GOCA: The Greater Olney Civic Association http://www.goca.org The Greater Olney Civic Association is an umbrella organization whose mission is to study, plan, coordinate and promote the overall civic, economic, ecological and cultural welfare of the community within the Olney Master Plan area. Olney is located in the north east portion of Montgomery County, Maryland, about 15 miles due north of Washington DC. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:02:52 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 OLNEY HOME FOR LIFE – READY TO SERVE! http://www.goca.org/2012/02/olney-home-for-life-ready-to-serve/ http://www.goca.org/2012/02/olney-home-for-life-ready-to-serve/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:34:24 +0000 mattz http://www.goca.org/?p=1516 If you didn’t see this story in the Wednesday , February 1st, Olney Gazette you missed something:http://www.gazette.net/article/20120201/NEWS/702019563/1095/new-service-offers-olney-seniors-a-free-ride&template=gazette

First introduced at our December 2010 meeting, Olney Home For Life has grown from a dream to a reality. Over the past year this dedicated group of volunteers has worked diligently to bring this effort to fruition. As we are all aware, Olney just like many communities has senior citizens who want to “age in place” but are no longer able to perform simple daily chores or drive. Olney Home For Life has been created to fill this void.

Currently they are looking for volunteers to provide transportation and other assistance to Olney senior citizens. If you are interested in volunteering or if you know someone in need of their services, please call 240-406-9209 or email info@olneyhomeforlife.org

]]> http://www.goca.org/2012/02/olney-home-for-life-ready-to-serve/feed/ 0 UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS http://www.goca.org/2012/01/upcoming-community-events/ http://www.goca.org/2012/01/upcoming-community-events/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:13:19 +0000 mattz http://www.goca.org/?p=1508 There are a number of informative community events coming up:

First, Tuesday at 7:30PM OTCAC is conducting a Community Outreach Meeting to solicit community input on proposed design guidelines for future development in the Olney Town Center. For further details about this meeting, please open this flyer: http://www.goca.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/OTCAC-Community-Meeting.pdf. Note all OTCAC meetings take place at the REMAX Buffington Building in the Olney Community Room.

Second, February 14th, is our regular monthly GOCA meeting. Plan on attending, you can take your significant other out to dinner on Monday and avoid the crowds, as we will be hearing from Toll Brothers regarding proposed developments along Batchellors Forest Road and Old Baltimore Road.

Third, in honor of Valentine’s Day on February 14th, Sandy Spring Museum is sponsoring Love Notes on February 11th and 12th. This event is a show, sale, and fundraiser – complete details can be found by clicking here: Love Notes3

We look forward to seeing you at these exciting events!

]]> http://www.goca.org/2012/01/upcoming-community-events/feed/ 0 December minutes posted to GOCA website http://www.goca.org/2012/01/december-minutes-posted-to-goca-website/ http://www.goca.org/2012/01/december-minutes-posted-to-goca-website/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:58:21 +0000 lorigoodwin http://www.goca.org/?p=1500 The minutes for the December 12, 2011 GOCA meeting have been uploaded.  The meeting included 2 presentations:

  • Dr. Charles Smith, of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, discussed aging in place.
  • Mr. Gam Wijetunge, Chairman of the Mid-County Citizens Advisory Board, discussed regional issues.

Click on this link to read the minutes: GOCA Minutes for December 13, 2011.

]]> http://www.goca.org/2012/01/december-minutes-posted-to-goca-website/feed/ 0 COUNTY EXECUTIVE IKE LEGGETT IS COMING TO GOCA! http://www.goca.org/2012/01/1486/ http://www.goca.org/2012/01/1486/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:07:08 +0000 mattz http://www.goca.org/?p=1486 Our January 10th meeting will feature Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett discussing “The State of Montgomery Heading Into 2012″. Our meeting starts at 7:30PM and will be held in the Olney Community Room of the REMAX Buffington Building, building address can be found be opening the meetings tab on our home page. Our meeting agenda can also be found on the meetings page.

All Olney residents are welcome!

