Monthl y CA JULY 2012
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
T H I S M O N T H O N C A’s TELEVISION SHOW
On July’s TV show, learn all about how the Columbia Association takes care of trees in Columbia. The video focuses on CA’s management, restoration and enhancement of trees in the area. Watch Columbia Matters online anytime at
ColumbiaMatters.org and YouTube.com/CATVchannel.
Connect with CA!
It’s easier than ever to find us. Facebook.com/CA.ColumbiaAssociation Issuu.com/CA-ColumbiaAssociation Twitter.com/Columbia_Events YouTube.com/CATVchannel
2 Why I Serve: An Interview With CA Board Chairwoman Shari Zaret 3 New Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse To Be Built 8 Be a Part of Your Community Events
Experience the
Learn more about summer events at ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events.
Summer With CA! O
By Aria White
nce the summer comes, you probably look forward to taking time to have fun.
There are so many fun things happening, it can be hard to decide what to do.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the awesomest things to do in Columbia this summer. A mazing concerts Do you love live music? If so, you’ll love the free Summer Lakefront Festival concerts. Live bands will perform at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from now until August 19. Info: LakefrontFestival.com W ild movie nights Check out free movies every Monday and Friday from now until August, and then on Fridays and Saturdays through September 15 at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. The movies will include The Hunger Games, and Captain America. Info: LakefrontFestival.com E xciting teen fun
with your inner artist with classes, seminars and outings this summer. Info: ColumbiaArtCenter.org O ver-the-top village fun Each village in Columbia hosts activities for kids, families and mature adults every month, including game nights, luncheons and pool parties for residents. See what’s happening in your village this month on page 8. M ore fitness Summer is swimsuit season. Lucky for you, CA offers plenty of fitness classes to make sweating fun. All three CA fitness facilities offer classes every day. There’s Zumba®, aqua fitness, yoga, Tae Bo® and more. Info: ColumbiaAssociation.org, click on “Get Fit”
The Columbia Association (CA) will be hosting several summer camps for teens, including Camp Discovery, Learn2Tri Camp, Teen Adventures, and Modeling and Fashion Camp. Info: ColumbiaCamps.org
E xciting pool time Nothing says summertime like hanging by the pool. Visit one of CA’s 23 outdoor pools for a splashing good time in the sun. Info: ColumbiaPools.org or @Columbia_Pools on Twitter
S pecial art classes
Stay up-to-date on the events happening around Columbia that are sponsored by CA by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events or following @Columbia_Events on Twitter.
Whether you’re interested in calligraphy, ceramics, painting or photography, the Columbia Art Center can help you get in touch
C A M O N T H LY 1
Why I Serve:
An Interview With CA Board Chairwoman Shari Zaret
By David Greisman
S
hari Zaret, who represents Kings Contrivance on the Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors, was elected this May to serve as the board’s new chairwoman. A Columbia resident for 25 years, Zaret, 61, is a writer and an organizational development consultant who served on her village board for three years before joining the CA board about three years ago.
What motivates you to serve, both for Columbia Association and as a whole? “I think it’s a question of giving back to the community. I had always been active in communities wherever I lived, but I think Columbia was very special in the sense that there was so much here — there was so much here for the family, so much here in terms of how the community was a community of activists, really. I think I tapped into that as one of the values that sort of matched my own values.” What issues are important to you right now, and also important to Columbia? “What we do with the aging infrastructure. I have some background in strategic planning in working with organizations. I felt that I’d be able to contribute in terms of long-range planning and in terms of having a comprehensive view of what needed to be done. I think it's really important to maintain the array of amenities that we have. CA offers something across the generations, and I think that has made for an extraordinary way of life.”
What led to your move from the village board to the CA board of directors? “I think there were some important questions coming up before the board. Columbia now is sort of reaching that middle-age point and our CA representative would often bring the issues and questions to our village board. I saw that there were larger issues coming up that were going to affect all of the villages.” How and why should other Columbia residents get involved? “First of all, we have enormous talent in this community. I’ve just been so impressed with the breadth of expertise that people have here. To be able to maximize that, to be able to use that in the community would just be fantastic. The way our villages are designed, they’re really designed for input. That's one of the things the board has really been moving toward, to find multiple ways of communicating with people and hearing from people about what their concerns are.” CA Board Chairwoman Shari Zaret
CA Pools Make Columbia, Columbia! Learn how your CA annual charge makes a splash at WHYIPAYCA.ORG.
