Four Maryland 20878 writers win APEX 2007 …on the estate of Otis Beall Kent. His mansion is now...

Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

Kentlands — Lakelands — Quince Orchard — North Potomac — and Beyond

Maryland 20878™ magazine began as Kentlands Dot Us which focused on Kentlands. We rapidly acquired both readers and contributors from Lakelands and added both the Market Square area as well as Lakelands to our coverage areas. As we have now added Gaithersburg city news, we have expanded.

Kentlands is a neo-traditional, or new urbanist, community. The community design is based on the concept that the most pleasant living environments were nineteenth century villages in which homes were grouped around a town center with shops, community buildings, and schools. New urbanism has developed architectural communities going back to this design.

Lakelands is a similar, and neighboring, community built on property which was also once owned by Otis Beal Kent. Lakelands has its own distinct character. Both communities are within walking distance of restaurants, grocery stores, and shops.

Kentlands and Lakelands were built on the estate of Otis Beall Kent. His mansion is now the cultural arts center for Gaithersburg, Maryland. The barn, which is now the Arts Barn, houses a rich center for community

Four Maryland 20878™

writers win APEX 2007 Awards

including a Grand Award!

New Restaurant Reviews

Editorial―Gaithersburg’s Master Plan Process

● Feature Series: Part V We talk with Eileen Schlichting

Columns―

● Charles Sullivan—Lazy Days, Crazy Days

● Grace Maciolek's Destination column—Milwaukee – Friendly Folks on a Great Lake

Commentary―

● Marien Helz—Growing Up in Gaithersburg: Dogs and I’m-so-Fine-the-Law-Doesn’t-Apply- to-Me People

● Terry Brennan―Scenes of Great Falls

Viewpoints―

● Louis Solomon—The Language Corps —Reprise

Gaithersburg News:

● Gaithersburg Earns Inaugural “Banner City/Town” Designation from Maryland Municipal League

● Volunteers Sought for Ad Hoc Skate Units Committee

● Safe Speed Program Up and Running in the City of Gaithersburg

Check OUT:

The Mortgage Vault, Inc. Relocating! See Building Sale

Charles Sullivan, Realtor

England Custom Furniture Direct

Inspiration Original Paintworks

Great Novels! Thriller Tales

Tri-State Home Services Heating and Cooling

Floor Stiles

Vasilis Mediterranean Grill

Suburbia Home

Get your own Domain Name

Word Worth

Advertise in Maryland 20878—Contact Us about our Current Ad

Sales

Articles:

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Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

theater and artists' workspace as well as offices and a pleasant shop selling the works of local artists. The former barn loft is now a 99-seat theater for the performing arts. Kentlands is thought to be the largest and most successful neo-traditional project in North America.

Kentlands Dot Us focuses primarily on Kentlands, while KentLakes™ adds Lakelands, and Maryland 20878™ is the over-all publication with city news and information for the area covered by the 20877 and 20878 zip codes. We thank our readers and advertisers for their interest which has led to our expansion.

● Gaithersburg Hosts 69th Annual Labor Day Parade

● The Art League of Germantown Exhibits at Kentlands Mansion

● City Hall Gallery Presents “Dual Views: Shape and Forms in Urban Development” by Heaton, Lewis

● First Two Art Trains Come on Board in Gaithersburg

● Wild Life and Rabies Clinic● Vendors Sought for Fall Baby Bazaar

and Flea Market

● Lakelands Resident, Penelope Taft, Promoted by Nikken

● CITY ELECTION SET FOR NOVEMBER 6

● Main Street Farmers Market in Full Swing

● Volunteers Sought for 69th Annual Labor Day Parade

● July Educational Workshops Planned for Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District Charrette

● Sculptures, Watercolors by Pincus, Penland on Display at Arts Barn Gallery

● Gaithersburg Announced Fourth Quarter FY 2007 Employee, Team Awards

● City Receives Awards for Publication Excellence

● Gaithersburg Announces Employee, Team of the Year Award Winners

Maryland 20878™ g Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and CitygV. I i .11

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Columns - Maryland 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™ - Kentlands, Lakelands, and Beyond;

Quarterly

Milwaukee – Friendly Folks on a Great Lake

By Graceann Maciolek

Lots of people head to Chicago for leisure travel, and I don’t blame them – the Windy City is chock full of museums, culture and fun things to do. If you have the time, however, it is well worth a visit just 90 minutes North, to Milwaukee,

Wisconsin. I spent a few days exploring Milwaukee and its environs recently, and had an absolutely marvelous time.

I happened to visit during a quiet week in March, and my fiancé and I had the City almost to ourselves. It was wonderful to be able to take our time at the sites and not have to jostle for position. The weather was sublime, too – fabulously sunny and hovering in the mid-fifties.

Pabst Mansion – Victorian Elegance in the Heart of Downtown

Monthly

Lazy Days, Crazy Days

By Charles Sullivan, ABR, CRS, GRI, MBA

One not need visit the Artic to witness the changing habitat of polar bears to understand that global warming is real and it is here. What else could possibly explain all of the outright goofy news stories we have been reading lately?

It must be the heat. The summer of 2007 will be known as a hot one. And a crazy one.

In no particular order I present to you incidents far and wide of heat-induced crazy behavior, some “intentional,” some “consequential.”

This past spring the Montgomery County Council devised a nifty plan to raise $700,000 to help fund a $2 billion annual spending orgy by tinkering with parking-meter hours in down county business districts. Hundreds of merchants and citizens screamed so loudly the Council decided to seek those nickels and dimes elsewhere. Council members were certainly feeling the heat, atmospheric or otherwise.

At least Ike Leggett’s air conditioning is working. As County Executive, he has recommended the rejection of a Planning Board proposal to raise the county recordation tax on real estate transfers by 62.3%. The state of Maryland and Montgomery County collectively impose some of the stiffest taxes on homebuyers and homesellers in the United States. The County Council will likely hear from many irate REALTORS, mortgage lenders, title attorneys, and builders next month when it considers the issue.

On the national front, American Home Mortgage, the nation’s ninth largest home lender, and one noted for

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Columns - Maryland 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™ - Kentlands, Lakelands, and Beyond;

First on our agenda was the legendary Pabst Mansion. Back when Wisconsin Avenue, the main street into and out of Downtown Milwaukee, was called “Grand” Avenue, there were more than 30 mansions of distinction along this stretch. Five now remain, and of those, only the Pabst is open as a museum house. Beautifully maintained and continually restored as funds are raised, it is a stunning sight ... click to continue

Quarterly July © 2007 Maryland 20878™

not making sub-prime loans, filed for bankruptcy this week, leaving some 7,000+ employees out of work and $800 million in unfunded loan commitments on the table. Thousands of borrowers now have to scramble for replacement mortgage financing. The sellers are probably a bit hot too.

However, one happy camper ... click to continue

Monthly August © 2007 Maryland 20878™

Maryland 20878™ g Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City

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Monthly

Growing Up In Gaithersburg

Dogs and I’m-so-Fine-the-Law-Doesn’t-Apply- to-Me People

By Marien Helz

Dogs: wonderful creatures! They are often called “Man’s Best Friend.” More than that, they’re a child’s best friend: a companion capable of a childlike empathy that people often

lose when they cross the threshold to adulthood. Stories are told of dogs saving

children’s lives, and we know that this has happened many times. Unfortunately, there is also the dark side. Many children have also been injured and killed by dogs, sometimes by their family’s own pets.

Animals don’t come pre-trained in most cases, and the further away we get from the farm where most people grew up a century ago, the more often people who acquire pets have little understanding of the appropriate way to interact with them. As often as not, a dog becomes a child substitute for empty-nesters or for those who don’t want the life-time commitment that human children are. Just as

Quarterly

Scenes of Great Falls—Photographic Essay

By Terry Brennan

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there is a wide spectrum of parents ranging from good ones to horrid ones, dog owners reflect the same range. Intelligent parents know that spoiling children does them great harm and sets them up for a lifetime of difficult inter-personal relationships. Bad dog owners don’t have quite the same problem. Their little mutts can be quite obnoxious without incurring reprisals, until, that is, they become too out of control and injure someone.

When I was growing up in Gaithersburg, there were fewer laws governing how people should care for pets. Civic opinion was that people, being rational beings, would show proper control of pets. For the most part, that worked, but it didn’t work often enough to give rise to laws governing responsibility for animals under a person’s ownership.

I’ve never understood how people could not care that their dog ruined the quality of life for their neighbors. I’ve also never understood why it is that a dog barking for hours between 1:00 and 5:00 in the morning keeps everyone in the neighborhood awake—EXCEPT for their owners! Or even in the afternoon: why is it that a dog barking on the front porch for hours keeps everyone but their owners from being able to concentrate on their work? If that had been the riddle of the Sphinx, even Oedipus would not have been able to figure it out.

