Freedom Area Citizens' Council
of South Carroll County, Maryland


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FREEDOM AREA CITIZENS’ COUNCIL



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A Publication of FACC / Freedom Area Citizens’ Council
August 2003

Billboards

The Freedom Area Citizens' Council (FACC) heartily supports the County's recent limitations and restrictions on any newly proposed billboards. The FACC is categorically opposed to the proliferation of billboards and would further endorse any proposal that would seek to place a permanent ban on any new billboards in both our Freedom District and the entire County. It is FACC's opinion that billboards are an intrusive and distracting form of advertising that lessens the aesthetic quality of our road and neighborhoods. Other counties have long ago concluded that restrictions on billboards are necessary in order to protect the quality of life in their counties. Plain and simple, Carroll County does not need any more billboards, as we already have likely more billboards per capita than any other county in Maryland. In fact, the total number of billboards in Carroll County lags only Baltimore and Prince Georges County, yet we have less than one third of their population. Maybe most importantly, the proliferation of billboards has cheapened the look of our gateways and detracted from the visual appeal of our county as a potential destination for business and economic development. As such, FACC welcomes the reconstitution of a "Gateways Committee", which we hope would propose the creation of further restrictions on existing billboards.

Our recommendations for some goals of these restrictions would include, but would not be limited to: the ultimate reduction in the number of billboards through a cooperative effort between the County and billboard companies; tighter control over advertising and enhanced maintenance restrictions on billboards; and finally, the enactment of an annual fee on billboards whose funds would be designated for the aesthetic improvement of existing gateways. We applaud the Commissioners' public hear-ing about billboards and to let us have an important say about their future.

The above is excerpted from a letter FACC delivered to the County Commissioners on August 5th at the public hearing about billboards.

August Meeting

Carroll County Sheriff Kenneth Tregoning and Major Michael Fischer of the Maryland State Police will answer your questions an address your concerns about law enforcement in Carroll County at FACC's August meeting. The meeting will be August 19th at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Carrolltown Center. The FACC Board meeting immediately preceding is open to the public.

Road Work

Plan your travels. The following road construction will be taking place this month in the Freedom area. Storm Drain Work will begin in the Irongate Subdivision, on all streets. Reconstruction of Ridge Road, MD 26 to Gemini Drive will continue. This construction is scheduled to be complete before the first day of school. The Maryland Department of Transporta-tion's State Highway Admin-istration (SHA) recently began a safety and intersection improvement project along MD 27 (Ridge Road) in Carroll County.

The SHA will close a portion of Sam's Creek Road west of MD 27 due to reduced sight distance along Sam's Creek Road caused by temporary traffic barrier along north-bound MD 27. The closed portion of Sam's Creek Road west of MD 27 will reopen to traffic in early September, weather permitting.



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

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!

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


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