Freedom Area Citizens' Council
of South Carroll County, Maryland


Join FACC
Contact the Webmaster

FREEDOM AREA CITIZENS’ COUNCIL



Printable version (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
A Publication of FACC / Freedom Area Citizens’ Council
July 2003

Route 26 Summit

Wesley G. Mitchell, Project Engineer for the State Highway Administration, explains the MD26 road improvement design to Carroll County Public Officials at the June 17, 2003 FACC meeting.

Thank you to all FACC members who attended the June 17 Route 26 Summit. This type of forum is the purpose of FACC - to let people in the community know what is going on and to enable them to take part in the process. About 80 community members attended the event, including Commissioners Julia Gouge and Perry Jones. Also in attendance were Senator Bob Kittleman, Delegate Susan Krebs, County Planning Director Steve Horn and Chief of Staff Steve Powell. Wes Mitchell, Project Manager for the State Highway Administration (SHA), and Doug Simmons, Planning Director for SHA explained the Route 26 plans to county executives and citizens.

Mr. Simmons explained that there are four phases to a project such as MD Route 26. The first phase is Project Planning. During this phase, alternatives are evaluated and discussed with the community leaders and citizens. After this phase, funding is needed before other phases are completed. The second phase is Project Engineering. After that, the third and final phases are Right of Way Acquisition followed by Construction. The Route 26 project is at the end of the Project Planning phase.

Some problems with Route 26 in its current state are 1) over 100 access points, 2) opportunity for accidents in the center turning lane, and 3) no pedestrian access or connectivity. Improvements would include a pedestrian lane, a turning lane, and two travel lanes in each direction, separated by a center median. So that the turning lane does not become another travel lane, barriers would be placed at strategic points.

Several questions came from the audience after the presentation: "Will there be crosswalks?" "Yes, crosswalks and signals." "How many traffic lights?" "About 5." "How will emergency vehicles access sites if there are medians?" "The state is working with emergency services." "Won't medians negatively affect businesses without access points?" "The state is considering additional median breaks, but too many breaks will lead to the same problems we have today." "Will any access points be eliminated?" "Yes, especially as new ones are built." "Why don't we have access roads to parallel Route 26?" "There will be access on Dickinson." Commissioner Gouge expressed after the meeting that in the interim, it makes sense for these bypass roads to be completed (Georgetown, Monroe, and MacBeth). When will we see these changes? There is no definite answer. This project needs to have funding and needs to be put at the top of the county priority list.

NEXT FACC MEETING

Tuesday, August 19th @ 7:30p.m.
Community Room
Carrolltown Mall

GUEST SPEAKERS
Sheriff Kenneth L.Tregoning
Maj. Michael Fischer of the MD State Police

Billboards

As Freedom District becomes more popular, it becomes a better place to advertise. More and more billboards have been appearing along Routes 32 and 26. More billboards are scheduled to be erected. FACC has been told that Commissioner Gouge is very receptive to hearing from the public about billboards. If we can get the ear of the commissioners before the signs are in place, we can do something about them. Tell the commissioners how you feel about billboards. Write to them at:

County Commissioners' Office, 225 North Center Street, Westminster, MD 21157.
You may also email the commissioners: jgouge@ccg.carr.org, dminnich@ccg.carr.org pjones@ccg.carr.org

Help Wanted

If you have an idea for an Informer article or would like to write one, contact the editor ateditor@freedomareacitizens.org

Home Owner's Associations are encouraged to share their issues. Some residents of MacBeth Way did not know about the planned connection until it was shared in the Informer!

Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Watcha Gonna Do?

The ratio of police to citizens in Carroll County is 1-1000. If that isn't scary enough, that figure includes city police forces that do not leave their jurisdiction to answer calls in other parts of the county - i.e. Eldersburg! There is no non-emergency phone number listed for the Carroll County Sheriff's Department in the 2003 Carroll County phone book. The Sheriff is not even listed under county elected officials! How on earth are people supposed to find them? Come to the August FACC meeting to have your questions answered by Sheriff Ken Tregoning. Visit www.carrollcountysheriff.com to learn more about the Sheriff's office.

Ridge Road Construction Project

C. J. Miller, Inc. will begin reconstruction of the existing pavement on Ridge Road from MD Rt. 26 to Gemini Drive (by Carrolltown Elementary) in Eldersburg on Monday, July 7, 2003. They will be working from approximately 6:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. to complete the work before school reopens in August All northbound traffic (toward Liberty Road) will be detoured to MD Rt. 26 via Gemini Drive and Hemlock Drive. Southbound traffic (toward Marriottsville Road) will use Ridge Road.

For more information regarding this project, please contact the Department of Public Works, at 410-386-2035.

Contact Your Elected Officials - Every Voice Counts!

Carroll County Board of Education (School Board)
125 N. Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157
Voice: 410-751-3000
Fax:410-751-3003
publicinfo@k12.carr.org
www.carr.org/ccps
Purpose: To set policy for the Board of Education, hire the Superintendent of Schools, and acquire appropriate funding for the Carroll County school system.