I had next door neighbors who used to go away for vacation and leave their dogs home with the windows opened and someone coming in to feed them. Anything would set those dogs off, and they would bark for hours all night long. They kept my daughter awake all night the day before she was to have oral surgery and desperately needed her sleep. Talking to the owners was like talking to the wind. They looked at us with a blank gaze as though we said, “What nice weather we’re having.” After twelve years of that, we finally called the police when the dogs were barking incessantly late at night. Fortunately, there are laws against disturbing the peace because of people just like them.

Far worse are owners who allow their dogs to confront or attack people without intervening at all. When I was in the third grade, I walked home from school along Brookes Avenue. As I was passing a house, people were sitting on the porch and their pooch came after me barking. I had Hoppalong Cassidy boots with little rubber spurs on them. The dog actually bit my foot while the owners simply watched. The boots, fortunately, meant that the dog didn’t injure me, but it bit off the spur of one of the boots. The people continued to sit there, doing nothing.

When my sister was about eleven years old, she was riding her bicycle down Park Avenue when a dog ran into the street and bit her on the leg, breaking the skin.

When my parents moved to Meadowview Drive after their retirement, I went down to the community lake with my



children and came back before they did when two dogs started attacking me. One attacked from behind and the other in front. Every time I turned around, the one in back would run up until I swung my jacket at it. The owners were a mere twenty feet away washing their car and ignoring everything until I demanded, “Call off your dogs!”

“Oh, they won’t bite,” the dunce of a dog owner replied. Only an idiot would not understand that that was their intention. Anyone that ignorant of animal behavior should not be allowed to own dogs.

Because of people like that, leash laws have been passed to prevent those irresponsible pet owners from endangering the neighborhood. Yet, the irresponsible are irrepressible.

A year or so ago, I was sitting by Inspiration Lake, enjoying a fine Spring morning before going to a meeting when a woman came jogging by with her dog. The dog was too special to be on the required leash. He jumped up on me, ruining my clothes which I had to then change before the meeting. ... click to continue



Maryland 20878® g Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City

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Viewpoints - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

Monthly

Four Maryland 20878™ writers win APEX 2007 Awards including a Grand Award!

Marien Helz has been awarded the APEX 2007 Grand Award in the category Writing for the writing series, Growing Up in Gaithersburg published in Maryland

20878™

. The series covers a wide span of topics ranging from being a “paper boy” in the 1950s to a Gaithersburg child who put himself in “Grave Danger” playing in the street in 2006. The articles are inspired by events in Helz’s years growing up, and nearly always have the phrase, “growing up in Gaithersburg,” somewhere in the column. Helz won an Apex Award of Excellence 2005 for an editorial published in Word Worth®—World magazine of Ideas and the Arts in 2004.

Charles Miess won an Apex Award of Excellence for his column, “Superlatives Grow as the Standards Go” published in the July 2006 issue of Maryland 20878. This is Miess’s fifth Apex award (two received this year), with his first being a Grand Award for “A Journey into Darkness” published in Word Worth® in August, 2003. The Apex judges had this to say about Miess’s Grand Award column: “What a beautiful story, riveting, with powerful imagery and a warm, inviting style that draws you in and won't let you go. A marvelous example of wordcraft.”

Graceann Maciolek, another 20878 columnist, has also won an Apex Award of Excellence for a column published in Word Worth in May of 2006. In that column, Maciolek writes about her mother who died when Maciolek was just twenty-two years old. Maciolek’s column is extremely moving without a trace of sentimentality.

M. H. Perry, editor of Maryland 20878, has also received an Apex Award for an editorial published in Word Worth, “Rediscovering Rupert Brooke.”

APEX 2007—the 19th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence—is an international competition that recognizes outstanding publications from newsletters and magazines to annual reports, brochures and Web sites.

Monthly

The Language Corps-Reprise

by Louis P. Solomon

Last month I had the enjoyable task of writing to you about the National Security Education Program and the developing program called The Language Corps. The importance of The Language Corps to the national ability to deal with human problems throughout the world cannot be overstated. It seemed to me that interested readers might wish to know a little more about this remarkable effort being launched and directed by the Department of Defense through the National Security Education Program and implemented by General Dynamics as a contractor who won a public competitive contract.

In a press release issued by the Department of Defense on 8 May 2007, information was provided about the details of the concept, as well as the methods which were going to be used to build and test the Pilot Program of The Language Corps over the next three years. The Department of Defense has a comprehensive language road map which is part of the President's National Security Language Initiative. The Language Corps is an integral part of these programs. The Language Corps will be an entirely civilian organization within the Department of Defense. That in itself is very unusual, and has caused some interesting bureaucratic problems that have been solved, albeit with some effort.

The Department of Defense has long time experience in building programs. To start a new program is always difficult. They have found over the last two centuries that trying any concept out on a small scale is the easiest and cheapest way to try the concept, find the mistakes or errors, fix them, and then, when all seems to be working right, expand the program to full scale.

“The Department is confident that a successful Language

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The initial selection process for the Apex Awards involves writers, editors, publishers, and agencies selecting their very best work to submit for awards. From approximately 5000 entries, judges select the works which they deem to represent excellence in graphic design, editorial content, writing, and the success of the entry in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence. Only about a third meet the high standards set by the judges for an Award of Excellence. Of those, the work of approximately two percent are considered to be of the caliber worthy of a Grand Award.

According to the APEX 2007 judges, "The awards were based on excellence in graphic design, quality of editorial content and the success of the entry in conveying the message and achieving overall communications effectiveness." Of 4916 entries this year, a total of 114 APEX Grand Awards were presented in 11 major categories to honor the outstanding works in those categories.

The APEX Awards for Publication Excellence is an annual competition for writers, editors, publications staff and business and nonprofit communicators. It is sponsored by Communications Concepts, Inc., publishers of business communication reports.

In the Nineteenth Annual APEX Awards, awards were given in 105 communications categories, in 11 main categories including: newsletters; magazines and journals; magapapers and newspapers; annual reports; brochures, manuals and reports; electronic and video publications; Web and intranet sites; campaigns, programs and plans; writing; design and illustration; and one-of-a-kind publications.

Maryland 20878™ began as Kentlands Dot Us magazine for Kentlands and quickly expanded to cover the wider surrounding region. It is published by Aurora Artisans®

LLC which also publishes Word Worth®, and KentLakes™

magazines.

July © 2007 Maryland 20878™

Corps will not only address gaps in federal preparedness, but also serve to reinforce the importance of language skills in the American population and the U.S. education system.” (Gail McGinn, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Plans)

The organization of The Language Corps Pilot Program is quite interesting. It will have approximately 1000 members, all of whom are US Citizens, drawn from all sectors of the U.S. Population. The Members of The Language Corps are all volunteers who will be activated and provide support in times of national need to those agencies needing their skills. Serving in The Language Corps is not going to be a full time job for the Members, but they will be called up as the need for their particular skills arise. They will serve in many different capacities, almost always for short periods of time. Some will be asked to serve overseas, and some will serve within the United States. During the three year Pilot Program all the issues of acquiring members, training them, testing out the procedures for sending them on missions, supporting them in the field, and returning them to their regular jobs and lives will be tested. The entire organizational structure to provide Members to the federal government agencies, and possibly State and Local organizations, will be developed, tested, modulated, and determined for implementation as part of the fully operational organization.

To become Members, the applicants will be tested and certified as having particular skill levels in one of more of 10 different languages, which range from Mandarin and Russian to Swahili and Hindi. These languages were all selected with considerable care. They range from easily found to very difficult to find within the United States. This is deliberate, since the object of the Pilot Program is to test all the procedures that will be used when, and if, The Language Corps becomes fully operational. While the final Membership and Language requirements have not seriously been considered, it has been speculated that it is possible that there may be as many as 100,000 Members with certified language skills ...click to continue

August © 2007 Maryland 20878™


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News - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

Gaithersburg Earns Inaugural “Banner City/Town” Designation from Maryland Municipal League

The City of Gaithersburg was one of 14 cities and towns in the State of Maryland to earn designation in the Maryland Municipal League’s (MML) first ever Banner City/Town Program.

The program formally recognizes those communities that have demonstrated a commitment to MML programs and activities through the involvement of their elected and appointed officials. There are five minimum requirements to earn the designation, including participation and support of the annual “If I Were Mayor” contest, support of Municipal Government Works Month, attendance at chapter meetings, participation in the annual convention and fall conference, and participation in at least one of six other service criteria. Gaithersburg was recognized as a Banner City/Town at MML’s annual convention in June, and will receive a Banner

Volunteers Sought for Ad Hoc Skate Units Committee

The City of Gaithersburg is seeking interested residents to serve on a newly formed Ad Hoc Committee for Skate Units within City Parks.

Per resolution of the Mayor and City Council, the Committee is charged with researching regional and national trends in skate parks, evaluating current facilities, recommending locations and the size, scope and components of possible skate facilities within City parks with input from the public, evaluating safety and supervision issues, and making a recommendation to the Mayor and City Council by November 1, 2007.

