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Barnesville’s  Master  Plan  Now  that  we  have  the  full  complement  of  commissioners  required  for  the  Master  Plan  review  (Thanks  to  Meg  Menke  and  Woody  Bailey  (Co-­‐Chairs)  ,  Mildred  Callear,  Judy  Stone,  and  Cynthia  Jennings  Field),  the  Planning  Commission  is  conducting  a  review  of  the  Master  Plan.    The  Commission  meets  the  first  Saturday  of  every  month  at  8:30  am  to  go  over  the  existing  Plan.    Each  session  is  dedicated  to  a  portion  of  the  plan.    On  September  8,  the  Commission  held  a  public  comment  meeting  (all  meetings  are  open  to  the  public,  but  this  one  encouraged  input  from  attendees)  in  which  they  asked  town  residents  via  sign  up  posters  questions  such  as:    What  do  you  like  about  Barnesville?    What  do  you  not  like?  Do  you  have  well  and  septic  issue?  There  was  a  question  and  answer  period  at  the  end  of  the  session.    There  will  be  several  more  opportunities  for  public  comment  in  the  process.    The  Planning  Commission  calendar  is  posted  on  the  town  website  as  well  as  in  the  Post  Office.    If  you  have  any  questions  or  comments  but  can’t  make  the  sessions,  please  contact  the  two  co-­‐chairs  at  menkebvl@gmail.com  and  baileybvl@gmail.com.  

FALL  2018  ISSUE  4  

 

Contact  Information:  Mildred  Callear  (Mayor):    mildredcallear@gmail.com  Audrey  Morris  (Town  Commissioner):  amorris9331@yahoo.com  Holly  Larisch  (Town  Commissioner):  hal.larisch@gmail.com  Diana  Karns  (Town  Clerk):  clerk.bmd@gmail.com  Website:  www.barnesvillemd.org.  

 

   

THE  BARNESVILLE  TIDBIT  

Upcoming  Events    October  3:  Heavy  Trash  Pickup    October  6,  Planning  Commission  8:30-­‐10am,  Town  Hall    October14,  4:00  pm.  Chili  Cook  off.  Town  Hall  October  15,  7:30  pm  Town  Meeting  October  31,  6-­‐8:  Trick  or  Treating  –  We  are  looking  for  volunteers  to  help  set  up  cones  and  direct  traffic.    The  Lion’s  Club  is  hosting  its  annual  Halloween  Party  at  the  Pavilion.  For  more  info,  see  page  5.  November  3,  8:30am  Planning  Commission  December  1,  Planning  Commission,  8:30  am.    December  8,  9am  Town  Hall  Decorating  December  9,  Holiday  Party:  5:30  Town  Hall  

 

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Lorem  Ipsum  

Committee  Updates  

Beautification  Committee:  Thanks  to  Lisa  Hilton,  the  Beautification  Committee  Chair,  for  weeding  the  town  flower  beds  and  the  area  around  the  town  signs.    Plans  for  planting  the  areas  around  the  town  signs  with  perennial  plants  are  underway.  The  Commissioners  are  accepting  proposals  for  next  season  from  landscaping  companies  for  weeding,  mowing,  and  generally  keeping  our  community  looking  spiffy.  

 Green  Committee:  The  Green  Team,  chaired  by  Joyce  Bailey  and  consisting  of  Audrey  Morris,  Lauren  Greenberger,  Jane  Thompson,  Julee  Evans,  and  Lisa  Hilton  has  been  active.    Read  all  about  their  efforts  to  create  a  more  sustainable  community  on  page  6.   Event  Committee:  Since  the  last  newsletter,  the  Event  Committee,  chaired  by  Cherry  Barr,  sponsored  The  Beauty  and  the  Beast,  and  a  Classic  Cinema  night  featuring  The  African  Queen.  Both  events  were  a  lot  of  fun.    Future  movie  events  include  the  Incredibles  2  and  North  by  Northwest.    Other  events  coming  up  are  the  Chili  Cook  off  on  October  14  (more  info  later  on  in  the  Tidbit),  Town  Hall  Decorating  on  December  8,  and  the  Town  Caroling  and  Holiday  Party  on  December  9.    Anyone  interested  in  helping  out  at  any  of  these  events,  please  contact  Holly  Larisch  at  hal.larisch  @gmail.com  

