Monthly CA MAR 2014
A P U B L I C AT I O N O F C O L U M B I A A S S O C I AT I O N
Introducing the new
2 CA Preisdent Phil Nelson Leaving in April 3 Columbia Village Elections Coming Up Next Month 8 Be Part of Your Community Events
For more information about the new website visit ColumbiaAssociation.org.
ColumbiaAssociation.org By Celeste Olinger and Erin McPhail
get the latest
on what’s
happening at Columbia Association with
thisweek@CA a weekly webcast. you can watch the
videos online anytime at bit.ly/thisweekatca
Get Social
with CA! It’s easier than ever to find us.
Facebook.com/ColumbiaAssociation Instagram.com/ColumbiaAssn LinkedIn.com/company/Columbia-Association Twitter.com/ColumbiaAssn YouTube.com/CATVchannel
ou asked for it and we delivered! Columbia Association (CA) is proud to announce the relaunch of its website, ColumbiaAssociation.org. On Feb. 7, CA’s Communications and Community Engagement Division unveiled the new Columbia Association website. The communications team’s main goal was to develop a user-friendly website that would best benefit the Columbia community. Communications worked directly with community members to redevelop the new website. The team reached out to the community utilizing appreciative inquiry strategies to gather the public’s opinions on what they would like to see on CA’s redeveloped website. Communications reached out to the public through its community engagement site, InspireColumbia.com; Facebook and Twitter; resident interviews; and CA’s citizens academy, Excite Columbia. Prior to the official website launch, Communications tested CA’s revamped website with a group of Columbia residents to gather feedback. Residents discussed what they liked, what they would change and what they would like to see added. Listed at right are some of the suggestions received from the community:
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• Create a simpler way
to view class schedules for all facilities. • Consolidate the number
• Make the website easy
to navigate and make the information easy to find, more intuitive for the end user.
• Include a calendar
where residents can receive notifications of new events.
of CA-related websites into • Offer interactive CA’s main website so that • Improve the way events calendars and schedules. residents can get all their and news are listed on information in one place the site, so it’s easier to • Include contact without bouncing find and stay informed to information for CA team members. off the site. what is going on at CA. To read more about ColumbiaAssociation.org see page 4. C A M O N T H LY 1
Get Your Columbia Card Today! ondering if you’re a member, non-member or Columbia Association (CA) resident? If you live on CA-assessed property but do not have a CA membership, you are a CA resident. As a CA resident, the Columbia Card offers you the ability to get reduced, pay-asyou-go daily admission rates to CA facilities and programs without a membership. Want a CA Columbia Card? Come to the Columbia Association Membership Service Center (10221 Wincopin Circle in Columbia) with valid state ID and, if applicable, your dependent children’s birth certificates. CA staff will get you registered and snap a photo of you. When you want to work out at the gym or go swimming at one of the local pools, just show the front desk attendant your Columbia Card, pay the appropriate fees and you are good to go! For more information on the Columbia Card, please call 410-730-1801.
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Inner Arbor Trust Deemed 501(c)(3) by the IRS he Inner Arbor Trust has recently been named a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, permitting tax deductible donations, by the Internal Revenue Service. The Inner Arbor Trust was created to implement the Inner Arbor Concept Plan to redevelop Symphony Woods Park in downtown Columbia. In December, the Inner Arbor Trust held a presubmission community meeting to present concept plans to the community and to answer questions about those plans for Symphony Woods. You can learn more about the Inner Arbor Trust and Inner Arbor Concept Updated Inner Arbor Concept Plan for Symphony Woods Park. Plan at InArTrust.org.