To be considered for appointment please send a letter of interest and a resume to Mayor Sidney Katz at Gaithersburg City Hall, 31 South

Safe Speed Program Up and Running in the City of Gaithersburg

The Safe Speed program is now operational in the City of Gaithersburg, with citations being issued for speeding violations as of July 30, 2007.

Jurisdictions within Montgomery County were granted the authority to operate the cameras by the State of Maryland in 2006. Conducted in conjunction with the City of Rockville, the Town of Chevy Chase and Montgomery County, Gaithersburg’s Safe Speed program authorizes the use of the cameras in residential and school zones with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less.

The Gaithersburg Police Department conducted traffic surveys to determine locations most in need of speed reduction efforts. Initially, photo radar enforcement will be conducted on Girard Street, Quince Orchard Boulevard, Watkins Mill Road, and West Deer Park

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City/Town flag and a perpetual plaque.

“MML has been a great resource for the City of Gaithersburg, and I’m proud that we are one of the municipalities to earn this designation,” said Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz, who was recently elected First Vice President of MML.

Other Maryland communities earning Banner City/Town designations for 2007 are Bel Air, Brentwood, Greenbelt, Havre de Grace, Laurel, Leonardtown, Middletown, Mount Airy, Mount Rainier, Perryville, Rising Sun, Somerset, and Williamsport.

MML was founded in 1936 and represents 157 municipal governments and two special taxing districts in Maryland. A voluntary, nonprofit, nonpartisan association controlled and maintained by city and town governments, MML works to strengthen the role and capacity of municipal government through research, legislation, technical assistance, training and the dissemination of information for its members.

Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877 by August 13, 2007. For more information please contact staff liaison Tim Smith at 301-258-6350.

Vendors Sought for Fall Baby Bazaar and Flea Market

Vendor registration is now open for the ever-popular City of Gaithersburg Fall Baby Bazaar and Flea Market, set for Saturday, October 20 from 8 a.m. to Noon at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, located at 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg. Admission to the public is free.

Vendors are invited to sell gently-used or new baby and children's merchandise, clothing, household items, collectibles and more. The resident cost is $20 for those selling used merchandise and $25 for those selling new merchandise. The nonresident cost is $25 for those selling used merchandise and $30 for those selling new merchandise.

Application forms are available online at www.gaithersburgmd.gov. For more information please call 301-258-6350.

Road. Additional streets will be added in the future.

The goal of the Safe Speed program is to reduce speeding on residential streets and streets near schools in an effort to prevent injuries and fatalities among pedestrians and motorists. The cameras are an additional tool available to police in speed enforcement. Officers will continue to enforce speed limits using other techniques such as hand-held radar or laser.

Detailed information about the program, including locations of photo radar enforcement efforts, instructions for paying fines and a list of frequently asked questions, is available on the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/police. For additional information contact the Gaithersburg Police Department at 301-258-6400.



Gaithersburg Hosts 69th Annual Labor Day Parade

The City of Gaithersburg celebrates the “unofficial” end of summer with its 69th Annual Labor Day Parade Monday, September 3, 2007 at 1 p.m. The parade will wind through the streets of Olde Towne Gaithersburg, including East Diamond and Russell Avenues.

Exciting participants in this year’s rain-or-shine parade include Bolivian dancers, the Tai Yim lion dancers, Bugs Bunny, Batman, Celebrity Head TV Stars, antique highwheelers, African drummers and dancers, and an assortment of fire engines, high school marching bands, giant balloons, horses, clowns and more.

Free parking is available in the Olde Towne garage, located at the corner of Olde Towne and South Summit Avenues. Handicap parking is located behind the Victor Litz store

The Art League of Germantown Exhibits at Kentlands Mansion

The Art League of Germantown presents a multi media exhibit from July 19 through September 23, 2007 at Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg. An artists’ reception, open to the public, will be held on Monday, August 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The Art League of Germantown (ALOG) is a group of visual artists and fine crafters whose backgrounds range from local to distant and exotic locales. This summer show of 24 artists reflects this rich diversity, with works in a variety of media, including photography, oil, watercolor, acrylic, and pastel.

ALOG, founded over 20 years ago, is enriched by its mission to support each member in pursuing their personal art goals. Members contribute to one another’s growth as artists during monthly art presentations, ad hoc plein air sessions and discussions of their work. Over the years the artists have often incorporated new concepts in their work that they learned from each other during these sessions. Work in this show reflects this interaction.

The artists were given the freedom to choose two of their most interesting

City Hall Gallery Presents “Dual Views: Shape and Forms in Urban

Development” by Heaton, Lewis

The City of Gaithersburg presents “Dual Views: Shapes and Forms in Urban Development,” a photography exhibit by Shannon Heaton and Gwen Lewis, on display at the Gaithersburg City Hall Gallery, 31 South Summit Avenue from August 8 through October 7, 2007.

Gwen Lewis

Working in both 35 mm and 4x5” film cameras, Gwen Lewis’ specialty is black and white documentary photography, including landscapes, architecture and people. Intrigued by texture and other elements of design, she tries to focus on the beauty of change over time as shown through the effects of light and shadow. In this exhibit, Lewis’ images focus on the shapes and forms of urban development. She continues to use film because it captures more detail than a digital camera, and she enjoys the challenges and rewards of the darkroom.



on the north side of Diamond Avenue, and behind the Shell station on South Summit Avenue. A shuttle bus will also be provided from the Lakeforest Shopping Center transit station to Gaithersburg Middle School beginning at noon.

For more information call 301-258-6350 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

pieces of work for display. The resulting two-dimensional show runs the gamut from island scenes to flamenco dancers, and from civil war paraphernalia to dreamy abstracts.

St Basil's Cathedral - Matthew Roth

For more information and viewing appointments please call Gallery Director Natalya Parris at 301-258-6394 or visit the City online at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Shannon Heaton’s photographs are a series of shots taken at the Forest Glen Seminary and surrounding areas. She finds the architecture and details surrounding the Seminary very intriguing, and has been photographing this space since high school, feeling that the statues and architecture evoke the nostalgia of an old quilt – intricate and discordant. Heaton received a BA in Art and Art History from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2004. She has been teaching both photography and drawing and design for three years, and will be attending the Maryland Institute College of Art this fall.

Shannon Heaton

For City Hall viewing hours please call Gallery Director Natalya Parris at 301-258-6394 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.



First Two Art Trains Come on Board in Gaithersburg

The first two trains in Gaithersburg’s exciting All Aboard the Art Train public art project are now out in the community, ready for viewing. Combining Gaithersburg’s railroad past, present and future with a unique program that literally brings the arts into the streets, the Art Train showcases local talent, increases the profile of Gaithersburg’s public arts program, and provides an opportunity to connect the business and cultural communities. All Aboard the Art Train is a project of the Gaithersburg Arts and Monuments Funding Corporation and the Art in Public Places Committee. Visit the Art Train website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/

arttrain for details or call 301-258-6394.

Earth and Sky Artist: Michael Griffin Kane

Sponsor: Watkins Mill Town Center Location: City Hall, 31 S. Summit Ave.

of Gaithersburg’s history. Initially upon hearing about the trains, artist Michael Griffin Kane knew that he wanted to do something that would include peonies, but then he saw a model of a caboose and was struck by it's similarity in shape to the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory.

He came to the conclusion that these two elements, one of the earth and one of the sky, along with the manmade element of the train, were in fact three very defining features of Gaithersburg’s history and character. Kane chose to decorate a locomotive, and has developed it into an intriguing collage of nature and science, while still paying homage to the trains, peonies and the Latitude Observatory, and the work that was done there.

Map of Gaithersburg Artist: Edna Searles

Sponsor and Location: Gaithersburg Inn Bed & Breakfast, 104 Russell Ave.

The caboose titled "Map of Gaithersburg" was inspired by the changing lines of the City over the years from a log town and farming community to what it is today. While the map shows NIST right in the center of the general map today, it wasn't always that way. What is now called "Olde Towne" was the center of the "diamond," and is still a thriving, exciting center area that retains its

excellent restaurants, and a music store, just to name a few. Also in the "diamond" of Gaithersburg is a branch of Montgomery College, and City Hall, with its park and outdoor theater that hosts musical diversions all summer long.

The oldest building is now a restaurant, on the corner across from the oldest drugstore, still in business, both across the street from the railroad station with its old locomotive.

Turn right on Russell Avenue to find Lakeforest Mall and Asbury Methodist Village. A restored Victorian home, now the Gaithersburg Inn, is sponsoring this train. Make a left on Walker Avenue and see a whole street of historic homes that used to sit in the "country" with cows in pastures. Take a close look at #18 Walker Avenue. This is the restored home of five former Mayors of Gaithersburg.

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The train design is called Earth and Sky, two important historical scientific elements g

traditional flavor, with antique shopping, a coin shop, g

as Paul Harvey says, "’Now you know the rest of the story,’" says artist Edna Searles.

