Civic Association

Moving into the Baltimore County neighborhood of Academy Heights carries a responsibility.Residents adhere to a strict covenant and strive to keep the community uniform and looking its best. But they also have a strong sense of camaraderie, evident in the way the community takes care of its own.Homeowners must follow restrictions that mandate slate roofs, black or brass front porch lights, green awnings. Mailboxes must be green, black or brass and masonry foundations must be painted white, gray or sandstone.

Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker III attended West Laurel Civic Association's fall meeting Oct. 27, the first time a county executive has visited a WLCA meeting. Baker's appearance was "a historical event for us. We have never had a county executive out here," WLCA press relations officer Beth Evans said. Hot topics discussed at the fall meeting included the restructuring of the Prince George's County fire commission, the county's need for a revamped image and the quality of service of Laurel Regional Hospital.

The controversial issue of Crofton's community counselor could be addressed once again tonight by civic association members who are trying to pass a budget that avoids raising taxes but expands the five-member police force.Last week, the Crofton Civic Association, by a 6-5 straw vote, approved hiring a sixth police officer halfway through fiscal year 1995. That move could raise the tax rate a penny, to 29 cents per $100 of assessed property value.But many board members have said taxes should not be raised, and the counselor has been a target of many budget cutting attempts.

The president of a Pasadena civic association and much of its board have resigned after a revolt by residents over the use of community tax money. Residents said they were set to impeach Patrick Kiley, president of the Riviera Community Improvement Association, amid allegations that it awarded a no-bid contract for shoreline improvement work and signed off on the sale of a property to that same contractor without community approval. In a March 31 letter to the 1,400-member community, Kiley, a retired BGE employee and 47-year resident, said he was resigning because the controversy had become "all-consuming."

The North Laurel Civic Association will hold an executive board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Savage library meeting room. The agenda includes the status of county capital projects (drainage, sidewalks, noise abatement walls and parks) in the North Laurel community. Information: 301-725-7521. Near-death studies group plans to meet Aug. 31 The International Association of Near Death Studies of Maryland will meet from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Building 1, APL Drive, Main Cafeteria, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, North Laurel.

The Crofton Civic Association postponed action last night on the community group's budget until all residents could be notified of the vote. A 75-34 vote by residents to postpone action on the budget came minutes after Civic Association President Gayle Sears told those at the meeting that a vote would violate community by-laws that require "clear notification" to residents before the vote. Sears said she will call a special meeting before the end of the month and send letters to each homeowner notifying them of the future votes.

The Crofton Civic Association will meet tonight to finalize its $559,000 budget for the 1994 fiscal year.Over a series of meetings, the 13-member board that governs the special tax district has whittled the town manager's proposed $570,000 budget, which represented a 7 percent increase over last year.Board members eliminated an 8.1 percent raise for the community counselor, choosing instead to give Linda R. Smith a 2.9 percent cost-of-living increase, the amount the community's eight other employees are to receive.

Members of the Crofton Civic Association board may select a representative to fill the District 2 seat tomorrow night at their first full-fledged meeting since the May 20 election.Longtime board member Cathy Trebelhorn did not run for re-election, and after one candidate withdrew from the race, no other candidates filed for the seat in time for the election.Although her term expired May 31, Trebelhorn is required by civic association bylaws to serve on the board until a new District 2 representative is chosen.

The Linton Springs Civic Association is considering building a legal war chest to fight the development of Belt Farm, which they say could add much unwanted traffic to their only access to Liberty Road."

The Crofton Civic Association board of directors voted Monday to appoint Gayle Colner Sears, a sales manager and 14-year resident of Crofton, to the District 2 seat on the board vacated by Cathy Trebelhorn.Sears had been one of three contenders for the seat, but one applicant, Daniel Malloy, a two-year resident, bowed out and left the meeting minutes before the board voted around 10 p.m. The other applicant, Thomas Marbury, an insurance broker and 17-year resident, could not attend because of a family medical emergency, said Town Manager Barbara Swann.

