Waff

The president of the Savage Community Association has been nominated by the Howard County Council to serve on the Board of Appeals.William Waff, 58, was selected to serve out the term of Donald Messenger, a Republican who resigned from the board last month.He was chosen from among four applicants."I have always wanted to be on this board," Waff said, noting that he applied some time ago but was not selected. "I think I can do the job. I'm pretty level-headed and fair."Pub Date: 5/21/99

People who want to win approval for unconventional developments in Howard County will have to meet a higher standard soon - but only for about a month. One Howard County Board of Appeals member is leaving the state in a few weeks to escape spiraling property taxes, and the County Council cannot appoint a replacement until March at the earliest. During that period, people hoping to win variances, appeal land-use decisions and expand churches must convince a larger percentage of the board - three out of four members, instead of three out of five.

BILL WAFF, a member of the Howard County Board of Appeals, is retiring as president of the Savage Community Association. He has held that post, he says, more often than not for the past 10 years. But after his appointment in June to the Board of Appeals, "You try to avoid conflict of interest," he said. The Board of Appeals makes decisions regarding land use. The Waffs moved to Savage from Mississippi, where Bill was in the Coast Guard, in 1976. They had lived in Columbia and Bowie, and knew and liked the area.

Howard County is looking for a new member for the Board of Appeals, after the resignation of William B. Waff of Savage, who is moving out of state. He said his departure was because of a huge assessment increase on his 6.3-acre property in Savage that made it impossible for him to pay the taxes. Because he also had been laid off from his full-time job, Waff said he was forced to sell the townhouse-zoned land to a developer. He plans to move to Connecticut. A board member since May 1999, Waff, 60, submitted a letter of resignation Dec. 2, though he promised to continue hearing cases for several months or until a replacement is found.

William Waff glances at his watch.Keeping track of time has become particularly important since his schedule has moved from being "extremely busy" to downright chaotic.The Howard County Council appointed Waff, 58, who is president of the Savage Community Association, to the five-member Board of Appeals last month.Established in 1968, the board is responsible for ruling on, among other things, administrative appeals, special exceptions and variances of the zoning code."I think it's a great opportunity, but I was kind of reluctant because of the amount of hours," Waff said.

Howard County is looking for a new member for the Board of Appeals, after the resignation of William B. Waff of Savage, who is moving out of state. He said his departure was because of a huge assessment increase on his 6.3-acre property in Savage that made it impossible for him to pay the taxes. Because he also had been laid off from his full-time job, Waff said he was forced to sell the townhouse-zoned land to a developer. He plans to move to Connecticut. A board member since May 1999, Waff, 60, submitted a letter of resignation Dec. 2, though he promised to continue hearing cases for several months or until a replacement is found.

Weather could be key to Savage Fest's successA new location and the absence of a parade might mean fewer people at Savage Fest '97 tomorrow, but William Waff is more worried about the inclement weather forecast for the weekend."

Group calls for help to work on Savage FestThe Savage Community Association will hold the first planning meeting for Savage Fest '93 at 8 p.m. tonight in Carroll Baldwin Community Hall.Scheduled for Saturday, June 5, the Savage festival is in danger of being canceled due to a lack of "willing workers," according to Bill Waff, the group's newly elected president."Many Savage residents have enjoyed past festivals, but few have volunteered their time to plan and stage them," Mr. Waff said."Now is the time to become involved," he added.

When I took this job, I knew precious little about Howard County, other than it was the home of Columbia, the Mall and Merriweather Post Pavilion.But I just discovered that I was aware of one of Howard County's hidden treasures, and didn't know it.When I was in high school in Beltsville (that's Prince George's County, for all you Northerners), a friend invited me and some cohorts to jump into the back of his mother's station wagon for a ride in the country.As we rode along, not caring where we were headed, the driver said we were going to swim in the "Savage River," which, I'm told, is actually in Western Maryland.

