Notes from District 9 Meeting 7/18/07
(Disclaimer: This is not an official transcript. Email addresses munged to protect from spam.)

Looking into covering trash pick up for area; giving us new recycling bins - bigger ones with lids & wheels - one bin for everything - no separating. No more landfill needed in county.

Capt. Craig Howard from Clinton police station - starting neighborhood watches, District 7 station coming next yr. 11 new officers coming through training. Response times gone down from 8 mins. to 6 mins. (based on when officers get calls, but calls are given out according to priority). More attention will be paid to violent crimes - down 9.7% from last yr., property crime down 9.9%; hope to go down more. 301-856-3130, cahoward[at]co.pg.md.us. Two officers assigned to be in Baden/Aquasco regularly.

An additional $1M for county from state bill - reported by police officer who reported about Dist. 7 station, which will be off Indian Hd Hwy in Accokeek - looked at population to 2030 & other data projections. 8th station in 2013. Will place stations to heart of population centers - will eventually move District V to 301. Let Capt. Howard know if there are questions for him about county plans.

CERT - community emergency response team - neighbor helping neighbor in disaster. Fliers available. Recruiting volunteers. Supported by Homeland Security. Display with flares. Home preparation is first - removing chemicals, learn how to use fire extinguisher. Want to train as many people as possible with state & federal funds (ideally everyone). Get mask, first aid & other equipment. Working with Baden Fire Dept.

Herring, Park Planner for area & other nearby districts. Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) - New playground, trails, & pavilion at North Keys park, facelift at Cosca, Fox Run getting tennis courts & other things, new community center in Ft. Wash., So. Clinton community center in planning for FY '11, & weight room for Baden. Baden Aquasco got grant for ball fields for North Keys. Upper Marlboro community center will be closed for a while. Willing to research why M-NCCPC gets kick back of tax funds from park $. Bland's office will get explanation of taxes to distribute to residents - where is boundary between those who pay & those who don't pay & what is the MNCPPC tax going to that they do pay. Complaints about not enough facilities in Baden - no ball parks - kids on private property. No representative for Baden Aquasco, because rep. is in Clinton. Mr. Billings later said Senator Miller got funds for Little League for Baden-Aquasco, but haven't decided how to allocate yet.

Mr. Billings stood up to maintain order due to an abundance of questions & complaints. He said there is no fee on taxes to Baden Aquasco for recreation so that's one reason they're not receiving services.

Betty of Planning Dept. of Master Plan coming in fall - AAFB to Eagle Harbor - ~31% of county. Master Plan is part of planning, but county also has transportation, public facilities & safety plans & others. Listening session last month, another this month Agricultural "Listening Session" Wed., July 25 7-9 PM at Baden Fire House, Historic "Listening Session" on July 24 7-9 PM at St. Thomas.

Yates Clagett runs land preservation & agriculture program. Thanked Council Member Bland who helps make choices possible - MAWTH for 50-acre parcels for crop production (not many qualify, rural legacy - 50-acre parcels east of Croom Rd., & purchase of development rights (newly created in co.) - 35 acres or 20 acres or 2 combined properties = 35 (total applications = 600 acres). Smart tax is not on rural tax bill, so county is short-funded. Sent money back to state in past, but will not any more. PDR program is supposed to give them $8M. pgscd.org - new web site.

Randy Phoebus - Native Grassland Conservancy - 91% decline of grassland birds - looking for land to help preserve bird populaion - bob white, whipperwhill, some larks, etc. - important part of eco system. Habitat loss is factor & will consider many factors in plans. nativegrasslands[at]aol.com. Randy will be honored with an award by Prince George's Co. Civic Federation.

Daria Bailey oversees homeowners associations to help make them effective. She lives in Dist. 9. New legislation. People sharing common ground. 301-952-4729, commonownercommunities[at]co.pg.md.us

Susan Hubbard - public works - leaf & snow removal & much more. 400 employees (whereas Montgomery Co. has 1500). They'd like to do better, but need to know where problems are. Public works is short staffed & short funded, but is trying to serve as well as possible with resources they have. They are required to put in street lights, but will work with neighborhoods if they don't want them. New developments all get them. They have a needs list - $27M next yr. & has decreased each yr. Resurfacing list is over $500M. How can we get lighting that doesn't cause light polution that is available now? Getting legislation for these lights for rural area. To make changes for all to get lighting, need law from county council - Race Dowling will pursue. Concerns expressed about roads. Try to maintain right-of-ways 10 times per yr. - dumping is a problem & had to get police help on it - trash problem is very bad & uses up county money that could be used for roads. If you can write down or photograph dumpers, please send them in - 17 have been arrested - there are fines & possible jail time, but some not prosecuted. County roads are named roads & numbered roads are state roads. Adopt-a-Road includes sign & equipment, but uses volunteers.

Mr. Pollard officiated meeting & sends email invitations and updates to civic associations. jhpollard[at]co.pg.md.us, 301-952-3479.

It was expected that Wilmer's Park project would be presented & Bruce Chatman was available & distributed literature upon request. The meeting was still in session at 9:30, but most people had left. Public Hearing July 24; 301-952-3600.

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