TOWN CRIER Inside

Transcription

TOWN CRIER Inside

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KENTLANDS
TOWN
Volume 13, No. 2
CRIER
KENTLANDS NEWS, COMMENT & OPINION
Residents Speak Out at
Kentlands Town Hall Forum
Election Districting and Clubhouse Expansion
Ranks High on the Minds of Neighbors
BY ANDREA ESCHER
pproximately 50 residents attended
an open forum at the Kentlands
Clubhouse on February 6 where they
spoke freely to the Board of Trustees raising
concerns they hope the Board will take under
consideration in the coming year.
Chairperson Robyn Renas began the
meeting by asking residents to share with the
Board what they consider the most important
goals or concerns in the community for 2007.
Residents raised a variety of concerns
including increased landscaping services,
resurfacing and paving of the alleyways,
becoming more environmentally friendly and
setting up the proper mechanisms to pay for
future Capital Improvements projects.
But when it came to the subject of
expanding the Kentlands Clubhouse,
residents had a lot to say on the issue.
Kentlands resident Adrienne Gillen said
A
she is concerned that if one additional level is
built on top of the existing Clubhouse, the
third level will overshadow any sun at the
pool. “I think you should conduct a study to
determine how much sun is going to be lost
on the pool deck if the building is raised up,”
said Gillen.
Paul Renas said he feels a feasibility study
should be conducted to determine what can
be done to the current Clubhouse. “We need
to look at the existing structure we have here
and see what is the most usable space before
we spend all this money,” said Renas. “I would
suggest rearranging the current floor plan to
make it more practical.”
Dallas Mossman echoed similar
comments but also suggested a community
poll. “I think before any large expenditure
is made, the Board should get a general
consensus of what the community wants,”
said Mossman. “We should poll the
community before approving the
Kentlands/Lakelands 5K Race Committee Considering
Change In 14th Annual 5K Race Route
Clubhouse expansion, etc.”
“We don’t’ need to make the Clubhouse
any bigger,” said Tim Clarke. “We should use
the money set aside for a Clubhouse
expansion to make the community greener,
and pave and resurface alleyways.” “I agree
with Paul Renas, let’s find a better use of the
space we have.”
After a lengthy discussion on the
Clubhouse expansion project, Chairman
Renas then opened the floor to hear
comments on the recent implementation of
election districts.
Board of Trustees members Tom
Marchessault and Frank Anderson gave their
Feburary 2007
“for” and “against” opinions regarding the
election districts.
Marchessault, an advocate for election
districting, said he not only voted “for”
election districts last September but also
thinks his fellow neighbors agree with the
concept. “People like the idea, they just don’t
like the way it was approved,” said
Marchessault. He then commented that there
are three general questions to pose to the
community: 1) should the Board keep the
current system in place? 2) keep the current
system but modify the districts? 3) Limit the
number of people representing each district.
Anderson disagreed with Marchessault
and said Kentlands is not diverse enough a
community to divide it. “The districting was
done carelessly and the districts are not
numerically equal,” said Anderson. “We have
rules and this was an issue that affected all
residents and it should have been declared by
TOWN HALL Continues on page 4
Firefighters
Respond to
Two-Alarm Blaze
At Doughboys
Firefighters inspect for “hot spots” of fire
during the blaze that occurred in the early
morning hours at 251 Market Street West,
the popular Doughboys restaurant
establishment.
BY ANDREA ESCHER
Revisions to the
5K Run/Walk
course route may
include the
elimination of the
notorious “hill’ at
Lake Varuna Drive
in the neighboring
Lakelands
community.
BY GINA DROPIK
T
5K RACE Continues on page 18
DOUGHBOYS BLAZE
Continues on page 17
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Escher
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Gaithersburg
MD
Permit #5139
he 14th Annual Kentlands/Lakelands 5K Run/Walk will be held on Saturday,
September 1, 2007, and this year participants will be running a new course. Members
of the 5K Run/Walk Race Committee are in the process of finalizing the details.
Kentlands Community Foundation Manager Bridget Ryder tells the Crier they
have considered feedback from the community regarding changing the race route and
felt there was enough concern to warrant the change based upon several reasons. “One
t took 75 Montgomery County
firefighters to battle the two-alarm
blaze on the morning of January 27,
2007, at 251 Market Street West, the
retail establishment of Doughboys and
Chef Bryan’s Kitchen.
According to Montgomery County Fire
and Rescue Spokesperson Pete Piringer a
citizen walking in the area of the live/work
unit on Market Street West saw unusual
smoke billowing from eaves of the
building’s roof. The citizen immediately
dialed 911. “At approximately 9:30 a.m.
the Darnestown Road fire station crew
approached the scene and saw heavy
smoke, then dispatched for additional
units to assist,” said Piringer.
Residents residing in the units in the
row of live/work townhomes were
evacuated as firefighters began to
contain the fire. No one was injured.
“This was a very labor intense fire,”
said Piringer. “The fire was concealed
behind the walls in numerous places
from the first floor of the building to
the roof.” In addition Piringer tells the
Crier firefighters had to use thermal
Return Address:
Kentlands Clubhouse
485 Tschiffely Square Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Photo Courtesy: Horan/O’Connell
I
February 2007
PAGE 2
Kentlands Town Crier
Kentlands Citizens Assembly Board of Trustees
Meeting Summary • January 24, 2007
he Kentlands Citizens Assembly
Board of Trustees met on January
24, 2007. Highlights from the
meeting are as follows:
Corporal Rudy Wagner with the City of
Gaithersburg Police was present at the
meeting to discuss setting up a
neighborhood watch in Kentlands. He
invited everyone to visit the “Community
Crime Summary” section, under “Police”
on
the
Gaithersburg
website,
www.gaithersburgmd.gov.
Corporal
Wagner also noted that Kentlands has few
serious crimes but more “nuisance type
events” such as theft from unlocked
vehicles and graffiti. Ms. Renas thanked
Corporal Wagner on behalf of the
community for his presentation.
Kalpana Parakkal of Ridgepoint Place
was appointed to the Board of Code
Compliance for a two-year term.
The Ad Hoc Community Manager
Committee was established and the
following members were appointed: Neil
Harris of Main Street, Al Wurglitz of
Little Quarry Road, Steve Downs of
Tschiffely Square Road, Ailene Renzi of
Thaxton Street, Joyce Whitman of
Chestertown
Street
and
Sigrid
McCutcheon of Lake Street. The purpose
of this committee is to evaluate the
management contract.
The Ad Hoc Community Center
T
Activities Committee was established
and the following members were
appointed: Ailene Renzi ofThaxton
Street, Rachael Henderson Hammoudeh
of Treehaven Street and Al Wurglitz of
Little Quarry along with participation
from the Activities Director, to explore
possible programs and events if the KCA
Clubhouse is expanded into a
Community Center.
The Board approved a grant of $21,500
from the Titleholders Initial Contribution
(TIC) Interest Account to the Kentlands
Community Foundation for operations,
administrative oversight, new program
requests and cultural art events.
The Board approved an expenditure of
$9,000 to repair the upper and lower stone
walls, and the monument at the entrance,
on Little Quarry Road.
The Board approved a proposal in the
amount of $92,679 to make necessary
repairs to the social and lap pools.
The Board accepted the resignation of
Janet Lemons from the Board of Code
Compliance and thanked her for her
dedicated service. She will be sorely missed. The next meeting of the Kentlands
Citizens Assembly Board of
Trustees will be held on
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
at 7:30 p.m. at the Kentlands
Capital Improvements Committee Update
By Nancy Turner, Chairperson
CA President Neil Harris, Board Chairman Robyn Renas, Board Member
Frank Anderson, and B&FAC Member Louis Paulson joined CIC Members
Ailene Renzi, Al Wurglitz, Joyce Whitman, Bob Turner, and Chair Nancy
Turner, along with Tony Rouhani, CMC, at the January 8, 2007 CIC meeting,
Resident Rachael Hammoudeh also attended.
After welcoming the attendees, the Chair gave the group background information
as to the reasons for KCA’s interest in expanding the clubhouse, and how the KCA
reached the particular expansion plan, approved by the City in 2005, which the CIC
hopes can be implemented as soon as possible.
The group had considerable discussion as to the merits of the plan, the possible
cost, and what the feelings of the community about expansion might be. It was felt
important to gather all the information possible. President Neil Harris, therefore,
brought up the idea of forming an ad hoc Activities Committee, and CIC Members
Al Wurglitz and Ailene Renzi expressed interest in joining, as did Rachael
Hammoudeh. The thought was that the committee would develop a list of activities
that might be possible in an expanded clubhouse, and try to gather from the
community what interest there might be in such activities, as well as learning more
about residents’ ideas. B&FAC Member Louis Paulson volunteered to do cost
projections as to how the expansion might be financed. K
Treasurer’s Report
By Robert Randolph, Community Treasurer
Financial Summary
ood news again this month! As of
December 31, 2006, the end of
our 2006 fiscal year, preliminary
reports indicate the Assembly had an
accrued surplus of $63,768. This is
favorable by $63,481 compared to the
$287 year-end surplus anticipated in the
2006 budget. An initial review of the
statements shows that the surplus may get
reduced by half as some expenses still have
to be accrued, but the bottom line remains
good news.
At the end of December, the Assembly’s
accrued income for the year totaled
G
$1,821,630, roughly 4.8%
above budget. Of the
total, assessment income was responsible for
$1,609,390, exceeding budget by just under
1%. Income from other sources was 48%
above budget, including better-thanexpected amounts in several categories,
including reserve investments, income from
social and recreation activities, and Town
Crier advertising.
Accrued outlays for the year, including
expenses and transfers to reserves, totaled
$1,757,862. The KCA did a tremendous
TREASURER’S REPORT
PAGE 3
February 2007
From the Board By Robyn Renas, KCA Board of Trustee Chairperson
U
sing national politics as inspiration for
this column, I will give you a “State of
Our Kentlands” address. The new Board of
Trustees has completed the first quarter of
year one in the terms of Frank Anderson and
Robyn Renas and year two in the terms of
Robert Randolph and Tom Marchessault.
Our team of four Trustees are tackling
involved and technical issues and reviewing
important policy language that affects every
Kentlands homeowner.
The Town Hall Meeting scheduled for
February 6 will set a precedent in our
community. The Board of Trustees is
interested in the views and opinions of every
citizen and will organize a public forum
whenever an issue would benefit from public
debate. We will compile a list of the
concerns, goals and opinions expressed by
those in attendance and use them during our
deliberations on the issue of election districts
and also to plan for the year.
During January, the Board of Trustees
took action to guarantee that the pool will be
ready to open in May. How can anyone
think about swimming out of doors with the
temperature today barely 11 degrees you may
ask? The 2006 pool season concluded with
major pool infrastructure repairs identified
and possible failure to pass inspection
looming for the 2007 season: coping stones
and tiles loose; rough pool bottom collecting
bacteria; possible pool beam failure; and
TOWN HALL Continued from page 1
an Equity Resolution and resident input, and
it wasn’t.”
When asked for resident comment on the
subject, the residents in attendance seemed
divided on whether election districting should
continue to stay in place or be abolished.
“This issue of election districting occurred
because of concern of one group taking
control,” said neighbor Jim Hubbard. “Each
group, whether single family owners or
condominium owners, has their own
budgetary interests and it is a good idea to
have districts to keep one group from using
caulking issues. The Board carefully
considered the matter and a contract for
approximately $100,000.00 has been
awarded to remedy the identified social and
lap pool defects. I am happy to predict that
the 2007 pool season will open with a
pristine pool complex.
A long list of housekeeping items have
been addressed in our first quarter. Alley
drainage repairs, Clubhouse porch floor
repairs, Booth Street Park project punch list
coordination, Shady Playground repairs,
Spring alley resurfacing project coordination,
Kentlands telephone directory, Pool Use
Guideline review for 2007, Landscaping
maintenance language review, drainage
concerns in KCA common areas, updating
the Express and more. These may not be
headline-grabbing items but by paying
attention to the details of our community we
can keep Kentlands vibrant.
Construction efforts to divert water runoff away from the retaining wall along
Quince Orchard Road are soon to
commence. Engineering drawings will be in
the City for permit review by mid February
with bidding to follow. The retaining wall
has been periodically monitored for
movement and with the latest reading at the
end of the year, no movement has occurred.
The Kentlands Engineering Advisory
Committee has been instrumental in
keeping this project on track. There is a
wealth of knowledge
living amongst us
with neighbors willing to share their
talents, for that I am
thankful.
With spring maintenance season on
the horizon, the Board of Trustees,
President, Kentlands Historic Trust,
Board of Code Compliance and CMC
Staff will be collaborating in March to
review the Kentlands Design Standards
and policy in place for citing a property in
violation. We will identify and explain
what exterior standards are expected. By
making the issue transparent we hope to
alleviate the frustration experienced by
many citizens in the past.
Finally, plan on attending the
February 28 Board of Trustees meeting
where we will conduct a panel-type
interview of the candidates for the
replacement Trustee seat. Six citizens
have expressed interest in the position,
Brett Cosor, Joyce Whitman, Rachel
Hammoudeh, Ailene Renzi, William
Wilson and Richard Arkin. Your
questions of the candidates will be
welcome so come out and hear what
they have to say.
The Board of Trustees is geared up for a
productive 2007 and beyond. Thank you for
your support of our efforts. community funding for their interests.”
Hubbard stated “Districts are good provided
they are done properly.”
Clyde Horton disagreed with Hubbard. A
former Board of Trustees member, Horton
said “Districting splits us up and provides an
‘us against them’ mentality,” said Horton.
“We have five people on the Board and it
doesn’t matter where they live as long as they
represent the interests of all in the
community.”
Aileen Renzi, also a former Board of
Trustees member, said she had not yet made
an informed decision when it comes to
districting, but raised a different perspective.
“What if we didn’t get a candidate to
represent a district?” said Renzi. “In the past
we haven’t had a surge of individuals
interested in serving on the Board, so what do
we do if no one in a particular district wants
to serve on the Board?”