Carroll County Government
225 N. Center Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157-5194
Voice: 410-386-2400
jruppert@ccg.carr.org
ccgov.carr.org
Mon-Fri 8-5
County Commissioners' Office, 410-386-2043
Purpose: To provide leadership, define policy, and enact programs to meet community needs.
Services: Carroll County is governed by a board of three county commissioners elected by the voters for a four-year term. Elected in November, the commissioners-elect take office at the first meeting in December. The three Carroll County Commissioners for 12/02 to 12/06 are Julia Walsh Gouge, President; Dean L. Minnich, Vice-President; and Perry L. Jones, Jr., Secretary. Email addresses are Julia Walsh Gouge, jgouge@ccg.carr.org; Perry L. Jones, pjones@ccg.carr.org, and Dean L. Minnich, dminnich@ccg.carr.org. The toll-free information number is 888-302-8978, and the TTY/TDD number is 410-848-9747.

Carroll County Sheriff's Office
100 N. Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157
Voice: 410-386-2900
Fax: 410-876-1152
rlkeefer@ccg.carr.org
www.carrollcountysheriff.com
24 hours, 7 days per week
Kenneth L. Tregoning, Sheriff (12/02-12/06),
410-386-2900 or 888-302-8924
Robert L Keefer, Chief Deputy/Sheriff Services,
410-386-2900 or 888-302-8924
Purpose: To serve as a full service law enforcement agency, an arm of the court, and a custodian of offenders.

Carroll County State's Attorney
55 N. Court Street, Suite 100, Westminster, Maryland 21157
Voice: 410-386-2671
Fax: 410-876-9286
ccstatesattorney@ccg.carr.org
www.carr.org/stateatt
PO Box 606, Westminster, Maryland 21158
Mon-Fri 8-5
Jerry F. Barnes, State's Attorney (11/02-11/06), 410-386-2671 or 888-302-8925.

Purpose: To prosecute, on the part of the state, all criminal cases in the District, Circuit, and Juvenile courts, such as robbery, assault, and murder.

Maryland General Assembly, Legislative District 9
3104 Fox Valley Drive, West Friendship, Maryland 21794
Voice: 410-531-3694
libr@mlis.state.md.us
mlis.state.md.us
Robert H. Kittleman, Senator (R, 1/03-1/07), 410-531-3694
Susan W. Krebs, Delegate, 9B (R, 1/03-1/07), 410-781-6630 or 410-549-8774

Purpose: To pass laws necessary for the welfare of the state.

Services:
Delegate Krebs' local office: 1696 Springmount Drive, Sykesville, MD 21784, 410-781-6630.

ANNAPOLIS OFFICE INFORMATION:
Senator Kittleman's office is Room 414, James Senate Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401-1991, 410-841-3671

Delegate Kreb's office is Room 319, Lowe House Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401-1991, 410-841-3200.

DISTRICT 9 BOUNDARIES: Parts of Carroll and Howard counties.

SUBDISTRICT 9B: Carroll County Election Districts 4 (precinct 5), 5, and 14 (Woolery's, Freedom, and Berrett).

TERM OF OFFICE: The senator and delegate are elected by the voters for four-year terms. Elections are in November; the new session of the legislature convenes the following January.

TOLL FREE LEGISLATIVE LINE: 800-492-7122; Senator Kittleman's extension is 3671, and Delegate Krebs' extension is 3200

Highlights of the FACC Board Meeting June 17, 2003

  • The FACC Board met on June 17, 2003, before the general meeting.

  • It was noted that only eight scholarship applications were received this year. The two scholarships were awarded to Peter DiLinardo of Liberty High School and Anthony Telish of South Carroll High School.

  • All board members need to contribute to the Gazette and Informer. There was discussion regarding potential topics.

  • There are 175 paid FACC members for 2003. The board thinks that FACC should be encouraging Home Owners' Associations to join.

  • One board member gave a summary of a MD Nonprofits
Contributions of Articles or Information for The Freedom Informer can be sent to the attention of the editor at:

FACC, P.O. Box 142, Sykesville, MD 21784.

Renew Your Membership Today

The 2003-2004 Membership drive is now underway and it is time to renew your $10 annual membership in the Freedom Area Citizens' Council, if you haven't done so already. Please use this form for your renewal.

We also encourage you to talk to friends and neighbors about joining the FACC. Together we can make a difference! The FACC is proud to have had an important part in bringing about several important changes in our community over the past year including:

  • The election of two new Commissioners who truly care about the Freedom area
  • Formal abandonment of the Piney Run Water Treatment Plant plan; officially "Saving the Lake"
  • Signing of the Watershed Management agreement; the first step in getting more water for Freedom
  • Creation of the Carroll County Council of Governments and Growth Task Force
  • Pursuit of new wells on the Springfield property to augment our available water supply

We are also happy to have hosted important events and speakers at our regular monthly membership meetings including:

  • The Commissioner Candidate Forum
  • The District 9B Delegate Forum
  • Sen. Robert Kittleman & Del. Susan Krebs
  • Schools Superintendent, Dr. Charles Ecker
  • Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Jones (April 2003)

We appreciate your continued support, with which we are able to underwrite scholarships, publish the Banner newspaper, the Informer newsletter and support other charitable works in our community.



The Freedom Informer

Published monthly by the Freedom Area Citizens' Council
P.O. Box 142
Sykesville, MD 21784

EDITOR:
Nicole Musgrave-Burdette

PRODUCTION:
Mike Naused
Deborah Dugan

E-MAIL:
editor@freedomareacitizens.org