Ebca Newsletter November 2008

Neighborhood News WWW.EBCA.ORG

NOVEMBER 2008

Representing the 1200 households North of East-West Highway, South of Jones Bridge Road, East of Wisconsin Avenue and West of Columbia Country Club.

Social Calendar By Sandy Spagnolo, Social Chair EBCA would like to invite you all to Happy Hour on Friday, November 21st from 5 to 8 p.m. at Guapos on Wisconsin Avenue. It will be a good reason to get out of the house and mingle with your fellow neighbors whether they are Elephant, Donkey or Other, and we hope you can make it. Please contact Sandy Spagnolo at [email protected] if you have any questions. Our annual EBCA Halloween Parade was yet again another big hit. With all of the ghosts and goblins, fairies and princess, everyone seemed to have a great time. We would like to thank Justin Fox for being so creative with the haunted house. It really seemed to get everyone into the Halloween spirit and the weather was perfect. Also, a special thanks to all of the volunteers who helped serve the yummy cider and tasty treats. Thanks to Sarah Mitchell who was instrumental in making this day happen, Nancy Horton for managing the canned food drive again this year, and a very special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Farrell who donate the snacks that make the end of the parade so special every year. We hope everyone enjoyed the afternoon and had a safe and fun Halloween.

School Assignments By Monica Hayes, Education Chair East Bethesda residents are invited to learn more about the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) Superintendent's recommendation to the Board of Education on East Bethesda Elementary School Assignments. The meeting, sponsored by the EBCA Education Committee, will feature presentations from MCPS administrators Mr. Bruce H Crispell, Director Division of Long Range Planning, and Dr. Frank H. Stetson, Community Superintendent (Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Walter Johnson, Wheaton, and Whitman Clusters). The meeting will be held on November 10th from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Lynnbrook Recreation Center. The Superintendent's recommendation to the Board of Education on East Bethesda Elementary Assignments (which was not yet available when this article went to press) was scheduled for released on October 29th on the MCPS website at: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/ departments/planning/ CIPMaster_Current.htm. A link to the recommendation will also available on October 29th on the EBCA website, www.ebca.org If the superintendent recommends a boundary study concerning East Bethesda Elementary School assignments, it will be part of the MCPS Capital Improvement Plan process and timeline. Under the school

system's Long-Range Educational Facilities Planning Policy, the Board of Education (BOE) determines the scope of a boundary study. The BOE will hold facilities and boundaries hearing on November 12th and 13th and will vote on the Superintendent's recommendation on November 20th. At the November 10th meeting, Mr. Crispell and Dr. Stetson will provide the community with additional information on the Superintendent's October 29th recommendations. They will describe the potential impacts the recommendation might have on our community and outline next steps for our community, including a description of how elementary school transfers will be handled for the 2009-2010 year if we do not have a change in school assignments by that time. The Education Committee is soliciting your questions for Mr. Crispell and Dr. Stetson in advance of the meeting to ensure the meeting addresses the community’s most pressing issues. Please email your questions to [email protected]. Questions will also be solicited during the meeting. In related news, about 275 education surveys have been collected from community residents to date. Initial survey results will be tabulated based on those received by October 31st.

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President’s Notebook Community By Ilaya Hopkins, President With another successful Halloween parade behind us, it is good to reflect on all the things we love about our community. The togetherness, support and friendliness of East Bethesda is on full display when we come together for such a festive celebration. Our concern about others less fortunate in our community is evident, too, as the food collection points for Bethesda Help were overflowing with donations. As Thanksgiving approaches at the end of this month, I remain incredibly grateful to be among such a group of neighbors and friends. November is shaping up to be a month full of opportunities to help impact the future of our area. It is nearly impossible for any one person to be everywhere so I encourage you to think about the aspects that matter the most to you and to take the time to provide your input. EBCA has been following some of the main areas over the last several years. The three main topics with opportunities to weigh in this month are elementary school assignments, the Purple Line, and improvements to the Medical Center area.

East Bethesda Citizens Association, Inc. PO Box 41020 Bethesda, MD 20824 www.ebca.org Neighborhood News Jay Briar, Editor [email protected] Sponsorship, Vacant [email protected]

All of these will have long-term consequences for our community and each are discussed in detail in articles in this issue of the newsletter. Whether it is the Board of Education, the state or the county, each entity provides opportunities for the public to weigh in on important matters. Individuals can do this in person or in writing. Often, it is a powerful statement to see many interested people in the audience at these public hearings. I encourage you to read the information here and on our website. If you feel strongly about the impact any of these projects will have, take a few minutes to compose your thoughts and send them in. The process will benefit from input of those directly affected. Thanks again for another fabulous kick-off to the Halloween festivities, to Sandy Spagnolo, our terrific Social Committee chair, and the rest of the volunteers who pulled the event together, to other committee leaders and individuals who represent EBCA so admirably, and to this month’s sponsors – welcome Suburban Hospital – who make this newsletter possible. Ilaya Hopkins, President David Saltzman, 1st Vice President Tori Hall, 2nd Vice President A.B. Carneal, Recording Secretary Jack Hayes, Treasurer Dan Fox, Immediate Past President Andy O’Hare, Crescent Trail Monica Hayes, Education Rebecca Fayed , Membership Eleanor Rice, NIH Liaison Kevin Kraus, Parks & Playgrounds Sandy Spagnolo, Social Events Dorian Patchin, Website