Neighbor Amy Benedict said she is
opposed to election districting. “It makes no
sense to me to vote for people that live outside
my district,” said Benedict. “What was put in
place was not supported by the community,
end it, don’t mend it; we have no need for
TOWN HALL Continues on page 26
KENTLANDS
TOWN
CRIER
Editor & Advertising Manager
Andrea Escher
(301) 519-1678
news@thekentlandstowncrier.com
Kentlands Citizens Assembly
President
Neil Harris
neil@play.net
Kentlands Citizens Assembly
Board of Trustees
Chair
Robyn Renas
robynrenas@worldnet.att.net
Vice Chairman
Frank Anderson
Andintl@aol.com
Secretary
Thomas Marchessault
marchessault@starpower.net
Treasurer
Robert Randolph
rrandolph@erols.com
Writers & Contributors
Molly Crismond
Gina Dropik
Al Wurglitz
EDITORIAL POLICY:
The Kentlands Town Crier is the primary
regularly-published
means
of
communicating information of interest to
Kentlands citizens. It is published by the
Board of Trustees, which is responsible for
the form, content, and policies of the
newspaper. The newspaper addresses
items of legitimate interest to the
Kentlands Citizens Assembly. It does not
espouse any political belief or endorse any
product or service.
Articles submitted for publication must
be signed and may not be libelous. Letters
may be published as space permits.
Articles and letters may be edited for
length and content.
The deadline for submitting articles will
be the last day of the month. Articles may
be dropped off at the Clubhouse, faxed to
the Clubhouse at (301) 948-9730, or
mailed to: Kentlands Town Crier, c/o The
Kentlands Clubhouse, 485 Tschiffely
Square Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
REGARDING ADVERTISEMENTS
IN THE NEWSPAPER:
Neither the Newspaper Committee nor
the Board of Trustees of the Kentlands
Citizens Assembly endorses the products
or services advertised herein, ensures the
correctness of advertisements contained
herein, nor are they responsible for any
claims made by the advertisers herein.
The Kentlands Town Crier reserves the
right to edit, reject, or cancel any
advertisement at any time.
The Kentlands Classifieds will not post any
professional or commercial advertising.
Graphic Design
Cristina Strigel
(703) 777-7676
BUILDING GOOD DENTAL HEALTH ONE TOOTH AT A TIME
February 2007
PAGE 4
© Copyright 2007, Kentlands Citizens Assembly,
all rights reserved.
PAGE 5
February 2007
Manager’s Corner
By Lisen Edwards
esidents should be reminded that
sidewalks bordering your property
must be shoveled within 12 hours of a
snowfall and that parked cars must be
removed from snow emergency routes. In the
event of inclement weather, please call the
Clubhouse at 301-948-2071 ext.106. I will be
monitoring messages and will return your call.
Are you planning a spring project? Will
you be adding a deck, changing paint colors,
or performing any other exterior changes? It
is not too early to submit a Visual Change
Application for approval.
The following information pertains to
KCA meetings within the past thirty days:
repaired/replaced and
painted, 4) garage doors
need repair or replacing, 5)
fascia board on house and garage needs
repair and painting, 6) any other trim on
house and garage in poor condition needs
repair and painting and 7) any siding in
disrepair needs replacing and painting.
BOCC instructed Management to send a
Judgment Decision effective May 1, 2007
that a daily fine of $10.00 per day per
violation will commence if the property is
not brought into compliance. BOCC
suggested that a garage door made of steel
be considered for use.
Board of Code Compliance
The meeting took place on Thursday,
January 11, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. at the
Kentlands Clubhouse. The following matters
were discussed:
200 Block of Little Quarry Road – The
homeowner was not present for the
scheduled hearing re: porch railings as
installed were not approved by the Kentlands
Historic Trust, and, as installed, the porch
railings fail to comply with the requirement
that porch railings (all components) shall be a
single material, either wood, vinyl clad wood,
steel or wrought iron and vinyl clad wood
shall be detailed like wood and, ideally,
painted. Brackets and similar joinery
methods are prohibited. BOCC reviewed an
email received from the homeowner and
having considered the length of time the
potential violation has been in existence and
the commitment to bring the railing into
compliance, agreed to table this matter and
revisit the issue in one month.
R
600 Block of Inspiration Lane – The
homeowner was present for the scheduled
hearing regarding the storm door does not
meet the code (green front door, off white
storm door and cream trim). BOCC, having
considered the length of time the potential
violation has been in existence and the
commitment to bring the door into
compliance, agreed to table this matter and
revisit the issue in three months.
200 Block of Little Quarry Road – The
hearing re: 1) fence (front and rear) needs
to be scraped and/or sanded to remove
peeling paint, primed, then painted white
(not off-white), 2) front entrance railing
needs repair and painting, 3) all window
trim with wood rot needs to be
February 2007
300 Block Little Quarry Road – The
hearing re: 1) side roof vent needs
painting, 2) all window trim (front, sides
and rear) needs repair and painting, 3)
garage doors need replacing and 4) any
siding in disrepair needs replacing and
painting. BOCC, having considered the
length of time the potential violations
have been in existence and the
commitment to bring the property into
compliance, agreed to table this matter
and revisit the issue at the May 2007
BOCC meeting. BOCC requested and
the homeowner agreed to submit to the
Management
Office
the
signed
contractor’s agreement for all repairs.
100 Block of Ridgepoint Place – The
homeowners were not present for the
scheduled hearing re:
1) front upper window panel needs
painting, 2) all rear trim needs
repair/replacing and painting and 3)
one shutter needs repair/replacing and
painting; the homeowners gave prior
written notice that they were unable to
attend. BOCC instructed Management
to send a Judgment Decision effective
April 1, 2007 that a daily fine of $10.00
per day per violation will commence if
the property is not brought into
compliance.
Environmental Management
Committee
The
Environmental
Management
Committee will be meeting on March 14,
2007.
The following is the list of all repairs
and/or completed projects throughout the
community (January 2007):
1/4 Weekly community trash pick up,
including tot lots and parking lot
behind live-work units.
1/4 Reattached the basketball camera wires
to the fencing.
1/4 Reattached fencing on basketball
court.
1/5 Completed caulking on basketball and
tennis court.
1/5 Installed stones in alley behind 302
Little Quarry Road.
1/11 Weekly community trash pick up,
including tot lots and parking lot
behind live-work units.
1/11 Installed
Automatic
External
Defibrillators (AED’s) in Clubhouse
and Carriage House.
City To Host Community Workshop To Unveil
Neighboring Aquatic & Recreation Center Design Plans
BY ANDREA ESCHER
T
he City of Gaithersburg will host a
Community Workshop on Monday,
February 26, 2007 at Lakelands Park Middle
School to give the public an opportunity to
review initial concept plans for the new
Gaithersburg Indoor Aquatic and
Recreation Center at Edison Park Drive.
Display boards will be available for
viewing beginning at 6:30 p.m. City Staff
and the design firm, SORG Architects,
will make a presentation at 7:30 p.m.,
followed by ample opportunity for
questions and answers.
PAGE 6
It is envisioned that the new center
will include an indoor pool with lap lanes
and recreational areas, a gymnasium with
basketball courts, a fitness area, and
rooms for meetings and social gatherings.
The City anticipates receiving more
detailed renderings of the concept plans
from SORG this spring. These plans are the
precursor to the development of a site plan.
Lakelands Park Middle School is located
at 1200 Main Street. For more information
please visit the City’s website at
www.gaithersburgmd.gov, or contact the
City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and
Culture at 301-258-6350. Kentlands Town Crier
PAGE 7
February 2007
important unfinished part of the proposal – for the $1.2 million or more that would be spent
out of our treasury, we need to understand the potential benefit to our community.
President’s
Report By Neil Harris, KCA President
From Clubhouse to Community Center?
In January, our Capital Improvements Committee invited me and
members of the Board to a meeting to discuss their plan for expanding
the Kentlands Clubhouse into a full-fledged Community Center. After being given the goahead eight years ago to begin the process, the project has been stalled. Each year at budget
time there is a request made to fund the project, and passionate support meets equally
passionate opposition. Nothing has been authorized since the initial designs were funded. This
year I would like to see this project presented for a final decision on whether to proceed. It is
time to bring this project to a conclusion, one way or another.
Expansion Plan
The expansion proposal adds 5,000 square feet of function space by enclosing the first
floor balcony and adding a second floor. Most of the design work has been completed,
with several competing designs and a final design which has been priced out in some
detail. The proposal includes the scheduled overhaul of the roof and some much-needed
upgrades to the heating and hot water systems.
I have asked the CIC and the BFAC to create a much more detailed proposal that will
be brought to the public and to our Board, including a funding plan and details of what
uses will be made of the new space. This work will be completed during the next several
months and presented for comment.
Funding Plan
Louis Paulson is heading the Budget and Finance Advisory Committee's work on the
funding plan. He is preparing a detailed cash flow projection showing how the project
will be paid for and its impact on the KCA treasury and monthly assessments. At this
time it looks like there would be no borrowing needed thanks to the KCA's very extensive
cash reserves. When complete, the funding plan will show how much will be left in
reserves after the project is complete and how much impact the project would have on
your monthly assessments.
If You Build It They Will Come... But What Will They Do?
A new committee has been formed to explore the uses for the expanded space. The new ad
hoc Community Center Activities Committee includes volunteers Al Wurglitz, Rachael
Hammoudeh and Ailene Renzi along with our Activities Director, Anita Parks. This
committee is building on the original project documents and also reaching out to the KCA
committees and community to justify a need for the space. In my mind this is the most
February 2007
Presentation of the Plan
When all this work is complete, probably in the March or April timeframe, the
Capital Improvements Committee along with the BFAC and the Activities Committee
will publish the results in the Town Crier and present the complete final proposal to the
Board and the community, either at a Board meeting or at a special meeting. Armed with
all the facts, we can take this eight year old project and make the final call.
What Happens Next?
If the decision is made to proceed, we will take the plan and go out to bid for
contracts. As long as those contracts are within the initial budget, construction
work would begin immediately after the pool closes in September 2007. The
budget includes temporary accommodations for the office staff and for those using
the fitness center. The expansion would be completed during 2008.
If the decision is made not to proceed, the community has several options. We could
decide to keep reserve levels strong, which helps keep assessments down by earning
interest (currently more than $60,000 per year) and which keeps us safe by having funds
available in case of unforeseen reserve expenses. Another option is to examine other
potential capital improvement projects.
One way or another, we hope to wrap up the process this year. Eight years seems like
enough time to make a good decision.
Old Business
Last month I asked for volunteers for a new committee to work with me on our new
contract for our Community Management firm. I am very pleased that five people have
volunteered and their appointments were approved by our Board: Al Wurglitz, Steve
Downs, Ailene Renzi, Joyce Whitman, and Sigrid McCutcheon.
Also answering the call is Kalpana Parakkal, an attorney, who has been appointed to
the opening on the Board of Code Compliance.
I have asked the Welcoming Committee to consider assembling a Welcoming Package
for new residents to the community. The committee had been under the impression that
there was already such a package, but we do not currently provide one. Ideas for items
to include would be, well, welcome.
The plan for drainage near the retaining wall is being addressed by the
Engineering Advisory Committee along with our contract engineering firm and
the City of Gaithersburg. Work continues in an attempt to finalize the plan and
implement the necessary work in the early Spring.
The communications task force is looking for feedback on the new format for the
Kentlands Express. How do you feel about it? Any comments and suggestions are
welcomed. Please email to Adrienne Gillen at akgillen@gmail.com. PAGE 8
PAGE 9
February 2007
School Scoop
By Gina Dropik
Special Interest Projects, Book Swap
And Hoops for Heart Keep
RCES Students Busy This February
tudents at Rachel Carson Elementary
School (RCES) have begun the second
half of the school year. The second
grading period ended on Friday, January 19,
and students brought home their report cards
on Thursday, February 1.
The PTA sponsored a Family Movie
Night on Friday, January 19. Students and
families gathered in the all-purpose room
and enjoyed the movie Cars, along with
popcorn, drinks, candy and a raffle.
The Rachel Carson Student Government
Association (SGA) held their first Spirit Day
of the school year on January 24 in
conjunction with Maryland Reading Month.
Students came to school dressed as their
favorite character from a book. Principal Larry
Chep dressed as The Cat in the Hat, while
students and teachers dressed as characters
such as Stuart Little, Junie B. Jones, Pippi
Longstocking, and Harry Potter.
Later that night the SGA held an Author
Night and Book Swap. Guest author Katy
Kelly spoke to students and their families
about the children’s books she has written and
signed copies to those who purchased them.
In addition, the SGA held a book swap where
students swapped books with each other, all in
effort to promote reading.
Academic Support teacher Hermine
S
February 2007
Bernstein spearheaded a project to knit caps
for newborn babies in developing countries,
titled “Caps to the Capital”. Through her
efforts a group of RCES parents, teachers and
students knitted 67 caps, which earned them
an invitation to the White House for a
recognition ceremony on January 31. Ellen
Saidman, Katie Lish and Annika Salzbert
joined Ms. Bernstein in the all-day ceremony.
Fifth grade students are getting ready for
their transition to Lakelands Park Middle
School (LPMS). RCES fifth grade teachers
recently visited LPMS to learn about their
instructional program and offerings. On
February 2, LPMS counselors visited RCES to
speak to the fifth graders and give them
insight into what middle school will be like. In
addition parents of fifth graders attended a
LPMS Open House on February 7, which
gave them the opportunity to ask questions
and meet members of the LPMS staff.
RCES is once again participating in the
Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart program,
February 20 – 26, to raise funds for the
American Heart Association. This is a nationwide event which helps students learn about
the benefits of regular physical activity and
heart health while they raise funds to support
vital research and educational programs. In
addition RCES will qualify for gift certificates
for physical education equipment based on
the amount of money raised.