]]> http://www.goca.org/2012/01/1486/feed/ 0 November minutes posted to the GOCA website http://www.goca.org/2012/01/november-minutes-posted-to-the-goca-website/ http://www.goca.org/2012/01/november-minutes-posted-to-the-goca-website/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:41:55 +0000 lorigoodwin http://www.goca.org/?p=1494 The minutes for the November 8, 2011 GOCA meeting have been posted.

]]> http://www.goca.org/2012/01/november-minutes-posted-to-the-goca-website/feed/ 0 OLNEY MOURNS THE PASSING OF RON BERGER http://www.goca.org/2011/12/olney-mourns-the-passing-of-ron-berger/ http://www.goca.org/2011/12/olney-mourns-the-passing-of-ron-berger/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:57:02 +0000 mattz http://www.goca.org/?p=1471 We regret to inform you that Ron Berger, one the founders of the Greater Olney Civic Association (GOCA) and a dedicated, respected leader in the Olney Community passed away on December 29th. For over 30 years everyone in GOCA has benefited from Ron’s wisdom and guidance and his presence will be truly missed.

Funeral Arrangements are as follows:
SERVICE AT DANZANSKY-GOLDBERG FUNERAL HOME, 1170 ROCKVILLE PIKE AT 11 AM MONDAY JANUARY 2. INTERMENT TO FOLLOW AT APPROXIMATELY NOON TO 12:15 AT JUDEAN MEMORIAL GARDENS, 16225 BATCHELLOR’S FOREST ROAD, OLNEY (NR GEORGIA AVENUE AND BATCHELLOR’S FOREST ROAD).

Ron and his family have requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to either of the following:
Olney Days c/o GOCA, P O Box 212, Olney, Md. 20830        OR

To The Infusion Center – Montgomery General Hospital in memory of  Ron Berger c/o MGH Health Foundation, 18101 Prince Philip Drive, Olney, MD 20832.

]]> http://www.goca.org/2011/12/olney-mourns-the-passing-of-ron-berger/feed/ 0 SHA ADVISED ABOUT PROBLEMS AT GEORGIA & NORBECK http://www.goca.org/2011/12/goca-urges-residents-to-rally-on-may-18th/ http://www.goca.org/2011/12/goca-urges-residents-to-rally-on-may-18th/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:46:32 +0000 mattz http://www.goca.org/?p=1246 The below letter has been delivered to the Maryland State Highway administration. We are requesting that all of our member Homeowners/Condominium/Citizens/Civic Associations read and endorse this letter. We would also request that all Presidents of our members associations send a similar message/letter to Maryland SHA. As everyone who attends our meetings is very well aware – the Route 97 (Georgia Avenue) and Route 28 (Norbeck Road) intersection was severely congested – it’s now become dangerous. As GOCA President, I have endorsed this letter only after very careful deliberation. Here is the letter sent December 20, 2011:

Mr. Cedric Ward, P.E.
Ass’t. District Engineer, District 3
State Highway Administration
Following up on our meetings, and voluminous correspondence with you and others at the SHA concerning the NB-L turn lanes at Norbeck and Georgia (MD 28/97), please be advised that we will make available to any one suffering an accident at this intersection due to the NB – L turn situation, or misplaced turn signs (SB and NB), the entire chain of our correspondence and transcripts of all meetings we have had with SHA representatives and elected officials re the 97/28 turn situation.  This is because we have observed and personally experienced motorists obviously frustrated by the NB-L turn long delays and backups who go out of the one left turn lane remaining and utilize the next (right) interior NB lane to turn.  Since we have repeatedly advised you of the perilous situation prevailing at that intersection, we believe that this situation and the state’s failure to remedy this traffic situation “suffers and permits” a dangerous condition and is negligence in the extreme. The information we can and will provide could be useful to plaintiffs in such litigation brought against the state and/or others to reimburse for damages suffered thereby. To ensure that motorists are advised of our position we will erect a sign on private property nearby notifying motorists of our position, will distribute flyers to motorists and pedestrians at that intersection, and will advise the membership of all of the GOCA organizations (representing approximately 30,000 households) by email chains, that this info will be made available to them in the event they are involved in accidents at that intersection.
Our members who are attorneys strongly advise that this message be brought to the attention of the State Attorney General so that he may best advise you of the State’s potential exposure to liability for damages as a result of this continued negligence.
Frankly we are initiating this action to prevent more accidents, and ensure that persons who suffer losses or injury as a result of the dangerous situation created at this intersection know of the fact that they may seek recourse against the state.  We have tolerated this dangerous situation long enough and believe that courts and juries will not look kindly on a defendant litigant that refuses to remedy a dangerous situation when repeatedly advised, in detail, concerning same.
If you need further information as to our position, or wish to discuss this further with us, please let me know and we would be pleased to discuss this with the SHA and/or the Attorney General’s office.
Arnold Gordon
President, Norbeck Meadows Civic Association
Matt Zaborsky,
President, Greater Olney Civic Association
Paul Jarosinski
President, Cherrywood Homeowners Association

