June 30, 2009 @ 6:30 PM
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore Office
East Park Professional Center Building, Suite # 401
East Park Drive off Belmont Avenue, Salisbury, MD
WNC OFFICERS
President Jim Ireton
President Elect Mike Preti
Secretary Mary Jane Marine
Treasurer Lena Wallop
I. PRESENT:
Heather Burnham (Bivalve), Kurt Drechsler (Harbor Pointe) Jim Fineran (County Executive Office), Mary Jane Marine (Secretary WNC - Sharptown),
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II. CALL TO ORDER:
Due to the absence of President Ireton and President Elect Mike Preti, Secretary Mary Jane Marine guided the meeting. She called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
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III. MINUTES:
By motion of Jim Fineran, seconded by Kurt Drechsler, with no changes, the minutes of April 28, 2009 were approved as distributed.
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IV. DISCUSSION -
1. Update Action on Harbor Pointe -:
Kurt Drechsler was asked about a recent news release pertaining to Harbor Pointe and some comments had made in the past as to recourse when the developer of a subdivision had long since become bankrupt. He advised as President of the HPCA, through research he had discovered that the Association owned two parcels of land but did not own the storm water management pond.
The pond he said is owned by Empire Mortgage and has not been properly maintained. The mortgage company is now willing to pay to have the pond restored to its full function, pay bills owed for grass cutting and then deed the property to the City of Salisbury or the Association. However, he said there are now unresolved legal issues as to which organization should become owner of the pond and surrounding land.
He believes through persistence in working with local government, in this case, the City, and being very cordial and tactful, results can come about, including the recent allocation for some sidewalks in Harbor Pointe.
2. Address Change for WNC on Wicomico County website:
Jim Fineran reported he is working on this.
3. Status WNC Website:
Kurt Drechsler reported he has been in contact with Donna Rush concerning a website. He said establishing one as a link under the County's website would cause a lengthy address for the WNC and the best way to go would be a full website. In this situation we would control the site and include whatever documents and photos we choose. As a link, if the site is changed in anyway documents and photos could be lost. He estimated a full website would cost about $1,500.00. (Note: future consideration of such would require proper bidding procedure)
The group decided at this point it would be best to establish a link on the County's website, to be designed by Donna Rush, at no charge with Kurt Drechsler and Heather Burnham as administrators to include some photos, information about the WNC and an address with contacts. The cost of the link would be about $12.00 for website address/title. Kurt and Heather agreed to establish the link as soon as possible and create a web address as closely to the title of Wicomico Neighborhood Congress as possible.
4. Meeting of the Congress at Salisbury University in September:
Jim Fineran said he had attended the Congress session in the past and it was very informative and well attended. After discussion, it was decided Connie Strott and Cindy Pilchard would be asked to co-chair a congress gathering in September or October similar to the previous one.
Kurt Drechsler and Heather Burnham also agreed to serve on the committee and it was noted the President Jim Ireton would serve as well depending upon his schedule.
Two topics that were suggested for discussion/workshop at the congress were communication and coordination of local, county and state law enforcement and university student activities mostly off-campus as interest to the city folks and enforcement of nuisance situations in the county particularly demolition of abandoned structures.
5. Comments, Questions and Concerns - Good for the order:
Jim Fineran said County Executive Rich Pollitt intends to arrange his schedule to be able to attend our meetings as much as possible.. It was noted that attendance is down during the summer months and we should skip the July meeting. It was decided that we would meet on August 25 with the County Executive planning to attend.
In response to the question, Jim Fineran said he had given a list of addresses and contacts for many neighborhood associations in the county to Treasurer Lena Wallop. It was decided we would ask her for a more recent email address listing to be used to notify as many contacts as possible of our upcoming meetings.
Heather Burnham suggested the County missed a great opportunity to include information on recycling, proper disposal of hazardous material and other information of public interest by not including such in the recent mail out to most county residents for permit renewal applications for use of the waste transfer stations.
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V. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:32 PM
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VI. NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the WNC is scheduled for Tuesday, August, 25, (Fourth Tuesday) at 6:30 PM at Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore Office, East Park Professional Center Building, Suite # 401, East Park Drive, off Belmont Avenue, Salisbury, unless notified otherwise.
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Respectfully Submitted,
Secretary, Mary Jane Marine
