Meeting

There is important news to share, as there is a change to the slate – specifically, the President position -- for the upcoming annual election of WECA officers to be held at our general membership meeting this Thursday, May 19^th at 7pm. Please see the note immediately below from current WECA President Noreen Bryan with additional detail. The full agenda for the meeting is also provided below. We hope you can join us and your neighbors for Thursday’s meeting!

 

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Message from current WECA President Noreen Bryan

I am writing to you to announce a change in the Slate of Officers for the West End Citizen's Association (WECA) for the next year.  There is a new nominee for the office of President.  All other nominees remain unchanged. This past week Jacques Gelin, who had been unanimously approved in April by the WECA Executive Board to be its nominee for President, advised me that his commitments to his family preclude him from serving as President next year.  An emergency meeting of the WECA Executive Board was held on Wednesday, May 11, 2016.  At the meeting, the Board expressed its deep appreciation of Jacques and his long service to our West End neighborhood.  Jacques will continue as a Block Captain and member of the Board working on issues of preserve the neighborhood and Rockville.  Before the meeting, the WECA nominating committee met with former Mayor Larry Giammo who indicated that he would be willing to serve as President of WECA, if nominated.  The Board was very pleased with this report and unanimously approved Larry Giammo as its nominee for President.  Please note that this information is a revision to the Slate of Officers shown on the cover of the newsletter, which was published before this change. 

 

Therefore, the proposed slate reflecting this new change for the position of President is:

President – Larry Giammo

Vice President – Andrew Sellman

Treasurer – Dennis Cain

Recording Secretary – Jen Timmick

Corresponding Secretary – Jane Pontius

 

I truly hope to see you at the WECA General Meeting and Election on Thursday, May 19th.

 

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AGENDA for WECA General Membership Meeting on Thursday, May 19^th at 7pm at the Rockville Presbyterian Church  215 West Montgomery Ave.

(Please park behind the church, via Harrison Street)

 

7:00pm                        Welcome and Organizational/Business Items

• Welcome to Beryl Feinberg
• Treasurer’s Report
• Approval of Minutes for April
• Report from City
• Report from Major Over of Rockville Police Department
• Nomination of Block Captains: Kathy Smeltzer for 1D and David Dickerson for 2B
• Announcements
  • Retirement of Chief Treschuk
  • New City Clerk: Cathleen Conway
  • Craig Simoneau: Acting City Manager

7:20pm                        Farewell Comments: Noreen Bryan

7:25pm                        Election of Officers

7:30pm                        Remarks by new WECA President

7:45pm                        Committees

• Pike Plan: Jacques Gelin
• Chestnut Lodge: Patricia Woodward
• Carver Bus Depot: Theresa Defino
• Small Cell Tower text amendment: Nadia Azumi
• Master Plan Update: Noreen Bryan
• Survey: Jack Kelly or Kevin Zaletsky
• Block Captain Status: Jan Balkam
• Sound Wall: Don Kettlestrings
• Child Care Facility: Jacques Gelin

9:00pm                        Adjourn

WECA: Four Major Items of Interest

With spring now upon us, there is lots of activity affecting our neighborhood to share with you. Keep an eye out for the WECA newsletter soon arriving on your doorstep, and take special note of these four items, with further detail below:

1.  Information on a survey we ask each West End household to complete prior to May 27^th;

2. Detail on the proposed school bus depot on the Carver lot, and a meeting scheduled for May 11^th;

3. An invitation to our May 19^th WECA General Membership Meeting and annual Election of Officers;

4. Hometown Holidays activities planned for Memorial Day weekend.

 

Thanks for taking a look at the items below, and engaging with those you find of interest!

 

1. Important Neighborhood Survey: let your views be heard!

The City of Rockville is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Master Plan, the blueprint for shaping everything about our community. This was last done more than 30 years ago in 1986. WECA and the Woodley Gardens East-West Neighborhood Association will be reporting on our neighborhood as part of this process. We need your help and your input by completing a brief online survey.  The results of this survey will be the basis for virtually every decision made in developing a report to the City's Long Range Planning Division and to the Planning Commission. This anonymous survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.

 

We strongly encourage you to take the survey online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RockvillePA4

 

The password to access the survey is: 2016

 

If you prefer, a paper copy of this survey is being delivered to you in the next few days along with the WECA newsletter.  We ask that you complete this survey by May 27th.  Make sure your voice is heard in this important process as we plan for the next 30 years in our community!  To learn more about the Master Plan, please visit the City’s website at www.rockvillemd.gov  and click on “Rockville 2040.”

 

1. Latest News on Proposal for a School Bus Depot on Carver Lot (Mannakee Street and Rt 355)

Many of you have voiced strong concern on this issue, so we wanted to share the very latest news. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is moving forward with plans to put a 250-vehicle depot, including 100 diesel school buses and 150 drivers' cars, at the MCSP headquarters across from Montgomery College on the Carver lot.

 

This coming Wednesday night, May 11^th at 7:30pm, MCPS will present plans for this site. If you wish to share your views on this issue with MCPS, you may do so by coming to this meeting at College Gardens Elementary School. While the Carver lot is proposed as “temporary”, the meaning of temporary is undefined, and therefore could potentially be a period of several years or more. WECA adopted a resolution in opposition to the bus depot at the April 21, 2016 Executive Board meeting.

 

Please see www.Carvercoalition.org for more information on this issue (website not affiliated with WECA).

 

1. WECA General Membership Meeting and Annual Election of Officers on Thurs, May 19^th at 7pm

You are invited to the spring WECA General Membership Meeting, and to participate in the democratic process of electing WECA officers for the next year. The meeting will be on Thursday, May 19^th at 7pm at the Rockville Presbyterian Church, 215 West Montgomery Ave (parking available in the lot of Harrison Street). The proposed slate follows:

President – Jacques Gelin

Vice President – Andrew Sellman

Treasurer – Dennis Cain

Recording Secretary – Jen Timmick

Corresponding Secretary – Jane Pontius

 

Meet these candidates, and take the opportunity to thank Noreen Bryan, our outgoing WECA President, and Vicki McMullen, our outgoing WECA Vice President, for all of their hard work and tireless dedication to serving our neighborhood these past four years.

 

1. Hometown Holidays festivities over Memorial Day Weekend

 Mark your calendars! Rockville’s annual Hometown Holidays celebration is nearly here, and promises to be fun for all ages, with awesome live music, tons of food options, kids’ inflatables and rides, a sand beach, and more. The festivities begin on Saturday, May 28^th and continue through Memorial Day, Monday, May 30^th with the favorite Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade. For more information, visit: http://www.rockvillemd.gov/index.aspx?NID=665