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CA President Phil Nelson
Leaving in April P hil Nelson will step down as Columbia Association’s (CA) president at the end of April, departing after five years with CA. Nelson came to CA in 2009 from his position as city manager of Troy, Mich. “After 43 years in public administration and managing a non-profit service provision company, it’s time to move on and do something else,” Nelson said. His extended career working on behalf of communities culminated with a tenure that Nelson said brought numerous highlights for CA. Among them: the best financial performance in CA’s history for three of the past five years; a move toward proactive planning rather than reacting; increased transparency; an emphasis on listening to what members and residents want; developing partnerships and enhancing relationships with government agencies and nonprofit organizations; completing the dredging of Columbia’s lakes and creating a watershed management plan; targeting facilities and programs to add value to life and property; developing a multi-year capital improvements program as this community’s infrastructure continues to age; and completing 70 percent more capital projects than had been done before, all while staying within budget. “I am proud of what CA has accomplished over these past few years,” Nelson said. The CA Board of Directors is seeking to select the next president by the end of April. Although the search is nationwide, local candidates are also encouraged to apply. Applicants should send résumés via email to Steve Hayes or Alex Zakupowsky of executive search firm DHR International. Hayes can be reached at Shayes@dhrinternational.com, and Zakupowsky can be contacted at Azakupowsky@dhrinternational.com. A full job description can be found on the CA website at ColumbiaAssociation.org/President.
Lakefront
Wednesdays Wednesdays, May 7- June 25 • 12-2pm Downtown Columbia Lakefront • FREE event
Join the downtown Columbia community for free lunchtime concerts every Wednesday featuring various musical artists at Lake Kittamaqundi. Call 410-423-1891 for details or visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/LakefrontWednesdays.
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COMING UP NEXT MONTH:
COLUMBIA
VILLAGE
ELECTIONS By Aria White Connor
he village elections are coming up next month. In each of the 10 villages in Columbia, there is a village board that regulates the village’s covenants, organizes activities for residents and determines the architectural guidelines for the village neighborhoods. Each village also elects one Columbia Council representative to serve as a member of the Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors, which reviews policies and budget matters, develops strategic initiatives for the association, addresses community issues and appoints the CA president. If you live in Columbia, it’s important that you stay abreast of the issues being decided by the village boards and the CA Board and cast your vote this year. And if you really want to make a difference, consider running for a position to make sure your voice is heard. The following is a listing of the elections being held in each village and how to run for a position.
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Dorsey’s Search Time: Saturday, April 26 • 8am-1pm; Candidates Night will be held on April 17, at 7pm if the election is contested. Location: Linden Hall (4765 Dorsey Hall Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21042); absentee ballots will be available April 1 Open positions: There are three open positions on the Dorsey’s Search Village Board of Directors. Nomination process: Nomination petitions can be picked up at Linden Hall starting March 1 and are due back by noon on March 21. Candidate’s statements should not exceed 150 words and a black and white photo can be included with the petition and statement. More info: DorseysSearch.Columbia Villages.org
Harper’s Choice Time: Saturday, April 26 • 9am-3pm Location: Kahler Hall (5440 Old Tucker Road, Columbia, MD 21044) Open positions: There are three open positions on the Harper’s Choice Village Board of Directors and one open position for the Harper’s Choice Columbia Council representative. Nomination process: The nomination period begins on March 1 and closes at 5pm on March 14. Nomination packets are available at Kahler Hall and may be downloaded at HarpersChoice CommunityAssociation.org. More Info: HarpersChoiceCommunity Association.org
Hickory Ridge Time: Saturday, April 26 • 9am-1pm Location: Hawthorn Center (6175 Sunny Spring, Columbia, MD 21044) Open positions: There are five open positions on the Hickory Ridge Village Board of Directors and one open position for the Hickory Ridge Columbia Council representative. Nomination process: Interested candidates should submit a statement of 150 words or less to the Hickory Ridge Village Manager by March 15 at noon. More Info: HickoryRidgeVillage.org
