Future Farquhar Community Coalition Today the Montgomery County Planning Board gave its approval of the detailed plans for the new Farquhar Middle School and our new community park. MCPS can now put the construction plans out to bid and get to work! We know weve said were done! before, as were not experts in Planning Board processes, but this truly was the last approval we needed. We couldnt help but take a victory photo with some of the dedicated Parks, Planning Board, and Montgomery County Division of Construction employees and the Architects from Hord, Coplan and Macht afterwards: We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to some very dedicated civil servants and members of the community who worked with us over the last 3-1/2 years to make this happen. A huge list of thank-yous follows: MCPS - Craig Shuman, Ray Marhamati and James Song, who worked with the community to find the best option for modernizing the school. The hours theyve put in show an incredible committment to our students! Craig Shuman in particular worked above and beyond the call of duty for all of us. Buy this man a drink or a meal if you ever see him in public! Hes the gentleman on the far right in the photo above. Park and Planning Staff- Carol Rubin, the general counsel who worked a LOT of long hours on all of the legal complexities and defending against the oppositions blocking and delaying actions, Fred Boyd and Mike Riley of the Planning Staff, and Bill Gries who worked with us in the first year to figure out if the land swap was even possible. Many others worked behind the scenes as well. This group is a HUGE asset to our County - they truly work for the benefit of every County citizen. The Planning Board - Chair Casey Anderson, Vice-Chair Marye Wells-Harley, Amy Presley, and Norman Dreyfuss. Their patience with us over the last 3-1/2 years and their committment to helping our students and accelerating Olneys new park is now clear to everyone! They commended the entire community at todays meeting for our positive civic action. The Board of Education and Superintendent Starr - Without their initial agreement to do the land swap, wed be nowhere. Phil Kauffman, Judy Docca, Particia ONeill, Shirley Brandman, Mike Durso, Christopher Barclay, Rebecca Smondrowski (who also helped us as a member of State Senator Roger Mannos staff in 2011) are all down-to-earth people who want to always do right by our students. Theyve also fought to keep our school construction money in the budget. PTA Presidents Andrea Keller (Brooke Grove), Gail Kahan (Brooke Grove PTA President Emeritus), Melissa Gooding (Sherwood ES), Chelsea Curtis (Farquhar), Bronson Hoover (Cloverly PTA President Emeritus) and Lisa Kroop (Stonegate) and Joe Griffin (Farquhar PTA President Emeritus). These individuals gave the Farquhar Coalition leaders a LOT of latitude to speak in their name and promote the land swap to County and Community Leaders. Theyve also been 100% supportive since day 1! Thanks! Also thanks to the Belmont Elementary PTA, who voted to support us even though their kids go to Rosa Parks! ALL the District 14 and District 19 State Senators and Delegates: Anne Kaiser, Roger Manno, Craig Zucker, Sam Arora, Ben Kramer, Bonnie Cullison, Eric Luedtke and a special thanks to Senator Karen Montgomery, who needed about 30 seconds of background on the land swap before she agreed to her full support! Our senators and delegates have also fought for the State funding necessary to keep our modernization, and the rest of the county school modernizations, on budget. Montgomery County Council Members Craig Rice and Nancy Navarro. The Mid-County Citizens Advisory Board and the Mid-County Recreation Advisory Board, who both wrote letters of support for our cause to the County Executive. Extra special thanks to local member Greg Intoccia for helping us navigate though the process and testifying in his personal capacity on behalf of the land-swap! All of the local Homeowners Associations that sent letters of support on our behalf: The Townes, James Creek, Fair Hill Farm, Christie Estates, Environ, Lake Hallowell, Hallowell, Ashton Preserve, Brookville Crossing, and the Cloverly Civic Association. The Greater Olney Civic Association, who was against busing our kids to Tilden (even if they werent necessarily for the land swap). Its been an interesting 3-1/2 years working with this group! The Sandy Spring Civic Association, who voted to support Farquhars modernization plans, especially Joy Turner and John Salzberg, who are tireless supporters of their community and truly good people as well. The Montgomery Junior Councils, for passing a resolution supporting us, and especially Richard Yarrow for offering to get that support in the first place! Sandy V. for helping us organize our civic action in the initial early days. Scott Silverman, an attorney with the law firm Nagle & Zaller. P.C., who helped us through some tricky legal waters on a pro-bono basis! Please think of him if your community association or HOA ever needs legal help. All of the parents of Farquhar, Brooke Grove, Sherwood, Cloverly and Stonegate who schlepped out to GOCA, Planning Board Meetings, Design Reviews at Farquhar, and many other meetings. Wed be nowhere without all of your support! This is it - were DONE. The school will likely start construction in January, and the ceremonial groundbreaking will wait until March so we dont freeze! Regards, The Future Farquhar Community Coalition Executive Board Troy Kimmel, Angela Edwards, Robin Bruckner, Jennifer McKneely, Laura Lampshire, Anne Rood, Andrea Keller, Rob Hanson, Ric Wugalter, Shabeen Jafri, Patty and Joe Pasternak, Susan Ramsay and Felicia Kimmel
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 22:01:03 +0000
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