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Yes,  Honey  is  her  legal  name,  a  question  that  she’s  frequently  asked.    We  thought  you’d  like  to  know  more  about  the  person  you  see  every  time  you  visit  the  Post  Office.    She’s  known  to  peek  around  the  corner  of  the  back  room  to  see  who’s  there  and  she  probably  knows  your  name  and  will  chat  with  you  if  you  have  the  time.    She  describes  herself  as  a conscientious  worker  and  believes  in  customer  service  above  all  else.    Honey  has  done  a  variety  of  jobs  before  beginning  to  work  for  USPS  as  a  letter  carrier  in  1987.    She  worked  as  an  “extra”  while  living  in  CA  and  appeared  in  some  TV  shows  and  films.  She  went  to  Beauty  School  and  then Cosmetology  School  and  still  has  her  license.     She  was  born  in  Boston  and  was  the  oldest  of  7  children.    From  MA  the  family  moved  to  northern  MD,  Chicago  and  on  to  CA  until  1990  when  she  drove  across  the  country  with  her  dog  and  cat  (she  loves  cats  and  dogs!)  to  MD.    She  first  stayed  with  family  in  Silver  

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Spring  and  VA  and  then  rented  apartments  in  Annandale  and  McLean  while  she  was  working  at  the  Gaithersburg  PO.  In  1998  she  bought  a  home  in  Germantown  where  she  still  lives.    In  the  mid-­‐1990’s  she  was  diagnosed  with  Hodgkins  disease  and  couldn’t  work  for  a  year  or  so  and  in  2002  was  classified  by  USPS  for  restricted  duty  so  could  no  longer  be  a  letter  carrier.        Honey  worked  in  Laytonsville,  Damascus,  Dickerson,  Germantown,  Boyds,  Washington  Grove  and  the  Brookville  post  offices,  mostly  covering  while  staff  was  on  vacation.    She  came  to  Barnesville  about  5  years  ago  and  was  drawn  to  the  smaller  office  in  a  friendly  community  in  the  country.    She  grew  up  on  a  farm  with  donkeys,  horses,  pigs,  goats,  chickens,  and  a  Shetland  pony,  so  she  feels  right  at  home.    Thank  you  Honey  for  all  you  do  to  serve  our  community  with  a  smile!  

 

 

Honey  Hymes      

 

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                 TOWN  UPDATES  

Sidewalk  Update:  Sidewalk  construction  by  the  county  should  start  after  October  with  a  section  running  from  the  Baptist  Church  to  the  corner  of  Barnesville  and  Old  Hundred  Road  and  then  another  section  will  be  added  across  from  the  town  hall  to  meet  up  with  the  existing  sidewalk.    Permeable  surface  will  be  installed  around  the  trees  so  that  the  roots  will  be  protected.    Traffic  Update:  Committee  Chair  Jim  Brown  reported  on  the  extensive  work  that  his  committee  has  done  to  explore  all  possible  traffic  calming  measures  in  town.    After  much  research,  discussions  with  traffic  officials  at  the  state  and  county  level  and  community  consultation,  the  committee  members  voted  on  August  22  on  the  range  of  options  as  follows:    Recommend  installing  stop  signs   10  YES    1  NO  Request  double  yellow  lines     11  YES  –    Painting  “Slow  Down”  on  the  road   8  YES     3  NO  Flashing  speed  sign       6  YES     3  NO  Rumble  strips  outside  town     9  YES     2  NO  Large  “Kids  Playing”  signs     8  YES     3  NO    Mr.  Brown  confirmed  that  although  a  vote  was  taken  to  determine  the  sentiments  of  the  committee    members  and  inform  the  Commission,  the  State  Highway  Administration  ultimately  decides  on  stop  signs  as  they  control  the  portion  of  the  roadway  where  the  stop  signs  are    located  and  are  liable  for  the  safety  conditions  of  the  road.      

