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Stories from the NFCCA Newsletter, the “Northwood News” |
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Stories from the NFCCA Newsletter, the “Northwood News” |
Usually this is the time of year NFCCA begins to wind down, as we break for summer after the June meeting. But with several events coming up (pool party, creek cleanup, and Neighborhood Night Out), important items coming up before the County Council, and numerous elected offices up for grabs, it feels like there is a lot going on.
I have been watching the budget process closely to be sure the CIP change went through for North Four Corners Park. As promised, the Council ordered Park and Planning to come back in two years and present it with several well-developed alternatives for North Four Corners Park (including a no-soccer field option). Park and Planning must also report on updated field needs estimates as well as possible alternative sites for soccer fields.
Following the budget process for several months has been quite a learning process. To begin with, I was amazed at the size of the county budget (about four billion dollars). This is larger than the budget for the whole state of Delaware. Secondly, I was surprised at the level of detail discussed by the County Council. Council committees can and do examine individual projects and programs that form a minuscule part of the budget. Council members often request more information from county agencies.
On many budget items, the Council receives little or no public testimony. In these situations, it can be surprisingly easy for citizens to affect the outcome by supporting or opposing an item. In other cases, where well-financed and heavily publicized interests are involved, or where an agency has simply dug in its heels, it can require a long and grueling effort to effect any change at all.
This year has been a banner year for citizen action, as the issues of Clarksburg and the Seven Locks School brought to light many problems that, to be addressed, will require fundamental change in the way county agencies do business. While the North Four Corners Park issue may not have received that level of attention, our struggles have also revealed some fundamental agency flaws. In fact, our experience is not uncommon, but most communities going through something like this don’t realize they are not alone.
The Council has taken a number of positive actions this year (green building legislation, a Low Impact Development grant program, placing greater restrictions on building height and accessory buildings). Still, the Council will have much work to do between now and the end of their terms, including looking at the Lands Parks and Preservation Plan, the county’s water quality permit, and choosing a new Planning Board Chairman.
You may not have time to attend all the Council meetings, but you can see them on live TV Channel 6, or listen to them by dialing 240.773.3377. You can testify at hearings and make your wishes known through letters or emails. And, of course, it’s very important you vote.
And speaking of voting, when NFCCA reconvenes in October it will once again be time to elect board members. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the board members (as well as our newsletter editor) for their outstanding service. It has been a great pleasure to work with such dynamic individuals. If anyone is interested in serving, please let Jacquie Bokow [contact details redacted] know and she will pass it on to the nominating committee. ■
© 2006 NFCCA [Source: https://nfcca.org/news/nn200606b.html]