Kings Contrivance Time: Friday, April 25 • 5-7pm; and Saturday, April 26 • 9am-1pm Location: Amherst House (7251 Eden Brook Drive, Columbia, MD 21046) Open positions: There are three open positions on the Kings Contrivance Village Board of Directors. Nomination process: The nomination period begins on March 1 and ends at
5pm on March 21. Candidates must submit a 150-word statement and picture with their nomination petition. You can pick up a nomination petition at Amherst House. More Info: KingsContrivanceVillage Association.org
Long Reach Time: Saturday, April 26 • 9:30am-12pm Location: Stonehouse (8775 Cloudleap Court, Columbia, MD 21045) Open positions: There are three open positions on the Long Reach Village Board of Directors. Nomination process: The nomination period begins on March 1 and ends at noon on March 21. Candidates must be a member of the Long Reach Community Association (lot owner or lease-holding tenant). Interested residents should stop by the office at Stonehouse to pick up a petition. Petition must be signed by 10 members of the association (only one signature per property) and candidates must submit a 150-word statement. More Info: LongReach.org
Oakland Mills Time: Saturday, April 26 • 8:30am-5pm Location: The Other Barn (5851 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia, MD 21045); Meet the Candidates/Election Forum event will be held on April 8, at 7pm; absentee ballots are due by April 25. Open positions: There are seven open positions on the Oakland Mills Village Board of Directors and one open position for the Oakland Mills Columbia Council representative. Nomination process: Candidate packets and nomination petitions are available now and are due back by March 7 at 4pm. More Info: OaklandMills.org or Manager@OaklandMills.org
Owen Brown Time: Saturday, April 26 • 9am-1pm Location: Owen Brown Community Center (6800 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045); absentee ballots are also available starting March 31, and are due back by April 25. Open positions: There are two open positions on the Owen Brown Village Board of Directors and one open position for the Owen Brown Columbia Council representative. Nomination process: The nomination period begins on March 1 and ends on March 21, at 4pm. Candidate Packets are available at the Owen Brown Community
Center. Candidates are encouraged to submit a statement of candidacy of no more than 150 words. More Info: OwenBrownVillage.org
River Hill Time: Saturday, April 26, time TBD Location: Claret Hall (6020 Daybreak Circle, Clarksville, MD 21029); absentee ballots are also available starting on April 6, and must be returned to Claret Hall by midnight on April 25. Open positions: There are four open positions on the River Hill Village Board of Directors. Nomination process: The nomination period begins on March 1 and ends on March 21. Nomination petitions will be available online at VillageofRiverHill.org, at Claret Hall and in the River Hill Village newsletter. More Info: VillageofRiverHill.org
Town Center Time: Saturday, April 26 • 9am-2pm Location: Vantage Point Road Park (Vantage Point Road, Columbia, MD 21044);Town Center Room in Historic Oakland if there’s inclement weather. Open positions: There are two open positions on the Town Center Village Board of Directors, and one open position for Town Center Columbia Council representative. Nomination process: Candidates’ packets and applications can be requested by contacting Patricia Laidig at 410-7304744 or VillageManager@ColumbiaTown Center.org. Applications are due by March 7, at noon in the Village Manager’s Office. A candidates’ forum will be held on April 8, at 7pm, at Vantage House (5400 Vantage Point Road, Columbia, MD 21044). More Info: ColumbiaTownCenter.org
Wilde Lake Time: Saturday, April 26 • 9am-3pm Location: Slayton House (10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia, MD 21044); Wilde Lake residents can also cast votes via absentee ballot (absentee ballots were distributed via election newsletter to residents in the village) Open positions: There are five open positions on the Wilde Lake Board of Directors, and one open position for the Wilde Lake Columbia Council representative. Nomination process: The nomination period began on Feb. 17 and closes on March 13, at 9pm. Candidates’ packets are available at Slayton House and can be downloaded at WildeLake.org. More Info: WildeLake.org C A M O N T H LY 3
ColumbiaAssociation at a glance is proud to unveil its new website. We want to highlight some of the cool new features located on our website that you asked for! You will notice that all CA sites can be found at ColumbiaAssociation.org. There are no more external private sites for CA’s different programs or services. CA consolidated a total of 38 external sites — yikes! Now everything is in one place. So, if you’re used to ColumbiaPools.org or ColumbiaCamps.org, that’s OK, you can still use the same URL to get there, but the information has a new home on our website. It’s the same information, if not more, that you received on the old, separate websites. Now you can find everything CA in one place. It’s like a new one-stop shop!