Wild Life and Rabies Clinic

Gaithersburg might be one of the largest cities in Maryland, but our residents live in a natural environment that is home to many species of wildlife, including birds, squirrels, foxes, raccoons, deer, and more. While they may be a delight to observe, interaction with wildlife is never a good idea. The Gaithersburg Animal Control Division offers the following tips for co-existing with wildlife.

1. Do not provide food for mammals in your yard. This could cause them to behave in an unnatural or tame manner with humans, which can be dangerous for you and your family.

2. Do not leave dog or cat food outside in your yard, and make sure you do not let dog feces accumulate on your property.

3. Bird feeders can attract unwanted mammals (such as foxes). These animals will set close by to watch, then prey on the small birds and squirrels that visit the feeders.

4. Make sure you have enough cans for your garbage. Ones with lids that can be secured with tight latches or screw-on lids are the most effective. Raccoons are especially adept at removing unsecured lids.

5. Keep the drip can to your barbeque grill clean. Drippings attract larger mammals.

6. Screen your chimneys and outside vents using a quarter-inch hardware cloth. This will keep squirrels and raccoons from nesting in your chimney, and birds from nesting in your stove, bathroom and dryer vents.

7. Stack firewood away from your house. It attracts rodents and snakes.

8. Teach your children to enjoy wildlife from a distance, and teach them not to feed or touch wild animals.

9. It is never advisable to let a pet outside when you are not home, or allow them to roam the neighborhood. Many unsupervised dogs and cats are injured by wildlife. Unfortunately there have been an increasing number of free roaming cats killed by foxes over the past several years.

10. Make sure your dogs and cats are current with their rabies vaccinations. If your unvaccinated pet is injured by



a wild animal, Maryland law mandates that your pet must serve six months quarantine in a cage or be immediately euthanized. Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian, or visit one of the rabies clinics sponsored by Montgomery County.

Residents are urged to contact Gaithersburg Animal Control if they notice any wild animal that is staggering, appears injured, or is acting in a strange manner. Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. please call 301-258-6343. The after hours emergency number is 240-773-5900.

City residents are reminded that rabies vaccinations and City licenses are required by law for each domestic pet. Gaithersburg will be participating in free rabies clinics for cats and dogs on August 19 and September 16 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, 14645 Rothgeb Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. The Shelter’s phone number is 240-773-5960 or visit www.mchumane.org. There is no fee for the rabies vaccination; however, a City of Gaithersburg license must be purchased at the clinic. For additional information visit the City of Gaithersburg website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.


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Articles - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

CITY ELECTION SET FOR NOVEMBER 6

Gaithersburg residents will cast their ballots for three City Council Members on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. The Council Members will serve four-year terms. The terms of office for Council Members Stanley J. Alster, Geri Edens, and John B. Schlichting will expire in November.

Residents interested in running for office in the November 6 election can pick up a candidate’s packet at City Hall, second floor reception area, 31 South Summit Avenue, on or after Tuesday, July 10, 2007. Candidates must file a petition of nomination with the City Board of Supervisors of Elections via the City Manager’s Office. The petition must be signed by at least 100 City residents who are qualified voters. City residents who are registered to vote in Montgomery County are automatically registered to vote in the City election. To confirm registration, contact the Montgomery County Board of Elections at 240-777-VOTE.

Petitions and associated documents must be returned to the City Manager’s Office by 5 p.m. on Monday, September 24, 2007.

When petitions of nomination

Main Street Farmers Market in Full Swing

A wealth of farm fresh produce is now available at the City of Gaithersburg Main Street Farmers Market on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market is housed in the Main Street Pavilion, 301 Main Street, at the intersection of Hart Street, one block off of Kentlands Boulevard in the Kentlands.

Select your fresh-picked produce every Saturday through October/November. The variety and quantities of available produce increase each week as different crops reach maturity. In addition to the farmers, a variety of local artists and craft persons come out each weekend with their handmade items.

For more information please call Nansie Wilde at the Gaithersburg Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture at 301-258-6350 x123 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Lakelands Resident Promoted

Volunteers Sought for 69th Annual Labor Day Parade

The City of Gaithersburg celebrates the "unofficial" end of summer with the 69th Annual Labor Day Parade Monday, September 3, 2007 at 1 p.m. The parade will wind through the streets of Olde Towne Gaithersburg, including East Diamond and Russell Avenues.

Exciting participants in this year’s rain-or-shine parade include Bolivian dancers, the Tai Yim lion dancers, Bugs Bunny, Batman, Celebrity Head TV Stars, antique highwheelers, African drummers and dancers, and an assortment of fire engines, high school marching bands, giant balloons, horses, clowns and more.

Free parking is available in the Olde Towne garage, located at the corner of Olde Towne and Summit Avenues. Handicap parking is located behind the Victor Litz store on the north side of Diamond Avenue, and behind the Shell station on Summit Avenue. A shuttle bus will also be provided from the Lakeforest Shopping Center transit station to Gaithersburg Middle School beginning at noon.

Interested in participating in the parade? The City is seeking community groups and other

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have been validated by the Board of Supervisors of Elections for the City of Gaithersburg, the candidates’ names are placed on the ballot.

City Council candidates must be qualified voters in the City at the time of the election and must be City residents immediately preceding their election. Mayor and City Council Members must reside in the City during their term in office. For more information call Assistant City Manager Fred Felton at 301-258-6310 or email ffelton@ gaithersburgmd.gov.

Penelope Taft, Gaithersburg resident and independent consultant for Nikken – a leading direct-sales wellness company renowned for its innovative products combining science, nature, and advanced technology – has been promoted to the Silver level after the successful achievement of qualifying criteria.

"I am honored to be promoted and I thank the entire Nikken family for their support and encouragement leading up to this,” Taft said. “It is so rewarding to reach my goals, and this latest rank advancement just motivates me to set the bar even higher.”

organizations to march in the parade. This is a great way to be involved in the community and to get your group noticed, plus your unit might even win a special award. Note that participation in the Labor Day Parade by groups or organizations other than City of Gaithersburg officials, departments or committees does not constitute City of Gaithersburg endorsement.

Organizations and individuals are also needed to distribute program booklets, staff a volunteer booth, assist with parade line up duties, and serve as balloon handlers.

For more information please contact Dorthy Winder at 301-258-6350 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.

gov.

July Educational Workshops Planned for

Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District

Charrette

The City of Gaithersburg and its partner, HOK Planning Group, will host a series of public educational workshops as part of a multi-faceted communication and outreach effort concerning the Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District. These sessions will provide important information on topics such as the Corridor Cities Transitway as it relates to Kentlands Boulevard as well as retail issues within the Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District. Feedback

Sculptures, Watercolors by Pincus, Penland on Display at Arts Barn Gallery

The City of Gaithersburg proudly presents the sculptures of Paul Pincus and the watercolors of Fae Penland at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road. The exhibit runs from July 26 through September 16, 2007, with an artist’s reception on August 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

City Receives Awards for Publication Excellence

Four City of Gaithersburg employees were recognized for publication excellence with 2007 APEX Awards. Public Information Director Britta Monaco, Graphic Designer Haleh Brandau, Cable Program Producer Chris Clifford, and Television Production Specialist Amy McGuire were honored for their outstanding work in the areas of communication, graphic design and video production.

The 19th Annual APEX Awards are presented for excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence.



will be used to prepare for the Charrette, or “planning exercise,” scheduled for October 4 – 9, 2007.

The educational workshops have been broken down into three key topic areas: transportation and transit issues will be discussed on Tuesday, July 24, retail will be the subject of discussion on Monday, July 30, and urban design concepts will be explored shortly thereafter, on a date as yet to be determined. All sessions are open to the public, and will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Lakelands Park Middle School, 1200 Main Street, Gaithersburg.

Each facilitated, round table discussion is designed to stimulate conversation and solicit feedback on these topics as they relate to the Kentlands Boulevard area. Combined with input from citizen surveys, one-on-one interviews with stakeholders, and extensive data collection, information from the educational workshops will be incorporated into the more formal planning charrette scheduled for October. The charrette will bring together City officials and staff, key stakeholders, the regional community and the design team in a transparent process of discovery and problem-solving, out of which will come a proposed vision for the study area, encompassing the retail centers and commercial uses along Kentlands Boulevard from Quince Orchard Road to Great Seneca Highway.

For more information on the summer educational sessions and the fall planning charrette visit www.kentlandsboulevard.com, or contact the City of Gaithersburg Planning and Code Administration at 301-258-6330.

Penland - Carnival Waltz

Paul Pincus, a former Landscape Architect of the Capitol, retired in 1995 and began studying sculpting at Montgomery College. His sculptures are inspired by the rhythm and style of the natural formations and are created mainly in wood and stone. Many of his sculptures have been exhibited locally, including Montgomery College, Rockville Arts Place, Glenview Mansion, the Jewish Community Center, McCrillis Gardens, Brookside Gardens, the Foundry, Strathmore, Sandy Spring Museum, Slayton House Gallery, BlackRock Center for the Arts, and the Landon School Family Gallery.