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New Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse To Be Built By Kathy Huver
he Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club soon will have a first-class clubhouse to go with its firstclass golf course! The Columbia Association (CA) Board of Directors recently approved $5.85 million to go toward the complete rebuilding of the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse and an additional $250,000 to build a new turn house. According to Acting Chief Operating Officer and CA Vice President Rob Goldman, the CA Board’s decision to approve the new building is part of its ongoing effort to continue to maintain and improve all of CA’s facilities to meet the needs of the community.
H. Chambers Company (the architectural engineering and design firm hired by CA,
CA Gets Animated With New Comic Book! By Aria White
A
s I’m sure many of you know, the Columbia Association (CA) does a lot for the community. And yes, you could visit the CA web site to get to
know the services, programs and facilities that CA provides. But now you
can also read a fun comic book to get some of the same information! If you’re a kid, or just a kid at heart, you can check out the new comic from CA, Welcome to Columbia: Getting to Know the Columbia Association. The comic book features information about CA’s main facilities, programs and services that are available to residents in Columbia. Read along as the comic’s main characters travel through Columbia learning about CA and the quality-of-life amenities that it offers. Visit bit.ly/cacomic to read Welcome to Columbia: Getting to Know the
Columbia Association and be on the lookout for the next comic, featuring information on summer fun in Columbia.
working alongside the Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club Clubhouse Redevelopment Work Team) has completed the initial design, and engineers are working to hammer out the details. Phase 2 of the rebuilding process, which includes design development and the permit application process, is expected to take place between now and September. The last phase, construction, is expected to take between 10 to 12 months and is projected to wrap up by the fall of 2014. For those curious about the finished product, large banners featuring the new design will be displayed in the CA Membership Service Center, as well as Fairway Hills and Hobbit’s Glen Golf Clubs. Learn more about the project at ColumbiaAssociation.org/HobbitsGlen.
Open Space for All, Thanks to the CA Annual Charge
A
round this time of the year, residents in Columbia who live on Columbia Association (CA)-assessed property receive their assessments bill in the mail. And it’s at this time of the year that some might be wondering what their annual charge dollars are used for. One of the ways CA uses the annual charge is to provide and maintain more than 3,600 acres of open space. During the summer, the open space that CA provides can be especially enjoyable for residents looking to get outside to have fun, stay fit and travel the community. The three man-made lakes in Columbia (Wilde Lake, Lake Kittamaqundi and Lake Elkhorn) are all maintained by CA, in addition to 41 ponds, 167 tot lots and 93.5 miles of pathways. CA also takes care of parks and basketball and tennis courts in the community for the enjoyment of residents. And all of these amenities and more are made possible, in part, through the annual charge collected from CA residents. You can learn more about the ways CA uses the money brought in by the annual charge by visiting WhyIPayCA.org.
2012
LAKEFRONT SUMMER
festival Downtown Columbia Lakefront
Enjoy nightly outdoor concerts and movies at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront with the annual Summer Lakefront Festival. Find a schedule of events at LakefrontFestival.com.
C A M O N T H LY 3
money matters Everything you need to know about the finances of CA are here for your review!*
4th
Columbia Association’s
Quarter
REPORTS
Administrative Services
Community Services
Columbia Association (CA) finished FY12 with an increase in net assets of nearly $6.9 million. Total income of $62.6 million was slightly under budget for FY12, and 3.8 percent higher than FY11. Total operating expenses were almost 7.1 percent below budget, with a favorable variance of $4.3 million, due to delays in capital spending and lower than budgeted short-term interest rates.
The Community Services Division finished $140,000 better than budget. Total expenses were less than budget but more than last year, mainly associated with more personnel for School Age Services, additional entertainment costs associated with festivals and events and an increase in the village assessment share.