Leslie Weber, Welcome Packets

Outreach: A Wider Circle Looking for a way to give back this holiday? Adopt a family and help make the season bright. The holidays are just around the corner and A Wider Circle needs your help! Last year, A Wider Circle provided gifts to more than 800 children and adults who could otherwise not afford presents. This year, they hope to serve nearly 1200 community members in need this holiday season! In order to accomplish this goal, they need your help! You can help serve those in need by donating gifts, gift cards, wrapping paper, healthy, non-perishable food, or by volunteering to wrap or deliver presents. You may also "adopt" a family to provide them with food and gifts that they are not able to afford during the holidays. If you have any questions or would like to help out, please contact A Wider Circle by phone at 301-657-1010 or by email at [email protected]. Please help make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need this holiday season.

Correction: In the October issue, the article “Purple Line: Waiting for the Report” incorrectly stated the position of the website www.purplelinenow.org regarding use of the Capital Crescent Trail. The organization is in favor of using the trail but states that the trail will not be altered by the Purple Line. We regret the error.

Neighborhood News

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NOV 2008

New EBCA Website Update Have you seen the new EBCA website? Many residents have already registered, allowing them to receive EBCA e-Alerts directly by email. Registering is simple. Just provide your name and email and you will be signed up. We are also utilizing the calendar feature by indicating upcoming events and providing more details there. Be sure to check it out. A great feature of the website is the EBCA Messageboard. There are a number of categories where individuals can post announcements, questions, recommendations, or items of general interest. You can determine whether to receive emails on these subjects in your mailbox or just remember to check back to the site periodically to see what is going on. Members can post images, links and more. You can also choose

between a classic view, for a well organized discussion or a "recent topics" view to highlight active discussions. Lastly, the Messageboard categories are searchable by visitors. We hope this will be a social networking opportunity for EBCA residents. Of course, if you are really into the social networking scene, you can join the EBCA Facebook group where you can RSVP for neighborhood events and exchange information with others. Freewebs.com is the service we are using for the website. There have already been some upgrades as new features become available. If there is something you would like to see on the site, please contact [email protected] to let us know what ideas you have.

Have you been getting email updates from EBCA for the past few years? If so, have you signed up for alerts on the new website? Please note that as of November 1st, we will not be using the old email list provided by Topica. To make sure you receive EBCA e-alerts, please register now at www.ebca.org.

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11/30/08

Neighborhood News

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NOV 2008

How Should I Mulch EBCA Around Trees? Calendar By Linda Miller & Kristen Mosbaek East Bethesda Garden Club My mama always said, “Everything in moderation.” Well, that applies to mulching around trees too. But you wouldn’t know it by what we see around town; you don’t want to create “the mulch volcano.” The following text from the Northeastern IPM Center poster gives sage advice. Buried Alive, Mulching Incorrectly Too much mulch: more than three inches of mulch will not enhance weed control or moisture moderation, and may harm the root system. • Deep layers of mulch smother roots by excluding air from the soil. • Over-mulched plants can develop unhealthy, fibrous roots growing from the trunk into mulch. These roots are more susceptible to drying out. Mulch should never be piled up against the trunk or stem of any plant. “Mulch volcanoes” create several future health problems, including keeping the bark continuously wet, promoting decease and rapid decay of both the bark and wood of the plant, increasing the plant’s susceptibility to temperature extremes in the winter, and creating an environment for rodent damage.

For the safety of the plant, keep all mulch materials away from the bark of the plant. Maintain a twoto three-inch layer of mulch (shredded bark or composted wood chips) that is pulled away from the trunk or stems. When used properly, mulch: • Reduces the potential for damage from mowers and weed whips, • Stabilizes soil temperatures, • Helps control weeds, and • Conserves moisture. A little more about trees... Fall is a perfect time to plant trees. Here are some websites to help you pick the perfect tree for your yard. Washington DC Tree Project: www.caseytrees.org Tree Identification: www.arborday.org Tough Trees: www.usna.usda.gov/Research/ ToughUrbanTrees.html Tree Experts: www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/ tree_expert_search.asp The East Bethesda Garden Club meets at 7:30 on the second Tuesday of each month. Guests are always welcome. For more information about the garden club, please contact Nancy at 301-6568754.

