Chevy Chase View Town Council

COUNCIL OF CHEVY CHASE VIEW Monthly Meeting Date: November 15,2023 Place: Hybrid Meeting held at 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 103 Present: Ed Tarbutton, Chair; Paula Fudge, Peter Marks, and Nancy Somerville, Council members Ron Bolt, Legal Counsel for the Town (appearing remotely), Denise Hitt, Deputy Town Manager Others Present: Ron Sherrow, 4013 Glenridge Street Kathleen Malloy 4024 Franklin Street (appearing remotely) Bob Diss and Aliesha Scarlett of Lindsey & Associates (appearing remotely) Call Meeting to Order: 7:00 p.m. by Ed Tarbutton, Chair Approval of Minutes of October 17, 2023, Monthly Council Meeting and Clark Azar Presentation: Paula Fudge moved the minutes of the October 17, 2023, Monthly Council Meeting, and the minutes of the October 17,2023 Clark Azar presentation be approved. Nancy Somerville seconded the motion and it passed with a 4-0 vote. Financial Report for Period October 1, 2023 – October 31, 2023: Pete Marks moved that the financial report for the period October 1, 2023, to October 31, 2023, be accepted. Nancy Sommerville seconded the motion and it passed with a 4-0 vote. Council Member Walk: Paula Fudge conducted the monthly Council member walk, with no issues to report. It was noted that the Stop Work Order at 9807 Connecticut Avenue enforcement is overseen by Montgomery County. Ratify Town Permit #572-10002 – Fence – 4213 Glenridge Street (Manion): Nancy Somerville moved that Town permit #572-10002 be ratified. Pete Marks seconded the motion and it passed with a 4- 0 vote.  CCV Building Permit Summary for November 2023 Permits Issued after Administrative Approval: • Ratify Town Permit #572-10002 – Fence - 4213 Glenridge Street (Manion, Applied 10/30/23 approved 11/14/23. Approved applications awaiting issuance of Town permit: • 9910 Kensington Parkway (Noce/Lucas) – Driveway expansion - Applied 5/3/23, approved 5/17/23, revising. Stop Work Order for Unpermitted Construction: • 9807 Connecticut Avenue (Guzman) Second-story addition, rear addition, fence Town of CCV Stop Work Order Posted – 3/21/23 Montgomery County Stop Work Order Posted – 3/22/23 Active and open permit construction projects: • 9819 Connecticut Avenue (Spry) Rear addition including basement - Applied 6/1/22, approved 6/15/22, issued 7/12/22, extended to 2/19/24 • 9901 Connecticut Avenue (Nix-Gomez) – Sunroom, mudroom entry, expand second floor bedroom, raise roof of third- floor level attic space – Applied 12/24/21, approved 2/26/22, issued 8/30/22, extended to 2/19/24 • 4028 Franklin Street (Haynos/Moyse) Screen porch with gas fireplace and deck – Applied 3/16/23, approved 5/17/23, issued 06/05/23 Closed projects since the October 2023 Council meeting: • 4109 Glenridge Street (Keenan) Screen porch – Applied 4/10/22, approved 5/18/22, issued 7/15/22, extended to 02/15/24, closed 11/16/23 • 10007 Connecticut Avenue (Hughes) – Driveway removal and replaced with two patios, stairs to second-story screen porch – Applied 02/02/23, approved with conditions 04/19/23, issued 7/27/23, closed 11/20/23 FY23 Audit Report: Lindsey & Associates, CCV’s auditing firm, reported that the State-mandated municipal audit for FY23 has been completed and filed with the Department of Legislative Services before the October 31, 2023, deadline. The following statement was issued by Lindsey & Associates: “In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the governmental activities and each major fund of the Town of Chevy Chase View as of June 30, 2023, and the respective changes in financial position thereof for the year then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America”. The Council discussed the report with Bob Diss and Aliesha Scarlett of Lindsey & Associates (appearing remotely) who answered questions posed by the Council. Mr. Diss noted that the general fund increased by $518,736 for FY23 ending June 30, 2023. This increase was attributed in large part to an increase in the income taxes and interest earnings. Mr. Diss further acknowledged Jana Coe’s dedication and contributions to the work on this audit and over the past many years. Paula Fudge moved that the Council accept the FY23 Audit by Lindsey & Associates. Nancy Somerville seconded the motion, and it passed by a 4-0 vote. WSSC Kensington Parkwood II Water Main Replacement Project: This project will replace/repair 4.9 miles of water mains on roads in Chevy Chase View and Parkwood. The two streets affected in CCV are Everett and Glenridge from Connecticut Avenue to Cedar Lane for a combined 4,910 feet of water main replacement. WSSC estimates 90-120 days to complete