Their  view  is  that  two  three-­‐way  stops  are  needed  on  Route  109  as  it  enters  town  from  Comus  and  in  front  of  the  antique  store  on  the  way  to  Poolesville.    SHA  does  not  believe  that  double  yellow  striping  is  appropriate  given  the  already  narrow  roadway  through  town.    They  have  also  confirmed  that  speed  bumps  are  not  permissible  on  Route  109.    Because  all  of  the  county  roads  in  town  were  designated  as  rustic  many  years  ago  at  the  town’s  request,  they  are  not  eligible  for  speed  bumps  either.    The  SHA  and  county  are  not  objecting  to  the  other  measures  but  the  town  would  have  to  pay  for  them.    

The  town  had  also  asked  the  county  and  state  to  take  a  look  at  removing  two  40MPH  speed  limit  signs  that  are  inconsistent  with  the  30  mph  zone  throughout  the  rest  of  the  town.    After  a  field  review  was  conducted,  the  county  has  agreed  to  remove  the  40mph  signs  within  the  next  30  days.  

 The  sidewalk  construction  crew  have  coordinated  with    the  stop  sign  group  installation  group.    Streethawk  has  issued  56  tickets  through  August,  for  a  total  of  679  tickets  in  13  months.    The  speed  cameras  continue  to  generate  tickets.  Barnesville  is  one  of  only  two  municipalities  (the  other  is  Chevy  Chase)  that  continues  to  receive  speed  camera  revenue  due  to  our  high  volume  of  tickets  (almost  7000  since  the  new  revenue  sharing  formula  was  established).          

 According  to  the  agreement  with  the  town,  all  speed  camera  revenue  must  be  used  for  public  safety  and  pedestrian  safety  projects.   Town  Hall:    The  town  hall  repainting  project  and  chimney  repair  have  been  completed  .  The  painting  company  also  power  washed  generator  and  propane  tank  enclosures.      Water:    The  Town  is  coordinating  a  group  effort  to  test  the  well  water  quality  in  the  town.  More  information  on  Page  6  of  the  newsletter.      Trees:  Lauren  Greenberger,  President  of  the  Sugarloaf  Citizens  Association,  reported  on  the  availability  of  free  trees  through  the  county.  There  is  evidence  that  roadside  trees  help  with  traffic  calming.    Those  sites  Tree  Montgomery  (for  yard  trees): https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/green/trees/tree-montgomery.html Dept  of  Transportation  (for  street  trees): https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-highway/tree/index.html  

Excess  Signs:  Commissioner  Morris  and  several  town  residents  walked  the  town  identifying  street  signs  that  can  be  removed.    They  met  with  SHA  to  hopefully  coordinate  removal  with  stop  sign  installation.    

 

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Fall  2018  Issue  4    

 

Introducing  Vincent  Pierce  Wagner  born  Sunday,  June  17  at  2:47  am.    Weight  –  7lbs  13  oz.  and  Height-­‐  20.5”.    His  parents,  Toni  and  David  Wagner,  report  that  he  is  happy  and  healthy.  

Diana  Karns,  our  new  town  clerk,  moved  to  Barnesville  in  June  2005  from  Silver  Spring.  Mike,  her  husband,  works  for  a  builder  in  the  DMV  and  they  are  coming  up  on their  28th  Anniversary.    They  have  three  kids  Ashlyn,  22;  Analise,  20  (College);  and  Garrett  17  (Senior  at  Poolesville  High).    

Meet  Our  Residents  

Welcome  New  Neighbors…  

Brian  Capaldo  and  Sarah  Fitzgerald  –    Brian  and  Sarah  moved  here  from  the  Charlottesville  area  in  Virginia.  Sarah  is  originally  from  Winchester,  Virginia,  while  Brian  is  from  Garden  City  on  Long  Island.      