CA
SITE MAP: The site map will serve as a guide to help you find what you are looking for on the complete website. The beauty of the site map is that all of the sections listed are links. You can just click on the link to the page that you are looking for; it’s your roadmap to CA information.
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n.org
LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR:
automatically when they are added to the site, so there’s no need to wait to receive information.
As Columbia continues to embrace the diversity of our community, CA thought it was very important to incorporate a language translator on the website. With a click of a button, the site can now be translated into more than 50 different languages to facilitate the different language needs of our community.
FONT SIZE ADJUSTER: In order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and accommodate visitors’ needs on the new site, CA also included a font-sizing option. Visitors can now either increase or decrease the size of the font on each page of the website.
CLASS SCHEDULES:
I WANT TO: When you come to the new CA website, ask yourself, “What do I want to do?” Now we can assist you with what you are looking to do with our I Want To section. The I Want To section was created to help you find the services and programs you are looking for without needing to know which department operates them, or which section to find them under on the CA website.
We have transformed the class schedules document into charts separated by class instead of fitness facility. The new layout allows visitors to easily view each type of class, its description and the times it is being offered at CA’s fitness facilities without having to deal with a large PDF file. (Don’t worry, if you prefer the old format, we still have the original PDF format available as well.)
BUSINESS DIRECTORY:
TRANSPARENCY SECTION: CA strives to be transparent with the community in all aspects. Under the transparency section, community members can find information about CA’s budgets, major projects, master plans, policies and statements, president’s updates and CA’s annual charge.
Now it’s easy for you to locate businesses within Columbia. This feature allows you to look up contact information for the various businesses located in each Columbia village center. You may view businesses located throughout all the villages, or only view businesses in certain village centers. This is especially helpful for new residents or residents who just don’t know what’s available in their village centers.
E-NOTIFICATIONS: You can now sign up to receive email notifications for calendar updates, news updates, inclement weather alerts, job postings and more. What makes it even better is that these notifications get sent to you
BACKGROUND PHOTO ROTATION: When you visit CA’s new website and press the reload button on your web browser, the main background picture on the site will change to another beautiful picture of Columbia, making each visit new and exciting. This added functionality keeps the site fresh and inviting. Now that you know more about the site, CA invites you to get online and check it out! Communications and Community Engagement would love to know what you think. Share your thoughts about Columbia Association’s new site at ColumbiaAssociation.org/Feedback.
C A M O N T H LY 5
2014 Teen Outreach Committee
CLOtHiNg DriVe ReCap T
By Erin McPhail he awesome group of youth that serve on the Youth and Teen Center’s (YTC) Teen Outreach Committee (TOC) did it again! This year was the 5th annual clothing drive, hosted by TOC to help local families in need. Clothing was provided for a total of 606 families. With donations and help from the Columbia community, TOC was able to collect more than 12,000 items of clothing and accessories. On the weekend of Jan. 18, TOC distributed clothes and other items to those who were in need. Patrons lined up along the sidewalks in the Oakland Mills Village Center, grateful for the opportunity to receive the help. A total of 69 volunteers from the community attended to help with the distribution. This year, TOC witnessed a record-breaking number of volunteers as well as patrons from The Cold Weather Shelters, Grassroots, social services, public schools, children services and Community Action Council’s Head Start programs. TOC also served 61 youth in their Kid's Zone area. In the Kid's Zone, children participated in activities such as coloring, watching movies, playing board games, making craft creations and receiving a tutorial on the latest phenom, rubber band looming. Kid’s Zone was offered to youth ages 12 and under, allowing their parents uninterrupted time to shop. The Teen Outreach Committee would like to thank all of its partners for their contributions throughout the clothing drive and distribution weekend. The event could not have been as successful without their help. Partners included the following: • Bridgeway Church/Boy Scouts, Brian Wormley: Donated clothing; held a single drive during their church services for TOC’s 5th annual event. • All 10 Village Community Associations and Columbia Art Center: Hosted collection boxes. • Eggspectations, Ellicott City, MD, Mark Hanson and crew: Provided a healthy lunch for all volunteers and fruit and muffins for patrons. • Links, Inc. For Girls Only: Sorted, setup and helped host. • Howard County Volunteer Center: Connected TOC with volunteers. • Church of Jesus Christ, Ellicott City, MD: Sorted and helped host. • Teen Time, East Columbia Library: Sorted clothing and accessories. • Lake Elkhorn Middle School, Ladies First Club: Sorted clothing and accessories. • Jeffers Hill Elementary School: Donated clothing and accessories. • Bryant Woods Montessori: Donated clothing and accessories. • Columbia community: members like you who provided support and generous donations. For more information on the Youth and Teen Center @ the Barn or CA’s Teen Outreach Committee, please visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/teens.