Fae Penland’s paintings are a playful connection with the world around her. The vivid colors and surprising shapes that make up her work are all done exclusively from life. Paper choice is also important to Penland. Most watercolors are on heavy thick paper, but she finds the thinner the paper, the better. With a BFA from the University of New Mexico, Penland has studied with classical European and Asian Masters. She has been in numerous juried shows, and many one-person shows in the United States and Europe. She is currently represented in several galleries.

For viewing hours and more information, please call Andi Rosati, Arts Barn Director, at 301-258-6394 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn.

Close to 5,000 entries were evaluated and 1,521 APEX Awards of Excellence were handed out in eleven major categories.

Britta Monaco received an Award of Excellence in the category of Speech and Script Writing for the 2007 State of the City Address. Using the theme of stewardship, the speech highlighted the City’s accomplishments in the past year and emphasized the City’s commitment to building a better future. It was delivered by the Mayor at the State of the City Dinner on February 15, 2007.

Haleh Brandau won an award for her cover design of the 2006 Summer in the City Camp Guide. Featuring a puzzle piece theme to illustrate the diversity of campers and programs, the design received an Award of Excellence in the “Covers” category.

Chris Clifford and Amy McGuire were recognized for an educational piece entitled “Building Green in Gaithersburg.” The program, which is currently airing on Gaithersburg Channel 13, features the many environmentally-friendly attributes of the Youth Center at Robertson Park, the City’s first LEED certified municipal green building. The video received an Award for Excellence in the category of Special Purpose Electronic & Video Publications.

Gaithersburg’s Public Information Office informs citizens about their City government and its programs using various forms of communication, including news releases, newsletters, informational brochures, City publications, the website, cable



television Channel 13, and outside advertising. Marketing of all City facilities is also coordinated through the Public Information Office. For more information contact the City Manager’s Office at 301-258-6310 or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Gaithersburg Announced Fourth Quarter FY 2007 Employee, Team Awards

At the Mayor and Council meeting on Monday, July 9, 2007, Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz and City Manager David Humpton presented the Employee of the Quarter Awards for the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2007 to Cindy Hines, City Manager’s Office, and to Robert “Bobby “ Johnson, Department of Public Works, Parks Maintenance & Engineering. Team of the Quarter Awards were presented to the Streets & Special Projects Team and the Human Resources Team.

The City’s Employee Recognition Committee, made up of peers from each department, reviews nominations for Employee and/or Team of the Quarter. The Recognition Program guidelines provide that a maximum of two individual and two team awards may be presented in each quarter. The winners are then entered into nomination for the annual Employee and Team of the Year Awards.

Cindy Hines, Olde Towne Revitalization Coordinator, City Manager’s Office, was nominated for her efforts associated with the City’s anti-solicitation ordinance. Even though she is not a member of the City Attorney’s office she provided an invaluable service by personally contacting and researching similar ordinances around the country. She was also resourceful and thorough in creating and providing spreadsheets that proved to be instrumental in providing a strong foundation for the arguments made by the City in support of the ordinance. Routinely and in times of crisis Ms. Hines is very innovative, energetic and is always willing to do what it takes to get the job done.

Robert “Bobby” Johnson, Supervisor of the Mowing & Bulk Pickup Crew, Department of Public Works, Parks Maintenance & Engineering, was nominated for his “ever willing” attitude to respond to any situation that arises and for being creative and thorough in problem resolution. He has the ability to anticipate the scope of a problem, even before being on the scene, and brings along with him the tools and knowledge to resolve the problem. One such event was a large tree that was down across both the east and westbound railroad tracks near East Diamond Avenue, blocking all trains. Upon learning of the situation, Mr. Johnson returned to his office, acquired chainsaws, and resolved the problem well in advance of the CSX Railroad even committing time or resources. He works well with his co-workers and is very customer focused, willing to help anyone anytime.

The Streets and Special Project team, which includes Charles Anderson, David Arthur, Lorie Calliste, Salvador Carmona-Padilla, Ralph Harris, Tom Kapeluch, Tom Mosher, Stan Palmer, George Smith, and Autry Fitzpatrick are a group of City employees that play an essentially invisible role, yet have a very visible impact on the day-to-day operation of the city. Through their diligent efforts the important infrastructure of the City, specifically the roads and sidewalks, are well maintained and any issues are identified and repaired before problems arise. Paramount is the quality of work performed by this team, not only making the City look good but also serving the citizens. This team is knowledgeable in all types and scopes of roadwork and special project challenges, and meets these challenges with a “can do” attitude.

The Human Resources team, which includes Margaret Daily, Marjie Eyler, Kim Yocklin, and Gilma Climaco, was nominated for the tremendous effort they put forth relative to the essential operations such as employee benefits, insurance, hiring, payroll, training and more. They are creative and diligent in their responsibility to see that the needs of City employees and retirees, numbering up to 750 persons at times, are met. The staff are diligent in their understanding and implementation of the ever-changing environment regarding hiring, benefits and insurance and receptive and are responsive to the day-to-day needs of all City employees. They take to heart the “Human” aspect of “HR” in every aspect of their job.

For more information on the awards program and the individuals recognized please contact the Gaithersburg



City Manager’s Office at 301-258-6310, or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Gaithersburg Announces Employee, Team of the Year Award Winners

At the City of Gaithersburg’s annual staff picnic on July 21, 2007, Mayor Sidney Katz, Council Member Mike Sesma and City Manager David Humpton presented the City of Gaithersburg Employee of the Year Award to Terrilyn Lahs and the Team of the Year Award to the Human Resources Team. They were selected from a pool of quarterly winners reviewed by the City’s Employee Recognition Committee, made up of peers from each department.

Terrilyn Lahs is a Facilities Administration Director with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture. She was recognized for outstanding performance and for continually going above and beyond her regular duties to provide remarkable customer service. In addition to her regular assignments, she was responsible for the hiring and training of new employees. Terrilyn familiarized herself with the duties and responsibilities of each position and the training necessary to bring new employees up to speed. She is someone to be counted on and is always helpful, cheerful and conscientious in exercising her duties and responsibilities, even during times of transition.

The Human Resources team was recognized for the tremendous effort they put forth for such essential operations as employee benefits, insurance, hiring, payroll, and training, meeting the needs of City employees and retirees who number up to 750 at times. Margaret Daily, Marjie Eyler, Kim Yocklin and Gilma Climaco are creative and diligent in their understanding and implementation of the ever-changing regulations surrounding hiring practices, benefits and insurance, and they are receptive and responsive to the day-to-day needs of all City employees.

They take to heart the "Human" aspect of "HR" in every facet of their job.

For more information on the awards program and the individuals recognized, please contact the Gaithersburg City Manager’s Office at 301-258-6310, or visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Maryland 20878™ g Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City—V I i 9.2

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KentLakes - Kentlands - Lakelands - and Beyond - Editorials

Kentlands is one of the first, and probably the best known, of the archetypal towns and villages of country and city which are actually built by architects who design, not just buildings, but entire communities and the towns in which they exist. Lakelands is a similar, adjacent, community with a character of its own.

Feature Series — Part V

Click> Part I - How Do "Our" Spouses Cope? Click> Part II - Sally Katz

Click> Part III - Ann Lynn Alster Click> Part IV - Donna Jean Marraffa

In a pdf file Free Copy>

“Our” Spouses Part V — Eileen Schlichting

by M. H. Perry

John Schlichting grew up mostly in Akron, Ohio, and Eileen in Wilmington, Delaware. They met in New York City where Eileen was working for a division of NYU and John was working as an architect. John is now a commercial real estate developer dealing mostly with office buildings.

John was first elected Council Member 2001 and re-elected in 2003. He served on the Gaithersburg Planning Commission from 1995 to 2001, and was committee chair from 2000 to 2001; he was on the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee from 1994 to 1995. He received his Bachelor's in Architecture from the University of Virginia, and a Masters in Business Administration with a Concentration in Real Estate and Urban Planning from University of North Carolina.

Eileen Schlichting served as Chairman of the Kentlands Foundation from 1997-2003, and V.P. For Planning from 1995 to 1997. She registered the kentlands.org domain name for the Kentlands Foundation in November of 1998, well before most people were aware of the registration process. “I felt that it was very important that the Foundation have both visibility and a strong identity — with .org being the appropriate slot for a nonprofit,” Eileen explained.

Eileen now works for an upscale and luxury travel agency which allows her to work from home. She is particularly interested in travel as a means to understand and

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appreciate history. “What struck me so much at Omaha Beach was thinking about the 17 year old kids being cut down. History means a great deal more when you see where it happens.”

Most of the trips are taken with the kids. She feels that the children get a far better sense of history when they see what they study about in school. Her father is from Ireland, and they went back for his 75th and 80th birthdays. They have traveled to Italy and France among other places.

“We are the most recent generation in a long line of generations all of whom had aspirations and succeeded or didn't succeed in making them real.”