Sarah  is  currently  an  English  and  Theatre  teacher  at  Gaithersburg  High  School.  Prior  to  their  move,  she  taught  English  in  Culpeper,  Va  and  served  as  the  English  Dept.  Chair  and  Teacher  of  the  Year  for  the  county.  She  is  also  currently  earning  her  Ed.S.  through  George  Washington  University  with  the  hopes  of  moving  into  administration.      Brian  is  currently  a  bioinformatics  scientist  at  the  NIH  working  with  the  Laboratory  of  Genitourinary  Cancer.  Prior  to  their  move,  he  worked  as  a  data  analyst  in  the  Core  Facilities  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  where  he  also  earned  his  Ph.D.  He  has  lived  in  Maryland  before,  as  he  earned  his  undergrad  at  Johns  Hopkins.      A  lot  of  people  have  probably  seen  Brian  walking  their  dogs,  Loki  and  Snap,  up  and  down  West  Harris  at  all  hours.   Other  New  Neighbors:    Ineka  Lok  and  Chris  Smallwood  moved  into  Patty  Menke’s  house  on  Barnesville  Road.      

 

Congratulations  to  Barnesville  residents,  Sarah  Eargle,  an  art  teacher  at  Barnesville  School,  and  her  husband,  Sebastian  Calleros.  Sarah  and  Sebastian  celebrated  their  marriage  at  the  Barnesville  Town  Hall  in  June  2018.  

 

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Several  of  our  local  artists,  Dalis  Davidson,  Susan  Pearcy,  Tina  Brown,  and  Cynthia  Jennings  Field,  have  a  number  of  shows  scheduled  for  the  Fall.    Make  sure  you  drop  by  and  visit:    

Countryside  Artisans’  studio  tours  are  October  12,  13,  14,  November  1,  December  1  and  2.    To  the  left  is  an  example  of  Dalis’  “Lambscapes”  which  is  created  by  felting  wool  roving  into  a  picture.  

 

 

 

Local  Events   From  the  

Commissioners  

Animals:    Just  a  reminder  to  be  aware  of  how  your  animals  may  affect  your  neighbors.    Montgomery  County  law  indicates  that  an  owner  must  not  allow  an  animal  to  cause  noise  that  is  loud  enough  and  persistent  enough  to  disturb  another  person’s  quiet  enjoyment.  ($100  fine)  

Political  Signs:  As  the  political  season  approaches,  please  remember  Barnesville’s  ordinances  as  they  relate  to  political  signs.      Temporary  Signs  supporting  candidates  for  political  office  and  relating  to  voter  questions  not  to  exceed  a  total  of  thirty-­‐two  (32)  square  feet  on  a  single  property.    Any  such  sign  shall  not  be  illuminated;  shall  not  be  erected  or  placed  earlier  than  thirty  (30)  days  prior  to  the  election  or  vote  and  shall  be  removed  within  seven  (7)  days  after  the  election  or  vote.        Facebook  Page:    Special  thanks  to  Cynthia  Jennings  Field  for  helping  to  reinstate  the  Barnesville  Facebook  Page.  -­‐-­‐Town  of  Barnesville  Community  group.  

This  does  not  take  the  place  of  the  Barnesville  webpage  or  emails  in  relaying  information  to  town  residents.    This  is  an  informal  way  to  share  information  such  as  events,  lost  dogs,etc.  

To  the  right  is  a  still  life  by  Susan  Pearcy.  

Plus, join us for the

Fall Gallery / Studio TourFri-Sun, Oct 12-14, 10-5pm

A free, self-guided driving tour thru MoCo’s scenic countrysideof 14 galleries & 50+ visual, sculptural, fiber & libation artists.