County Councilwoman Shane Pendergrass, D-1st, told the other councilmembers last week that the best solution to their deadlock over whomto appoint to the Board of Appeals would be to choose her nominee."

The folks in Savage have known about the historic Bollman Truss Bridge on Foundry Road for years. They've walked over it and fished under it, and some have even gotten married on it, watching the water of the Little Patuxent River swirling far beneath them. But until recently, not many others knew about the 1869 bridge, the only one of its type remaining in the world. In February, the red iron bridge became a National Historic Landmark, and officials hope it will draw more tourists to Howard County.

LONGTIME SAVAGE resident Ellen Waff has done more than raise a family, serve the Savage Community Association and work as a midwife. She has another side, no less public, but less often displayed here. She loves to sing. Waff likes it so much that she has long been a member of musical groups. Two of them - Camerata Musica and Fol-de-Rol - specialize in ancient music. Camerata Musica is to perform tomorrow at Borders Books and Music in Columbia. Waff joined in 1987, three years after the group was founded.

BILL WAFF, a member of the Howard County Board of Appeals, is retiring as president of the Savage Community Association. He has held that post, he says, more often than not for the past 10 years. But after his appointment in June to the Board of Appeals, "You try to avoid conflict of interest," he said. The Board of Appeals makes decisions regarding land use. The Waffs moved to Savage from Mississippi, where Bill was in the Coast Guard, in 1976. They had lived in Columbia and Bowie, and knew and liked the area.

With a name like Savage the last thing that comes to mind is a quiet, historic neighborhood tucked away in southern Howard County.The town, in fact, has had quite a peaceful existence."

Responding to a rash of robberies at a popular WaWa Food Markets in Savage, store officials announced yesterday they would close the mini-market for good late last night.The news distressed a number of residents, who say there isn't another convenience store nearby. "I don't think this is good at all for our community," said William B. Waff, president of the Savage Community Association and a longtime resident.Over a five-month period this year, the store, in the 9000 block of Baltimore St. in the historic section of Savage, has been robbed five times, with bandits usually making off with several hundred dollars, police said.

William Waff glances at his watch.Keeping track of time has become particularly important since his schedule has moved from being "extremely busy" to downright chaotic.The Howard County Council appointed Waff, 58, who is president of the Savage Community Association, to the five-member Board of Appeals last month.Established in 1968, the board is responsible for ruling on, among other things, administrative appeals, special exceptions and variances of the zoning code."I think it's a great opportunity, but I was kind of reluctant because of the amount of hours," Waff said.

Next weekend the streets of Savage will be filled with antique cars, parade floats, fire trucks, bands and crafts people for the fourth annual Savage Fest.It's a local celebration that draws just about the entire town of Savage and then some.Highlights of the fair include country music bands, a tribute to Elvis Presley by Frenchie and the Heartthrobs, and an antique car show."Community Conservation and Recycling" is the theme of the festival and the grand marshal for the parade is Terry Young, who is known around Savage for traveling the town's streets on his bicycle collecting cans and bottles for recycling.

Howard County Councilman Dennis R. Schrader's proposal to draft a master plan for the North Laurel area has angered some Savage residents, who say they don't want to be left out of the process."

The president of the Savage Community Association has been nominated by the Howard County Council to serve on the Board of Appeals.William Waff, 58, was selected to serve out the term of Donald Messenger, a Republican who resigned from the board last month.He was chosen from among four applicants."I have always wanted to be on this board," Waff said, noting that he applied some time ago but was not selected. "I think I can do the job. I'm pretty level-headed and fair."Pub Date: 5/21/99

OUR CORNER of the county is commercially active -- high growth, construction everywhere!But with many of the county's cultural and social events taking place in other parts of the county, let's face it, occasionally this end of the county can get a little scruffy!Well, here's a chance to make Savage-Laurel look as good as we really are.The State Highway Administration is planning to landscape the cloverleaf at the interchange of U.S. 1 and Route 32.The administration has shovels, 200 saplings, 2,000 bulbs, mulch, water hoses, buckets and a landscape design.