Next Garden Club Meeting: Tuesday, November 11th, 7:30

Monday, November 10th: The EBCA Education Committee hosts MCPS staff on school assignments. 8 p.m., Lynnbrook Recreation Center. Wednesday & Thursday, November 12th & 13th: MCPS Board of Education public hearings. 7 p.m., Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville. Saturday, November 15th: America Recycles Day, to see what Montgomery County is doing www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ recycling. Tuesday, November 18th: Maryland Transit Authority Purple Line Public Hearings – Open House at 4:30 p.m. Public Hearing from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. National 4-H Youth Conference Center at 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase. Friday, November 21st: EBCA Happy Hour from 5 to 8 p.m. at Guapo’s. Everyone is welcome. Wednesday, December 17th: EBCA cookie exchange and General Membership Meeting. 7:30 p.m., Lynnbrook Recreation Center. See these and other EBCA events listed on the Calendar section of www.ebca.org. Click on the event to get all the details you need. For a calendar of events going on in and around Bethesda, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ bcc and eVents Calendar.

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Neighborhood News

Neighborhood Roundup

NOV 2008

BRAC Update: Traffic Hotline

Dogs at Lynnbrook Park Teachers and the parent council of the Lynbrook Children's Center have expressed concern about dogs doing their business in the fencedin playground. Small children play in this playground everyday and it is not very hygienic for dogs to leave their messes (both peeing and pooping). If it is all possible, please keep your dogs out of the playground area so the children of East Bethesda can have a clean playground to play on. Office Building Development For the office development project at 4500 East-West Highway, EBCA submitted a letter to the Planning Board for the October 16th hearing on the project plan. The letter stated concern about the vehicular circulation pattern. EBCA will continue to monitor this development and provide more input at the site review stage of the process. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Public Safety Trust your instincts. Watch out for your neighbors. If you see something suspicious, call the Montgomery County Police nonemergency number at 301-2798000.

Thanks to several neighbors in the Glenbrook Village area, we have been able to work with the Navy and their contractor, Clark Construction, to stop construction vehicles from using our neighborhood streets to access the Naval Hospital base. The Navy has established a hotline to deal with these and other construction related issues: 301-319-BRAC (2722) The NNMC web site, www.bethesda.med.navy.mil, allow s the community to contact NNMC and express concerns about day-today issues related to construction, including safety, noise and other factors that might negatively impact the quality of life for those who live and work near the NNMC campus. The phone will be staffed weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with an answering machine taking calls off-hours. These hours may be adjusted during the construction process. Work inside the fence of the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) continues apace. Soon steel will be in the ground and the new structures will begin to emerge. County Executive Ike Leggett’s BRAC Implementation Committee (BIC) continues to meet the third Tuesday of each month at the BCC Regional Services Center. The Maryland State Highway Administration and the Washington Metropolitan Area

Transit Authority (WMATA) have both provided information on possibilities for improvements to the area, including intersection modifications and a new east side entrance for the Medical Center Metro Station. For more information, visit the website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ brac. The remaining key, of course, is funding for any of these proposals. EBCA is now part of the Coalition of Military Medical Center Neighbors, a group of surrounding communities who have come together to ensure that the community perspective is part of the ongoing dialogue on the future of the Medical Center area. The Coalition will attend two important state related meetings including the Maryland Department of Transportation Road Show on November 13th and the Montgomery County Delegation Priorities Hearing on November 20th. Both meetings will be held at the Executive Office Building’s 1st floor auditorium at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville. We hope to have a good turnout of concerned citizens to show the level of interest in this area. To stay on top of BRAC related news, join the Coalition email list at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ CMMCN.

Plans for the proposed Purple Line are ongoing. You can be heard! For more information on EBCA’s input to the Purple Line Environmental Impact Statement process, contact EBCA 1st Vice President David Saltzman at [email protected].

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Neighborhood News

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Halloween Parade

Halloween photos courtesy of Michael Corcoran.

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Neighborhood News

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Sunday, October 26

CHUCK SULLIVAN HOMES Your Neighborhood Builder

We take the mystery out of custom home building 22-year resident of East Bethesda Over 30 years of home building experience Completed several homes in our community Free property evaluation, design consultation & a detailed cost analysis We are also interested in purchasing properties We stay within your budget and get it done on time! Please visit chucksullivanhomes.com or call 301-718-9116

Advocate for the best schools for East Bethesda! Become a member of EBCA today! Please support our neighborhood activities, this newsletter, and the community activism that makes East Bethesda one of the most desirable places in which to invest and raise a family. $15 per member, but additional contributions are always welcome. EBCA - Membership P.O. Box 41020 Bethesda, MD 20824 Members _____________________________________ Address _____________________________________ Phone _____________________________________ E-mail _____________________________________ Number of Members _____ x $15 each = $_____ EBCA will not share your contact information with anyone outside of the organization.

Inside This Issue Education Update .................... 1 Gardening Tips......................... 4 BRAC Traffic Update ............... 5 Halloween Parade Photos ..... 6-7

Did you know that this newsletter is also available online? See www.ebca.org for this and past issues.