Details & tour map at CountrysideArtisans.com

Home Before Sunset:Celebration of a Rural Community

an exhibit by the Countryside ArtisansSept 27 - Nov 18 Meet the ArtistsOctober 6 Saturday2-4pm

‘Mountain Blue’ Tina Thieme Brown

The  Countryside  Artisan  Tour  will  have  a  “Meet  the  Artists  event  on  October  6  at  Sandy  Spring  Museum  from  2-­‐4.  

Art  by  Tina  Brown  

 

The  Hyattstown  Mill  Membership  Show,  located  at  the  Hyattstown  Mill  off  of  Rte  355,  runs  from  September  8  through  September  30.  

Cynthia  Jennings  Field  –  Wildflower  and  Monarchs  

Lion’s  Club  Halloween  Party-­‐The  annual  Lions'  Community  Halloween  Party  is  planned  for  Wednesday,  October  31st,  at  St.  Mary's  Pavilion,  in  Barnesville.  Bring  your  kids,  grandkids,  and  the  neighbor’s  kids  to  a  safe  and  fun-­‐filled  Halloween  evening.  Get  in  the  Halloween  spirit  and  come  dressed  in  a  costume  yourself!  There  will  be  a  costume  competition  for  kids  and  adults,  games,  refreshments,  and  prizes  -­‐  all  treats,  no  tricks!  The  festivities  begin  at  7  pm  and  end  by  9  pm.  We  hope  to  see  you  all  there!  

 

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Barnesville  Green  Team  News  

A  newly  formed  Barnesville  committee  initiated  several  projects  this  summer  aimed  at  keeping  the  environment  we  all  enjoy  as  pristine  as  we  can.    The  committee  is  chaired  by  Joyce  Bailey  and  several  members  have  joined  from  within  the  town  and  surrounding  properties.    The  committee  is  looking  for  more  members  as  it  ramps  up  its  activities.    It  is  also  seeking  input  from  citizens  on  topics  that  might  of  interest  (speakers  on  topics  such  as  Septic  System  Maintenance,  Composting,  Recycling,  Managing  Water  Run-­‐off,  Local  Wildlife  or  Seasonal  Nature  Walks).  Please  contact  Commissioner  Morris  at  the  email  address  in  this  newsletter  if  you  are  interested.    

Several  citizens  have  certified  their  properties  under  the  Garden  for  Wildlife  program  with  the  National  Wildlife  Federation.    Look  for  these  signs  around  town.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If  there  is  enough  interest,  we  can  begin  the  process  to  have  the  whole  town  registered  as  a  Community  Wildlife  Habitat.    See  the  National  Wildlife  Federation  website  for  more  details:  https://www.nwf.org/Garden-­‐for-­‐Wildlife/Certify  

At  the  request  of  the  committee,  the  Commissioners  of  Barnesville  passed  Resolution  18-­‐01  at  the  August  Town  Meeting.    This  Resolution  states  the  goals  of  the  town  to  remain  a  Sustainable  Community  through  practices  that  “optimize  quality  of  life  for  its  residents  by  ensuring  that  its  environmental,  economic  and  social  objectives  are  balanced  and  mutually  supportive.”    The  town  will  begin  the  process  to  pursue  Sustainable  Maryland  Municipal  Certification.    This  program  will  provide  the  town  with  opportunities  for  events  and  speakers,  grants  and  training  for  the  residents  of  the  town  in  various  topics  regarding  the  environment  and  sustainable  practices.    You  can  learn  more  about  the  Sustainable  Maryland  program  at:  http://sustainablemaryland.com/  

