Highlights: GACA General Meeting

October 21, 1999

Welcome Back - GACA welcomed its members back after a longer than usual summer break. Del. James Malone started the meeting by giving us an update on some local issues, including the opening of the Mars Supermarket at the Maiden Choice Shopping Center, now scheduled to take place in early January, 2000. Other items of discussion included the resurfacing contracts on I-95 and Southwestern Blvd. and the continued progress and near completion of the sound barriers along I-95. Additional information about those issues can be found on the Issues and Updates page.

Boys and Girls Club Update - Our meeting focus for October was Youth and Education, and Dr. Frank Williams was our guest speaker. Dr. Williams described the effort to bring a Boys and Girls Club to Arbutus. One of GACA's goals is to engage the youth of the community and the programs of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Maryland are consistent with that goal. Several of our members had the opportunity to tour a Boys and Girls Club facility in Baltimore and were very impressed. There were opportunities for computer studies, after school homework support, game rooms, a ballet/dance studio, and a large gymnasium among the many amenities. The proposed location for a club in the Arbutus area will be the former Fair Lanes bowling alley on Maiden Choice Lane. Within the existing footprint of the building, Dr. Williams is confident that an Arbutus center could have many of the same activities as we observed at their Baltimore center. The Boys and Girls Clubs require a parent or guardian to enroll the child at her first visit. Dues are $10.00 per child per year. All activities are structured and monitored at all times.

Dr. Williams indicated that some funding sources have been identified and he will continue to investigate others. Our four elected officials have taken an active part in moving this project forward. We will keep the community apprised as information becomes available. Presently, negotiations are underway for a short term lease of the building, which will give the Boys and Girls Club staff an opportunity to inspect and fine tune the physical requirements.

Updates from Local Schools - Arbutus Elementary School Principal Barbara Bohl spoke to us about the Design Technology program which has been underway at the school. Students in the program take an active part in designing and implementing plans in order to construct a working device. Principal Bohl gave the example of a car design, which to demonstrate safety features of the vehicle, had to successfully protect a raw egg from breakage after rolling down a steep incline. The program enables students to translate the abstract (design) to the concrete (implementation). An intensive reading program started in the school last year has been expanded to include all grade levels.

Mrs. Bohl also told us that the school will be undergoing some improvements to the physical plant including boiler and window replacement. GACA has nominated the school for placement on the County's Landmark Preservation List. The media center, formerly the school library, was the original one room school house and the older portion of the school proper was built prior to 1920. Arbutus Elementary School is the oldest operating school in Baltimore County and the second oldest in the State of Maryland.

Year 2000 Census - The meeting moved on to new business and the most important issue over the next few months may be the 2000 census. Arbutus was undercounted in the 1990 census and as a result, Baltimore County is working to get the word out to the community to complete and return census forms. A poster contest to encourage census participation is underway through December 1, 1999. Any public school is eligible to enter. For information, contact Ervin McDaniel at 410/887-3521 or emcdaniel@co.ba.md.us. It has been estimated that for each person missed in the census count, Baltimore County loses $378.00 in Federal funds. Poor counts also affect representation in local and national legislative systems.