Rachel Carson will be offering its final
Kindergarten Open House on March 9,
beginning at 9:15 a.m. This is a chance for
parents who are considering sending their
children to kindergarten at RCES next fall
to visit the school. Principal Larry Chep
will meet with the parents to discuss the
program and answer questions. Parents
will also have the opportunity to visit the
kindergarten classes. All children who are
five years old by September 1, 2007, are
eligible for kindergarten in the fall. This is
a wonderful opportunity for parents who
are new to the school to see what Rachel
Carson has to offer their children.
Parents and students are reminded that
there will be no school on February 19 in
celebration of Presidents’ Day. With the
winter weather upon us parents are
reminded that information about weatherrelated school closings is announced on
area radio and television stations; on the
internet at www.mcps.k12.md.us or
Schoolsout.com; and on a taped telephone
message service at 301-279-3673. If schools
are closed or delayed, the announcement
will be made no later than 6:00 a.m. If
schools
are
closing
early,
the
announcements are made by 11:00 a.m.
Please remember to look for this article
each month to find out about all of the
happenings at Rachel Carson throughout
the school year.
RCES Sponsors
International Night
The Rachel Carson Elementary School
PTA is sponsoring an International Night on
Friday, March 2, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
According to coordinator of the event and
PAGE 10
Cali Copeland shows off her artwork.
The first grade classes at RCES are
learning about the elements of art
and concentrating on texture. Art
teachers Mrs. Connell and Mrs. Horan
are in the planning stages of the
spring art show.The theme will be
refrigerator art. Anyone interested in
helping should contact RCES.
Kentlands neighbor Mulu Nelson, the
purpose is to provide the students with
hands-on exposure to the wide variety of
cultural backgrounds represented by the
student body and faculty of RCES. “I hope
that it will enhance and personalize their
international academic studies and create an
awareness and greater appreciation of the
variety of cultures in the world,” said Nelson.
At press time 21 countries were being
represented. Each country will have a booth
to display general information, arts and crafts,
currency, clothing and other cultural artifacts.
Upon entering the school on International
Night each person will receive a passport. As
they visit each country’s booth their passports
will be stamped with visas. Each person who
receives visas from every country will receive a
prize. In addition, a cultural fashion show will
SCHOOL SCOOP
PAGE 11
February 2007
Residents Mourn Passing of
Kentlands Neighbor
entlands resident Kenneth Lee Frank, the
compassionate father, son, brother, and friend,
found peace on Wednesday, January 17, 2007.
Kenneth was the devoted father of Jordan Evan and
Sydney Eden Frank, and the son of Eva Frank and the
late Klaus Frank. He leaves behind sisters, Susi Erwin,
Sylvia Atencio, Sandy Houchen and husband, Jim,
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and the
children's mother, Beth. Kenneth’s close network of
friends surrounded him during his thirty year career in
real estate including serving as President of the Greater
Capital Area Association of Realtors. "Frankly, Ken," you
will be greatly missed by your family, friends, and
everyone whose life you touched.
Funeral services were held on Monday, January 22,
3:00 p.m. at The Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost
Ave in Kansas City.
K
Kenneth Lee Frank
February 23, 1953–
January 17, 2007
Memorial contributions may be sent to scholarship fund in honor of his children:
Jordan and Sydney Frank Education Fund
c/o The Temple Congregation Bnai Jehuda
12320 Nail Avenue
Overland Park, Kansas 66209
As the Crier goes to press, a memorial service will be held for family and friends
here in Gaithersburg/Kentlands on Sunday, February 10, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. at the Kentlands Mansion. SCHOOL SCOOP Continued from page 10
be staged featuring students wearing their
native clothing, and a food sampling session
will be held in the cafeteria. Nelson says that
she hopes International Night will become an
annual event on the school’s calendar. For
more information or to volunteer contact
Nelson at 301-208-9074.
Lakelands Park
Middle School News
Montgomery County Public Schools have
raised Student Service Learning (SSL) hour
requirements from 60 hours to 75 hours. SSL
hours may include service work with a nonprofit organization, such as serving dinner at
a shelter, collecting clothing for people in
need, or writing letters to legislators
supporting views on social issues. All students
must serve 75 hours by graduation to receive
a MCPS diploma.
All current Lakelands Park Middle School
(LPMS) students will have to meet the new 75
hour requirement. Thirty hours are infused
in the middle school curriculum; ten hours in
the Science curriculum in sixth grade, ten
hours in the English curriculum in seventh
grade and ten hours in the World Studies
curriculum in eighth grade. Therefore,
students must earn an extra 45 hours on their
own before graduation. LPMS Counselor
Carrie Booth says, “Students can come to me
for assistance in figuring out activities where
they can get SSL hours, or they can go to the
website (www.mcpsssl.org) and search by
interest or location. If an activity that they
would like to take part in is not approved,
they just need to submit an application for
special activity form and get it signed by me in
order to receive hours.” Students who earn
75 hours or more within a one year period
can apply for the Superintendent’s SSL
Award Application. The deadline for the
applications is May 7, 2007. There is an
additional award, the Certificate of
Meritorious Service, for high school seniors
who earn 260 hours or more.
LPMS is introducing an International
Educational Travel program for eighth
grade World Studies students in 2008.
Rome is one of the major areas of study in
both sixth and seventh grade. As an
extension of that curriculum, the school
is offering a seven-day tour of the ancient
Italian city during next year’s spring
break. Stephanie Sheron, LPMS Social
Studies Resource Teacher, will be leading
the effort through EF Educational Tours,
a company that allows educators to enrich
their classroom teaching through
international travel. Sheron said she
chose EF Tours because they have been in
business for 40 years and have offices
around the world. The company offers
escorted tours, known as the Global
Classroom, which help student groups to
"learn it by living it" when they experience
firsthand the very best historic, cultural
and natural sights in the world.
A parent/student meeting was held on
February 6 at LPMS, where interested
travelers were provided with a detailed
itinerary of the trip, as well as
information on trip supervision, liability,
insurance, the cost of the tour and more.
A limited number of students will be able
to join the tour and sign-up is on a firstcome, first-served basis. The students will
have a full time bilingual Tour Director
and will visit the Coliseum, the Sistine
Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. They will
tour Vatican City, take a walking tour of
Rome, visit the Appian Way, learn how to
make pizza, and much more. Sheron says
she hopes this will be the first of many
spring tours at LPMS. February–March Calendar Reminders
February
February
February
February
March 9
February 2007
PAGE 12
16 . . . . . . .RCES Kindergarten Open House 9:15 a.m. Parents only!
19 . . . . . . .No School – Presidents’ Day
20-26 . . . .Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart Week at RCES
27 . . . . . . .Early Release Day (K-12)
. . . . . . . . . .RCES Kindergarten Open House 9:15 a.m. Parents only!
PAGE 13
February 2007
Foundation Update
4th Annual “Young Artist
Award” Concert
Winners Announced
Tickets for Concert
On Sale Now
The City of Gaithersburg and the
Kentlands Community Foundation are
pleased to announce the winners of the
2007 Young Artist Award competition.
Nearly 30 Instrumental, Piano and Vocal
Students ages 12-18 years participated in
the juried competition in January.
Volunteer adjudicators from the Greater
Gaithersburg area and beyond provided
each student immediate feedback and
written comments following their
auditions. Adjudicators included: Naira
Babayan of Gaithersburg, Stephanie
By Bridget Ryder,
Community Foundation Manager
Bonte-Lebair of Gaithersburg, Elie Canetti
of the Kentlands, Carlos Guetes-Bonilla of
Rockville, Norman Katz of the Kentlands,
Ben Kepler of the University of Maryland,
Max Koteen of the Lakelands, Jenni
McGinnis of Rockville, John Santell of the
Kentlands, and Ian Stuart of the
University of Maryland.
The first three places in each category plus
a number of Honorable Mention winners
won the opportunity to perform in a showcase
concert at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn on
Saturday, March 10. Winners are as follows:
In the Instrumental Solo category,
Natalia Merezhuk (violin) was awarded
First Place; Ying Tang (violin), Second
Place; and Andrew Yu (cello), Third Place.
In the Piano Solo category, Karen Kong
was awarded First Place; Arlene Gao,
Second Place; and Joshua Sommerville,
Third Place.
In the Vocal Solo category,
Joshua Sommerville was
awarded First Place; Shaina
Martinez, Second Place; and
Erica Weiner, Third Place.
Honorable Mentions were
awarded to Mitchell Osherovich
(boy soprano), Stephen Watson
(violin), Aimee Moores (violin),
Kevin Lewi (cello), Shaina
Martinez (guitar), and Emily
Weiner (flute).
Continues on facing page
Clyde Horton (front right), Chair of the Kentlands Community Foundation,
presented a plaque of appreciation to the 2006-2007 Kentlands Citizens Assembly
Board of Directors for its outstanding support as the Race's top sponsor in 2006.The
Race is the Kentlands Community Foundation's biggest event of the year.Accepting
the plaque, from left to right in back row, were KCA President Neil Harris, Frank
Anderson and Tom Marchessault. KCA Chair Robyn Renas and Robert Randolph
accept the plaque from Clyde.The Foundation donated 50% of the 2006 Race
proceeds to the "Dolores C. Swoyer" Scholarship fund, which gives children in need
the opportunity to attend the City of Gaithersburg's summer camp program.
February 2007
Photos Courtesy:
Bridget Ryder
Kentlands
Community
Foundation
Manager Bridget
Ryder (left)
presents a plaque
of appreciation to
Emily Hoops,
Marketing
Specialist of Whole
Foods Market, for
the store's
continued support
of the Foundation's
5K Race.Whole
Foods Market has
been one of the
top merchant
sponsors of the
Race for several
years and has
already committed
its support for the
2007 Race, set for
September 1st.
PAGE 14
Members from the 2006 and 2007 Lakelands Community
Association's Board of Directors gathered to accept a plaque
of appreciation for their continued support of the
Kentlands/Lakelands 5K Race.Three-time Race Director
Steve Solbeck is a Lakelands resident.
Continued from previous page
Congratulations to all!
Please join us for this exciting concert
on March 10, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. at the
Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road. Tickets
are $10.00 for City of Gaithersburg
residents, $12.00 for non residents. Tickets
may be purchased beginning February 10
at the Arts Barn, via telephone at 301-2586394,
or
online
at
www.gaithersburgmd.gov.
Other Upcoming
Foundation Events and
Programs
Kentlands Film Society’s showing of
“I’m Not Scared” – Sunday, March
11 at 7:00 p.m.
Kentlands Film Society’s showing of
“Nowhere in Africa” – Sunday, May
6 at 7:00 p.m.
The Programming Committee of the Film
Society is about to start its work for next
season. If you are interested in films and
would like to be involved in the film selection
process, please contact Judy Hubbard at
juhubb@verizon.net or telephone 301-926-8076
or Betty Hafner at bethafner@starpower.net or
telephone 301-216-1640.
3rd Annual Kentlands/Lakelands
Dog Show & Festival
Saturday, May 19
From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Kentlands Green
(across from the Gaithersburg
Arts Barn)
Volunteers are welcome to join the
Committee. We especially need help with
event promotions, sponsorships, awards,
Show Day set-up and break down. Student
volunteers are welcome! Registration
opens April 1 and will be limited to the
first 75 dogs.
Kentlands House & Garden Tour
Saturday, June 9
From 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
This year’s Tour will include 8
Kentlands Homes. Tickets will be available
for purchase in April.
Kentlands/Lakelands 5K Race
Set for Saturday, September 1
8:00 a.m.
Planning is under way for the 14th
Annual 5K Race. Volunteers are needed
for the Race Committee, which meets
each month March-August in preparing
for the Foundation’s biggest event of
the year. TREASURER’S REPORT Continued from page 3
job of operating within 1.2% of the budget. As mentioned above, we expect some
adjustments to expenses before closing out the books but still expect our expenses will
come in below our revenues – and that’s a good thing! Some minor areas where
expenses exceeded the budget included staff payroll, common area repairs and
maintenance, legal fees, social and recreation activities, and utilities.
At the end of December, the Assembly had cash and investments in the amount of
$1,534,107. Of this, roughly $250,000 (equivalent to two month's expenses) is held in
bank accounts supervised by CMC for operating purposes and to facilitate making
approved reserve expenditures without having to liquidate investments. Reserve funds
invested in bank CDs and treasury securities were earning 4.87% on average
compared with 2.93% a year earlier.
General Reserves were down slightly for the month because of substantial outlays
during December, mostly for work related to stormwater drainage. The General
Reserve balance was up significantly for the year due to monthly contributions
budgeted in anticipation of repair costs related to the Quince Orchard retaining wall,
most of which did not materialize.
Recreation Facilities Reserves were also up, compared with a year earlier, but we
anticipate major pool repairs needed prior to the opening of the 2007 pool season.
The year-end balance in the Titleholders' Initial Contribution fund was $512,305,
compared with $471,224 a year earlier.
Please note that all data presented here are based on the unaudited December
financial statements generated by our management company, CMC. The Assembly's
annual CPA audit will take place in the next few months, and I look forward to
providing additional information at that time.
Meanwhile, if you have finance-related questions, please let me know and I'll try my
best to respond in future columns. You can reach me via the “Contact Us” feature on
the Kentlands website (www.kentlandsusa.com) or by leaving a message with Lisen or
Sandy at the Kentlands office, 301-948-4290. Share your news or advertise your business in the
KENTLANDS
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
As a non-profit and philanthropic 501(c)3 organization, the Kentlands Community
Foundation’s mission is three-fold: To promote the cultural arts in our community, provide
opportunities for volunteerism, and serve as an educational resource on the principles of new
urbanism and smart growth. The Foundation’s goal is to help connect individuals and families
in ways that enhance everyday life and encourage civic involvement. All programs are open to
the public, and volunteers are always welcome. For more information or to learn about lending a
hand, contact the Foundation office at 301.926.6636
or visit us at www.kentlands.org.
