A Newsletter by Woodley Gardens

Winter 2001

These are exciting and challenging times! Many changes have swept the globe in the past few months. Most importantly, the impact has created a significant outlook back home. Rockville neighborhoods continue to show their support by donating money… $400 raised by College Gardens Elementary School for victims and families of the September 11^th tragedies; flying flags in front of homes; and a hand painted banner displayed on a home rooftop with the message: God Bless America in red and blue, and symbolizing our love for our great nation and way of life. We stand as one, committed, now more than ever to our communities….the City elections clearly demonstrated just that!

Rockville Elects New Mayor, Councilmembers

- By Adrienne Breedlove

First-time political candidate Larry Giammo defeated councilmember Bob Wright in the race to become Rockville’s 58th mayor. Giammo is a former member of the City’s Planning Commission. His chief campaign issues were to control growth and prevent overdevelopment. He also promised greater political inclusiveness. Giammo says of his political win, “This says the people of Rockville were concerned about the issues that I was talking about. They were looking for a fresh new perspective and new energy in City Hall.” Wright is concluding his third year on the

council. He decided to run for mayor this past Spring, immediately after Mayor Rose Krasnow announced she would not seek a fourth term.

The three council candidates who ran on the slate with Wright were all elected. Incumbent Bob Dorsey won a fifth term, and John F. Hall, Jr., and Susan Hoffmann won their first terms. Also re-elected was incumbent Anne Robbins, who won her second seat. Other candidates who ran for the four open seats were Carl Henn, H.W. Thomas, Jr., and Lih Young.

Giammo and the four new councilmembers will serve two-year terms. They were sworn in at ceremonies on Sunday, November 18, at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre.

Election turnout was strong—about 27 percent of registered voters participated, compared to 20.2 percent in the 1999 election.

2001 City of Rockville

Election Results

Mayor Votes %

Larry Giammo 3,926 56.8

Bob Wright 2,936 42.5

Council

Bob Dorsey 4,588 19.1

John Hall 4,374 18.2

Carl Henn 3,146 13.1

Susan Hoffmann 4,291 17.9

Anne Robbins 4,260 17.7

H.W. Thomas 2,421 10.1

Lih Young 840 3.1

If you would like to be a committee volunteer or would like more information on Woodley Gardens

Civic Association, please visit our website!Check us out on www.rocknet.org/Community/WoodleyGardens

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Neighborhood Watch:

Shedding Light On Our Community

– Karen Suhr

By now, you should be “plugged in” to the Neighborhood Watch network – hearing regularly from your Block Captain about incidents that affect our community. These alerts have ranged from this summer’s break-ins on Nelson and Crocus, to the black bear sightings near Rockmead Park. Your awareness can heighten and greatly impact the

safety and security of our neighborhood - - our families and our homes.

But Neighborhood Watch is more than receiving alerts about crimes. Our “coming together” as a community is producing quality-of-life results. For example, as a result of many neighbors’ concerns about dim street lighting in our neighborhood, the Neighborhood Watch addressed the matter with

the city.

City officials conducted a survey and agreed that

the lighting was inadequate. The first step was to

trim some trees so that the downward “cone” of

light was not impeded. Afterward, Neighborhood Watch Chairman George Galasso and the crew manager reviewed the results. They agreed that the trees were a minor part of the problem, and that additional lighting was needed.

The City subsequently determined that the lights at 602/604 Crocus, 811/813 Crocus and 806/808 Blossom needed to be replaced, and that new lights were needed at 639/641 Blossom and the corner of 901 Nelson and Crocus. The new lights will be installed in the Spring of 2002.

The City is also considering converting all street

lights in the community from 100-watt mercury

vapor bulbs to high-pressure sodium bulbs. Budget permitting, this could be executed as early as next spring.

This fall, Dr. Galasso is planning a Block Captain meeting to discuss neighborhood safety issues and improving their visibility among neighbors. Our Block Captains are the crucial links in the Neighbor-hood Watch chain. They are committed to keeping their neighbors informed of news that we learn from

the police and other Block Captains; to passing along concerns to the police and city officials; and to

keeping in touch with the folks on their assigned block. In turn, we count on you to inform your Block Captain of any news you believe is worth sharing.

If you have any questions, please contact George Galasso at 301-762-7864, galassog@att.net; or Karen Suhr at 301-294-5399, kfernico@aol.com. Thanks to Dr. Galasso and his team of Block Captains, we will continue “shedding light” on important safety and security issues in our neighborhood.