Well  Water  Testing  

The  Master  Plan  for  Barnesville,  enacted  in  2005,  included  several  recommendations  with  regard  to  maintenance  of  our  wells.    These  included  to  “Encourage  residents  to  monitor  their  well  water  and  waste  water  systems  and  Suggest  that  the  Town  organize  group  purchase  of  water  testing.”    The  Commissioners  have  recently  looked  into  a  group  purchase  of  water  testing.    Through  a  certified  Maryland  lab  (Fredericktowne  Labs),  we  have  obtained  pricing  information  for  the  Basic  Package  of  testing  which  includes  testing  for  Bacteria,  pH,  Nitrate,  Nitrite,  Chloride,  Sulfate,  Fluoride,  Turbidity,  Hardness  and  Iron.    The  normal  price  for  testing  is  $125  plus  a  $70  visit  charge  to  pick  up  the  sample.    We  plan  to  select  a  date  in  the  near  future  when  residents  can  drop  off  their  samples  (where  they  can  be  refrigerated  until  pick  up)  at  the  town  hall.    This  will  eliminate  the  $70  charge  for  all  who  participate.    If  more  than  25  properties  participate,  there  will  be  a  further  10%  discount  in  the  testing  cost.    We  have  10  households  signed  up  from  those  who  attended  recent  town  meetings.    Look  for  a  sign  up  sheet  in  the  post  office  if  you  are  interested.  

 

Joyce  Bailey,  Green  Team  Chair,  with  her  National  Wildlife  sign.  

Sign  near  Audrey  Morris’  yard  

.  

 

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Some  pictures  of  an  Older  Barnesville-­‐  by  John  Menke  

When  I  was  about  14  (in  about  1954)  I  got  my  first  35mm  camera  second  hand  from  a  gym  teacher  at  Poolesville  Jr.  High.    $25!    I  had  already  learned  developing  and  printing,  and  had  a  basement  darkroom  (dismantled  only  last  year).    But  with  the  new  camera,  I  was  taking  pictures,  it  seemed,  everywhere.    

I  still  have  the  negatives  from  most  of  the  100  or  so  rolls  of  film  I  shot.    Here  is  a  sample  from  Barnesville  taken  about  1954.    

The  Offutts  in  Barnesville  were  friends  of  ours  as  they  had  kids  our  age.    They  lived  in  what  is  now  the  Field  house  on  the  main  street.    I  spent  a  lot  of  time  there:  Notley  was  my  age,  and  we  played  together.    His  sister  Anne  

was  a  year  or  so  older,  and  even  at  that  young  age,  I  was  interested  (for  a  while,  at  least).    

Here  is  a  picture  of  the  Offutt  house,  looking  west.    Where  I  stood  is  now  parking  from  what  was  then  the  Hershberger  house  (now  the  Vogel’s).    Since  1954,  the  Offutt  house  has  had  several  owners,  and  the  yard  around  it  has  had  many  changes.    At  that  time,  they  had  a  short  lane  on  the  west  side  of  the  house,  going  back  to  several  outbuildings  housing  chickens  and  goats,  and  a  year  or  so  later,  the  beginnings  of  what  became  a  mink  ranch  (since  moved  to  the  Thurmont  area).    

Here  is  another  picture  looking  across  the  street  from  the  Offutt  front  gate.    That’s  me!    Behind  me  is  “Chalk”  Johnsons  cabin,  on  the  side  lot  of  The  Tolbert/Hayes  property.    After  he  died,  the  cabin  was  unfortunately  destroyed  (as  was  the  vegetable  garden  and  all  those  beans).    

You  can  now  see  the  “Hershberger”  house  in  the  background,  with  its  large  front  porch.    But  of  course  what  draws  the  attention  is  Anne  Offutt  (the  younger  girl)  and  her  older  athletic  sister  Lorette  (a  friend  of  my  brother  

George).    Next  to  Anne  is  one  of  the  many  bicycles  belonging  to  the  kids  of  Barnesville.    

Finally,  here  are  Anne  and  Notley.    Typically,  we  were  playing  in  the  street.    No  street  markings,  and  very  little  traffic  (we  all  waved  to  the  drivers  back  then).    Sorry,  I  don’t  know  the  name  of  the  little  boy,  though  I  believe  he  was  another  Offutt  child.  