Open Space Management
Sales and Marketing
The Open Space Management Division completed the year better than the budget in total operating expenses by $2,215,000 and with a decrease in net assets of $11,736,000. This represents a favorable variance of $2,904,000. All of the departments in the division had total operating expenses less than the budget through the year.
Sales of new and renewal Package Plan memberships were up 655 memberships over the same time last year and 156 memberships less than budget. Through the fourth quarter of FY12, 6,122 free Columbia Cards have been issued. Direct mail, e-mail marketing and print advertising campaigns are expected to continue to bring in new members.
Community Building/ Sustainability
The Community Building and Sustainability Service Bureau (CBS) completed this second year of operation with a positive variance from the budget of $80,000 in total operating expenses and an increase in net assets of $92,000. CBS includes the functions and divisions of Landscape Services, Capital Improvements, Community Planning and Watershed Management.
Sport and Fitness
The division completed the year 10.5 percent ahead of budget and 3.7 percent lower than FY11. Seven of the Sport and Fitness facilities exceeded budget. They include: Columbia Swim Center, outdoor pools, Columbia Athletic Club, Columbia Gym, Supreme Sports Club, Columbia Ice Rink, Columbia SportsPark/SkatePark.
For further explanation of individual variances, please refer to the FY12 Fourth Quarter Board Report, available at CA Headquarters, 10221 Wincopin Circle, Columbia MD 21044, or online at ColumbiaAssociation.org (click on “Budget”).
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Are you wondering why you pay an annual charge? Go to WhyIPayCA.org! The average Columbia resident household pays an annual charge of just $0.64 a day, per person. This gives all of us open space, lakes,
MORE INFORMATION can be found regarding Columbia Association and the issues on the horizon
in Fiscal Year 2013 by visiting ColumbiaAssociation.org.
bridges, pathways, village community centers, tot lots and concerts; reduces the cost for camps, pools, gyms, golf and tennis; helps support projects such as Symphony Woods Park development and improved pathway connectivity
Columbia Association FY 2013 Approved Budget Summary of Funds, Expenditures and Annual Borrowings
where the money comes from
$69,351,000
Borrowings $6,117,000 - 8.8%
around Columbia; village center master planning; watershed protection and restoration; and more. We invite you to go to WhyIPayCA.org to learn more about where your annual
Commercial Annual Charge $11,693,000 - 16.9%
Interest and Others $426,000 - 0.6% Sport and Fitness Income $25,417,000 - 36.7%
charge goes. The more you know, the more we think you’ll feel good knowing how much you get for your money. Community Services Programs $3,982,000 - 5.7%
▲ Videos Worth Watching!
Learn about CA’s budgets for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014 at budget1314.blogspot.com. The Behind the Budget blog features CA President Phil Nelson’s Budget Planning Element document and short videos written and produced by CA team members. The site offers perspective, reason and logic behind why CA directs funds where it does. You can also view the videos on CA’s YouTube channel, YouTube.com/ CATVchannel.
Residential Annual Charge $21,716,000 - 31.3%
where the money is used
$69,351,000
Capital Expenditures * $11,863,000 - 17.1%
Sport and Fitness Programs and Facilities $24,654,000 - 35.5%
Debt Repayment $6,293,000 - 9.1%
Board of Directors $997,000 - 1.4%
Administrative Services $1,951,000 - 2.8% Contingencies/Other $1,909,000 - 2.8% Village Community Associations $4,366,000 - 6.3%
Open Space Management $11,150,000 - 16.1% Community Services Programs $6,168,000 - 8.9%
* Total Capital Expenditures of $9,164,000 have been increased by $2,699 due to certain unallocated non-cash adjustments. * The most recent financial statements and independent audit report are located at ColumbiaAssociation.org. This data representation is not in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). C A M O N T H LY 5
CA Awards $246,000 in Grants in FY 2012
T
By Kelly Cooper
he Columbia Association (CA) works to enhance the quality of life for people who live, work and play in Columbia through its many facilities, programs and services. While the majority of CA’s charitable community contributions come in the form of in-kind services, CA does occasionally provide grants to support other organizations. Through the City-Wide Grants Program, CA awarded $246,000 in FY12 (May 2011-April 2012) to help meet important community needs through partnerships with nonprofit organizations. CA has developed strong partnerships with organizations that provide popular events serving the whole community. CA is a major supporter of the Columbia Festival of the Arts and contributed $95,000 in 2011. CA also supported the annual 4th of July Celebration, organized by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks, with a $6,500 grant. In addition to financial support, CA also provides the venue and significant in-kind support for both events. Through a proactive grant process, CA is able to use its funds to form strategic alliances with organizations that benefit the social welfare of