PAGE 15
KENTLANDS
TOWN
CRIER
Contact Andrea at 301-519-1678
or news@thekentlandstowncrier.com
February 2007
Kentlands Homes S H O W C A S E
House Specialties
Address: 114 Lake Street
Price: $1,035,000
Year Built: 2001
Current Taxes: $7,498/year
Current HOA Fee: $105.00 per month
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 4 full baths and one ½ bath
Contact: Judy Howlin, 301-869-8253
or Meredith Fogle at
Meredith.Fogle@LNF.com; Long and
Foster Real Estate 301-975-9500
Address: 351 Booth Street
Price: $1,100,000
Year Built: 1999
Current Taxes: $7,590/year
Current HOA Fee: $105.00 per
month
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 4 full baths, 1 half bath
Contact: Alan Warsaw, Long &
Foster Real Estate,
(301) 564-4900.
A walk through this gracious and
elegant Mitchell and Best home
shows why it was a star of the last
Kentlands Home and Garden tour. The spacious and sunny rooms are beautifully decorated
and include architectural touches such as tray ceilings, deluxe moldings, decorative niches and
columns, and charming trompe l’oiel painting by local artist Betsy Koepenick.
One of the largest floorplans available in the Kentlands, this Bethesda model boasts
main level 10’ ceilings, transomed windows, and hardwood floors. The gourmet kitchen
opens to the family room and has abundant Corian countertops, a big center island, 42”
maple cabinets, and a breakfast area. The upper level, with 9’ceilings, features four large
bedrooms and three full baths. The partially finished lower level has a recreation room,
a bonus room, a 4th full bath, and plenty of space left for storage.
Other special features include a private main level library, a spacious sitting room off of the
master bedroom, his and hers walk-in closets, each with an organizer system, and luxury master
bath with a soaking tub and a separate glass-enclosed shower. The attached garage offers
convenient parking, while the pretty patio and landscaped yard with gorgeous flowering gardens
provide lovely spaces to relax and entertain. For more information please contact Judy Howlin
at 301-869-8253 or log on to www.JudyHowlin.com.
February 2007
As you walk up this
masterfully landscaped
Colonial with both front
and side full porches,
you enter a stately foyer
with open arches to the
formal living, dining and
sun rooms, all with
hardwood floors.
As you continue your
journey, the country
kitchen with granite
counter tops embraces you
with the family room and
breakfast area leading you
to the secluded trex deck
with hot tub (big enough
for six adults).
As you go up the oak
steps to the all-hardwood
second level, you will
encounter four large
bedrooms and three full
baths. Downstairs, you will
find one bedroom, walk-in closet, full bathroom, card room, rec room and built in storage.
This house sits in the heart of Kentlands and was just painted last summer. A full
warranty of all A/C, Heating, Plumbing and Electrical components will accompany the
purchase. This professionally landscaped corner lot includes a detached two car garage.
PAGE 16
Three Kentlands Projects Rank in the Top 10 of City’s 2007 Priorities
BY ANDREA ESCHER
he Kentlands Town Crier has
learned that three of the City of
Gaithersburg’s top 10 projects for
2007 involve the area of Kentlands.
According to Director of Facilities
and Maintenance Pete Geiling, the City’s
T
DOUGHBOYS BLAZE
Continued from page 1
imaging in order to locate the “hot
spots” of fire behind the walls.
Piringer said neither the building’s
sprinkler system nor smoke detectors
went off. “The fire was in concealed
spaces so it is not unusual for the
sprinkler system or smoke detectors not
to alert at that point,” said Piringer.
“But if it was not for the alert citizen
who phoned the authorities, the
situation could have been far worse.”
According to Piringer “the cause of
the fire was due to the failure of zero
clearance in the wood burning oven
where it exhausted from the commercial
oven and elbowed into the chimney.”
The Kentlands Town Crier contacted
City of Gaithersburg Fire Marshal Ivan
Humberson for a further explanation of
the cause of the fire. “The exhaust
duct/chimney in the kitchen was too
close to unprotected combustible
materials, meaning the wood framing in
the exterior wall,” said Humberson.
Humberson said the City code
requires 18-inch clearance, or the
exhaust duct must be wrapped with an
insulating blanket. Humberson said the
required insulation was installed when
City staff completed the unit’s close-in
inspection. It is speculated that at some
point after the City’s inspection the
major financial project for “07” is the
Gaithersburg Aquatic and Recreation
Center located adjacent to Kentlands
near the GE property at Edison Park
Drive. The City has budgeted
$2,505,890 for the pre-development of
the project. “We have hired Sorge
Architects to being the design of the
insulation may have been partially
removed.
Humberson also noted five or six
electric wires were found to have been
run in the duct/chimney shaft, and
according to Humberson “the wiring
had significant burns as well, but we
can only speculate whether the wiring
caught fire first or the wood framing in
the wall caught fire first, but either one
would have been caused by missing duct
wrap material.”
The electricity has been disconnected
to the entire unit of 251 Market Street
West. Humberson said power should be
restored to the third level of the unit by
press time as well as the second level.
Damages are estimated to be around
$300,000 for both the building and
contents. Doughboys will remain closed
until all necessary repairs have been
completed.
“City code enforcement officials will
need to ensure the proper clearance in
the exhaust is met to make sure this
doesn’t happen again,” said Piringer.
Kentlands and Lakelands residents
both hope the repairs are made quickly
so they can continue to enjoy Dougboy’s
entrees and pizzas. “Doughboys is my
son’s favorite restaurant,” said Lakelands
resident Paula Fischthal. “He was so sad
when I told him that he won’t be able to
have Doughboys pizza for awhile.” facility which we will debut to the
community during a Community
Workshop on February 26,” said
Geiling. “The funds will be used for the
design concepts, plans and studies
associated with getting the project off the
ground.” Geiling said the design phase is
estimated to take 14 months for
completion and a ground breaking of the
facility is anticipated for summer 2008.
Another major City budget item is
the renovation and repairs to the
Kentlands Mansion. Geiling said
$394,873 is estimated as the cost for
the pending roof repairs, enclosure of
the Mansion’s porch and other interior
repairs due to water damage stemming
from the roof leak. Geiling said
approximately $58,000 was spent in
August for brick pointing or the
replacement of mortar on the five brick
chimneys. The roof repair will be
scheduled during a time when it will
not interfere with private rentals of the
facility.
Finally $394,873 was budgeted for
the final phase of development of the
Kentlands Market Square Plaza. Geiling
said the project has been completed and
all funds have been exhausted to date.
When asked if the City has set aside
money in the initial $392,873 proposed
for public art, Geiling said he believes
the funds for any art pieces or statues
will be funded through another budget
line item. the color of home, the color of life.
the color of certainty in Kentlands.
PAGE 17
February 2007
By Gina Dropik
Inside “Lisa Studio”
Kentlands resident Lisa Pomerance, owner of
Lisa Studio, lives by her own philosophy of
believing in yourself, following your dreams and
giving the best of yourself.
Kentlands Resident
Lisa Pomerance Turns
Her Passion Into a
Real-Life Dream
K
The Pomerance family, Zev,
Daniel, Ian and Lisa enjoy
spending time together on a
family vacation.
ent Oaks Way resident Lisa
Pomerance is living her
dream – in a neighborhood she
loves, being a mom and running
her own business. Pomerance is
the owner of Lisa Studio, an
interior design business offering
design services from conception
through completion. “Creating
warm and personal environments
that reflect my clients’ tastes and
lifestyles is my greatest pleasure,”
said Pomerance.
“Creativity runs in my family,”
laughs Pomerance. “My grandmother was an artist and my mom
was a clothes designer, so I often
spent time at her studio where she
had sketches and fabric samples all
over the place.”
It was in France where
Pomerance earned a degree in
international business with a
minor in communications. At the
age of 22 she moved to Israel
where she studied art and graphic
design and worked for an
American magazine. While in
Photos Courtesy:{ Pomerance Family
Meet Your
Neighbors
Israel she met her husband Zev, an
American from New York.
After the couple moved to the United
States in 1999, she took art classes at
Montgomery College and decided to start
her own business. “I love working with
people and furniture and fabrics,” she said.
She started with children’s room
renovations which included painted
murals and slowly expanded to the fullscale business she runs today.
Pomerance offers free consultations
and Feng-Shui tips for all new clients. She
has a library of fabric, granite, wood and
paint samples in her home office and if
needed, she can expand her selection
using the D.C. Design Center. Lisa Studio
provides a full range of services and
complete room consultations including
help with paint selection, window
treatments, flooring, lighting, and
furniture placement, as well as kitchen and
bath renovation. Pomerance has developed
a network of professionals including
painters, artists, and hardwood flooring
specialists. “They are all well-priced,
reliable and professional. They are people I
am proud to work with,” she said. While
most of her jobs are residential she has
done a couple of commercial jobs as well.
“Most of my clients are in the
Gaithersburg/North Potomac area, but I
have had jobs in D.C., Virginia and
recently Florida.”
"I consulted with Lisa on redoing my
kitchen and family room,” said
Kentlands resident Hope Walker. “She
helped with granite and tile selection,
and most importantly gave me some
very
excellent,
unusual
color
recommendations. The room is
dramatic and warm, and I love being in
it. Working with her was really fun.”
An avid traveler, Pomerance said she
got a lot of inspiration from different
countries and cultures. For example the
deep tropical orange faux-finished walls in
her living room and dining room were
inspired by a trip to Puerto Rico. Her
travels have taken her to Switzerland, Italy,
Germany, Spain, the Bahamas, and South
Africa as well as her homelands of France
and Israel. “I don't stick with one style. I
use contemporary or traditional styles,
according to my client's taste. Personally, I
like to have one dominant style and
introduce a couple of different pieces. It's
more challenging, but as long as scale and
balance are respected it looks fabulous,”
she said. “The selection of colors and
fabrics can dramatically transform the look
and feel of any room.”
Having grown up in Paris she considers
herself a true city girl. “I miss the action of
the city but find the Kentlands lifestyle
perfect to raise kids,” she said. Pomerance
has been married for 13 years and is the
mother of two children, Eden and Daniel,
both students at Rachel Carson
Elementary School. “I love the school and
I like to volunteer there as often as I can,”
she said. The family also has two pets, a cat
named Ben and a guinea pig named Becky.
Together the Pomerances love to travel,
and cheer on the Washington Capitals at
home hockey games. Zev, an entrepreneur,
loves gourmet cooking and grilling outside
on their new built-in stone grill, which was
their latest home improvement project.
Eden is in fifth grade and likes basketball
and hip hop dance. Daniel is in
kindergarten and enjoys playing soccer and
baseball. In her free time, Lisa enjoys
drawing, painting and yoga.
Pomerance says that she would like to
offer the following advice to young people,
“Believe in yourself, follow your dreams,
and give the best of yourself.” For a free
consultation contact Lisa Pomerance at
240-793-8108 or LisaStudio@aol.com. 5K RACE Continued from page 1
is to put the start and finish lines closer to the registration tables and the post-race
expo,” said Ryder. “Another is that each year the race gets bigger and we want to make
the course more conducive to the larger numbers.” Last year nearly 1,000 runners
registered for the race.
Additionally Ryder said that because it is the Kentlands/Lakelands race they would
like to incorporate more of the Lakelands in the course so that there is equal
representation of both neighborhoods. “Now that the Lakelands Clubhouse and
Lakelands Park Middle School (LPMS) are finished, they are sort of focal points of the
neighborhood, and we’d like to recognize that,” said Ryder. Many runners should be
happy to know that the big hill up Lake Varuna Drive will likely be eliminated in an
effort to make the course a bit “kinder and gentler.”
Ryder explained that under the guidance of Race Director Steve Solbeck, the Race
Committee and members of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC)
have come up with a few alternative courses. They are in the process of running them
and evaluating them. The Committee has also been in close contact with the City of
Gaithersburg because a change in the course will affect road closures. In addition the
Committee has contacted a few of the key merchants in the neighborhood as well as
LPMS and the Shaare Torah synagogue, as they are sensitive to effects the event may
have on their establishments.
The final course will be certified by the United States Association of Track and
Field (USATF), and according to Solbeck it will be posted on the website as soon as
the decision is final. The 5K Race Committee will begin its planning meetings in
March. New volunteers are always welcome. Check out the website at
www.Kentlands.org for more information. February 2007
PAGE 18
PAGE 19
February 2007
City of Gaithersburg Endorses County’s Newest
Day Labor Site Location Outside City Limits
BY MOLLY CRISMOND
ontgomery County Executive,
Isiah Leggett, has announced his
recommendation to establish a
day labor site on County-owned land
south of the intersection of Shady Grove
Road and Crabbs Branch Way. This site
would provide a safe monitored place
where day laborers seeking work and
people in the area looking for help could
meet and do business.
M
Currently, there is an existing day labor
meeting place at 17 North Frederick Avenue.
This site will be closed down and all day
laborers will be directed to the new formal site.
The new site location was picked for its close
proximity to the old site (approximately 1.5
miles) so as not to cause a commuting
problem for the laborers. The site is also
accessible to metro bus routes and is over half
a mile from the nearest residential area.
The new formal site will be a benefit to
business people and the day laborers alike. It
will give the day laborers, seventy percent of
whom have families to support, a safe,
regulated place where they can go to get work
and not risk being taken advantage of by
people who don’t pay them or abuse them in
some way. It will also eliminate the problem
of day laborers who don’t have a set place to
go lingering informally around local
businesses and driving away clients.
Leggett sees the new day labor site, like
the already successful sites in Wheaton
and Silver Spring, as a temporary fix for
day laborers. The goal is to help these
people who want to work get the
experience and the training they need to
Planning Board holds a public hearing on
the subject at its Silver Spring offices on
Thursday, February 8 at 4:00 p.m.
After months of controversy over proposed
locations located within City of Gaithersburg
limits and number failed attempts to secure a
permanent site in the City, Gaithersburg
Mayor Sidney Katz and City staff expressed his
appreciation to the County Executive for
moving forward on a proposed day laborer site
that will benefit the community.
“The site appears to be an ideal
location for an employment center and
certainly meets the spirit of our task force’s
criteria,” said Mayor Katz. “It is on very
“The site appears to be an ideal location for an
employment center and certainly meets the spirit of our
task force’s criteria,” said Mayor Katz.
“We thank the County Executive and his staff for
working on such a positive resolution.”
eventually find regular jobs in our area,
thus moving them from the informal
economy to the formal economy.