 

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In  Memoriam:    This  summer,  Barnesville  mourned  the  loss  of  Bea  Strattner  who  was  an  active  participant  in  Barnesville  activities,  serving  on  the  traffic  committee  and  starting  yoga  in  the  town  hall.  

Barnesville  also  mourns  the  loss  of  Bob  Wojciechowski,  who  lived  on  Conoy  Road,  and  will  always  be  remembered  for  his  accordion  playing  at  Town  Caroling.    A  memorial  is  planned  for  October  6  at  St.  Mary’s  from  11  to  12  with  family  greeting  friends  from  10  to  11.  

Both  Bea  and  Bob  will  be  greatly  missed.  

Message  from  the  Mayor  

Dear  Friends  and  Neighbors,  

As  you  will  read  in  this  newsletter,  there  is  more  happening  in  Barnesville  than  our  small  size  might  lead  you  to  expect.    We  made  the  big  city  newspaper  with  the  write-­‐up  in  the  "Where  We  Live"  section  of  the  Washington  Post  on  August  6  and  our  traffic  committee's  efforts  were  described  in  an  article  in  the  local  Monocacy  Monocle  (thanks  to  Jim  Brown).    We  celebrated  at  the  143rd  annual  St.  Mary's  chicken  dinner  and  jousting  tournament  and  we  watched  movies  together  at  the  town  hall.    Over  the  course  of  the  summer  and  early  fall,  we  have  joyfully  welcomed  Vincent  Wagner  as  our  youngest  new  citizen,  said  a  sad  goodbye  to  Bea  Strattner  and  Bob  Wojciechowski,  and  were  proud  that  our  historic  town  hall  could  witness  the  wedding  of  residents  Sarah  Eargle  and  Sebastian  Calleros.    We  have  also  welcomed  new  neighbors  in  town-­‐-­‐Ineka  Lok  and  Chip  Smallwood  have  moved  into  town  from  the  Lok  Farm  (as  close  as  we  want  to  get  to  a  "Barnesville  suburb")  and  Brian  Capaldo  and  Sarah  Fitzgerald  have  moved  here  from  Charlottesville.    We  are  also  pleased  that  Johannes  Strattner  has  decided  to  call  Barnesville  home  again  as  he  continues  his  studies  in  Baltimore.        

In  addition  to  the  people  who  live  in  town,  our  attention  has  also  been  focused  on  the  people  who  drive  through  our  town-­‐-­‐often  way  too  fast  for  our  own  safety.    As  another  article  describes,  we  have  looked  at  every  possible  method  to  get  traffic  down  to  more  reasonable  speeds  and  we  hope  that  the  combination  of  sidewalks  and  additional  traffic  controls  will  help  make  Barnesville  a  safer  place  for  us  and  our  kids  to  wait  for  the  school  bus,  walk  to  a  town  meeting,  yoga  classes  or  church,  or  take  a  stroll  to  Mrs.  Brown's  Attic.    We  will  keep  working  on  the  next  sections  of  sidewalk  after  the  first  one  across  from  town  hall  is  completed  this  fall.        

Speaking  of  fall,  our  town  artisans  will  be  hosting  their  open  houses  soon  and  many  other  activities  will  take  place  in  the  Ag  Reserve.    Local  organizations  like  Sugarloaf  Citizens  Association  and  Montgomery  Countryside  Alliance  work  very  hard  year  round  to  help  us  keep  the  Ag  Reserve  the  beautiful,  natural,  peaceful  place  that  we  have  chosen  for  our  home.    Many  Barnesville  citizens  and  neighbors  like  Jim  and  Tina  Brown,  Jamie  Field,  Joyce  Bailey  and  Lauren  Greenberger  dedicate  a  huge  amount  of  their  time  to  the  work  of  these  organizations  that  benefit  us  all.    Let's  thank  them  and  support  these  organizations  whenever  we  can!    

