by Mike Conroy
Following a joint meeting with the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors and Audit Committee on August 25, the MVF Board approved the 2017 Proposed Budget for publication (see pages 29 to 36). A 30-day comment period is now open for questions or comments on the draft budget.
Executive Vice President (EVP) Dave Humpton began the meeting, noting the work staff had done to prepare the draft budget. He said the focus for 2017 was minimizing assessment increases; funding capital projects strategic plan initiatives, capital projects, reserve requirements and staffing for programs and services. The 2017 draft budget calls for increases in both the MVF and Designated User (DU) assessments that are in line with the current 5-Year Financial Plan.
Humpton noted a number of factors leading to 2016’s proving to be a successful financial year so far. He said revenues are trending higher than expected, expenses are trending lower than expected and MVF is seeing a continued decline in the delinquency rate; for the second quarter of 2016, the delinquency rate was 7.5%—the lowest it has been since 2007!
Budget presentation
EVP Humpton presented the proposed budget summary, noting that there would be increases in both the MVF and DU funds, totaling $2.25 per unit, per month. He said the MVF Fund increase is $.85/unit/month, and he hoped that by the time the budget is ready for approval, that an even lower amount could be approved; the DU Fund increase is set at $1.40/unit/month.
In his budget summary, Humpton noted that proposed assessment increases for 2017 are necessary to keep in line with the 5-Year Plan. The MVF assessment is projected to increase $.85/month, but based on 2016 trends, may potentially be lowered before the budget is approved, and the DU assessment is project to increase $1.40/month. The MVF Fund increase is in conjunction with spending almost $260,000 from Undesignated Reserves. Over the next five years, the proposed increase in both the MVF and DU funds is approximately 3 to 4 percent per year, with it declining in the latter years.
Increases in the DU fund will cover pools, programs and facility operations. The main use in 2017 will be to cover costs of renovating the Apple Ridge Pool, according to the previously produced Pool Study. The design for this pool will turn it into a leisure-type pool with a current channel and other resort-style features. Construction will begin this fall and the pool will open for the 2017 swim season. Humpton noted that as new housing units from the proposed development on the former golf course property and at the Village Center come on line, it will help keep the DU Fund steadier in the future.
In addition to the Apple Ridge Pool renovation, a new concrete pad under the picnic tables will be installed at Watkins Mill Pool and an umbrella structure will be added over the wading pool at Whetstone Pool; however, no new Capital Projects are requested for 2017. The Capital Contribution Fee is projected to raise an additional $120,000 in 2017, bringing the remaining fund total to approximately $265,000.
To adequately compensate employees, Personnel Costs include general merit and benefit assumptions for staff. The budget proposes a 2 percent merit increase pool and a continued 6 percent 401k match for staff. Due to increases in healthcare, a $20 per pay increase in flex benefit dollars is also proposed. The Repairs and Maintenance Specialist position will be turned into a full-time position. Other personnel increases are related to increased minimum wage requirements by Montgomery County.
Humpton reported that other proposed decreased expenses for 2017 include: business expenses; occupancy (utilities); security; bad debt; capital expenses; and use of Undesignated Reserves. Increased expenses were expected for the Water Quality Protection Fee and legal costs.
Contributions to Reserves (CTR) increase slightly from 2016 to be in line with the Reserve Study, totaling $1,089,959 for the year. The MVF Fund will receive $323,007 and the DU Fund will receive $766,952, with contributions made monthly. The budget assumes a CTR on funding 75 percent of replacement costs over a 30-year period.
Reserve Expenses for 2017 include: the Apple Ridge tot lot replacement; MVF Office technology; community center repairs and maintenance; ADA upgrades; other general pool repairs; and tennis court maintenance. This amounts to a necessary $313,746 and another potential $172,154 in reserve spending.
Resident Comments
The MVF 2017 Proposed Budget and budget presentation can be viewed in their entirety and are available for download online at www.montgomeryvillage.com. A full copy of the budget may also be viewed at the MVF Office, 10120 Apple Ridge Road, during regular business hours. Residents are encouraged to review the budget.