According to Patrick Lacefield, Head of
the County Office for Public Information,
seventy percent of the vote in the last
election went to Leggett who was very
openly pro the day labor site.
As the Crier goes to press, Legget will
hear more about how the residents of
Montgomery County and specifically
Rockville and Gaithersburg, feel about the
day laborers site when the County
February 2007
PAGE 20
accessible county owned property in an
industrial area. We thank the County
Executive and his staff for working on such
a positive resolution.”
Leggett asked the City to work with the
County to ensure that day laborers who are
currently at various sites throughout the
area utilize the new center.
“The County Executive’s leadership has
moved this process forward,” said Mayor
Katz. “The City of Gaithersburg pledges to
continue to work cooperatively with the
county on this important issue.” Kentlands Town Crier
Professional Tennis Instruction Available at
The Kentlands Clubhouse This Spring
BY MANA KATZEL
n her 14th year at the KentlandsMarna Katzel USPTA Certified
Tennis Professional and her staff are
pleased to offer professional tennis
instruction at our tennis facility.
I
Customized Teaching Programs
Private Lessons: Private lessons let you learn
one-on-one with a teaching professional
while accommodating your busy schedule.
Classes are offered for beginner,
intermediate, and advanced players. The
cost for private lessons is $60.00 per hour
with The Kentlands Head Professional
($58.00 per hour with an Assistant Pro).
Half-hour lessons are also available with the
Head Professional and an Assistant Pro for
$32.00 and $30.00, respectively.
Semi-Private Lessons: Semi-private lessons
offer players of all levels the chance to
continue individualized instruction for
about half the cost of a private lesson.
Bring a friend or get paired up with a
player of comparable skill. The cost for
semi-private lessons is $64.00 per hour
($32.00 per person).
Private & Semi private lessons can begin
April 1 (weather permitting).
Adult & Children’s Clinics: Clinics
consist of three or more people and are
geared to all levels of play. You can improve
your tennis game in the company of
players with similar talent. Clinics
emphasize drills and incorporating the
drills in competitive situations. Clinics are
a great value at $22.00 per hour for Adults
What conditions
can be helped with
chiropractic care?
and $11.00 per half hour for Children!
Shop and compare our rates to other area
clubs! Adult clinics begin April 23 and
Children’s clinics begin May 29.
Cardio Tennis: Ready for a great cardio
workout on the tennis court? All levels can
participate from beginner to advanced
players. Get in on the new tennis craze for
a great workout! Cardio Tennis is offered
on Sunday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to
10:00 a.m. starting April 29.
Boys & Girls Summer Camp: We are
pleased to present for our 10th year, The
Kentlands Tennis/Basketball Camp for two
one week sessions: July 16th–July 20th and
July 23rd–July 27th. The Tennis/Basketball
Camp is a carefully designed and integrated
approach to the total game of tennis and
basketball. Camp begins with the teaching of
the basics of both tennis and basketball. The
Camp hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
with an hour for lunch/swim break. Lunches
will convene on the Kentlands Clubhouse
deck. Each session is $235.00 per week for
Kentlands residents and for friends and
guests the fee is $258.50 per week.
To find out more information and to
schedule your lessons, clinic and camp signup please contact Marna at 301-540-9649.
Marna Katzel is a United States Professional
Tennis Association Instructor with more than 20
years of teaching experience and is very well-known
and respected tennis professional in Montgomery
County for 16 years. She was named to the AllEastern Tennis Conference and was nationally
ranked as a college player and former satellite player.
Lower back pain
Sciatica
Headaches
Neck pain
Whiplash
Sports Injuries
Arthritis
Fatigue
Chronic pain
Numbness and
tingling of the
extremities
Poor Posture
Dr. Gregory
Swistak
& Family
Dr. Gregory Swistak
Palmer Graduate
60 Market Street, Suite 215
(301) 963-8333
www.swistakchiro.com
Now offering acupuncture and
massage therapy services.
“Chiropractic treatment relieved my pain, allowed me to continue my training and ultimately complete
the Marine Corp. Marathon in 4 hrs.” — Kent S.
“After just my first treatment the numbness was reduced significantly. I no longer had numbness along
the outer edge of my foot. After almost four weeks me feet are almost numbness free.” — Nancy K.
“I had terrible posture and a pronounced forward head posture and its greatly improved. I have almost
no lower back pain now thanks to Dr. Swistak!” — Heather P.
Call to sign up for the FREE one-hour trigger point workshop!
Se habla espa~
nol • Most insurance plans accepted
PAGE 21
February 2007
Kentlands Real Estate Listings
Compiled by Jeff Escher, Long & Foster Realtors, 301-519-1709
FOR SALE
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Housing Type . . . . . . .List Price . . . . . .Days on Market
351 Booth Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$1,100,000 . . . . . . . . . . .160
636 Chestertown Street . . . . . . . .Townhouse . . . . . . . . .$649,900 . . . . . . . . . . . .24
739 Chestertown Street . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$925,000 . . . . . . . . . . . .94
140 Chevy Chase Street #204 . . .Condominium . . . . . . .$395,000 . . . . . . . . . . . .161
573 Inspiration Lane . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$789,000 . . . . . . . . . . . .132
104 Kendrick Place #18 . . . . . . . .Condominium . . . . . . .$314,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
608 Kent Oaks Way . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$959,900 . . . . . . . . . . . .76
114 Lake Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$1,035,000 . . . . . . . . . . .24
341 Little Quarry Road . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$899,000 . . . . . . . . . . . .18
208 Massbury Street . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$989,000 . . . . . . . . . . . .352
210 Massbury Street . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$989,500 . . . . . . . . . . . .97
122 Midtown Road . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$1,399,000 . . . . . . . . . . .198
104 Ridgepoint Place . . . . . . . . . .Townhouse . . . . . . . . .$519,800 . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
205 Ridgepoint Place . . . . . . . . . .Townhouse . . . . . . . . .$515,500 . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
115 Thaxton Street . . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$859,900 . . . . . . . . . . . .63
164 Treehaven Street . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$1,349,000 . . . . . . . . . . .81
310 Tschiffely Square Road . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$919,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
UNDER CONTRACT
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Housing Type . . . . . . .List Price . . . . . .Days on Market
102 Booth Street #12 . . . . . . . . . .Condominium . . . . . . .$340,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
140 Kendrick Place . . . . . . . . . . . .Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . .$415,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
213 Kent Oaks Way . . . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . . . .$945,000 . . . . . . . . . . . .77
408 Ridgepoint Place #36 . . . . . .Condominium . . . . . . .$334,800 . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
415 Ridgepoint Place #12 . . . . . . .Condominium . . . . . . .$319,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
SOLD
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Housing Type . . . . .List Price
270 Beckwith Street . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . .$788,800
350 Hart Road . . . . . . . . . . . . .Townhouse . . . . . . . .$739,900
309 Inspiration Lane . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . .$850,000
108 Massbury Street . . . . . . . . .Single Family . . . . . .$599,900
. .Sold Price . .Days on Market
. .$775,000 . . . . . . . .114
. .$725,000 . . . . . . . .217
. .$850,000 . . . . . . . . .6
. .$594,900 . . . . . . . .26
FOR RENT
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Housing Type . . . . .Rent Price . . . . . . .Days on Market
80 Chevy Chase Street . . . . . . .Condo-Town . . . . . .$2,095 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
115 Chevy Chase Street . . . . . .Condo-Town . . . . . .$2,295 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
334 Hart Road . . . . . . . . . . . . .Townhouse . . . . . . . .$2,350 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
408 Ridgepoint Place #38 . . . .Condominium . . . . .$1,795 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Listings as of 2/5/07
The information above was obtained from MRIS. Information is believed to be accurate, but should not be
relied upon without verification. These were not listed/sold exclusively by
Jeff Escher/Long & Foster Realtors.
New customers only.
February 2007
PAGE 22
Rachel Carson Fifth Grader Seeks Resident Support To Save the Fox
BY ANDREA ESCHER
ifth grade student Carla Kasberg
has taken action in hopes the
much-discussed Kentlands red fox
or its family members will not be
euthanized if captured, and she has the
support of the community and her fellow
fifth graders at Rachel Carson
Elementary standing behind her.
“When I heard that there was a
F
Fifth grader Carla Kasberg
sparked a lot of resident interest
after distributing a letter asking
neighbors to help save the
Kentlands fox.
possibility that the red fox might be killed
if it was caught I became upset,” said
Kasberg. “I started to think about ways to
help save the fox.”
Kasberg realized there is power in
numbers and began seeking support from
neighbors in the community to join her in
her fight. She began writing a letter to
residents in the Kentlands and she, along
with her neighborhood friends, distributed
her plea to “Save the Fox” on doorsteps and
mailboxes throughout the community.
In her letter Kasberg reminds residents
that Rachel Carson Elementary was
named after Rachel Carson, an
environmentalist and naturalist. “Rachel
Carson stood up for animals and if we kill
the fox then we are contradicting what our
school is all about,” said Kasberg. She even
suggests the best alternative would be to
have residents contribute money
for a rabies shot for the fox and its
family.
Kasberg said she has seen the fox
and members of its family while
visiting her friends who live in
Kentlands. She has also hiked into
the forest by the school to see if there
are other members of the fox family.
“I just want the fox family to be safe,
and not have the neighbors thinking
that just because you see a fox, that
you are in danger,” said Kasberg. I
just want people to know that foxes
are beneficial, not a threat...unless
you are the size of a bird or rodent.”
After she distributed the letter
to residents, Kasberg brought a
“Save the Fox” petition to school
and received permission from
Rachel Carson Elementary School
Principal Larry Chep to solicit for
signatures from students in her class as
well as other fifth grade classes.
“So far I have received almost 50 names
from kids in my class, including my teacher
Ms. Lostritto and a few other teachers,”
said Kasberg. “I plan to give my petition to
the Kentlands neighborhood association
so they can see that others are serious
about saving the fox.”
Kasberg’s plea has elicited a strong
response from adults throughout the
community. Little Quarry Road resident
Jennifer Garcia said she agrees with
Kasberg and would be willing, along with
other mothers, to contribute a fee to help
vaccinate the fox. “I don’t think killing the
fox is the answer, it’s a part of nature and
it’s not hurting anyone,” said Garcia.
Veterinary specialist and Kentlands
resident Dr. Jarod Williams received
Kasberg’s letter at his home. “She has
brought to light a number of excellent
points about the history of our community
as well as the behavioral habits of foxes and
their relative public health risk,” said
Williams. “We should not kill this fox! I
am voicing my support for her concern.”
Williams even offered his own services to
help with the vaccination of the fox. “I would
be glad to help with the vaccination if the
major reason for its trapping and killing is the
rabies virus,” said Williams. “I can certainly
say from an animal expert’s view that I have
seen this fox a number of times and it by no
means displays any rabid characteristics. There
has got to be another alternative to killing this
peaceful little animal.”
Kentlands Community Manager Lisen
Edwards tells the Crier she has received
several emails from residents urging the
Kentlands Citizens Assembly not to kill the
fox. “Neither the Kentlands Citizens
Assembly Board of Trustees nor the
management office will make any decisions
regarding the fox,” said Edwards. “The fox is
being monitored by the City of Gaithersburg
FOX Continues on page 29
Zodiac Barbeque Now Open
BY GINA DROPIK
he Zodiac Barbeque is now open next door to the Zodiac Grill. The 15-seat,
counter-service restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Owner Sanjeev Tuli
said he hopes to do a lot of carry-out and catering business as well. During
warm weather, outside seating will be available. The menu features barbequed baby
back ribs, beef short ribs, smoked
barbeque chicken, fish and chips,
four varieties of chicken wings,
barbeque pork and chicken
sandwiches, a beef brisket sandwich,
an Italian sausage sandwich, a salad
bar, and a variety of sides and
desserts. Tuli says that the same menu
will be available in the upstairs bar of
the Zodiac Grill.
Tuli also introduced two new
events at the Zodiac Grill. In January
he premiered a new monthly series of
wine dinners. The first dinner,
Epicurean Adventures: A Taste of
California was held on January 25
and featured the wines of California paired with a four-course dinner. The event was
hosted by wine educator and radio personality Robert Cavanaugh who offered
recommendations on how to taste, judge and evaluate the featured wines. The next
wine dinner will take place on Thursday, February 22, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the
Zodiac Grill. Mr. Cavanaugh will lead guests through Boungiorno Italia... A Taste of
Italy. The cost is $55.00 per person, with tax and gratuity included. For reservations,
call the Zodiac Grill at 301-977-2213.
Also new at Zodiac Grill is Monday night Poker Night beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Games of Texas Hold Em are played at 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. Tuli says he was thrilled
with the turnout for the Poker Nights in January. On Tuesday nights in February,
drop-in salsa dancing lessons are available in the Lounge beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday nights feature DJ Milkman. Thursday nights are Ladies nights, and on
Friday and Saturday nights there is live music in the lounge featuring rock, alternative,
reggae, jazz and blues bands.
For more information on the Zodiac Grill or Zodiac Barbeque check out their
website at www.zodiac-grill.com or call the Grill at 301-977-2213 or the Barbeque
at 301-977-5539. T
PAGE 23
February 2007
Kentlands
Historical Trust
The Kentlands Historical Trust met on Wednesday, January 3, 2007 the following eight (8)
window placement in construction under
way for garage addition.
applications were reviewed:
Christopher and Andrea O’Brien,
#07-1037, Revisit (Previously #06-1030)
204 Kent Oaks Mews
Windows: Approved addition of two
windows with transom units.
Kentlands View Condominium, #07-1033
C/O Main Street Property Management Co.
Rich Skobel, Agent
9 Park Avenue
Signage: Denied. Reasons(s): Sign does
not meet the specification of the Code.
Sign shall be made of painted synthetic
wood. Wood or metal sign shall have a
maximum height of three feet off the
ground.