Columbia’s residents. The Columbia Foundation was granted $75,000 in support of its mission to inspire lifelong giving and connect people, places and organizations to worthy causes across Howard County. A $15,000 grant to the Howard County Economic Development Authority will support its goals to market Columbia to businesses. Neighbor Ride was granted $6,000 to aid in its efforts to provide supplemental transportation for seniors. And $30,000 was granted to the Howard County Department of Citizen Services’ Office on Aging to provide home repair and modifications to lower-income residents. Projects that may seem small often make a big impact. In FY12, CA gave
Projects that may seem small, often make a big impact
CA Announces Six Winners of The Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award
T
he Columbia Association (CA) has been
rewarding outstanding high school seniors
for their dedication to community service for more than 20 years. Earlier this year, CA awarded the Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award, a $2,500 scholarship, to six high school seniors who have shown extraordinary dedication to performing community service. This year’s winners were Garrett Breeden, from McDonogh School; Raynna Nkwanyuo, from Glenelg High School; Timothy Sylvester, from Mount Saint Joseph High School; Jennifer Warner, from River Hill High School; Hope Williams, from Long Reach High School; and Audrey Zahlis, from Hammond High School.
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$1,000 to help fund the Bicycling Advocates of Howard County’s project to supply 50 bike helmets to students at the Cradlerock Elementary School in support of their “Bike to School Day.” CA also awarded, through its Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship program, six $2,500 scholarships to Howard County seniors who exhibited exceptional efforts in providing community service to Columbia area residents. (See the article on this page to learn more about the scholarship program.) Lastly, in honor of the passing of Patty Rouse, wife of Columbia founder James Rouse, CA contributed $2,500 to the Patty Rouse Fund at the Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. Nonprofits interested in applying for a grant should contact CA Director of Community Services Michelle Miller at 410715-3170.
Healthy Workplaces Awards
The Columbia Association (CA) is not only dedicated to helping Columbians stay fit; it’s also committed to keeping its employees healthy and happy. In 2010 and 2011, CA won bronze Healthy Workplace Awards from Healthy Howard for continuing efforts to improve the health and wellness of CA team members. Healthy Workplaces is an accreditation program recognizing Howard County businesses that are dedicated to improving employee health and well-being. There are three levels of accreditation in recognition of overall commitment to workplace wellness: bronze, silver and gold. All businesses with employees in Howard County are eligible to apply, and there are many ways to qualify, so workplaces of all sizes and business models are eligible. As an added bonus, certified workplaces are eligible to receive a monetary Innovation Award to help further their wellness efforts. Nominations are now open for the 2012 Healthy Workplace Awards. To learn more about Healthy Workplaces and how to apply, visit HealthyHowardMD.org.
Columbia Lake Dredging Continues By Suzanne Zolnick The dredging of Columbia’s three lakes continues with the anticipated completion of the last project, Lake Elkhorn, by early November. Contractor JND Thomas was expected to finish work on Wilde Lake in late June. As of June 2, workers had removed approximately 10,000 cubic yards of sediment while working seven days a week, 13 hours a day. Workers made every effort to stay on schedule and did so without issues with the neighbors and without significantly affecting the wildlife in and around the lake. Preliminary work on the Lake Elkhorn project began near the end of June with preparation of hundreds of feet of piping, which is scheduled to remove around 40,000 cubic yards of sediment. JND Thomas is using the same process at Elkhorn as it used at Wilde Lake. Sediment will be dredged from the lake and piped to a staging area where debris, including trash and vegetation, is removed. At the next stage sand is removed, and at the final stage silt is removed. Remaining water is clarified and returned to the lake. The total cost of the projects is more than $10 million. Dredging improves the overall health of Columbia’s lakes. CA’s efforts at watershed improvement will assist in keeping the lakes healthy and will stabilize the amount of sediment and debris that collects in them. For periodic updates on CA’s dredging efforts, visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Dredging.