the work. The water service may be interrupted for a few hours while the new main is being connected. Residents will receive notice at least 48 hours prior to any planned interruption. Upon completion of the project, both roads will be repaved. WSSC is in the process of selecting the contractor for the project. Once the contractor is determined, work should begin within two months. WSSC, along with the chosen contractor, will hold a hybrid community meeting to explain the process in greater detail and to answer any questions. Update on Franklin Street and Saul Road Gas Main Replacement: Saul Road: The final stage of installing the speed humps and stripping should be completed by Wednesday, 11/22. Franklin Street: All roadwork is completed. Other Continued Business: Nancy Somerville asked that the Town address the composting program that was discussed and approved in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for a one-year pilot program wherein the Town will pay 50% of the monthly fee for all Town residents who sign up for the composting service. Resident Concerns and Contributions: Kathleen Malloy of 4024 Franklin Street joined remotely for clarification on necessary permitting required by Verizon to fix the broken conduit cable damaged by the contractors performing the road work. Verizon provided the Montgomery County permit and as there was no significant work in the Town’s right-of-way, a Town permit was not required. Service was restored and the work is concluded. Renewal of Lindsey & Associates Contract through 2026: Paula Fudge moved that the Council approve the Lindsey & Associates contract renewal through 2026 with a two-year option. Nancy Somerville seconded the motion, and it passed by a 4-0 vote. Ecology Service Refuse Change Order #1: Effective 7/1/23, Montgomery County Transfer Station raised their rates from $60 per ton to $70 per ton for refuse. The pro rata increase in the refuse service is $0.64 per unit/$17.86 per month resulting in a total increase of $200.32 per month. The FY24 annual refuse fee was $64,684 and with the increase it will be $67,087.80. Paula Fudge moved that the Council approve the contract Refuse Change Order #1 for Ecology Service. Pete Marks seconded the motion, and it passed by a 4-0 vote. Other New Business: The Council reflected that the November 2023 minutes rightfully conclude with a generous thank you to our Town Manager, Jana Coe, for her dedicated leadership over the last thirty-three (33) years. Jana’s exemplary management and hard work is embodied by our strong community. The Council stated Jana’s tireless efforts day in and day out are appreciated by all. There is no question that the Town has benefited tremendously from Jana’s efforts for so many years, creating stability, consistency, and excellence in all the Town’s services. Jana Coe officially retires as Town Manager of Chevy Chase View on December 1, 2023. The depth and many layers of her role as Town Manager are immeasurable. Honoring our Town Manager in a thoughtful manner that truly encapsulates all that Jana has done for the Town is something the Council does not take lightly. Please join us in wishing Jana a long, enjoyable, and well-earned retirement! Motion to Adjourn: At 7:45 p.m., Pete Marks moved that the meeting be adjourned. Nancy Somerville seconded the motion and it passed with a 4-0 vote. Time and Place of Next Meeting: The Council will meet for the next monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, at 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 103, Kensington, MD 20895. Respectfully submitted, Denise Hitt, Deputy Town Manager General Interest and Reminders Leaf Removal ends December 31, 2023: Hughes Landscaping, Inc. will remove all leaves on a weekly basis, weather permitting, until December 31, 2023. Please do not mix your grass clippings with the leaves at the curb. Leaves are to be placed at curbside and made accessible for truck pickup. Sticks, trash, rocks, and other rubbish will not be collected and should be bagged for normal trash pickup. Leaves should not be shredded or bagged. For the residents on Connecticut Avenue, Cedar Lane, Kensington Parkway and Saul Road, your leaves will also be picked up weekly. For liability reasons, do not place leaves on our sidewalks. If you do not have a sidewalk, please rake your leaves as close to the street as possible. Bulk Pick-Up - The next monthly bulk pick-up is scheduled on Saturday, December 2, 2023. As a reminder, heavy refuse includes major appliances (must have Freon removed), furniture, large toys, bicycles, and plumbing fixtures. Excluded are batteries, propane