News Archive
March 2006 to January 2007
GOCA Comments on State Transportation Priorities
GOCA President John Lyons submitted comments on GOCA's behalf to the County Council regarding state transportation priorities, noting the importance of funding the Georgia/Rt 28 interchange and the Brookeville bypass.
Vacancies on County Boards and Commissions
See below for a list of county boards and commissions with vacancies. If interested, click on any link and find out more information.
Leggett Seeks Applicants for Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board
Leggett Seeks Applicants for Local Management Board (Collaboration Council)
Leggett Seeks Applicants for Committee on Hate/Violence
Leggett Seeks Applicants for Commission on Child Care
Leggett Seeks Applicants for Recreation Advisory Boards
GOCA Meeting - January 9
The agenda for the January 9 meeting features a presentation on the County's Budget Process by Beryl Feinberg from the Montgomery County Office of Management and Budget.
Draft minutes from the December 12 meeting are available for your review.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
Praisner Resolutions to Slow Growth
Here are the resolutions Councilwoman Marilyn Praisner introduced on the annual growth policy and building moratorium:
Planning Board Study of Growth Policy Issues
Josh Freeman, Olney Community Leader, Dies in Helicopter Crash
GOCA mourns the loss of Joshua Freeman, our 2003 Howard J. Garber Memorial Citizen of the Year.
Nominations for 2006 GOCA Awards
The character of a community is a reflection of the people that live and work there. Olney is such a special place because it is filled with so many people who care about Olney and are willing to "get involved" and give something back to the community, each in their own way.
The Greater Olney Civic Association (GOCA) wants recognize the individuals, businesses, and organizations the community has identified as having made a notable contribution to the greater Olney community during 2006. Those recognized make contributions through working with youngsters, assisting senior citizens, performing voluntary civic work, improving our schools and educational facilities, making resources available for community endeavors, etc. GOCA looks for nominees who have made a noteworthy effort as a volunteer(s) or who have gone beyond the requirements of their jobs to enhance the quality of life in our community.
Further details about the awards are on the GOCA Awards page.
If you know of an individual or organization deserving recognition, give the community an opportunity to express our appreciation by filling out a nomination form. Completed forms should be mailed to Ron Berger, dropped off at the Olney Library, given to any GOCA officer or brought to a GOCA meeting (2nd Tuesday of each month at Buffington RE/MAX Office Building, 7:45 pm). Deadline for submission: January 9, 2007.
The ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2007 at the Longwood Recreation Center.
December 12 Meeting
A summary of the December 2006 meeting is now online.
The agenda for the December 12 meeting features an introduction to new County Council members Marc Elrich and Duchy Trachtenberg.
Old business includes an update on Aunt Hattie's Place and other issues.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
November 14 Meeting
A summary of the November 2006 meeting is now online.
GOCA is launching a fundraiser...
... that we are sure will be a win-win situation for you and for GOCA; and may introduce you to a great dinner preparation concept right around the corner in Cloverly.
GOCA is partnering with Dream Dinners, a unique company founded on a mission of bringing families together around the dinner table from November 13 – December 8, 2006 at their store in Cloverly Towne Centre, 720 Cloverly Street, Silver Spring, MD 20905 – on the second floor of the new building adjacent to the Safeway near the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Briggs Chaney Road.
Read more about our Dream Dinners Fundraiser...
Don't forget ... you need to bring a copy of this flyer!
Leggett Plans Olney Meeting
County Executive-elect Ike Leggett will hold a town meeting in Olney, one of three he will conduct around the county before he takes office Dec. 4.
The Olney meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov, 29, Olney Elementary School, 3401 Queen Mary Drive. Hope to see you there. The other meetings are in Chevy Chase and Germantown.
GOCA Meeting - November 14
The agenda for the November 14 meeting features a presentation by Chuck Ellison of Miller & Smith about a development proposal for the Freeman property at Owens Road and Georgia Avenue.
Old business includes an update on Aunt Hattie's Place, the MCPS budget for an addition to Sherwood Elementary, and other issues.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
GOCA Endorses Addition to Sherwood Elementary
GOCA President John Lyons has sent a letter to the Board of Education in support of adding funding to the Capital Improvement Plan for an addition to Sherwood Elementary School.
Holiday Fun at Olney Village Center and Olney Town Center, November 25
Carl M. Freeman Retail, will hold a special day of holiday fun at the Olney Village Center and Olney Town Center on Saturday, November 25, 2006.