For the next 30 days, comments or questions can be directed to CFO Greg Snellings via e-mail at
by David Humpton, EVP
The number one question I get from residents is when houses are going to start popping up on the former golf course property. And my stock answer is always the same. Monument Realty is going through the county process, and the plans will be modified over time; I expect in 18 to 24 months there will probably be some construction. I check in with county planning staff and Monument Realty regularly to get the latest updates.
Planning staff has completed its review of the FEMA flood plain boundary correction, and has approved the revision. The approval clears the way for a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) to be submitted soon, which, under normal conditions, would be approved within
6 weeks. Once the NRI is approved, Monument will submit a Preliminary Plan of Subdivision to M-NCPPC, which will provide for additional public comment. This process is expected to continue for 4 to 6 months.
Once the Preliminary Plan is approved, Monument will submit a site plan application for the project, which is another opportunity for public comment. The site plan process could take an additional 4 months. Then there is the building permit stage.
Another important update is the execution of the MOU between MVF and USL2 MR MONTGOMERY VILLAGE BUSINESS TRUST (Monument Realty), which the MVF Board authorized. The MOU provides for annexation of new residential units into MVF, specifies the conveyance of park property and improvements to MVF, as well as other requirements that both parties have to adhere to.
Friendly drone alert/Apple Ridge Pool construction
Final permit approval was received from Montgomery County to commence construction of the new pool and bathhouse. It took almost 100 days to get the site/sediment control permits, although 60 days had been planned by our general contractor, Keller Construction, in the construction schedule. Also, Keller Construction has informed MVF that it will share aerial pictures documenting construction on the site. The aerial pictures are taken from a drone that Keller Construction has licensed with the FAA. When available, these photos will be on the MVF website, which will show the construction progress.
Community policing meeting
A big thank you to 6th District Commander Dinesh Patil, who briefed over 50 residents during a community meeting hosted by the MVF Board of Directors. The commander started the meeting by sharing crime statistics in the 6th District, noting that for the most part, crime offenses are down as compared to last year.
He also discussed increased gang activity and recurring graffiti in our parks and commercial areas. He noted that the recent gang murders had been a major focus of his department.
Commander Patil mentioned how body cameras have been deployed to all county officers which he believes are an important accountability tool. The commander responded to many questions, ranging from the lack of parking enforcement of illegal commercial vehicles on public streets to the use of police officers at schools. MVF will continue to host community policing meetings so that residents can share their concerns and questions.
Lake Whetstone riser repair/lake water to drop
Fortunately, MVF has an easement/agreement with Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to maintain the major infrastructure of Lake Whetstone and other storm water management facilities owned by MVF. DEP completed the dredging earlier this year and now will begin major repairs to the outfall structure located in the northern most section of Lake Whetstone.
DEP recently signed a contract with Norair and should commence work on the outfall structure within 30 days. An easement to allow the contractor to access the lake and store construction materials at the north dock area was executed between DEP and the Whetstone Homes Corporation. At some point during the construction project, the lake will be lowered between 3 and 4 feet, which will expose a large area of the shoreline and part of the lake bottom in shallower areas. The contractor will be placing safety fencing around the entire lake during the duration of construction.
by Mike Conroy
On Thursday, Sept. 15, Montgomery County 6th District Police Commander Dinesh Patil spoke to Village residents, who packed North Creek Board Room, updating them on crime trends, initiatives, technology, outreach and communication issues. Over 50 residents, members of the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors, MVF staff and Senator Nancy King and District 39 Delegates Charles Barkley and Kirill Reznik were in attendance.
Commander Patil began the meeting by saying he was enjoying getting to know and understand Montgomery Village, and he is always looking for ways to stay connected to the community. He noted that overall, recent crime trends for both the county and the 6th District have declined this year. In the Village, one of the only increases is Residential Burglary, but he reported the incidents are mainly concentrated around vacant apartment trespassers. Patil presented some heat maps to illustrate this point.