This was posted in May of this year:

Montgomery County Councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Craig Rice, Marc Elrich, Roger Berliner, and Hans Riemer have requested Maryland SHA to restore the 2nd left turn lane from Maryland 97 North (Georgia Avenue) onto Maryland 28 West (Norbeck Road). Here is their letter:

LETTER TO PEDERSEN

Letter to SHA – Georgia and Norbeck ICC interchange left turn lane

We thank them for their support and will await a favorable reply from Maryland SHA!

Our May 18th Rally was held in response to the numerous complaints from Olney residents regarding the intersection of Georgia Avenue (Route 97) and Norbeck Road (Route 28). As everyone is aware who commutes along this route, the intersection has been altered by Maryland State Highway Administration. We’ve asked the SHA to restore an additional left turn lane onto Norbeck Road going west, as it was prior to the opening of the ICC, per this link: TrafficAlertforI-370andMD97MD28 – - - Note the lane configuration shown by Maryland SHA on page 2. Here is a video taken the time of our rally:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=204_1305769232

]]> http://www.goca.org/2011/12/goca-urges-residents-to-rally-on-may-18th/feed/ 0 2011 GOCA Awards – March 4, 2012 http://www.goca.org/2011/12/2009-goca-awards-2/ http://www.goca.org/2011/12/2009-goca-awards-2/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:07:38 +0000 admin http://www.goca.org/?p=612 The 33nd Annual GOCA awards will be held from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 4 at the Longwood Community Center on Georgia Ave. north of Route 108.  Light refreshments will be served; the event is free and open to the community, neighbors and friends. Several of our county and state elected officials will be in attendance. We are calling for nominations for our awards:

2011 Howard J. Garber Memorial Citizen of the Year Award

2011 Contribution to Community Awards

2011 GOCA Worker of the Year

2011 Olney Heritage Award

2011 Special Presidents Award (to be determined at the discretion of the GOCA President)

Please use this form for your nominations: 11nom form

Please feel free to contact Helene Rosenheim, Sharon Dooley, or Matt Zaborsky with any questions – they may all be contacted by clicking on the contacts tab on our home page.

NOTE: NOMINATION FORMS ARE DUE BACK TO US BY JANUARY 10, 2012

]]> http://www.goca.org/2011/12/2009-goca-awards-2/feed/ 0 October Minutes posted to the GOCA website http://www.goca.org/2011/11/october-minutes-posted-to-the-goca-website/ http://www.goca.org/2011/11/october-minutes-posted-to-the-goca-website/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:14:26 +0000 lorigoodwin http://www.goca.org/?p=1446 The minutes to the October 11, 2011 meeting have been added the GOCA website under the minutes tab.  The minutes include a briefing from John Carter, Chief of the Area 3 Planning Team of the Montgomery County Planning Board.

GOCA Minutes for October 11, 2011

]]> http://www.goca.org/2011/11/october-minutes-posted-to-the-goca-website/feed/ 0 September Minutes posted on the GOCA website. http://www.goca.org/2011/10/september-minutes-posted-on-the-goca-website/ http://www.goca.org/2011/10/september-minutes-posted-on-the-goca-website/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:08:35 +0000 lorigoodwin http://www.goca.org/?p=1420 The minutes to the September 13, 2011 meeting have been added the GOCA website under the minutes tab.  The minutes include updates on the development of The Solana of Olney senior living community and from the Montgomery County Ride On bus service.

GOCA Minutes for September 13, 2011

]]> http://www.goca.org/2011/10/september-minutes-posted-on-the-goca-website/feed/ 0