After working for Crofton for 36 years, Town Manager Barbara Swann is officially stepping down Sunday. Unofficially, Swann left her job of the last 13 years in September, when she became too sick to work. Swann, 71, has been getting radiation and chemotherapy on and off for two years for brain and lung cancer. Until this year, she attended every community Easter egg hunt since 1985. She organized the Fourth of July parades, Christmas tree lightings and town cleanups. "She really is Ms. Crofton," said David Lombardo, a former board member and president of the Crofton Civic Association from 1984 to 1988.

Dick S. Diller, a retired engineer who helped design the Lunar Rover that carried astronauts across the surface of the moon in 1971, died of congestive heart failure Monday at his Severna Park home. He was 81. Born in Dillsburg, Pa., he was educated in a one-room school that served the first grade through high school. As a child, he wanted to be a pilot. "He grew up on a rural farm without the benefit of radio, and he thought that airplanes were just too cool," said his son, Richard A. Diller of Severna Park.

The North Laurel Civic Association will hold an open house at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 in the media center at Murray Hill Middle School, 9989 Winter Sun Road, North Laurel. Residents, business owners, homeowner association leaders, elected officials, government representatives, school administrators and staff members are invited to learn about the associations goals, projects and activities, and to talk about the future of North Laurel. Information on North Laurel projects and resources will be available.

The Crofton Civic Association has withdrawn its membership from the Greater Crofton Council, saying the larger group's positions on recent land issues are at odds with community interests. Steve Grimaud, president of the association, said the decision to leave the GCC was touched off by negotiations over Cunningham Sand and Gravel's request to expand its mine in Gambrills by 17 acres, which would bring it within several hundred yards of another development. He said that the move, which came last week, was designed to support other homeowners associations that had opposed the mine expansion, such as the Four Seasons Community Association and the Courts of Four Seasons Homeowners Association.

Just two weeks before the 30th annual Fourth of July celebration at the Carroll County Farm Museum, a local service organization remains optimistic that it will raise enough money to keep fireworks in the event. The Old-Fashioned July 4th Celebration and Fireworks Display, which draws as many as 20,000 visitors to the museum in Westminster, is getting help this year from the Bonds Meadow Rotary Club. The group is organizing the event, scheduling volunteers and trying to raise about $20,000.

Despite some misgivings, Locust Point residents have overwhelmingly endorsed a local builder's plan to erect 71 townhouses selling in the $400,000 range in their rapidly gentrifying South Baltimore peninsula. "It was a pleasant surprise because it was a long haul," developer John William Ruppert III said after the Locust Point Civic Association approved his $25 million project by a 62-12 vote Wednesday night. Over the past 15 months, the association has hotly debated three Ruppert development proposals, with some members arguing that more residences would aggravate Locust Point's parking problems.

By the time residents in the North Laurel-Whiskey Bottom area see their first, long-awaited park, today's middle school students will have graduated from college and high school students may have become parents.But County Councilman Dennis R. Schrader assured members of the North Laurel Civic Association last week that Howard County officials are committed to giving North Laurel-area children a place to play -- someday."It doesn't mean the park will be there immediately," Schrader told the group.

The president of a Pasadena civic association and much of its board have resigned after a revolt by residents over the use of community tax money. Residents said they were set to impeach Patrick Kiley, president of the Riviera Community Improvement Association, amid allegations that it awarded a no-bid contract for shoreline improvement work and signed off on the sale of a property to that same contractor without community approval. In a March 31 letter to the 1,400-member community, Kiley, a retired BGE employee and 47-year resident, said he was resigning because the controversy had become "all-consuming."

The North Laurel Civic Association will hold a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Laurel Woods Elementary School. Discussion will focus on "Creating Safer and Better Neighborhoods: Ideas to Empower Residents." Police Officer Rocco Sovero and Donna Thewes, Howard Police Department community liaison and treasurer of the civic association, will discuss programs and resources that can help communities and individuals preserve existing assets and improve their neighborhoods. Information: Karen Harvie, 301-725-7521.

Martin State Airport manager honored by civic association Martin State Airport Manager Jack West has been given an award by the Wilson Point Civic Improvement Association, honoring his service to the community. "He's always there to listen to us," said Jack Schultz, president of the civic association. West has worked at the airport since 1981, when he was hired as operations manager. He was named airport manager in 1984. He is responsible for day-to-day operations, including air traffic, maintenance and aircraft service.