CA Staff Honored with Recognition of Superior Effort Awards
Celebrate
National Dance Day Help support the Coalition for a Healthy Maryland: Celebrate National Dance Day with a special Zumba ® class! Call 410-381-5355 for more information.
NATIONAL
IN MAY, TWO COLUMBIA ASSOCIATION (CA) TEAM MEMBERS RECEIVED Recognition of Superior Effort (ROSE) awards. Sundus Saleh and Karen Hinton were honored at the annual ROSE dinner/awards ceremony, sponsored by the Maryland SchoolAge Child Care Alliance. The ROSE awards offer an opportunity to show outstanding employees how much their service is valued. Nominees were recommended by supervisors, co-workers and parents. Saleh has been a CA team member since 2007 and is a licensed teacher through the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). She currently works for CA’s School Age Services at the Running Brook Elementary Before and After School Care program. Hinton, also a licensed teacher with MSDE, has been working with CA since 2009. She works with CA’s School Age Services at the Swansfield Elementary Before and After School Care program. For more information on CA’s School Age Services, please visit
DAY
Sat, July 28 12-1pm
Supreme Sports Club
http://bit.ly/SchoolAgeServices. C A M O N T H LY 7
July
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Summer Lakefront Festival
Now through Sat, Sep 15 • Nightly Downtown Columbia Lakefront 410-715-3161 or LakefrontFestival.com.
Oakland Mills Farmer’s Market
Sun through Nov 18 9am-1pm • Oakland Mills Village Center 410-730-4610.
Independence Day Parade
Wed, July 4 • 9am Great Star Drive in River Hill 410-531-1749.
FREE Family Game Nights
Thu, July 5, 12, 19 and 26 7pm • Kahler Hall 410-730-0770.
Sunset Music in the Park Tue, July 10 • 7-8:30pm Vantage Point Road Park 410-730-4744.
CA Board Meeting
Thu, July 12 • 7:30pm • CA Headquarters • For updated dates and times, please visit ColumbiaAssociation.org.
Courtyard Concerts: The Mudbugs
Thu, July 12 • 6-8pm • Dorsey’s Search Village Courtyard 410-427-4485.
Zumba®
Under the Stars
Sun, July 15 (rain date: Sun, July 22) • 7-8:30pm • Swansfield MiniWaterPark • 410-730-6744.
Long Reach Pool Parties
Mon, July 16 and Tues, July 17 Tickets required • Long Reach residents only • 410-730-8113.
Visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/Events to learn about more great events happening in Columbia!
Hickory Ridge Village Board Meeting
Mon, July 16 • 7:30pm • The Hawthorn Center • 410-730-7327.
Introduction to China Painting
Wed, July 18 • 6:30-9pm Columbia Art Center Pre-registration required 410-730-0075.
50+ BBQ and Bingo
Thu, July 19 • 11:30am-1pm Owen Brown Community Center 410-381-0202.
Family Pool Party for Town Center and Wilde Lake Thu, July 19 • 6-8pm Bryant Woods Pool 410-730-4744.
50+ Lunch
Thu, July 19 (register by Wed, July 11) • 11:30am • Amherst House 410-381-9600.
Owen Brown Resident Architectural Committee Meeting
Wed, July 25 • 7:30pm Owen Brown Community Center 410-381-0202.
Girls’ Night Out: Artful Bookmarks
Fri, July 27 • 6:30-8:30pm Columbia Art Center • Preregistration required • 410-730-0075.
National Dance Day
Sat, July 28 • 12-1pm • Supreme Sports Club • 410-381-5355.
Oakland Mills Pool Party Tue, July 31 • 6:30-8:30pm The Other Barn • 410-730-4610.
Save the Date: National Night Out/Pool Party
Tue, Aug 7 • 6-9pm • Dasher Green Pool • 410-381-0202. Have a question or comment? E-mail CAmonthly@ColumbiaAssociation.org.
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