Wicomico Neighborhood Congress

GENERAL MEETING
February 23, 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 Chairman - Mike Pretl
Secretary - Mary Jane Marine
Treasurer - Lena Wallop

WNC COMMITTEES: (1) Community Concerns - 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 and Terry Potterton.

I. PRESENT: John Bonas (Meadowbrook), Brian Bracken (Morris Mill), Craig Dobson (Kensington Woods), Kurt Drechsler (Harbor Pointe), Janice Hughes (Delmar), Erica Joseph (Community Foundation E.S.), Dexter G. Lunsford (Sleepy Hollow), Mary Jane Marine (Sharptown), Cindy Pilchard (Schumaker Woods Assoc.), Hal Runner (Rosewood Forest), Tim Spies (Camden Neighborhood), ________________________________________________________________________

II. CALL TO ORDER: Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
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III. BUSINESS: By motion Dexter G. Lunsford, seconded by Kurt Drechsler and carried, the minutes of January 26, 2010 were approved subject to several typographical errors. ________________________________________________________________________

IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1. Report/Update - Community Concerns Committee (Truitt, Bonas, Lunsford & Widdowson). John Bonas reported that due to the recent snows the committee had not had an opportunity to meet. After discussion, Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard appointed Dot Truitt as chair of this committee.
2. Web-site Update - Kurt Drechsler said he and Terry Potterton had not had a chance to meet due to the weather. He asked if anyone would like their pictures taken of the recent blizzard to be used on our website to email to him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . He said he and Terry Potterton would put our minutes and agenda on the website as well.
3. Follow-up meeting HOA Workshop - Interim Chair Pilchard said Mike Pretl would conduct the follow-up meeting on Tuesday, March 9, from 7 to 9 PM at the CFESO. When an agenda is prepared she will email it to everyone.
4. Metro Core Community Watch Meeting - This meeting will be held on Thursday, March 18, from 7 to 8:30 PM. A flyer has been emailed to all members. Brad Gillis and Chris Eccelston, speakers at our January meeting are the organizers for this group. Special Guests to include Sheriff Mike Lewis and Officer Richard Weber - Salisbury Police Department
Discussion followed about the similarities with this organization and the Neighborhood Watch Program. Interim Chair Pilchard advised that she has been in contact with the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) including a copy of their book entitled Block Captain Handbook and, the National Night Out (.org) phone 1-800NITE-OUT. Kurt Drechsler added that Officer Webb, Salisbury Police Department helped set up neighborhood crime watch in Harbor Pointe.
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V. NEW BUSINESS.
1. Guest Speaker Erica Joseph - Shore CAN ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Erica Joseph explained that the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore is the host agency for the ShoreCAN organization, "helping you help others", which includes Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. ShoreCAN is a year-round organization that provides training programs for non-profit groups to work with members to provide opportunities to volunteer in many different areas and currently includes 80 non-profit organizations and 150 volunteers. She emphasized upcoming National Volunteer Week, April 17 thru 29 with community and neighborhood improvement opportunities.
Tim Spies noted SU's Town Gown event scheduled in April that provides volunteer services to those within a reasonable distance of the university and asked if any one knew of jobs needed to be done. He said the students are always very willing to perform such services to the community.
Craig Dobson said that Perdue has a similar program that focuses on environmental concerns mostly with watershed areas, rivers, ponds and streams. He said it would be a very beneficial effort to our area to coordinate all such programs.
Dexter Lunsford added that such volunteer programs may be an opportunity for Rocky Burnett's proposal to benefit as well by utilizing the proposed partnership between SU and the surrounding community.

2. Rocky Burnett - Update Center for University/Community
Interim Chair Pilchard read the email from Rocky Burnett explaining he was ill and could not attend tonight's meeting. He will give a presentation to the Town Gown Committee on March 12 and has met with persons at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus to discuss the University-Community Partnership which was very well received with that group.

3. WNC - Government Required Filings
Interim Chair Pilchard noted that WNC had never voted to become incorporated or be classified as an IRS 501c3 organization. By motion of Tim Spies, seconded by Dexter Lunsford and carried unanimously, the group voted to have non-profit attorney Mike Pretl pursue such status.

4. WNC Board - Executive Committee
Interim Chair Pilchard said the current officers should be asked if they wish to serve subject to a pending election and an election should be held for those wishing to serve on the Executive Committee as well. She said that Vice Chairman Mike Pretl would appoint a nominating committee.

5. 1st Annual WNC Dinner and Presentations;
Those present at the meeting were very much in favor of holding an annual dinner and presentation event. It was suggested and all agreed that Salisbury University would be the ideal location for such an event. More details about this will be forthcoming.

6. Individual Committee Meetings - Report/Updates
It was noted that most committees had not had an opportunity to meet due to inclement weather.
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VI. MOVING FORWARD: Interim Chair Cindy Pilchard said that a very informative communications network had been recently carried on from many in the WNC concerning problems within the HOA groups. It was suggest that such a method be set up through our website so that everyone would have a chance to participate. Kurt Drechsler said it could be done but input from many would be needed in order for it to be successful. (Note: Summary of communications included in these minutes)
Craig Dobson asked about HOA responsibilities. In response, the group discussed the following: 501c3 status, working with and paying accountants, taxable and non-taxable items, filing with the IRS, annual audits (Interim Chair suggested John Stern, CPA would be resource for questions/answers in this regard), new state laws, bonding, board liability and collections.
In response to concerns about debris entering drainage systems and possible street sweeping, Interim Chair said she would contact Acting Director Wicomico County Public Works Director John Redden of the possibility of having streets swept within subdivisions weekly/quarterly and what the charge would be to the HOA.
Interim Chair advised that she has received an invitation for a panel from the WNC to participate in the Neighborhood Topic of Concern for Smart Growth Day at SU on April 28. The group discussed the following topics as possible panel topics at SU, crime, quality of life, environment, taxes, roads, recreation, safety and security and of great interest, educational opportunities in our area for all age groups as a life-long learning experience. After discussions it was decided that she, John Bonas and Tim Spies would work together to organize a panel and topic/topics to participation in the activity.
Kurt Drechsler advised that MD State HB 456 concerning creditors able to take ones home in a bankruptcy proceedings would be considered on February 24. He said the State of Maryland is the sole state in our country that allows creditors to take a home and that a change is needed so that if one loses his job and has equity in his home those creditors would not be able to make the family homeless by taking the home away from them.
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VII. ADJOURNMENT: By motion of Dexter Lunsford, seconded by Kurt Drechsler and carried, the general meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM.
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VIII. NEXT MEETING: The next general meeting will be held on March 23, 2010 (fourth Tuesday) at the Community Foundation office at 6:30 PM unless notified otherwise.

Secretary,
Mary Jane Marine