Finally,  the  town  Planning  Commission  is  busting  the  myth  that  reviewing  the  town's  master  plan  is  all  dull  work.    To  be  sure,  there  is  a  need  for  attention  to  detail.    But  I  have  to  say  that  our  Saturday  morning  sessions  have  actually  been  well  attended  and  sometimes  down  right  lively!    This  month's  feedback  session  got  us  all  talking  and  moving  from  table  to  table  to  write  down  our  "must  haves"  for  the  Barnesville  we  hope  to  enjoy  in  the  years  ahead.    As  the  article  in  this  newsletter  says,  there  will  be  other  opportunities  for  input  from  our  citizens,  but  you  will  always  be  welcome  at  our  Saturday  morning  working  sessions.    Many  thanks  to  co-­‐chairs  Meg  Menke  and  Woody  Bailey  for  leading  us  in  this  important  effort.    

We  are  very  happy  that  Diana  Karns  has  agreed  to  take  over  the  role  of  town  clerk.    She  is  coming  just  in  time  for  the  fall  and  winter  activities-­‐-­‐check  out  the  calendar  in  this  issue  so  you  can  get  everything  on  your  calendar  as  well.    Fellow  commissioners  Holly  Larisch  and  Audrey  Morris  deserve  a  huge  round  of  applause  for  all  the  many  hats  they  have  been  wearing  during  the  time  we  have  been  without  a  town  clerk.  Indeed,  we  are  all  doing  our  small  part  to  live  up  to  our  town  motto,  "A  caring  community."    Thanks  for  all  that  each  of  you  do  in  so  many  ways  to  make  our  town  the  special  place  it  is  today.    

Mildred  Callear  

 

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BARNESVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION 2018-2019 PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE to Revise Master Plan

First Saturday each month, 8:30-10:00am at Barnesville Town Hall

Changes may be announced – please check for updates.

Month / Date Major section of

current plan to be discussed

Pages (in current plan) Notes

July 7 Present conditions 4-7

August 4 Infrastructure 8-11

September 8 Special Meeting for public comment

Whole document, any issue

How do you see the future of our Town?

October 6 Transportation, traffic 11 Focus on traffic

and safety

November 3 Sidewalks 18-19

December 1 Environment 12-13

January 5 Water Resources 1-3 in 2010 update

February 2 Municipal Growth 4-7 in 2010 update

March 2 Proposed Land Use and Zoning 15-22

April 6 Changes to Zoning Ordinance Code + Appendix 4

May 4 Changes to Subdivision Ordinance

Code + Appendix 4

June 1 Changes to Forest

Conservation Ordinance

Code + Appendix 4

July 6 Appendices Appendices 1, 2, 3 Review for what’s missing

 

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October  14,  2018  4:00  pm  

Barnesville  Town  Hall  

BARNESVILLE  

CHILI  COOK  OFF  

Email  hal.larisch@gmail.com  or  look  on  Barnesville  website  (www.barnesvillemd.org)  

for  more  details  

 

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BARNESVILLE  CHILI  COOK  OFF  RULES  

 

1. Chili  entries  will  be  judged  in  the  following  categories:  a. Hot  with  meat  b. Hot  without  meat  c. Mild  with  Meat  d. Mild  without  Meat  e. Other    

2. Entries  must  be  made  ahead  of  time  in  crockpot.  Please  bring  your  entry  to  the  town  hall  by  3:45  for  check  in.    Each  entry  will  be  assigned  a  number  in  its  category.      

3. Entrants  and  spectators  will  each  be  given  three  tickets  to  place  in  a  numbered  jar  by  each  entry  indicating  their  choices.      

4. The  entries  with  the  most  tickets  per  category  win  a  Barnesville  Chili  Cook  -­‐off    First  Place  Spoon.    

5. Entrants  only  need  to  bring  Chili  –  the  Town  will  provide  cornbread,  chili  toppings,  chips,  dessert  and  soft  drinks.        

6. Please  provide  a  card  with  a  brief  description  of  the  ingredients.      

7. Any  questions,  please  email  Holly  Larisch  at  hal.larisch@gmail.com