The festivities begin at 8:30 a.m. with the annual Breakfast with Santa hosted at BJ Pumpernickels, located in the Olney Town Center. Tickets, $4.75 for children and $7.75 for adults, go on sale October 28th and may be purchased at the restaurant. The breakfast includes a personal visit with Santa and a special keepsake gift bag filled with goodies. Seating is limited and tickets will only be available until November 18th, so buy your tickets early.
Free horse-drawn carriage rides with Santa will also be offered at the Olney Village Center from 1-4 p.m. The merchants at the Olney shopping centers will hold an Open House from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and offer special discounts during the day. There will be complimentary refreshments and strolling entertainment including the Dickens Carolers while you shop.
October 10 Meeting
A summary of the October 2006 meeting is now online.
ICC Groundbreaking Ceremony
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich will "break ground" to mark the symbolic start of ICC construction.
Location: Along Georgia Avenue (MD 97) just north of Norbeck Road (MD 28) in Olney [From Georgia Avenue just north of Norbeck Road, make an immediate left across Georgia Avenue onto a side road and proceed on a small service road, as directed by flaggers.]
Date/Time: Thursday, October 12 at 3:15 p.m.
Event: For this ground-breaking, please plan to join Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, MDOT Deputy Secretary James Ports, Montgomery and Prince George's County elected officials and community leaders
Additional Information: The event will activate the site where mainline construction will begin on the western-most segment of the ICC in spring 2007. The 1.25 acre site will house a construction trailer and drill rigs to mark the symbolic start of ICC project construction. Significant at this location is that State officials worked with local elected officials and community representatives to have the ICC go under Georgia Avenue instead of over. See new SHA website www.iccproject.com for additional information on ICC construction information and schedules.
MC Health & Human Services Family Day - 9/25
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and many community partners are promoting Family Day: A day to eat dinner with your children – Monday, September 25, 2006.
According to Columbia University research “this is one habit that prevents another; the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs”.
Families who participate in Family Day can become eligible for prizes, including a free dinner for four, by sending a photograph, drawing or short description of how they celebrated Family Day, September 25, 2006. Prize winners will be randomly drawn from all entries. All entries must be postmarked by October 31, 2006. Be sure to include your name, address and telephone number on your entry.
Send your entries to:
Family Day
c/o Dorothy Moore
MCDHHS
2424 Reedie Drive, Suite 238
Wheaton, MD 20902
If you have questions about the Family Day drawing, please contact: Dorothy Moore at Dorothy.moore@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-1116.
For more information about the benefits of family dinners click on http://www.casafamilyday.org.
September 12 Meeting
The agenda for the September 12 meeting features a presentation by Lyn Coleman of M-NCPPC on the Draft Upper Rock Creek Trail Corridor Plan.
Old business includes a dream dinners fundraiser proposal for GOCA, a development proposal for Ashton Meeting Place, the Kirk Farm Preliminary Plan, and parking and lighting at Willow Grove.
Draft minutes of the July 11 meeting are available to review.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
GOCA Email to Council re: WSCCR 06A-OLN-01 (Hyde Property)
Another email from GOCA President John Lyons to the County Council regarding the Hyde property sewer category request has been posted on the Issues section.
Fettofest 2006 at Veteran's Field in Silver Spring on Saturday, August 5
Local bands, including a few from Olney will perform at a free concert, Fettofest 2006 at Veteran's Field in Silver Spring on Saturday night, August 5th. The organizers of the event, a group of local college students, have expanded this drug-free, alcohol-free event they began as Good Counsel students held in the backyard of one of the students. They encourage local teenagers to attend. The organizers are looking for donations, from corporate sponsors and supporters of the event, merely to cover the costs of the expenses related to putting on the concert. View the flyer for more details and contact information.
Free Community Concert Series
Carl M. Freeman Retail is sponsoring a free community concert series, Sounds of Summer, on Thursday evenings in August. Concerts will be held in the grassy area between the Olney Village Shopping Center and Olney Town Center.
GOCA's Submissions to County Council and Planning Board Regarding Sewer Category Change for the Hyde Property
GOCA has testified before the Planning Board and County Council regarding the sewer category change proposed for the Hyde property. You can read the written testimony and related emails on the Issues page.
Summary of July 11, 2006 Meeting
A summary of the July 11, 2006 meeting has been posted.
County Council to Consider Funding for Replacing Tennis Court Lights at Olney Manor Park during Budget Discussions on July 18th.
Recently, the Montgomery County Planning Board approved POS funding for a $500K project to replace all tennis court lights at Olney Manor Park in the FY07-08 timeframe. This recommendation is part of a package that now goes before the Montgomery County Council for consideration on July 18. If you support that expenditure, please let your Council members know before that date! E-mails sent to Montgomery County Council President George Leventhal (councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov) are automatically distributed to all Council members.