tanks, bricks, general construction debris and iron pipes. Please have your items at the curb by 7:00 AM on Saturday as the truck comes through early. Application for Building Permit – Building Permit Applications for consideration at the December 20, 2023, meeting must be submitted to the Town Manager by 5:00 p.m. on December 6, 2023. Please note that the review may take several days, and an application is not considered completed until the Town Permit Administrator-Municipal Engineer concludes his review. Please contact Denise Hitt, Deputy Town Manager, at denisehitt@chevychaseviewmd.gov or by calling 301-949-9274. Recycling of Cardboard Boxes: Ecology Services, the Town’s recycling contractor, has again asked us to remind residents to break down cardboard boxes and place them in a pile next to your recycling Toter on Tuesdays. If residents can take the time to break these boxes down, there is more capacity for collection and the crew members do not need to spend extra minutes in front of a home chucking boxes into the back of recycling truck. Thank you. Find Your Home’s Flood Factor: Residents can enter their address at the following website https://riskfactor.com/ to ascertain the address's susceptibility to flooding based on past floods, current risks, and future projections. Please note that this data does not incorporate individual property drainage systems but looks at the broader geographical area’s susceptibility to flooding. More information can be found at https://chevychaseviewmd.gov/2022/09/23/montgomery-county-has-a- new-flood-website/. Unleashed Dogs: Many residents are expressing increasing concern about unleashed dogs in the Town. Dog owners are reminded of the following provisions in the Montgomery County Code, Chapter 5, related to Animals and Public Nuisance: Animal Trespass (Montgomery County Code, Sec. 5-203(a)(3)) - “An owner must not allow an animal to enter private property without the property owner’s permission. ($100 fine). Any dog is at large if it is outside the owner’s premises and not leashed, unless it is a service dog, is in a dog exercise area designated by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission or is participating in an approved activity.” ($100 fine for first offense; $500 fine for each subsequent violation). Unwanted Contact - “The pet owner must prevent unwelcome or unsolicited threatening physical contact or close proximity to a person or a domestic animal that occurs outside the owner’s property that may cause alarm in a reasonable person, such as biting, chasing, tracking, inhibiting movement, or jumping.” ($500 fine). You are reminded to clean up after your dog and place the bag in your own trash container for disposal by the Ecology Services’ crew. PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE COMMUNICATION OPTIONS FOR TOWN RESIDENTS ONLY 1. Sign Up for eTown Mailings: You can receive the monthly CCV Council meeting minutes and other Council messages and important announcements from the Town Manager. This does not replace the CCV listserv. Go to the CCV website – on the front page click “For Residents” - choose the box that says “e-Town Mailings”. Add your address in the space at the bottom of the page and click “Go.” This will take you to the website of our partner, Constant Contact. Follow the directions on the screen to complete your registration. After you have completed these steps, you will receive an email confirming your registration. You can register as many email addresses as you like for your household, but you must use the link on the website page and enter each recipient individually. 2. Town Directory and Members Only Access: The Town publishes a Resident Directory in early Fall each year. In addition, this Resident Directory is available online, when you sign up for “Members Only” access to the Resident Directory. Go to https://chevychaseviewmd.gov/ registration/ to sign up. When you register for access, the online Resident Directory will be updated to include the information you provide. If you are new to the Town, we would like to add you to the Town’s online Resident Directory. Then, when the annual directory is reprinted in the Fall, your information will be included in the printed version as well. The Town Manager administers online access accounts and formally activates residents’ accounts. You will receive an email with instructions once approved. We take your privacy seriously and have done everything possible to bring this useful content to you in a secure manner. 3. Listserv – Please consider becoming a member of the CCV listserv by emailing ChevyChaseViewNet+subscribe@groups.io