Civic Association

COMMUNITY associations have every right to demand that their members honor their covenants, even if homeowners are prevented from painting a front door the color they want.Likewise, people who enter agreements with community associations are right to demand that the groups hold up their end of the bargain, regardless of how long ago the deal was signed.The Crofton Civic Association is showing utter disregard in this vein. It is trying to interfere with plans by a landowner to build a six-story hotel near the entrance to the western Anne Arundel County community on commercialized Crain Highway.

SOME OF THE FINEST people in West County were honored Friday night at the annual Crofton Awards Dinner Banquet, held at Crofton Country Club.I had really looked forward to attending the event, always enjoying the excitement of discovering which local volunteers and business people will be honored for their contributions to our community.But this year, family obligations intervened. Because I couldn't go to the banquet, I spent Sunday afternoon trying to gather news about this year's winners.

Crofton Civic Association board members have found only $7,000 to trim from the $944,000 tax district budget that it administers for the county after they finished a series of budget hearings this week.The association's president, Gayle Sears, expressed concern at seeing the community's surplus disappear because of rising costs in salary and benefits for its 12 employees.The board recommended Monday that the community comptroller's part-time work week remain at 25 hours, rather than be increased to 30 as recommended in the budget submitted by Town Manager Barbara Swann -- saving $5,000.

An 11-year-old proposal for a hotel and conference center in Crofton that stirred an emotional debate this year is again sparking controversy over its location.A legal agreement between the developer and the association keeps association board members from opposing the venture at its new proposed location, even if residents disagree.Crofton Civic Association president Gayle Sears called for more public discussion."We shouldn't be stymied by an agreement that was signed in 1988," she said.

A proposal for the creation of a west county high school and changes in the civic association bylaws to separate the budgets of the tax district and the association are topics on the table for the Crofton town meeting scheduled for tomorrow.Jerome W. Klasmeier, the county's chief executive officer, is also expected to update residents on the stagnant plans for a west county library."A library is being designed, but right now our priority is on schools," Klasmeier said Friday.Sharon Pickett and Cindi Johnson of the Arundel/South River Coalition will give a presentation supporting the formation of the county's 13th high school.

In Charles Village, even parking and traffic can become political.A dispute that began months ago has developed into a kind of siege in the first block of E. 31st Street, where a handful of residents have kept a vigil to prevent city workers from turning it into a one-way block."

Parents whose children are expected to walk to the new Linton Springs Elementary School in the fall say the streets are unsafe and they want students to ride buses.Residents of the Linton Springs Civic Association plan to present a petition with more than 230 signatures to the Carroll County Board of Education today in an effort to have bus service in the Eldersburg neighborhood."Our stance is that the streets are just not safe enough for elementary school students to be walking on," said Ted Cusick, president of the Linton Springs Civic Association.

Fewer than half of the 1,000 households in Provinces are willing to pay $12 a year to help the local civic association, but they might be required to pay that amount in a special tax.The Provinces Civic Association is trying to establish a community benefits district to raise $12,000 a year for community maintenance and other expenses.A petition asking for residents' support was sent out with the community newsletter this month. The petition probably will be distributed again after the county budget office, which overseas the districts, reviews the wording, said Marie Cook, president of the 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.

Sykesville Police Department will monitor the intersection closest to Sykesville Middle School over the next few weeks.Several parents have raised safety concerns about the school zone, which includes the three-way crossing of Cooper Drive and Springfield and Central avenues.Chief Wallace P. Mitchell will assign officers to the crossing three days a week at arrival and dismissal times."We are looking at the long-term feasibility of hiring a crossing guard," said Matthew H. Cand- land, town manager.

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."

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

In Baltimore City Police identify man fatally shot during weekend A man shot to death during the weekend in West Baltimore was identified yesterday by city police as 31-year-old Terry Fryson, whose last known address was in the 1600 block of Bruce Court. Fryson was hit in the back by a bullet as two gunmen jumped out of a burgundy Jeep in the 1800 block of W. Franklin St. about 11 a.m. Saturday and opened fire, said Officer Troy Harris, a police spokesman. "This wasn't random," he said.

SUMMERTIME is quiet," said Sue Bents, administrative assistant for the Crofton Civic Association. But then she went on to describe a variety of activities that will keep the Town Hall staff busy all summer long. After last month's elections, a new board of directors has undertaken the task of overseeing the association. President Steve Grimaud has been joined by Vice President Martin Simon, Secretary Sharon Puckett, Treasurer Lennie Zallar and district neighborhood directors Elizabeth Hasken, Michael Fitzgibbons, Anna O'Kelly, Vince Parlegreen and Ralph Eckhardt.