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Energy Efficiency Starts in the Home By Jeremy Scharfenberg olumbia Association (CA) is participating in the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s (BGE) Smart Energy Savers Program® to make energy-efficient and climate-friendly improvements throughout its building portfolio. BGE also offers a variety of discounts, rebates and services designed to help Columbia homeowners improve their home’s energy efficiency and reduce their energy costs. Many residents have already have taken advantage of these offers and are enjoying the benefits of saving energy and money, especially during the recent extreme cold temperatures. In addition to BGE’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program, which offers a comprehensive approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort throughout your home, here are two additional ways you can reduce your energy costs in 2014. • Heating & Cooling Equipment Rebates Nothing takes the brrr out of winter like an energy-efficient heating system. Heating and cooling can be up to 50 percent of your home’s energy use. Models that are certified by ENERGY STAR offer increased comfort, better performance and energy savings month after month. If your system is more than 10 years old, it might be time for an upgrade. BGE customers can get rebates from $100 to $1,150 on assorted ENERGY STAR equipment. Geothermal systems qualify for a $500 rebate, plus a federal tax credit worth 30 percent of the cost*. • Hybrid Water Heater Rebates Water heaters are the second largest energy user in a typical home. Replacing your old system with an ENERGY STAR certified hybrid water heater can help you save up to $300 a year in energy costs. And, you can save $350 with available rebates. To learn more about all these BGE programs, visit BGESmartEnergy.com. To learn more about ENERGY STAR, visit EnergyStar.gov. *Consult a tax advisor for additional information.
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GET YOUR BARK ON AT
DOGDAY
Afternoon Saturday, May 3
11am-2pm • Hopewell Park RAINDATE: SUNDAY, MAY 4 (Same time, same place)
NEW THIS YEAR!
Pet Communicator Readings
REGISTER AT: CADogDay.Eventbrite.com #DogDay14
Columbia Association
Board of Directors 2013-2014
Michael Cornell, River Hill 410-531-9340 MichaelCornell@comcast.net
Cynthia A.S.H. Coyle, Harper’s Choice 410-997-7637 CashCoyle2@aol.com
Brian Dunn, Kings Contrivance 301-473-0077 BrianJDunn@gmail.com
Alex Hekimian, Oakland Mills 410-730-2583 AlexHekimian@hotmail.com
Nancy McCord, Wilde Lake 410-730-2309 Nancy.McCord@LNF.com
Tom O’Connor, Dorsey’s Search 410-336-9269 TomFOC3@Verizon.net
Gregg Schwind, Hickory Ridge 410-992-5043 Gregg.Schwind@usdoj.gov
Andrew Stack, Owen Brown 410-381-8897 Andy.OBCA@gmail.com
Russell Swatek, Long Reach 410-799-1497 Swatek1@yahoo.com
Suzanne Waller, Town Center 410-730-9132 SUZYQ1104@aol.com
CABOARD RECAP At the Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors meeting held on Thursday, Jan. 23, these recommendations for action were approved: • The board voted unanimously to support and prepare testimony favoring legislation to change a Howard County law that prohibits letting dogs run free, even in a dog park. The legislation would exempt animals on property of an entity that owns at least 1,000 acres of open space and that is enclosed and posted as a dog park. • The board approved the FY 15 Orientation, Organizational and Training Calendar. • The board approved a purchasing exemption for DHR international for the purpose of searching for a new Columbia Association president. • The next scheduled Board of Directors meetings will be held on Thursday, Mar. 13 and 27. • Meetings are held at CA Headquarters, which is located at 10221 Wincopin Circle, across the street from The Mall in Columbia. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. For current CA Board of Directors meeting minutes and agendas, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/agendas. Podcasts from board meetings also are available at ColumbiaAssociation.org/podcasts.