Note that lighting replacement at Olney Manor Park has been under consideration for some time as a Planned Lifecyle Asset Replacement (PLAR) project. The Parks Department acknowledges that the existing lighting is more than 30 years old and hence exceeds its useful life span, provides inadequate candlepower, and is energy inefficient. An unexpected increase in the allocation to Montgomery County in "Program Open Space" funds from the State has allowed the Planning Board to now accelerate this project for action-- if the County Council agrees!
Agenda for July 11 Meeting
The agenda for the July 11 meeting has been posted and features a presentation by Capt Patty Walker (District 4 MCPD) and Paula Kahla (Olney Chamber of Commerce) on incidents of public drinking at the Rte 97/108 intersection.
Old business includes the Hyde property development proposal, the development proposal for Ashton Meeting Place, and the Olney Town Center Advisory Committee.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
GOCA Letter to Planning Board Re: Hyde Property
GOCA President John Lyons wrote to the Planning Board regarding WSCCR 06A-OLN-01, supporting the planning staff's recommendation to deny the water and sewer category change request for the Hyde property on Batchellor's Forest Road in the southeast quadrant. Read the letter here.
Consumer Affairs Office Investigating Charity Calls
Have you recently received a phone call from a charity soliciting donations to help police officers? If so, the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection would be interested in hearing from you about your experience with such charities. Please contact them at 240-777-3636. Any questions, feel free to contact Sue Rogan at sue.rogan@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Summary of June 13 Meeting
A summary of the June 13, 2006 meeting has been posted.
Agenda for June 13 Meeting
UPDATE: The agenda has been revised. The Hillcrest Avenue presentation has been confirmed and the order of presentations has been changed.
The agenda for the June 13 meeting has been posted and features a presentation by Dr. Hattie Washington of Aunt Hattie's Place in Sandy Spring.
A presentation about a proposed commercial development on Hillcrest Avenue is tentatively scheduled as well.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
Public Health Preparedness Exercise at Brooke Grove Elementary, June 15
Brooke Grove Elementary will be the site of an exercise by the County's Public Health Service to test our preparedness to distribute an antidote in the event of an Anthrax attack. Volunteers are needed and free ice cream will be given to participants. Click here for more information or contact the Volunteer Center (240)-777-2600 or email Jeff Levine at Jeff.Levine@montgomerycountymd.gov.
State Legislative Candidates Debate at Norbeck Meadows- June 14
All but one of the candidates for Delegate and State Senator for Legislative District 19 have indicated that they will attend the Forum/Debate being hosted by the Norbeck Meadows Civic Association on Wednesday night June 14th, 7 PM at the Cashell School (Cashell Road and Cherry Valley Drive). This will be a chance for the community to question all the candidates on issues of concern to them. The event is sponsored and run by the Norbeck Meadows Civic Association (NMCA).
The format will be that all candidates may speak for 3 minutes and then will be asked to respond to 3 questions presented by the NMCA Board. Following this the audience may ask questions to any or all of the candidates. The last part consists of questions asked by the candidates to any and all of the other candidates.
In the 19th L.D. there are 8 (possibly 9) announced candidates for the three delegate seats (all but one are non-incumbents) and there are three (possibly four) candidates for State Senator (two of them incumbent delegates). This should be a an interesting evening!
Letter to County Council on Planning Board Chairmanship
Art Brodsky sent a letter to the Montgomery County Council regarding the Planning Board chairmanship. It is not an official GOCA document, but is posted in the interest of keeping Olney informed.
Shaare Tefila Groundbreaking
Shaare Tefila Congregation, a 55-year old egalitarian and participatory Conservative Jewish religious body now located in the White Oak neighborhood of Silver Spring, has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony on June 4 at 11:30 a.m., at its future home, 16620 Georgia Avenue in Olney, Maryland. The groundbreaking ceremony is certain to be an exciting, historical event, one officially launching the creation of Shaare Tefila’s new house of worship (the third in its 55-year old history).
Light refreshments also will be served. Ample seating and nearby parking will be available. For further information about the event, please contact Lanny Plotkin of the Shaare Tefila Groundbreaking Committee at 301-949-6028 or 301-785-2322.
Olney Days Contest Results
Results of most of the Olney Days contests are now on the Olney Days web page. You can also view a picture gallery of the Car & Truck Show and Parade.
Olney Days! May 19-21
Olney
Days 2006 is just around the corner, and has it's own website at
OlneyDays.goca.org. Check it
out!