Helen Eng, #07-1034, Revisit (Previously
#06-1012-A)
Windows: Approved subject to the
following conditions: 1) windows on all
three sides are replaced, including front,
rear and side and 2) replacement windows
to be Andersen Renewal windows with or
without muntins. If muntins are used,
they must be true divided lights style,
with muntins both inside and outside.
Elizabeth Gantt, #07-1035
108 Hart Road
Trim: Approved subject to materials used
for trim. Proposed PVC not approved.
Can use materials approved in Code, or
Azek, which has been approved as a
variance, or bring in a sample of PVC for
approval. If using materials in the Code
or Azek, it is not necessary to resubmit
application.
Garage Doors: Approved.
Lofti and Eleanor Belblidia, #07-1036,
Revisit (Previously #06-996-A)
Windows: Approved modification of
Patricia and Emily Eaton, #07-1038
111 Thrift Street
Fence: Deferred for design refinement
with DPZ. Applicant must submit a
detailed plan showing location of fence
and materials to be used.
Anita Puhala, #07-1039, Revisit
(Previously #06-1032)
316 Thaxton Street
Windows: Approved subject to the
following conditions: 1) that the windows
have true divided lights with muntins both
inside and outside, if used. Muntins not
required by Code. Therefore, windows
without muntins are approved, and 2)
window approved is Pella Architectural
Luxury Series in all wood.
Doors: Approved
Kalpana Parakkal, #07-1040
401 Ridgepoint Place
Shutters: Approved
Garage Door: Approved
Paint Trim: Approved to paint trim white
or off white.
Paint Gate and Arbor: Approved with
condition that gate and arbor be painted
white (not off white).
Don't forget to submit your Visual Change Application to the CMC Management Office prior
to beginning any exterior modification to your home. Applications must be submitted before the
20th of the month and are available at the Kentlands Clubhouse and on the website;
www.kentlandsusa.com.
Please be reminded when submitting a Visual Change Application that the following must be
included:
• Plat map (also know as house location survey).
• Photograph of existing as well as one marked with the proposed change.
• Signatures of notification of adjacent neighbors.
• If applicable, architectural plans, paint color sample, sample materials,
landscape design, brochures and/or specifications.
Spring has almost sprung! Mark your
calendars for the Annual Breakfast with the
Bunny and Egg Hunt on March 31. Watch the
Kentlands Express for more details and
registration information.
You won't want to miss it!
Please mention this ad to receive property management prices!
February 2007
PAGE 24
Consider Yourself To Be Curious?
topics as The Black
Death; Codes, Cyphers,
The Kentlands
and
Cryptanalysis;
Three
Mile
Island;
Curious Club
Global Warming; and
Employer-Sponsored
May Be For You!
Health Insurance to
re you curious? Have you ever
wondered what ranching would
be like as a lifestyle or about the
history of salt? If so, The Curious Club
is for you.
This Kentlands Club meets on the
fourth Tuesday of each month at the
Carriage House. Founded by Kentlands
resident Louis Solomon in
September 2005, the purpose
of the club is to both consider
and present intellectually
stimulating information on a
broad range of subjects with
the fundamental premise that
there is no limit to the range
and curiosity of the human
mind. Soloman said at last
count they had 31 members,
both men and women. “To be
a member you basically just
have to show up for a
meeting,” he said. “It’s a very
relaxed organization. There are
no real rules.”
Solomon describes the Club as a
communal effort of people who are intrigued
or curious about a variety of things. Each
week one member speaks on a subject that
they personally find of interest and answers
questions from other members. “Generally
the speakers are very well-prepared,” said
Solomon. Past subjects have included such
A
name a few. This
month’s meeting takes
place on February 27,
and the topic will be
Rocketry 101: History
and Application.
On meeting Jim Chatham gave a
nights members presentation on “The
generally start to Coming Revolution
in Cosmology” in
gather at the
2006.
Carriage House
Members gather at
the January meeting
of the Curious Club.
Photos Courtesy: Louis Solomon
BY GINA DROPIK
at 7:30 p.m., and the speaker starts his
presentation by 8:00 p.m. Presentations
generally take no longer than one hour.
Soloman said they are looking for new
members. “We’d like to have between 50
and 60 members.” Interested residents
should
contact
Solomon
at
solomon@thrillertales.com or just show
up at the next meeting. Fine Art Classes
Drawing and Painting
Classes for All Ages
416 Main Street, 2nd Floor
SALE! SALE!
SALE!
April
Spring Break
Class
Contact Us At:
(301) 656-0044 – Main Office
(301) 330-2055 – Studio
or
web : www.artworksclasses.com
email : art.works@verizon.net
April 2 – 6
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, please call or
visit www.artworksclasses.com
PAGE 25
Bring in this coupon and receive
50% OFF
First Month of Classes
- Expiration 4/1/07 -
February 2007
City of Gaithersburg To Debut Art Trains
Public Art Project To Dawn Streets
Throughout the City
BY GINA DROPIK
he
City
of
Gaithersburg
announced the debut of All
Aboard the Art Train, a public art
project similar to those held in several
cities throughout the country. Residents
may remember the decorated pandas that
adorned the streets of Washington, D.C.
during the summer of 2004. Pandas are
special to Washingtonians because of the
live pandas at the National Zoo. Likewise
trains are considered an important part of
Gaithersburg’s past, present and future.
The Art Train program has been designed
to bring the arts into the streets of
Gaithersburg. It will showcase local talent,
increase the profile of Gaithersburg’s public
T
arts program, emphasize the City’s close
strong ties to its railway history, and provide
an opportunity to connect the
business and cultural
communities.
As many as
twenty
fiberglass
locomotives
and
cabooses will grace
Gaithersburg streets, all
custom decorated by professional
artists. The trains will be placed in front of
private businesses and public facilities.
According to Britta Monaco, City of
Gaithersburg Public Information Director,
the hope is the project will encourage
residents to traverse the City in search of the
unique displays.
Is your diet balanced?
Your drinking water can make a difference!
Most health practitioners and doctors
recommend a diet that is 80% alkaline foods
(fruits, vegetables, juice) and
20% acidic foods (grains, meat, soda).
To help you achieve this balance,
the KYK Harmony Water Ionizer:
1) Raises the pH of your drinking water to an
optimal alkaline 9.5 pH
(Kentlands municipal is around
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Local artists are encouraged to submit
creative designs for the train cars, which
will be reviewed by a panel from the Arts
in Public Places Committee. An artists’
portfolio will be compiled featuring all
accepted artists. Sponsors are currently
being solicited for each of the train cars.
Businesses, organizations, churches, or
individuals can sponsor a
train car. They will then
choose an artist from
the portfolio to
decorate their train
car. Denise Keyser,
Cultural Arts Director,
who is coordinating the
project, said that sponsors may
have some input on the design as well as
the location of the finished train car.
The City is planning a community-wide
debut of completed trains at the City’s
TOWN HALL Continued from page 4
districts.” Benedict encouraged the Board to
throw out the districting, start over and form
a committee to ensure it is done properly.
Board Chair Renas ended the meeting
by advising residents that all comments
raised during the Town Hall forum and
all written testimony will be reviewed by
the Board. “We will approach the topic in
future Board discussions and tackle the
issue,” said Renas. “If we need to form a
committee, we will do that, but we are
committed to looking at the issue.”
Kentlands neighbor Steve Downs,
along with other residents who attended
the forum, were disappointed that no
Annual 4th of July Celebration. The train
cars will then be dispersed for viewing
throughout the summer and fall. The
locomotives will be nine feet long and six feet
tall, and the cabooses will be six feet long and
four feet tall.
The Art Train project is sponsored by the
City of Gaithersburg and supported by the
Gaithersburg Arts and Monuments Funding
Corporation (GAMFC). GAMFC’s mission
is to heighten the awareness of revitalization
and arts initiatives within the City of
Gaithersburg, and to raise and allocate funds
to support programs and initiatives.
The project is also supported by the
Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of
Commerce.
Interested artists or those interested
in sponsoring a train car are asked to call
the Arts Barn at 301-258-6394 for more
information. firm decision was made regarding
districting. “We had the highest voter
turn-out in Kentlands election history
last fall,” said Downs. “Over 700
residents voted in the two candidates
(Renas and Anderson) who said they
were opposed to districting, I think the
community has spoken and they clearly
do not want districting, the votes prove
that, and we need to abolish it now.”
In addition Downs said he feels it doesn’t
matter where Board members live when
seeking positions on the Board. “All that
matters is we have a Board of good people
with a business sense,” said Downs. “Who
cares where they come from!” Kentlands Residents Speak Out on Community Goals/Concerns for 2007
• Request the Board consider hiring additional
local contractors and architects for advice
on future Capital Improvements Projects.
• Implement a Paths Committee to
maintain the grounds and paths through
the community. Clean up trash, path
clearing, etc.
• Further enhancement of community
landscaping.
• Create a “Rainy Day Fund” for residents in
the community who experience a dire
hardship and need financial assistance to
comply with community codes.
• Development of a Strategic Plan with the
clearly stated goal of long-term
improvement of quality of life of all
Kentlands residents.
• A systematic method for funding Capital
Improvements.
• Alleyway/driveway resurfacing and repair.
PAGE 26
• Become a "greener", more environmentally
friendly community.
• Ensure that all community tot lots have full
accessibility for children who are disabled.
• Implement a Feasibility Study regarding the
proposed Clubhouse Expansion.
• Explore the possibility of creating smaller
basketball courts on designated areas of
KCA property.
• Consider moving the summer concerts
from the Kentlands Clubhouse lawn to the
Village Green or Kentlands Mansion lawn.
• Ensure that as new construction materials
are introduced, the Kentlands “list of”
approved materials for exterior home
improvement projects is updated to reflect
new technology.
• Allow residents to “buy in” to services
provided by the community’s landscape
contractor.
Police, Family, Friends and Community
Mourn Loss of the Missing Teens
was made to the families by the girls. Rachel
Smith told her parents she was going to
dinner and a movie in Georgetown with her
friend, Rachel Crites. Smith had spent the
previous night at Crites’s Lakelands
townhome. When neither teen returned
home by 2:00 a.m. on the morning of
January 20, the families contacted the
police. Through the investigation of cell
phone records, it was determined the
January 19 call was made from the area of
Charlestown, West Virginia.
Police classified the investigation as
“Missing/Endangered,” and while there
was no evidence of foul play in their
disappearance, authorities and both
families became concerned after finding
what appeared to be a suicide note in
Crites’s diary. A hand written note
Grieving Father Encourages Parents
To “Hug Your Child Today”
dated January 18, the day before both
teens disappeared, was found by her
father Troy Crites. The teen wrote
“wherever I end up laying, whether
buried or cremated, I want to stay with
my true love, buried next to her. This is
my choice. I’m sorry.” The girls had
been close friends ever since meeting at
Wootton High School, last year. Smith
was a junior at the Rockville High
School and Crites was a Nursing student
at Montgomery College.
The case was widely publicized
through television, radio and other
media outlets. E-mailed descriptions of
the girls and the vehicle have been
circulated throughout community
listservs and websites all over the area. In
addition flyers had been placed on
vehicles in the Kentlands and Lakelands,
and posters hung in local retail stores.
Crites moved in with her father in
his Lakelands townhome in October
2006. She had been undergoing
TEENS Continues on page 31
O’Donnells, Star Diner and Potomac Pizza
Join Thanksgiving in February
BY ANDREA ESCHER
BY ANDREA ESCHER
t was the tragic outcome everyone
feared: the deaths of two local
missing teenage girls, 16-year-old
Rachel Samantha Smith from the
14000 block of Platinum Drive in North
Potomac and 18-year-old Rachel Lacy
Crites from the 600 block of Gatestone
Street in the neighboring Lakelands
community- victims of an apparent
suicide pact.
For two weeks local authorities
conducted a nationwide search for the
I
teens and Crites’s vehicle, a dark-blue
1997 Subaru Outback station wagon.
On February 2 Loudon County Sheriff’s
Deputies received a report of a sighting
of Crites’s vehicle near the West
Virginia border. Deputies found the
vehicle parked in a remote wooded area.
Inside were the deceased bodies of both
teenage girls. It is believed the girls died
of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Through the course of the Montgomery
County Police Department’s investigation it
was learned that on January 19 at
approximately 2:00 p.m., a cell phone call
he Annual Thanksgiving in February event took place on February 6. This
event, sponsored by Chevy Chase Bank, Pioneer Press and the Gazette
Newspapers, along with restaurants all over Montgomery County, helped
the hungry by donating a percentage of proceeds from lunch and dinner patrons
on February 6.
The proceeds were distributed to a variety of nonprofit organizations, including
Gaithersburg HELP, Rockville FISH/HELP and Manna Food Center. These
organizations provide food to qualifying clients throughout Montgomery County.
Kentlands own O’Donells provided a percentage of all dinner sales to the event;
Star Diner and Potomac Pizza provided a percentage of all lunch and dinner sales.
These three restaurants were among a variety of Gaithersburg restaurant
establishments joining in the cause to help fight hunger. T
PAGE 27
February 2007
Rachel Carson Elementary Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts
Find New Meeting Location at Kentlands Carriage House
BY GINA DROPIK
n 2006 the Kentlands Citizens
Assembly (KCA) made a decision to
allow community groups use of the
Carriage House for meetings, as long a
majority of the participants are
Kentlands residents. The Carriage
House is located at 321 Kent Square
Road and houses the office of the
Kentlands Community Foundation.
Prior to the Board’s decision to allow
community groups to meet there, its
primary use was for KCA meetings and
other Kentlands committee meetings
and activities.
Kentlands Community Manager Lisen
Edwards said currently there is something
going on at the Carriage House almost
every night. “I think it’s great that the
space is being utilized,” she said. Several of
the Kentlands condominium associations
meet there, as well as the Kentlands Men’s
Club, the Curious Club, Children’s
Activity Hour, yoga classes and other
exercise classes.
For Girl Scout troop 5955 the Carriage
House is the perfect meeting place. The
troop, made up of 13 first grade students
from Rachel Carson Elementary School
(RCES), currently meets at the Carriage
House twice a month. Carrie Dietz,
mother of Girl Scout Elena, said she is
thrilled with the meeting place. “It’s a great
I
Why pay more? Contact us at news@thekentlandstowncrier.com
or call 301-519-1678 to learn about the Town Crier's
low advertising rates.