SpiritofColumbia
Applications Due This Month
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pply now for a Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship. Each year, CA awards up to six $2,500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who live on CA-assessed property, or have a parent who works full-time on CA-assessed property. Applicants must have a minimum of a “C” average and have a demonstrated history of voluntary service to the Columbia community. Applications can be completed online by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org/Scholarship. Applications and required documents must be submitted by March 15. CA employees, members of the CA Board of Directors or family members of employees or board members are not eligible to receive the award. For more information, call 410-715-3161 or email SpiritofColumbia@ ColumbiaAssociation.org. C A M O N T H LY 7
March
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Mar.- Apr. • Owen Brown Community Center 410-381-0202
Feed a Pet
St. Patrick’s Day One Stroke Workshop Thu, Mar. 6 • 6-8pm Columbia Art Center 410-730-0075
Fri, Mar. 7 • 7:30-9pm The Hawthorn Center 410-730-7327
Thu, Mar. 20 • 7-9pm Historic Oakland 410-730-4744
Public Safety Meeting
Lively Arts for Little Ones Presents: “The Great Zucchini”
Fri, Mar. 21 • 10am The Other Barn • 410-730-4610
Visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events to learn about more great events happening in Columbia!
Fri, Mar. 21 • 6:30-8:30pm Historic Oakland 410-730-4744
Family Bingo
Columbia Families in Nature Kick-Off Outing
Sun, Mar. 23 • 2-4pm Lake Kittamaqundi ColumbiaFamiliesinNature.org
Family Night Bingo
Master Gardener Grow It! Eat It!
Sat, Mar. 8 • 10am Claret Hall • 410-531-1749 Sat, Mar. 8 • 10am-2pm Owen Brown Community Center • 410-381-0202
Baby Expo
Master Gardeners Present: “Baywise: Landscaping”
Wed, Mar. 12 • 7pm The Other Barn • 410-730-4610
Internet Safety for Parents
Wed, Mar. 12 • 7pm Claret Hall • 410-531-1749
CA Board of Directors Meeting Thu, Mar. 13 • 7:30pm CA Headquarters 410-715-3000
Senior Advisory Committee Meeting Wed, Mar. 19 • 2pm CA Headquarters 410-715-3000
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Salon Series: Music by the Mighty Kelltones
Mon, Mar. 24 • 6pm Columbia Art Center 410-730-0075
Master Gardeners presents “Hot Composting”
Wed, Mar. 26 • 7:30pm The Hawthorn Center 410-730-7327 Call to reserve your space
CA Board of Directors Meeting
Thu, Mar. 27 • 7:30pm • CA Headquarters • 410-715-3000 Sat, Mar. 29 • 8am-noon Stonehouse • 410-730-8113
Kids Nearly New Sale
Sat, Mar. 29 • 9am-noon Locations vary by village ColumbiaVillages.org 410-730-8113
Columbia Cleans Day
Sunday Tea at Historic Oakland
Sun, Mar. 30 • 3:30-5pm
Historic Oakland 410-730-4801
SAVE THE DATE: Searching For Spring Sat, Apr. 5 • 10-11:30am Columbia SportsPark 410-715-3054
SAVE THE DATE: Columbia Village Elections
Sat, Apr. 26 • Times vary Columbia villages ColumbiaVillages.org