Wicomico Neighborhood Congress

GENERAL MEETING
January 26, 2010
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore Office
East Park Professional Center Building, Suite # 401
East Park Drive off Belmont Avenue, Salisbury, MD

WNC OFFICERS
Interim Chairperson Cindy Pilchard
Vice President Mike Pretl
Secretary Mary Jane Marine
Treasurer Lena Wallop

WNC COMMITTEES: (1) Community Concerns - Joe Austin, Dot Truitt, John Bonas, Dexter Lunsford & Richard Widdowson; (2). Convention and Forums - Jim Ireton & Lena Wallop. (3) Recruitment and Membership - Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard & Mike Pretl; and, (4) Website - Kurt Drechsler & Terry Potterton.

I. PRESENT: Geraldine Bell (Glen Haven), Mary K. Davis (Meadowbrook) Kurt Drechsler (Harbor Pointe), Robert Bonas (Meadowbrook), Janice L. Hughes (Delmar), Dale M. Jones, Sr.,(Meadowbrook) Dexter G. Lungsford (Sleepy Hallow) , Mary Jane Marine (Sharptown), Terry and Patti Potterton (Wolf Creek) Dot Truitt (Eireanne Mohr), Lena Wallop (West Side), Cindy Pilchard (Schumaker Pond Association)
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II. CALL TO ORDER: Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard called the meeting to order at 6:32 PM.
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III. BUSINESS: By motion Dexter G. Lungsford, seconded by Dale M. Jones and carried, the minutes of November 24, 2009 were approved as distributed. Treasurer Leana Wallop reported a balance of $650.52. ________________________________________________________________________

IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1. Items for 3rd Annual WNC Conference (Date to be set in future)
a. Judicial Matters: Dot Truitt asked if there were others that would be willing to set in court with her during proceedings to monitor the rulings on cases although she said it appeared from the newspaper that court ordered crime punishments appeared to have become less lenient. Terry Potterton noted that results could be monitored on line through the judicial case results website. Interim Chair said she has a call into Davis Ruark to be a speaker at one of our meetings to provide insight and background as to local court proceedings.
b. Low-Impact on Chesapeake Bay: The group discussed HOA requirements for landscaping including shrubs; run-off from various sources, irrigation and lawn maintaince including measures for enforcement.

2. Web-site Update: Terry Potterton graciously volunteered to serve as website coordinator with Donna Rush and Kurt Drechsler to maintain and update information generated by the WNC including events and photos.

3. Contacting all HOA (Recruitment & Membership - Cindy Pilchard, Mike Pretl & Jim Ireton). Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard reported that contact has been made with 54 HOA. She said there are probably 100 or so more that they have no means of making contact. She suggested members review the Wish-List to see if they know someone in those areas that would provide a name and address.
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V. NEW BUSINESS.
1. Follow-up HOA Workshop: John Jones reported the HOA workshop as very valuable for those attending. He said Nichole Green was very informative on due process for HOA's having difficulty in collecting dues, ensuring proper maintenance of the lot and home and compliance in general with the home owners associations rules and regulations. It was noted that attorney's fees, late fees and such could be added to the lien if one had to be filed. It was suggested that if the realtors were made aware of unpaid fees the matter could be collected at settlement. It was also noted that owners of property within an area could be researched online at www.dat.state.md.us (Department of Assessments and Taxation)
2. Guest Speakers: Chris Eccelston & Brad Gillis - "Metro Core Community Watch" Building community momentum and keeping crime in the forefront.

The speakers explained their deep concerns about crime in our area and their personal commitment to address these concerns, initially working in the County's Metro Core with eight, mapped "Watch Areas". They are in need of a contact within those neighborhoods to establish a base, grass roots group of 10 to 20 members that would be willing to walk their area 2 nights a week for 4 weeks with a law enforcement officer to send the message that "we are not putting up with crime anymore".
Some advantages of the initiative not only initially but long term, as discussed by the speakers, would be the building of relationship with police officers; opening communications; educating the neighborhood on the intent and goals of the community watch; creating unity; making our neighborhoods safe again and implementing a very effective crime prevention tool.
The WNC made the following suggestions that my help to move the S.T.A.C. (Standing Together Against Crime) initiative forward by contacting students at SU, Wor-Wic, and local school seniors; County Election districts with the elected official as a contact; community organizations. Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard said the WNC e-mail list could provide contacts in certain areas but she wanted to be sure that the information to be sent would be through her in order to protect the listing of use solely by WNC.
Mr. Chris Eccelston, with Mr. Brad Gillis' concurrence said he hopes to attain the same opportunities for their children to be safe as when they grew up in this area and to re-gain the quality of life that existed in their childhood. They said they have been in contact with the County Executive Officer Rick Pollitt, the Mayor and Mayor's Round Table, Sea Save and will contact the Lions Club and similar organizations soon.
They asked for volunteers to assist in locating a "contact" for all areas within the Metro Core. They want to begin within a manageable geographic area with other folks beyond those boundaries welcome to be a part of the movement but the initial resident of the subject area is needed now in order to establish teams within those specific areas.
By motion of Kurt Drechsler, seconded by Lena Wallop and carried unanimously, the WNC voted to support the "Metro Core Community Watch", - S.T.A.C. (Standing Together Against Crime) initiative recognizing the admirable commitment of these two gentlemen to establish a starting point to stand against crime, to get others involved, to look for solutions, to make others more aware of their surroundings and to initially work "Watch Areas" and eventually expand the movement to improve the quality of life for all residents of Wicomico County.
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VI. MOVING FORWARD: Interim Chairman Cindy Pilchard recognized Mary K. Davis for all the work she had done in the past serving as the first secretary and thanked her on behalf of the WNC for such outstanding contributions. Further, it was decided that agenda item 2010 Success, Goals and Objectives would be tabled at this time and rescheduled later and that a status report of Rocky Burnett's efforts to form a Center for University and Community Partnerships would be provided at our next meeting.
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VII. ADJOURNMENT: By motion of Janice Hughes, seconded by Lena Wallop and carried, the general meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM. The Community Concerns Committee with Dot Truitt, Dexter Lunsford and John Bonas (Joe Austin & Richard Widdowson absent) then convened their individual meeting.
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VIII. NEXT MEETING: The next general meeting will be held on February 23, 2010 (fourth Tuesday) at the Community Foundation office at 6:30 PM unless notified otherwise.

Secretary,
Mary Jane Marine