—Interviewer's words are in red. —Eileen Schlichting's words are in blue.

When did you move to Gaithersburg?

John and I moved to Gaithersburg, and to our current home in Kentlands, just before Thanksgiving of 1992. That’s easy for me to remember, because my now 16-year-old son was 1 ½, and I was expecting our second son Jamie. We were part of the second wave of homeowners in Kentlands, following the bankruptcy by Alfandre. John and I consider ourselves very fortunate, because at the time the new homes were very affordable for a young family.

Why did you move? And where did you come from?

We moved from Arlington, where we lived in a classic Fairlington townhouse. We loved the proximity to Washington, and the fact that we could walk to shops and the movies, but with a second child on the way, we were fast outgrowing our home. Kentlands seemed to be a wonderful place to raise our family, especially with the elementary school at the end of our street. John trained as an architect, so he had been watching the project in its early stages, and we were delighted to move to a neighborhood built around the urban and community values we considered crucial.

Tell us a bit about your background. What does John do?

John works for the JBG Companies in Bethesda as managing director for commercial real estate projects. He coordinates large-scale real estate projects that combine office and retail space, often with transit and residential properties. When we first met in New York city, John was an architect, but had already begun to apply to business schools, because he realized that his talents lay in planning and coordinating complex projects. He now has over 20 years of experience in Washington development. I think that one of his strengths is that his architectural background has given him a keen sense of design, and an understanding of the ways in which planning must enhance community. But it may be that this vision began at the University of Virginia, where John studied architecture as an undergraduate. It’s impossible to set foot on that campus without gaining a sense of Jefferson’s vision of the way in which architecture must define and elevate the environment.

One of John’s roles with the City Council is to serve as liaison to the Council of Governments, a coordinating group that brings together officials from the District, Virginia and Maryland. Right now, he is involved in the planning for the Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District Charrette.

What do you do?

I am on my second career now, and work as a travel agent specializing in cruises, custom European vacations, active travel and spas. I am fortunate that I can work from home for McCabe World Travel, a Virtuoso agency based in McLean. I love the fact that I can bring my passion for travel to my clients, and draw upon my extensive background in European history and culture. It’s a wonderful thrill to introduce clients to a new city or country, and ensure that they have a wonderful time. My tag line is that my clients will be well fed and well read, because I believe in bringing together great food, fine wine and wonderful writers as part of the travel experience. One of John’s passions is ocean liners, so we really enjoy cruising together. This coming year, we will have the opportunity to go on Cunard’s new ship, the Queen Victoria, on a maiden voyage to Spain, Portugal, the Azores and Morocco.



An added benefit of travel for me is the way in which you encounter new ideas, unexpected ways of looking at life, and expand your horizons. I also believe that travel is a fabulous way to expose young people to history, culture and adventure. Our life list of future adventures includes hiking in Macchu Picchu, exploring the Galapagos with Lindblad, and trekking in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Over the years, I have been active in the Gaithersburg community, as Chair of the Kentlands Community Foundation, helped plan arts programs for Rachel Carson Elementary School, organized vacation Bible camps, and still serve as a volunteer with the Boy Scouts. Our older son Johnny is a member of Troop 829 and we have our fingers crossed that he will finish his Eagle requirements this year We are just about to wrap up this year’s swim season with our younger son Jamie, and I am delighted to announce that the Kentlands Kingfish are the Division D champs! The summer swim season is hectic, but what a fabulous sport for all ages. Our sons are John, age 16 and James age 14.

Have they ever gotten interested in the campaign?

The boys have helped hand out flyers and buttons in years past.

Council members always carry a city phone. How does that influence family life? For you? For the children?

He carries it both for council and work. We live in Washington. Everybody has a phone. We live in the middle of many people with very demanding jobs with very high expectations put upon them whether they work for the State Department, or the upper levels of government, or the FBI, or some place else, and I don’t think we’re so unique in this way.

What is the best thing about having a family member involved in running the city?

I believe that our lives have been enhanced by John’s involvement with the city. We have gained a rich appreciation for the many wonderful city employees who make our lives better, from the arts to public works, and the diverse community the city serves.

When you see up close everything that is involved in running the city, you understand what a complex undertaking this is. The City of Gaithersburg, serving so many from the young to the elderly, provides for public safety and works hard to make sure that this is a terrific place to live. Moreover, we are in the middle of the fastest growing region in the area, and need to constantly be aware of transportation and planning needs.

What’s the worst thing?

The biggest drawback to this kind of volunteer service is the number of meetings that a council person attends. It’s a big time commitment.

Have you ever considered running for office?

Not now.

What is your role when there are serious controversial issues such as the Day Laborer’s issue?

I think every couple discusses important issues, and that it’s always healthy to develop as much perspective as possible. But I’m not the person elected to council.

Anyone in public office is going to get criticism, and there will always be some time when something untrue, unfair, or both is said or printed about him or her. How do you handle your feelings at those times?

Unfortunately, some people believe that serving in public office makes you fair game. But if you are going to serve, you have to be able to live with that reality.



If a young married couple came to you because the husband was considering running for office, and it looked like he would be successful, what advice would you give the wife?

I would advise them both to have a realistic understanding of the time commitment and the demands of campaigning.

Do you think it’s important for John to be involved in city work?

I believe that John’s service on City Council is important for two reasons: the first is that I am proud of the expertise and focus that he brings to City Council. He has enormous expertise in planning, and a keen interest in ensuring that Gaithersburg serves its citizens at the highest level possible. John is well aware of the ways in which Gaithersburg must address the growing needs for housing, transportation, and safety. Secondly, both John and I believe that a democracy requires its citizens to be involved with and informed about their government. John’s service on City Council is a good example of the way in which a Gaithersburg citizen can choose to make a difference.

Is there anything else we didn’t cover that you would like to add?

There are so many opportunities for public involvement in Gaithersburg. I encourage everyone to find an area that concerns them, whether it’s housing, or youth, the elderly or the arts, and get involved. And make sure that you vote in local elections! Gaithersburg needs to increase its voter turnout. In our elections, every single vote makes a difference.

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Maciolek - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

Maciolek's Past Columns

We are pleased to present columns by Graceann Maciolek. She is a writer whose greatest loves are her fiance, David, her cat of dubious intelligence, Spike, silent and early sound cinema, and road trips (usually to silent film events or historic sites).

Maciolek is the recipient of the Apex Award of Excellence for her column "Scents Memory" which appeared in Word Worth in May 2006.

Graceann Maciolek's past columns are available here in Adobe files. Click on the links below to access the Adobe files. If you do not have Adobe on your computer, you can download a free copy here:

● St. Simons Island – Going Coastal April 2005 [Quarterly] ● Stepping Into the Past – Gettysburg July 2005 [Quarterly] ● The New Orleans I Remember October 2005 [Quarterly] ● St. Simons Island – The First Visit January 2006 [Quarterly] ● ‘Wonderful People Out There in the Dark’ April 2006 [Quarterly] ● Travel Then and Now July 2006 [Quarterly] ● Mackinac Island–Of Lilacs and Long Ago October 2006 [Quarterly] in columns● HOO-RAY For Hollywood! January 2007 [Quarterly] in columns● Two Weeks in London; What a Whirl! April 2007 [Quarterly] in columns

...continued from the columns page:

among the interchangeable glass and brick buildings on the Avenue. Very elegant, elaborate and surprisingly large, it was a house I could have easily moved into and made my very own. After touring the mansion (if you belong to AAA, be sure to bring your card as admissions have a substantial discount), we took a leisurely stroll around to the front of the building to take some photos.

Put me in the Zoo!

Milwaukee County Zoo is one of the nation’s finest, and if you’re an animal lover, or if you just enjoy a good walk, you can easily spend an entire day wandering the grounds and

buildings. The Zoo is open all year long, and is cleverly arranged so that on cold days, you never spend too much time outdoors if you don’t wish to do so. The Zoo is another attraction that is constantly renewing itself

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and offering new delights. The relatively new Big Cats exhibit offers a chance for visitors to get within just a few feet of lions, tigers, and other magnificent felines. New last Summer is the giraffe exhibit offering a chance to see the tall ones being fed, eye to eye, as it were. My fiancé and I shot more than a roll of film at this particular attraction, and had amazing interactions with the animals, who were more than glad to see us. Again, we had very little company as we strolled the grounds, and I believe we were as interesting to the animals as they were to us.

Best Sunday Brunch. Ever.

The Pandls have a justly-earned reputation as one of the best families of restaurateurs in the State. The Sunday Brunch at Pandl’s in Bayside has been voted Milwaukee’s Best for the last 10 years, and reservations are absolutely mandatory if you want to be able to be sure to get in. In order to get the proper enjoyment out of the meal, you should probably skip eating for at least two days prior to your visit, and even at that, you will run out of room long before you reach the end of the embarrassment of riches that the Pandls call their Sunday Buffet. I tried so many different things that I lost count, and got full long before I could try everything that I wanted to sample.

