October 2007

October is here. The weather is beautiful and the bay is spectacular.  If you are a boater (sail or power) then October is Boat Show month.  If you're not, then it's just the time when Annapolis goes crazy and a trip downtown just isn't worth the frustration.  Instead of fighting downtown traffic, take a walk to our community beach.  The new benches are in, along with the dedication plaques.  They look really great. 

I drove by when one of the dedication/memorial services was being held.  There were about 20 people standing around a new bench remembering the loved one it was dedicated to.  The person who dedicated the bench in memory of her daughter had called me a few days before to thank me for my wonderful idea of allowing residents to dedicate benches at the beach.  I had to tell her that I had absolutely nothing to do with it.  The person to thank for making this all possible is Lee Ann Havard.  Her hard work, along with a few others on the Beach Committee, has meant a lot to so many people in our community.

The Beach Restoration Project plan is moving along.  John Flood made a presentation at the August board meeting laying out his vision for the beach as a "living shoreline".  He will be at the November General Meeting to present his report to the membership.  The preliminary plan was well received by the board.  It includes rock breakwaters just off shore that will cause the sand to naturally restore the beach.  make sure to attend the meeting on November 8 to have a chance to ask questions and make your opinion known to the board.

The November General Meeting will be a big event.  In addition to the Beach Restoration Project presentation, we will ask the membership to give preliminary approval to the Special Tax budget for FY 2009 that starts next July.  As if that wasn't enough, we will also have our election for the Board of Directors.  We have an election every year.  Members of the board serve two year terms.  We elect officers and directors in alternating years.  This year we will be electing directors.  There are seven director positions that will be filled.  If you are interested in running, please contact our Elections Committee chairperson, Ted Shepherd.  You can leave a message for Ted at our 24 hour voice mail number, 410-263-4456 or email him at nominations@hillsmereshores.net.

I stopped by the community yard sale at the beach last weekend.  It was a great day and there were a lot of people selling and buying.  It was a great community event.  There was also a table set up to accept donations for the Hillsmere Charity Drive.  This was organized by the Hillsmere Play Group, a Mom's Club that has been active in our community for about four years.  The donations, of specific items, are being delivered to several charities that meet the needs of families that are facing difficult times.  This is the second year the Mom's Club has had a collection and I think it's a wonderful thing to do.  By the way, if you are a parent with young children, they would love to have you come to their play group and other activities.  Contact Angie Carroll at 410-263-4456 for more information.  Angie is also the chairperson of the Membership/Welcoming Committee.  You can email her at membership@hillsmereshores.net.

Mark Jones has been hard at work as the new chairperson of Piers & Harbors.  At the last board meeting, he reported that he has been getting quotes for an electronic gate for the marina.  This would be a great idea and would solve a lot of problems.  It would use the existing swing gate but it would be opened after hours with a card that was just held up to a sensor.  During the day, the gate would automatically stay open.  It would automatically close after dark.  Another nice feature would be that it would let a car out if it was inside when the gate closed.  The cost is remarkably affordable and it would be entirely paid for by the marina slip income, not Special Tax.  We may also look into having a similar gate for the boat ramp.  These would be a great improvement for our community.

When I was in elementary school, we would have drills.  The siren would go off and we'd have to get under our desks.  In those days, the danger was a nuclear bomb.  Kids today are doing the same thing, but the danger is a shooter in the school yard.  I don't know which is more insane.  I mention this because the Key School is entering the 21st century.  They will be installing a siren to conform to what are called "crisis management protocols."  They will be having "round up" drills several times a year to train staff and students on how to get everyone inside quickly and secure the buildings.  The first drill will be this month.

Well, that's all for now.  I have to save some ideas for the next Sea Breeze that will be out in a few weeks.  Our issues usually come out in the middle of the month, but November's issue needs to be out early.  The next issue will have the election ballot and the proposed Special Tax budget.  See you at the General Meeting on November 8 at 7:00pm in the Key School Multi-Purpose Building.