Attempted Robbery on Crocus Drive: On Saturday, October 27 around 10:45 pm, a car theft was in progress in Woodley Gardens. The automobile was jacked up and two wheels had just been removed when a neighbor driving home at the time startled the two thieves. Although the thieves fled, a quick call to 911 alerted the police who were able to track the car registration. Later that night the juvenile thieves were apprehended and confessed to the attempted robbery.

School Article

- Judith Cline

Welcome to a school year in progress and to families who are new comers to our schools this year. The year also brings a revised curriculum, based on the Maryland State Department of Education Content Standards for pre-K to Grade 8 which can be viewed on the Montgomery County Public School website: www.mcps.k12.md.us, at the local library or at your school. I’d encourage parents to familiarize themselves with the framework and if there are questions or concerns, work with MCPS to expand the program. Those involved with the curriculum revisions are Judie Muntner, Dale Fulton and Bill McDonald at the Office of Instruction and Program Development, MCPS. Our schools are always open to parent visits. Please take time out to visit your child’s classroom, especially if your child is feeling worried or unsure during these confused times.

Montgomery County Public School Superintendent, Dr. Weast reported that all students got home safely on September 11^th and we should applaud our teachers and schools for their calm and reassuring approach to our nation’s disaster.

WOODLEY GARDENS
40th Anniversary of Rockville’s

First Planned Community

- Senator Jennie Forehand

This article is written by Senator Jennie Forehand, an original homeowner on Crocus Drive from April, 1962 – January, 1971. Senator Forehand gives us a perspective of Woodley Gardens during the early years. She now lives nearby on Smallwood Road in Woodley Gardens West.

After my husband, Bill’s active duty in the Navy

and graduate school at UNC in Chapel Hill, we headed north to Maryland, found jobs at NIH, and started the search for our first home. It wasn’t easy to find a house we could afford, because it was during that archaic time when “the wife’s salary couldn’t be considered for purposes of qualifying for a mortgage.”

Every weekend, we checked out the ads or went with a realtor on our search. Others in our apartment area were also “house hunting,” and our neighbor, Helen Finlayson was excited about moving to “a new home in Rockville.” She told us about WOODLEY GARDENS, and soon we drove “way out to Rockville” to see the first model homes in this new planned community. They were beautiful. These houses were sturdy -- brick & block construction, and they had attics and basements. This information would surely impress our parents who weren’t too sure that we knew what we were doing.

Helen and Bill Finlayson were among the first to occupy the new homes. They moved to 635 Crocus in July, 1961, when Nelson Street ended at Crocus
Drive. Several houses had been completed in the first block of Crocus, and later a few others on Blossom and Azalea. The prices started at $23,450 for the rambler -- referred to as “The Aspen.” Others were the bi-level “Brighton” at $25,750; the split-foyer “Chelton” at $25,750; the smaller split level “Dalewood” at $24,850; the larger split level “Edgewood” at $25,500; the small colonial “Hillwood” at $26,250, and the elegant colonial
“Glenbrook” at $29,000. I remember thinking that the decorations in the “Glenbrook” model home were the most beautiful I’d ever seen.

The May 5, 1962, Washington Post advertisement for our “prestige pre-planned community, created by Washington’s most respected builder, Monroe Warren”, said it all: “Don’t just move...move up to beautiful Woodley Gardens.” It went on to say: “Move in now.…swim this summer.”

“Under construction now for June fun is the Olympic-size ‘Z’ shaped pool -- the most spectacular pool you’ve ever seen in this area.”

Bill and I moved into 620 Crocus in April of 1962, with our six-week old daughter. This family-oriented neighborhood spawned lots of activities...including holiday parties, square dancing, an exercise group, garden club, travel club, bridge club, swim team, and the ever-necessary baby sitting club. Everybody knew their neighbors and, as I look back, Woodley Gardens was the “village” that helped us raise our children.

Building and move in dates for Woodley Gardens, adjacent divisions, and shopping center:

Woodley Gardens homes-

construction 1960; move-in: 1961

W.G. Co-ops-construction: 1962; move in: 1964

Regents Square-construction: 1964; move in: 1967

Nelson Street Shopping Center-

approximate construction date: 1966;

first store: Safeway

If you want more information on your home, City Hall, Rockville has information on occupancy – contact the Residential Inspection Office.

About Senator Jennie Forehand:

Senator Forehand, a legislator since 1978, currently chairs a national legislative task force on “Genetics Technologies & Public Policy,” and is an advocate for issues relating to senior citizens, domestic violence, public safety, privacy, transportation, education, economic development, health and the arts. Senator Forehand was also named one of “Maryland’s Top 10 Women” in 1999 and 2001. For information on her legislative issues email her:

jennie_forehand_district@senate.state.md.us