Girl Scout Troop 5955 prepares to do a little baking with troop mom
Kristine Hartman.The scouts have been meeting at the
Kentlands Carriage House each month.
size and it’s obviously convenient since it’s
all RCES students. It’s much better than
meeting in a place where they are trying to
run a business. The girls don’t have to talk
in quiet voices,” she said. “And with it
being right across from the Kentlands
Green we’ve been able to let the girls run
around out there too.”
A den of Tiger Cubs from Cub Scout
Pack 221 also meets at the Carriage House.
The group consists of seven first grade boys
from RCES. “This has really worked out
well for us,” said Kim Skimmons, whose
son Ben is one of the Tiger Cubs. “Meeting
space is so hard to find, especially for free.”
She explained that her older son’s Boy
Scout troop used to meet at each others
homes and that most parents aren’t crazy
about having a large group of elementary
school boys in their home.
In addition to a large open room the
Carriage House also features a restroom, a
sink, countertop, cabinets, a small
refrigerator and a microwave. “It’s close,
safe, and it has everything we need to
conduct our meetings,” said Skimmons. Watza Network?
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February 2007
PAGE 28
Fire Erupts at Booth Street Exxon After
Motorist Hits Gas Pump Then Flees
BY ANDREA ESCHER
pickup truck backed into a gas
pump at the Exxon station at the
intersection of Booth Street and
Quince Orchard Road, igniting a massive
fire at the station, then fled the scene
According to Pete Piringer of
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue
Services the incident occurred at 7:10
a.m. on January 25. As the pickup truck
plowed into the pump, it ignited a gas
fire which quickly spread upwards and
A
FOX Continued from page 23
Animal Control department, and they will
make the necessary decisions regarding the
fox if need be.”
The Town Crier contacted Director of
Animal Control Lisa Holland for an
update on the fox situation in the
community. Holland tells the Crier she
received initial reports of a fox in the area
of Midtown Road and Thurgood Street
back in December. Holland said two
homeowners contacted her requesting
traps to be set on their property. “The fox
was seen in a child’s sandbox and
consuming a squirrel under a backyard
deck,” said Holland. “Two traps were set at
two different residences, and the yards
were sprayed with coyote urine.” Holland
said the traps were set out for about two
weeks and were removed in late December
destroyed the station’s awnings. The
impact of the truck caused the pump to
be ripped from the foundation. No one
was injured.
Firefighters arrived at 7:30 a.m. and
quickly extinguished the blaze with a firefighting foam.
“There is an automatic emergency
mechanism which instantly shut off the
remaining pumps after the collision,”
said Piringer. “If the mechanisms had
not shut off the situation could have
been far more destructive and
after nothing was caught.
According to Holland traps are only set
out by the City of Gaithersburg upon a
resident’s request and placed only on that
individual resident’s property. “Traps
cannot be set on common areas in the
community and we are not permitted to
set out traps at the request of any
homeowners association,” said Holland.
Holland said the Kentlands Citizens
Assembly never contacted her about
removing the fox population or setting out
traps. “The Kentlands as well as any other
community in Gaithersburg would have to
hire a private trapping company, the City
will not provide trapping services to
homeowners associations,” said Holland.
It is important for residents to understand
that if a trap is requested by a homeowner to
be set by the City Animal Control Officers,
Kentlands calendar of events for February and March 2007
Feb. 16
Feb. 19
Feb. 23
Valentine’s Happy Hour Featuring the Sounds of Mickey Light, 6:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. Registration is required. Adults 21 and over only! Please call
301-948-4290 to RSVP.
dangerous.” The electricity was also shut
off to the entire station for some time.
According to City of Gaithersburg
Police spokesman Corporal Rudy Wagner,
the driver of the pickup truck, Richard
Jenkins of Gaithersburg, immediately left
the scene in his vehicle but was later
identified from recordings on the station’s
security cameras.
Jenkins was charged with several traffic
violations but will not face any criminal
charges. “We do not believe the collision
was intentional,” said Wagner.
Damage was estimated at $25,000 to
$30,000. The destroyed pump was
replaced on January 27. Replacement
awnings are expected to be installed within
the next few weeks. all raccoons, skunks, coyotes and foxes will be
immediately euthanized per State law. “There
are no exceptions on the law,” said Holland.
“These animals are notorious rabies carriers
and in the past year we have put down a total
of nine rabies positive foxes, raccoons and
groundhogs in the general area.”
Holland said since early December she
has not received one complaint or public
service request from Kentlands residents
regarding the fox. “There are not any traps
in Kentlands at this time and we will not
place any future traps unless contacted by
a concerned citizen,” said Holland. She
reminds residents there is a large fox
population in the Kentlands and
Lakelands communities and not just one
fox as suggested by residents.
Kasberg said she is relieved that the traps
are gone and hopes that all Kentlands
neighbors will let the foxes roam free. An
animal lover, Kasberg is the proud owner of
two cats, a dog and a guinea pig. “I love
animals,” said Kasberg. “When I get to high
school I have already decided that I want to
volunteer at a rehabilitation center for animals
for my student service learning hours.” Deadline to submit Visual Change Applications to the Kentlands
Clubhouse.
Gourmet Wine Pairing Dinner Party, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Kentlands
Mansion. Cost $85.00 per person. Call 301-948-6425 to register.
Feb. 25
Feb. 26
Feb. 27
Feb. 28
City of Gaithersburg and American Family Theater Broadway for Kids
Presents the Wizard of Oz, at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at
Gaithersburg High School.
Budget & Finance Advisory Committee Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the
Kentlands Clubhouse.
Curious Club Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the Kentlands Carriage House.
Preschool Activity Hour, 10:00 a.m. at the Kentlands Carriage House.
Contact 301-948-4290 to reserve a spot for your child.
Kentlands Board of Trustees Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse.
March 1
Kentlands Garden Club, 7:30 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse.
Deadline for submissions for the March edition of the Kentlands Town Crier.
Contact Andrea Escher at 301-519-1678 or via email at
news@thekentlandstowncrier.com.
March 7 Kentlands Historical Trust Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse.
March 8 Board of Code Compliance Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse.
March 10 Kentlands Men’s Club Meeting, 8:00 a.m. at the Kentlands Carriage House.
Young Artists Award Concert, 7:30 p.m. at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn.
March 11 Kentlands Film Society Presents “I’m Not Scared,” Showtime begins at
7:00 p.m. at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. Social Hour begins at 6:15 p.m.
A limited number of “walk-in” tickets are available for sale at a cost of
$7.00, and may be reserved in advance. For reservations or more
information please call 301-926-6636 or email kentlands@kentlands.org.
March 14 Environmental Management Committee, 7:30 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse.
PAGE 29
February 2007
Kentlands Neighbor Eric Martinis
Debuts Independent Film at
Park City Film Music Festival
BY GINA DROPIK
entlands resident Eric Martinis
recently returned from the Park
City Film Music Festival in Park
City and Salt Lake City, Utah, where a
documentary he directed and produced
was screened. The film, The Downline,
delves into the world of network marketing
or multi-level marketing (MLM).
Martinis said he became interested in
the film because, as a graduate of Brigham
Young University (BYU) in Utah, he was
very familiar with the subject. “In Utah
County alone there are nearly 300
businesses in the MLM
industry. It’s a $4 billion
industry,” said Martinis.
The Downline traces
the roots of the MLM
and
follows
four
distributors who put
down $1,000 each to
join a Provo, Utah, startup network marketing
company called Agel.
Agel's distributors sell
vitamins in a gel form in
single-serving packages,
similar to the way Mary
Kay or Amway is sold.
The documentary was
shot over 19 months. In
post-production Martinis spent four
months editing 137 hours of footage, and
hired an illustrator to create tongue-andcheek animation that diagrams the
concepts of pyramid schemes and network
marketing. The film also uses archival
Photo Courtesy: Gina Dropik
K
Kentlands neighbor Eric Martinis
debuted his film “The Downline” at
the Park City Film Music Festival
last month.
footage from MLM and
pyramid scheme propaganda films from the
1950s and 1960s to lighten
the content. He said he
remains neutral on the
subject
of
network
marketing and notes that
he was very careful to have
his film remain impartial.
Martinis entered his
documentary in about 30
film festivals. In addition to
the Park City Film Festival,
the film was also accepted at
the New Hampshire Film
Festival in Portsmith, New
Hampshire. Martinis had a private screening
for cast and crew in October 2006 at the AFI
Silver in Silver Spring. His wife Anji said, “It
was shown to more than 175 people and got
a huge positive response.”
MARTINIS Continues on page 31
Kentlands Clubhouse/Community Center
Activities Task Force Needs Your Input
BY AL WURGLITZ
W
hile other KCA Committees further address the design, operational and financial
aspects of proposed improvements to the Kentlands Clubhouse, KCA President Neil
Harris has chartered a volunteer task force of Rachael Hammoudeh, Ailene Renzi, and Al
Wurglitz to solicit community input about current and future activities of Kentlands families
and groups in Kentlands' existing facilities (Clubhouse and Carriage House) and the
proposed improvements to the Clubhouse (see brief overview of improvements below). The
task force has begun its work with a series of interviews and meetings with KCA Committees,
Clubs, and hobby, exercise and arts groups to obtain input from groups that regularly use
these facilities. We are seeking their input as a group, and also individuals. We welcome input
from the entire community about activities you would like to see in these Kentland facilities.
Existing spaces
• Meeting room (shape of long Stub T), management offices, catering kitchen, all on
main floor
• Exercise room/locker rooms in lower level
Proposed improvements to Clubhouse/Community Center
• Substantial expansion of 1st floor meeting room area (depth increased by 10 ft.)
• Reconfiguration of first floor offices into large activity/conference room
• Reconfiguration of first floor entry/reception desk for easier access to facility.
• Addition of large multi-purpose area on new 2nd floor
• Addition of conference room, pantry and lavatory on new 2nd floor
• Addition of lounge/library/game room on new 2nd floor
• Addition of ample storage area for multi-purpose room equipment on new 2nd floor
• Relocation of some management offices/functions to 2nd floor
• New access door/configuration for increased access to exercise room in lower level
This is your opportunity to be heard. If you would like to provide ideas about activities
of interest to you, please contact any of us: Rachael Hammoudeh at treehouse109
@starpower.net, Ailene Renzi at arrenzi@gmail.com, or Al Wurglitz at awurg@aol.com. We
are interested in how you currently use our facilities (i.e., classes, activities, private parties)
and what programs/activities you would like to see in the future. February 2007
PAGE 30
Kentlands Citizens Assembly Installs AEDs at Three Locations in Community
BY ANDREA ESCHER
hree AEDs (automated external
defibrillators) have been purchased
by the Kentlands Citizens Assembly
and were recently installed at the
Kentlands Clubhouse and Kentlands
Carriage House. An AED is a portable
device that uses electric shocks to correct
potentially fatal irregular heartbeats.
According to Community Manager
Lisen Edwards two AED’s were
installed at the Kentlands Clubhouse,
one in the main lobby and one near the
lower level fitness room. In addition
one was installed at the Kentlands
Carriage House.
Edwards said all Kentlands Clubhouse
staff as well as KCA Board members,
fitness personnel and contractors who
teach at the Carriage House will all be
trained on how to use the device. “The
American Red Cross will be hosting a
training session on how to use the AED
device as well CPR training,” said
Edwards. “Any resident who is interested
T
TEENS Continued from page 27
treatment for depression after
attempting suicide last year.
"We would like to thank all of those
who have given so much of their heart and
soul in the search for the Rachels over the
past two weeks," Crites’ parents said in an
e-mail dated February 2. "The outpouring
of support from friends, family and
complete strangers has been truly
remarkable. It is a journey which we all
wished had turned out so differently."
Suicides among young people
nationwide have increased dramatically in
recent years. Each year in the U.S.,
thousands of teenagers commit suicide.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death
for 1- to 24-years-olds, and the sixth leading
cause of death for 5- to 14-year-olds.
Feelings of stress, breaking up with a
girlfriend or boyfriend, or sexual
confusion can lead a teenager to
suicide. Other risk factors include
confusion, self-doubt, pressure to
succeed, financial uncertainty, and
other fears while growing up. For some
teenagers, divorce, the formation of a
new family with step-parents and stepsiblings, or moving to a new community
can be very unsettling and can intensify
self-doubts. In some cases, suicide
appears to be a "solution."
Depression and suicidal feelings are
treatable mental disorders. The child or
adolescent needs to have his or her illness
recognized and diagnosed, and
appropriate treatment plans developed.
When parents are in doubt whether their
child has a serious problem, a psychiatric
examination can be very helpful.
Many of the symptoms of suicidal
feelings are similar to those of
depression. Parents should be aware of
the signs adolescents may exhibit when
contemplating suicide. Child and
adolescent psychiatrists recommend that
if one or more of these signs occurs,
parents need to talk to their child about
their concerns and seek professional help
when the concerns persist.
• Change in eating and sleeping
habits.
• Withdrawal from friends and family
and regular activities.
• Violent actions, rebellious behavior
in taking the training course at the
Kentlands Clubhouse should contact
Anita Parks at 301-948-4290.”
In November 2004 the Montgomery
County Council unanimously approved an
ordinance requiring all commercial fitness
centers to have an AED device at the facility.
or running away.
• Drug and alcohol use.
• Unusual neglect of personal
appearance.
• Marked personality change.
• Persistent boredom, difficulty
concentrating, or a decline in the
quality of schoolwork.
• Frequent complaints about physical
symptoms, often related to
emotions, such as stomachaches,
headaches, fatigue, etc.
• Loss of interest in pleasurable
activities.
• Not tolerating praise or rewards.
• Complain of being "rotten inside."
• Give verbal hints with statements
such as: "I won't be a problem for
you much longer," "Nothing
matters," "It's no use," "I won't see
you again."
• Put his or her affairs in order--for
example,
give
away
favorite
possessions, clean his or her room,
throw away important belongings, etc.