After this enormous repast, we needed exercise in order to aid digestion. We rolled ourselves out to the car and took a drive out to Cedarburg, which is a lovely village just north of Milwaukee on I- 43. The downtown area is loaded with trendy little shops and pretty architecture, culminating in the Cedar Creek Settlement and Winery. There is a lovely little waterfall/dam behind the winery, and we rested there a while before working our way back up the main street to the car for our drive home, feeling somewhat better for walking off a bit of our meal.

Another Drive, Another Dinner

After a day of lazily shopping our way through town, we decided to make our way to dinner by taking the state highways out to Holy Hill in order to see this impressive cathedral during the “golden hour” just before sunset. Holy Hill is legendary in Wisconsin, has been on the landscape in some incarnation for many, many years, and can be seen from miles away. It is a hugely popular location for weddings, and upon visiting it I could clearly see why. It is incredibly beautiful, enormous without feeling imposing or intimidating. It was a lovely way to lead into our meal at the Allenton Inn in Allenton, Wisconsin. The Allenton Inn is a very nondescript-looking venue, at least from the outside, but the meal is always a joy – they are famed for their prime rib and their Friday Fish Fries, but I’m a big fan of the lobster.

Other Things to See and Do in Milwaukee

Milwaukee is sometimes referred to as the City of Festivals, famed for its “Summerfest” 10-day festival of music and food on Lake Michigan. There are weekend ethnic festivals all summer long, as well, and they are extremely well-attended. The downtown area becomes quite crowded on weekends because of the popularity of these events, so planning ahead would be to your benefit.

Just recently opened (about three years ago) is the Lake Express Carferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Michigan. The boat gets you to Muskegon (or back) in just over two hours, and is a great way for Michiganders to get to the various festivals and fairs.

Spring and Autumn are the prettiest times to visit Milwaukee, in my opinion. I realize the Summer festivals are a big hit, but given that I’m not a fan of crowds or heat, I tend to not be terribly attracted. Winters can



be unpredictable and sometimes just plain miserable, though if you like to ski or do winter hikes, it may just be your cup of tea.

Please drop in on Milwaukee when next you’re in the area – there’s so much to see, do and enjoy!

Links to Explore:

http://www.milwaukee.org/ (Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau)

http://www.pabstmansion.com/ (The Pabst Mansion)

http://www.milwaukeezoo.org/ (Milwaukee County Zoo)

http://www.pandls.com/ (Pandls Family of Restaurants)

http://www.cedarburg.org/ (Information about Cedarburg)

http://www.holyhill.com/ (Basilica of Holy Hill)

http://www.summerfest.com/ (Summerfest Music Festival)

http://www.lake-express.com/ (Carferry Between Milwaukee and Muskegon)


Columnists write on topics of their own choice, and their views do not necessarily reflect those of Kentlands Dot Us. If you would like to write for Kentlands Dot Us, contact us at [email protected]




Charles Sullivan - Maryland 20878 - Real Estate Columns for Maryland and Washington D. C.

Charles Sullivan

We are pleased to present columns by Charles Sullivan, ABR, CRS, GRI, MBA. These columns are a “must read” for anyone thinking of buying or selling in Maryland or D.C.

Charles Sullivan, real estate consultant and founder of the Sullivan Team, is licensed to serve clients in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Prior to joining Keller Williams, Charles worked for Fortune 500 companies such as MCI, Giant Food, Centel, and Contel.

Charles resides in Gaithersburg with his wife, Shelly, who is also licensed and part of the Sullivan Team, and their three sons, Frank, Edward, and Steven. All three boys help the team with marketing and promotional campaigns.

Charles Sullivan's past columns are available here in Adobe files. Click on the links below to access the Adobe files. If you do not have Adobe on your computer, you can download a free copy here:

Archived Columns:

1. Taxes on Out-of-State Property Sellers January 2005 2. Best Gift Ever–Real Estate Taxes February 2005 3. Seller Mistakes to Avoid in a Hot Market March 2005 4. Buyer Mistakes to Avoid in a Hot Market April 2005 5. Crazy Days in DC Real Estate May 2005 6. The Importance of Time June 2005 7. New Law on Capital Gains Withholding July 2005 8. Is the Housing “Bubble” Ready to Burst? August 2005 9. Homes I Would Buy September 2005

10. Tell Before You Sell October 2005 11. Twelve Rules of the Game November 2005 12. Santa's Been Good to Kentlands December 2005 13. Kentlands at 14: Aging Well January 2006 14. Truths, Half Truths, and Outright Baloney February 2006 15. Mature Kentlands March 2006 16. The Forward Observer April 2006 17. Rules of the Road May 2006 18. How Do I Price My Home? June 2006 19. So You Want to Sell Too? July 2006 20. The Future is Ours to See August 2006 21. Summertime Views September 2006 22. Ducks on the Pond October 2006 23. The Golden Age November 2006 24. I Told that Girl my Prospects Were Good December 2006 in Columns25. Tea Leaves January 2007 in Columns

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Charles Sullivan - Maryland 20878 - Real Estate Columns for Maryland and Washington D. C.

26. Surprise, Surprise February 2007 in Columns27. Tossing the Rulebook March 2007 in Columns28. All Real Estate is Local April 2007 in Columns29. “Let Me Count the Ways” May 2007 in Columns30. Petty Tyrannies June 2007 in Columns31. “The Nuts” July 2007 in Columns

...continued from the Columns page:

has surfaced from the AHM debacle. Long Island Newsday reports “As news emerged Friday [July 27] that American Home Mortgage would file for bankruptcy, it was revealed that founder Michael Strauss sold almost $3.5 million in company stock the day before employees found out they'd be losing their jobs.”

AHM’s vaunted customer service did not suffer, even if there was no money to fund loans, for Newsday goes on to report “. . . Strauss had sold almost 3 million shares of company stock on Wednesday for $1.17 a share. The same day, employees were told to stay positive and keep processing loan applications.” Shades of Enron.

And let us consider THE hottest deal of the summer, as reported in the August 5 Washington Post. An outfit called Metro Dream Homes, with offices in the District of Columbia, has found a way for one to buy a home without cash. Ever. Here’s how the plan works: (1) buyer purchases a home with no money down; (2) seller pays 10-15% of the purchase price to buyer, who turns it over to MDH; (3) MDH invests the money in ATM machines, video advertising, and other businesses; (4) MDH makes the buyer’s mortgage payments for 5-7 years and includes extra principal in order to pay off the loan during this period; and (5) at the end of 5-7 years, buyer sells or refinances the property and then buyer and MDH split the equity. What could be finer than buying a home with no money down and no monthly payments?

Monthly August© 2007 Maryland 20878™

Columnists write on topics of their own choice, and their views do not necessarily reflect those of Maryland 20878™. If you would like to write for Maryland 20878™®, contact us at [email protected]


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Helz - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

Marien Helz's Past Columns

Marien Helz is originally from Gaithersburg and began writing the Growing Up in Gaithersburg column for an HOA paper in 2003.

She published fiction in college, and later, four books of poetry under her married name and decided to continue publishing prose under the pen Helz and poetry with the pen Perry.

She holds a Master's degree in English and American literature from the University of Iowa, a Master of Fine of Arts degree from the world renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop [the only organization to receive the National Humanities Medal, presented by the U.S. government in 2003], a Master's degree from

the University of Buffalo Reading Specialist Program, and a PhD in English Research from the University of Buffalo.

She splits her time between Kentlands and a classic village in the Buffalo-Niagara region of Western New York state where she is a college professor–a profession she began at the age of twenty-two. She lives with her husband, Franklyn (Lyn) Perry, and their Belgian Malinois Shepherd and is devoted to her four children, a daughter, a son, a son-in-law, and a daughter-in-law.

Marien Helz's past columns are available here in Adobe files. Click on the links below to access the Adobe files. If you do not have Adobe on your computer, you can download a free copy here:

1. Happening September 2005 2. Wedding October 2005 3. Figurine November 2005 4. Gifts and Giving December 2005

5. Names January 2006 6. Moving to Gaithersburg. February 2006 7. Children and Safety. March 2006 8. Grave Danger―for Jonathan April 2006 9. Sugarloaf Mountain. May 2006

10. Gardening. June 2006 11. Mothers. July 2006 12. Fathers. August 2006 13. Real Class―True Grace September 2006 14. Harvest and Halloween. October 2006 15. Trouble. November 2006 16. Santa Claus. December 2006 in Commentary

Winner of the 2007 Grand Award for Writing

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Helz - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

The Apex judges say this about Helz's work: "Marvelously told stories of growing up—poignant, and written with passion and clarity. Vignettes are filled with beautifully detailed word pictures. A storyteller's tour de force."