We want to remind people to join us at Farquhar Middle School on Friday night for some Swing Dancing (beginning at 9:30 pm) to the sounds of the Olney Jazz Troupe as the conclusion of our kick-off event, following the Mr. & Ms Olney Contest (7 pm), and a concert by the Olney Community Band (8:30 pm).
We have added both a Tennis Fun and Games Day (4:00-6:00 pm) and a Pasta Eating Contest (5:30 pm) to all the activities at the Fun Fair and Fireworks at Olney Manor Park on Saturday. You can register for both at the Park that afternoon.
You can find the schedule for events, volunteer opportunities, download forms, and sign up for contests on our Olney Days pages, OlneyDays.goca.org.
Candidate Forums -- The First is May 18
GOCA and the Olney Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a series of forums in May for the candidates for County Council in District 2 and District 4 and for County Executive. The first one is Thursday, May 18, at 8 p.m. at the Sandy Spring Museum, for candidates for County Council District 4, represented by Marilyn Praisner.
Summary of May 9 Meeting
A summary of the May 9, 2006 meeting has been posted.
Agenda for May 9 Meeting
The agenda for the May 9 meeting has been posted and features presentations by the remaining three developers who submitted proposals for the Bowie Mill Site.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
Summary of April 11 Meeting
A summary of the April 11 meeting has been posted.
Candidate Forums
GOCA and the Olney Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a series of
forums in May for the candidates for
County Council in District 2 and District 4 and for County
Executive.
District 2 is the seat currently held by Mike Knapp, and District 4 is currently represented by Marilyn Praisner.
The forums will be open to all candidates of both parties. Here are the times and places:
District 4: May 18, Sandy Spring Museum, 8 p.m.
District 2: May 22, Meeting Room, Buffington Bldg., 7:30 p.m.
County Executive: May 24, Meeting Room, Buffington Bldg., 7:30 pm.
Reply from County Council
GOCA received a reply from County Council Chairman George Levanthal regarding sand mounds in the Ag Reserve.
Agenda for Meeting on April 11, 2006
The agenda for the April 11 meeting has been revised. The presentations on the 32 acre site on Bowie Mill Road have been confirmed. Presentations will be made by Winchester Homes and Kirby Development, along with the presentation on MGH's expansion plans.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
Art Show / Fundraiser Benefit
Featuring fine art works by Miki Fernandez and other area artists to help raise funds for The Ron S. Tadmor Special Needs Trust.
Ron Tadmor is a 16-year-old Sherwood High student who was seriously injured in a car accident on February 4, 2006. The purpose of the benefit is to help raise funds for The Ron S. Tadmor Special Needs Trust to supplement Ron’s anticipated extensive and lengthy rehabilitation program at the National Rehabilitation Center in Washington, DC.
Raffle tickets will also be sold for hourly free giveaways of art work and gift certificates from local businesses.
Date: Sunday, June 11, 2006
Time: 2-8 PM
Location: Bnai Shalom of Olney, 18401 Burtfield Drive, Olney
For more information, please contact Rochelle Fernandez at Rferna3357 -at- aol -dot- com.
Agenda for Meeting on April 11, 2006
The agenda for the April 11 meeting has been posted. The meeting will feature An Update on Montgomery General Hospital's Planned Expansion by Peter Monge, President, MGH.
An additional presentation on the 32 acre site on Bowie Mill Road is scheduled but not yet confirmed.
The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
GOCA Comments on ICC FEIS
GOCA president John Lyons has sent a letter to the State Highway Administration with GOCA's comments on the ICC Final Environmental Impact Study.
Olney Days: Joe's Ride and Parade Application
Registration form for Joe's Ride is now available.
Olney Days Parade application is now available.
Coming soon ... our Olney Days website!
Summary of March 14 Meeting
A summary of the March 14 meeting has been posted.
Agenda for Meeting on March 14, 2006
The agenda for the March14 meeting has been posted. The meeting will feature a special presentation by GUIDE Youth Services in Olney. The meeting is at 7:45 pm in the Community Room of the Buffington RE/MAX Building, 3300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.
2005 GOCA Awards
The Awards Ceremony to present the 2005 GOCA Awards was held on Sunday, March 5 at the Longwood Recreation Center. See more pictures on the GOCA Awards page.
Pictured: Khalid Afzal, John Kramer, Anthony Watkins, Barbara Falcigno, Kelsey Rood, Bob Gill, Art Brodsky.
2006 Membership Forms
The 2006 membership letter and form are now online in PDF format. (Alternate format available on the How to Join page.) Please download and take to your homeowners' association meeting for consideration.