• Become suddenly cheerful after a
period of depression.
If a child or adolescent says, "I want to
kill myself," or "I'm going to commit
suicide", always take the statement
seriously and seek evaluation from a child
and adolescent psychiatrist or family
physician.
People
often
feel
uncomfortable talking about death.
However, asking the child or adolescent
whether he or she is depressed or
thinking about suicide can be helpful.
Rather than "putting thoughts in the
child's head," such a question will provide
assurance that somebody cares and will
give the young person the chance to talk
about problems.
With support from family and
professional treatment, suicide and
depression in children and teenagers is
preventable.
Rachel Crites’ parents urge other
parents to be aware of the risks of
depression in children and teenagers.
"We mourn the loss of both Rachels.
We only ask that you be aware of the
true risks of depression in your
children, get help, and most
importantly, hug your child today, for
we cannot," said Troy Crites. The ordinance states “A
commercial fitness center is
defined as a business where
members,
clients,
or
customers engage in exercise
indoors. A business includes
a for-profit and non-profit
organization. This would
apply to hotel and condominium fitness centers
and to martial arts centers. It
would not apply to weight
loss centers and dance
studios. This requirement
does not apply to any fitness
center where not more than
three persons are employed.”
While Montgomery
County law has required
AEDs for several years, the City of
Gaithersburg did not have a similar
ordinance in effect until last month.
MARTINIS Continued from page 30
The Park City Film Music Festival was
held in conjunction with the Sundance
Film Music Festival, January 23-28. It is a
new independent film festival, presenting
film and music competition for both
independent and studio-sponsored films.
The music supervision for The Downline
was directed by two of the members from
the multi-platinum selling band LIVE,
drummer Chad Gracey and bass player
Patrick Dahlheimer. “They were so excited
about doing the music that they ended up
recording seven original songs for the
film,” said Martinis.
The original screening of The
Downline at the Park City Festival on
January 25 sold out 170 seats. A second
screening was scheduled in a 300-seat
theater and almost sold out as well.
As a film student at BYU, Martinis
PAGE 31
The City adopted Ordinance No. O-1406 on December 16, 2006, which
became effective on January 8, 2007.
The ordinance states all commercial
fitness centers must have at least one
AED and a qualified staff member on
site during operating hours. Anyone
can operate the AED.
The City began considering adopting
and enforcing the ordinance after the
November 2005 death of Gary Fowler,
46, of Germantown. Fowler collapsed
from sudden cardiac arrest at the
Kentlands Bally Total Fitness. The
family of Fowler filed a lawsuit against
the popular fitness franchise charging
Bally’s for not having an AED in the
facility when Fowler collapsed.
There are 15 private fitness facilities
within the City of Gaithersburg that would
now be required to have defibrillators per
the new ordinance. Of these 15 facilities,
eight already had defibrillators before the
ordinance was passed. spent all four years going to Sundance
and has volunteered as an usher and a
shuttle driver for the festival. He said he
still goes back almost every year. “It’s
always been a dream to show a film
there,” he said. In the past his trips to
the festival have included a lot of skiing,
snowmobiling, and relaxing. This year
he says it was a totally different
atmosphere. “I had a full schedule of
radio interviews, television interviews
and lots of networking.”
The Martinises have lived in their
Treehaven Street home for seven years. They
have three sons, Coleman (8), Tate (6); and
Gabriel (3). Film work is a hobby for Martinis.
He works full time in the IT industry for
Presidio and is currently working on a political
documentary. For more information on The
Downline, check out his website at
www.thedownlinemovie.com. February 2007
KCA Board to Approve Revisions to Equity Resolution No. 3
Exterior Maintenance and Appearance Standards
BY ANDREA ESCHER
KENTLANDS CITIZENS ASSEMBLY, INC.
EQUITY RESOLUTION NO. 3
ncluded for resident review is the revised Draft Equity Resolution No. 3, Exterior
Maintenance and Appearance Standards for Living Units and Lots. In accordance
with Kentlands By-laws, the Equity Resolution is being distributed to all Citizens for
review and comments. The formal enactment of this Resolution will be voted on at the
February Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, February 28, 2007.
The draft states more clearly the requirements for pruning trees, shrubs or plants. The
changes occur in the Landscaping Item 6B.
Any written comments must be received at the Kentlands Clubhouse, 485 Tschiffely Square
Road Gaithersburg, Maryland or emailed to ledwards@cmcmanagement.com, by February 21,
2007. Citizens are also invited to provide comments within limited time allowed during the
Citizens Forum portion of the Board meeting on February 28, 2007 at 7:30 pm.
For further information, contact Lisen Edwards, Community Manager, at 301-948-2071.
I
EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE AND APPEARANCE STANDARDS
FOR LIVING UNITS AND LOTS
Date: September 24, 1997
Amended: January 3, 2007
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-102 (a)(3) of the Charter for Kentlands Citizens
Assembly, Inc., the Board of Trustees is authorized “to enact provisions, through
legislative process, deemed appropriate to carrying out its responsibilities including
provisions establishing rules of conduct for the use, maintenance, and appearance of
Real Property pursuant to the powers and duties vested in the Board of Trustees by the
Continues on facing page
AT YOUR SERVICE!
Business and Professional Services Directory
Elizabeth Ayala, D.M.A.
Teacher of Piano
The Kentlands
301-977-5424
Martin’s Sedan & Limousine Service
301-260-9393
martinssedanservice@verizon.net
www.martinssedanservice.com
Olney, Maryland
Going Out, Going Away, Just Going
Think of the possibilities:
Stress free rides to the airport, homecoming, birthdays, anniversaries,
or just for fun!
Call us for rates!
February 2007
PAGE 32
Continued from previous page
Founding Documents, and subject to
provisions contained in Public Law
governing any action”, and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2-102
(a)(8) of the Charter for Kentlands
Citizens Assembly, Inc., the Board of
Trustees is authorized “to establish rules of
procedures for the manner in which cases
of alleged violations of the Governing
Documents
(which
includes
the
Resolutions) are processed”; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 3-103(a)
of the Bylaws for Kentlands Citizens
Assembly, Inc., the Board of Trustees is
authorized to pass Equity Resolutions which
limit, enlarge upon or control property rights.
NOW THEREFORE, the Board of
Trustees resolves to adopt Equity
Resolution No. 3 which outlines the
exterior maintenance and appearance
standards for living units and lots to be
effective as of September 24, 1997.
1. ROOFS: Must not have loose or missing
shingles. Steel roofs must be painted to
retard rust, and the painted surface must
not exhibit peeling, cracking or flaking
paint. Copper roofs must be allowed to
oxidize and do not require painting.
Other
conditions
reflective
of
deterioration or inadequate maintenance
must be corrected.
2. PAINTED EXTERIOR SURFACES:
Shall be maintained in good repair and
free from peeling, cracking, or flaking.
Other conditions reflective of
deterioration, such as rotted wood,
shall be promptly corrected.
3. EXTERIOR
WALLS
AND
WINDOWS:
Shall be kept and
maintained free from graffiti, broken
glass, crumbling masonry, rotten wood
or other conditions reflective of
deteriorations
or
inadequate
maintenance.
4. GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS:
Shall be securely attached to the
building and free of debris and
vegetation. Missing, damaged, or
rusting gutters or downspouts shall be
replaced or repaired.
5. FENCING/RAILING:
Must be
maintained in good repair and all
exterior surfaces thereof shall be kept
free of peeling, cracking or flaking
paint, rust and rotten wood. Missing or
broken pickets shall be promptly
replaced. Fences must not be loose in
the ground or leaning, and all hardware
shall operate properly.
6. LANDSCAPING:
A. Portions of a lot that constitute a
front or side yard or that are visible
from a street which are not
improved by a hard surface (e.g.
asphalt, concrete or brick) or a
structure must be maintained with
EQUITY RESOLUTION
AT YOUR SERVICE!
Business and Professional Services Directory
Reach thousands of readers with an advertisement in the Crier.
Contact Andrea Escher at news@thekentlandstowncrier.com
or call 301-519-1678.
PAGE 33
February 2007
is visible from a street shall be
maintained through normal and
routine seasonal maintenance
measures. Hedges, trees and shrubs
should be trimmed and pruned so
as to avoid an unkempt appearance
and/or public safety hazard. No
tree, shrub or plant shall be allowed
to hang over or branch in such a way
as to obstruct or obscure street
lights, traffic signs or pedestrian or
vehicular access on public rights-ofway or obstruct the view of any
street intersection. All trees, shrubs
EQUITY RESOLUTION
Continued from page 33
grass (or other vegetation installed
by a builder or approved in
accordance with Equity Resolution
No. 1). In the event bare earth
becomes
exposed,
corrective
measures must be implemented as
soon as feasible, to prevent soil
erosion.
B. The vegetation in a front or side
yard or on any portion of a lot that
or plants shall be kept trimmed by
the property owner. Turf areas
should be kept as weed-free as
possible and mowed during the
growing season. Turf grass shall not
exceed six (6) inches in height.
Dead trees and shrubs must be
removed.
ENFORCEMENT
Enforcement of these exterior
maintenance and appearance standards for
living units and lots shall be in accordance
with Administrative Resolution No. 4. Valentine’s Happy Hour
Featuring the Sinatra Sounds
of Mickey Light!
Join your neighbors at the
Clubhouse on Friday, Feb. 16
from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Enjoy beer, wine and light fare.
Reservations are required.
Please call 301-948-4290 to sign-up.
This event is open to Kentlands residents
21 years and over only.
K ENTLANDS C LASSIFIEDS
FOR SALE
Tea Set: HEREND, antique, elegant, Tea Set on a tray, cream-sugar, demi-tasse cups, all hand
painted. Written appraisal for $2,197.00 will sell at $950.00. Call 301-926-3916.
Wood Coffee Table For Sale: $75 or best offer. Contact Lisa Fox at 301-990-1363 or
lsf6@comcast.net.
For Sale: Formal breakfront and a desk with executive chair and tall bookshelf for sale and
must sell ASAP. We would consider selling separately. Email alexisbsmith@comcast.net.
Large Beige Sectional Couch for Sale: In very good condition! $500.00 OBO. Email:
tressaanne@verizon.net.
Black & Decker 3' x 21' Belt Sander: Model No. BR400 120V, 6 Amp, No Load: 800 FPM
A comfortable ergonomic design with contoured front handle provides a secure grip. The
sander has a convenient two-finger trigger with lock-on button for continuous use. An easyto-use belt release lever makes changing sandpaper a snap. A pro-style belt-tracking knob sets
the sanding belt for accurate alignment and gives control over the auto-tracking features on
other consumer belt sanders. Sander works great! Condition is Excellent! The sander has
only been used once! Includes manual & dust bag. $60.00 Firm. Accept Cash, Money order
or certified bank check. Questions - please call 301-977-9020.
Cellular Blinds: Rose color, 36' wide, standard double hung window cellular blinds for sale.
2 blinds. Email: kelscherr@comcast.net.
Cherry Dining Room Set: Includes A Table and leaf, 4 side chairs, two arm chairs and
custom made pad covers. Beautiful Lighted China Cabinet Included. This set has only been
used a few times and is in EXELLENT condition. MUST SELL, LUCKY YOU as we are
Sacrificing this set for $1,000. Call STEVE 240-372-0165.
Wingback Chair: Small offwhite-gold print, like new. Asking $200.00. Call 301-908-1773.
For Sale: Hitchcock living room tables in harvest finish. Coffee table, $150.00. End table,
$50.00. Sofa table, $175.00. Call 301-908-1773.
FOR RENT:
For Rent: Beautiful above-garage 400 sq.f. art studio/office with AC and heating, powder
room and kitchenette. $750 a month including utilities and cable TV/Internet connection.
Located in Kentlands. Call 301-527-1757.
Vacation Home For Rent: Escape to Deep Creek Lake, only a 2.5 hour drive to the
mountains of western Maryland. Private home has 5 BR, 3BA, 2 stone fireplaces, situated
on a private pond adjacent to WISP Golf and Ski resort. Rates starting at $650/weekend.
Visit website for more details, pictures and rates. avalonatdeepcreek.com or call 301-2947571.
For Rent: Myrtle Beach, SC - 2BR 2BA Oceanview Condo in great area. See unit on
www.vrbo.com listing # 90211. Call 240-683-3834.
For Rent: Oceanside 2BR 2 bath villa for the week of Thanksgiving (Nov 18-25, 2007) at the
magnificent Marriott's Frenchman's Cove in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The resort
overlooks the Pacquereau Bay and has its own secluded beach. The villa has gracious living
(sleeps 8) and dining areas, a fully equipped kitchen, multiple televisions, a DVD player, and
laundry facilities. For a complete list of amenities and pictures, please go to
http://www.vacationclub.com/resorts/uv/default.jsp Rent is $429 per night. If interested,
please call Jyoti (301) 963 6830.
SELL IT, FIND IT, SHARE IT
in Kentlands Classifieds:
Free to a good home! Antique oak dresser with attached mirror. Dresser measures 40W x
19D x 31H; mirror is additional 35H. Email ljton@comcast.net or call 301-670-0608.
Baby Items: Jeep Grand Cherokee Stroller; Jeep Umbrella Stroller; Summit Deluxe HighBack Booster Seat; Century Toddler Car Seat; Evenflo Infant Travel-Set Car Seat; First
Year Baby Booster Seat; John Lennon High Chair; Baby Trend Playard; Vick Cool Mist
Humidifier. All items are very clean and great conditions for $290.00 Or Best Offer. Can
be sold separately. Call 202-447-5119.
Community classifieds are free to all Kentlands and Lakelands
residents ($10 fee applied to non-residents).
For Sale: Sofa, camelback with blue/beige floral tapestry fabric, like new. Asking $300.00.
Call 301-908-1773.
February 2007
PAGE 34
To place your classified, email us at
news@thekentlandstowncrier.com or call 301-519-1678.
Deadline for the March issue is March 2, 2007.
PAGE 35
February 2007
February 2007
PAGE 36

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