17. Treasures. January 2007 in Commentary18. Paperboy. February 2007 in Commentary19. The Final Snow and The Follies. March 2007 in Commentary20. Renewal. April 2007 in Commentary21. Scouting. May 2007 in Commentary22. Trains. June 2007 in Commentary23. Woods. July 2007 in Commentary

...continued from the Commentary page:

This is nothing compared to the danger that unleashed dogs present. A Tschiffely Square Road resident was walking around Inspiration Lake with her elderly mother when two dogs charged them. The owner was playing frisbee with them off leash. The dogs were called away at the last minute, but the situation could easily have resulted in serious injury. This resident also knows of several people who have been tripped by small dogs off leashes resulting in significant bodily harm.

A Chevy Chase Street resident was walking her dog on a leash past a building shortly after moving into Kentlands when someone came out the door with two dogs off leash. The dogs came after the resident's dog causing the new resident to fall off the curb and break her shoulder. This resulted in hospitalization, and months of being unable to drive, unable to write, unable to open a box. After six months of rehab and the passing of a number of years, she still can't lift many things. She points out that dogs off leash present particular danger to other dogs, especially those on leash and their owners.

Dogs off leash are not a little problem. They're a serious threat. A friendly dog running up to a toddler, could knock the child over resulting in a cracked skull.

I make sure when I walk my fairly large dog that I always have him under control. I cannot, however, control my dog and someone else’s at the same time. When people ignorant of animal management allow their dogs off leash, a dog fight is a likely occurrence. On a number of occasions, I have walked around Inspiration Lake, where, for some unfathomable reason, bad dog owners abound. On one such occurrence, an unleashed dog was starting to approach my leashed dog, and I knew that I would not be able to prevent a fight if that dog ran up to mine.

My requests to the man to leash his dog were ignored.

“Are you a liberal?” he accused.

As it was becoming apparent that the two dogs would meet in an unfriendly manner, I finally demanded, “Get your dog on a leash!”

At that point the man shouted, “You’re a liberal!” as he leashed his dog.

I was so bemused by use of the category as an insult that I was barely able to continue. After all, he was demanding his “right” to ignore the law and keep his dog off leash. Normally, liberals are considered to be more flexible in terms of regulations while conservatives are typically more determined to adhere strictly to them.

Well, the people who know me best have never been able to figure out whether I’m liberal or conservative, so he has no idea what I am. But it’s clear what he is. He’s a law-breaker.


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Solomon - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

Louis Solomon's Past Columns

We are pleased to present viewpoint columns by Louis P. Solomon.

Most of Louis Solomon's career was spent in the military-industrial community working on anti-submarine systems. He has also taught at the university level and founded the firm, Planning Systems. His current interests include co-authoring books of fiction and non-fiction. Solomon holds an MS degree in Aero/Astro from MIT and a BA and PhD in Engineering from UCLA.

Solomon is an avid amateur small boat sailor and cruises his sailboat, Dream Maker, on the Chesapeake Bay and up and down the East Coast. He lives in the Kentlands with his wife, Leslie Marks.

Louis Solomon's past columns are available here in Adobe files. Click on the links below to access the Adobe files. If you do not have Adobe on your computer, you can download a free copy here:

1. The Birth of a Column June 2005 2. Concepts of Responsibility and Courtesy July 2005 3. Living with Gusto August 2005 4. The Rise and Fall of Organizations September 2005 5. The Real Issue in Dealing with Katrina October 2005 6. Some Comments on the Supreme Court November 2005 7. Confusion: Mine December 2005 8. Working as Catharsis January 2006 9. Government Eavesdropping February 2006

10. Government Eavesdropping―How They Do It March 2006 11. The Coming Catastrophe―Our Helplessness and Our Response April 2006 12. The National Anthem May 2006 13. Alternative Power Sources with Dick Van Orden June 2006 14. The Energy Problem with Dick Van Orden July 2006 15. Nuclear Power (Fission) with Dick Van Orden August 2006 16. Hydrogen and its Uses with Dick Van Orden September 2006 17. Fuel Cells with Dick Van Orden October 2006 18. The Ultimate Automobile with Dick Van Orden November 200619. Nuclear Power (Fusion) with Dick Van Orden December 2006 in Viewpoints20. Global Warming: True or False? with Dick Van Orden January 2007 in Viewpoints21. A Potential Partial Solution to our Oil ... with Dick Van Orden February 2007 in Viewpoints

22. Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) with Dick Van Orden March 2007 in Viewpoints23. To the Hilt April 2007 in Viewpoints24. A Bittersweet Trip May 2007 in Viewpoints25. Musings on Old Age June 2007 in Viewpoints26. The Language Corps and the National Security Education Program July 2007 in Viewpoints

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Solomon - Maryland 20878 - Kentlands, Lakelands, MD 20877 & 20878 - A magazine of Archetypal Towns and Villages of Country and City™

...continued from the Viewpoints page:

in more than 150 languages.

Perhaps the result of the investigations into the feasibility of formation of The Language Corps comes from the report that was accepted by Congress and the Department of Defense, and perhaps more important, stated by the people who are willing to volunteer for The Language Corps:

The Language Corps will be a group of individuals united by the fundamental belief that language has a tremendous impact on who we are; who we can be; and what we can do together.

If language can give us the power to communicate with and understand one another, The Language Corps will help to harness that power to gain a deeper understanding of all countries, cultures and peoples and, in so doing, make the United States and the world safer, more just and more prosperous.

The Language Corps will offer language-competent professionals the opportunity to support government efforts, particularly during times of emergencies or crises when their expertise can truly make a difference. There is a greater good, a human good, and The Language Corps will work to honor and serve it.

—The Language Corps Information Paper National Security Education Program

Department of Defense, May 2007


Columnists write on topics of their own choice, and their views do not necessarily reflect those of Maryland 20878™. If you would like to write for Maryland 20878™, contact us at [email protected]


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Kentlands Dot Us Editorials

Gaithersburg’s Master Plan Process

The City of Gaithersburg is beginning an extensive review of the Kentlands Boulevard Special Study Area as part of its ongoing Master Plan process.

Those of us who walked over the Kentlands Market area when it was no more than mud, and who watched it rise from the clay and rocks are fond of the market areas and want things to remain in the same spirit and form that they are now in. Many people went to a great deal of work to prevent big boxes from coming into the Square. Such a lack of design would have ruined the architectural quality of the business district which is a center piece of the neo traditional concept. Despite the many things that have been done right, however, there is need for shoring up.

Some attractive businesses have been lost. Ruby's is taking a “hiatus” in order to figure out what direction to take. Mirch Marsala is relocating—somewhere.

The city’s forethought in looking into enhancing the market area is crucial to making this great idea work. As a result, the city hosted educational workshops at Lakelands Park Middle School. The first was held on Tuesday, July 24th and dealt with Transportation and Transit issues. This dealt with precise information on dollar calculations for route plans and why some of our hopes will not be realized in terms of convenience of public transit. A pdf file summary of this very analytical presentation is available here: http://www.kentlandsboulevard.

com/files/07_0724_Trasportation_WkshpPresentation_FINAL.pdf

Wes Burnette addressed the audience on transit issues July 24th

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On July 30th Retail Consultant Heather Arnold presented fascinating information on how upscale businesses decide where to locate. She had all the answers for why, if you are a business, what you don't know will hurt you a great deal. Prior that evening, I would have guessed that lease restrictions were limits that the leaser placed on tenants. That's not what they are, at least, not in the big time business market. Apparently, if you are a big business coming into a mall, you get to restrict which other businesses can come in after you. When you think about it, that does make sense. It doesn't do anyone any good if businesses come in and don't succeed because the competition prevents any of them from being profitable enough to survive. For example, if there is a market for one computer store, and the area has three, all three are likely to fold, and then you will have none. A phenomenon that some of us had guessed was the case has actually been researched and proven—you don't want to know what The K-Mart Effect is—especially since they have a sixty-five year lease. Arnold's Power Point presentation was enlightening. You can view of pdf overview of it at: http://

www.kentlandsboulevard.com/files/Annotated_Retail_Presentation.pdf

Retail consultant Heather Arnold discussed the retail market for Kentlands Boulevard Commercial District.

Urban design concepts will be explored at the next meeting on a date as yet to be determined. All sessions are open to the public, and will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Lakelands Park Middle School, 1200 Main Street, Gaithersburg. Each facilitated, round table discussion is designed to stimulate conversation and solicit feedback on these topics as they relate to the Kentlands Boulevard area. Combined with input from citizen surveys, one-on-one interviews with stakeholders, and extensive data collection, information from the educational workshops will be incorporated into the more formal planning charrette scheduled for October. The charrette will bring together City officials and staff, key stakeholders, the regional community and the design team in a transparent process of discovery and problem-solving, out of which will come a proposed vision for the study area, encompassing the retail centers and commercial uses along Kentlands Boulevard from Quince Orchard Road to Great Seneca Highway.



Architect Colin Greene, a former Kentlands resident, explained the method of the undertaking.

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Four Maryland 20878 writers win APEX 2007 …on the estate of Otis Beall Kent. His mansion is now...

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