On the issue of Theft from Autos, Patil stressed the need to lock car doors and not leave valuables in plain sight. He admired the fact that many residents felt safe enough to not have to lock their cars, but advised that these crimes happen because criminals look for the easy target—unlocked cars.
To help mitigate both these issues, Patil said he hopes to apply different strategies to the area, including a Patrol Investigation Unit and possibly officers on Bike Patrol. He said having a greater visible presence will help cut down on these crimes of opportunity. He noted that in the past year, deploying details specifically to areas where robberies had a high occurrence kept that crime down; Patil said he would use this strategy again this year, and apply it to other types of crimes and areas as needed.
The commander also discussed issues surrounding potential development and vacant buildings/property in Montgomery Village. He noted that he is excited about positive changes coming to the Village, but in the meantime, his staff is working to minimize trespassers to those sites. Patil said officers are being sent to these locations during nighttime hours to look for signs that people are there, and are getting them out.
He listened to numerous examples of parking and overcrowding issues from the audience. Although Patil sympathized with the community, he said a solid solution has yet to be conceived. Until then, his officers can only deal with cars that are illegally parked, and in many cases, the cars are moved around just enough to abide by the laws. He did say he would have specific examples looked into and taken care of when appropriate, and even looked into a few specific examples immediately following the meeting.
Lastly, he mentioned the presence of gangs in the Village. Much like the robberies, gang incidents are mostly centralized in one location. Patil noted persistence on the part of his officers and other units in sharing information that leads to the fairly quick arrest of many gang members. He noted that a few small local gangs pop up from time to time, but police are able to spot trends and similarities to crimes that make dealing with them easier. Patil said that the problem with territorial gangs like MS-13 is that they recruit young and are being told what to do. “They’re very organized at the top,” he said.
The Commander noted one of the best ways to head off this activity is to reach the kids in schools. He said that there are personnel at every high school in the county, and that the police work with the school system, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Identity Program, as well as other organizations to engage with and encourage youth, rather than leave them behind.
As a way to aid in recording incidents, body cameras have now been deployed on all Montgomery County Police Officers. Patil said of officers are getting used to the change and the addition of the technology. He is confident it will be a useful tool to help capture context of situations, rather than just written reports, often acting as an “electronic witness” for many situations. For large incidents, he and superiors always review the footage.
In the area of communication, Patil said that the police need to reach more people in as many ways as possible. He commented that he will personally be implementing an e-newsletter in the near future, which residents will have the opportunity to sign up for to receive. He also provided many forms of contact and direct links to online resources to the audience; Patil wants to be accessible to the community. This information is also posted online at www.montgomeryvillage.com; choose “Local Resources” from the “About MV” menu on the blue bar.
For the future, Commander Patil hopes to be able to add more officers to his staff, which would allow him to diversify the types of patrol teams available to tackle specific situations. For the present, he said it would be helpful to have analytical help in tracking data. Either of those initiatives is subject to county funding and updated staffing plans. For now, he is dedicated to more outreach opportunities and communication efforts with Village residents, and encourages residents to contact the police. As the current MCPD slogan reminds, when you ‘”See Something, Say Something.”
by Mike Conroy
Get ready. Get set. Race! Or roll straight, sideways, fast, leisurely or however gets you to the finish line first. It’s time for residents, families, neighbors, groups and organizations to begin planning their pumpkin racers for Montgomery Village’s Great Pumpkin Race, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15!
Each year the racing and the decorating become more competitive, and this year is expected to be no different. Families, individuals, local dignitaries, groups and organizations are encouraged to build a pumpkin racer for the race, which caps off the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Fall Festival. Participants will have time before the single-elimination heats to test and tune their racers for optimal performance. A limited number of race kits will be available both at the MVF Office, 10120 Apple Ridge Road ($15), before race day, and at the festival on race day (limited quantities); pumpkins not supplied. For instructions on how to build a pumpkin racer, see page 9; complete rules are available at www.montgomeryvillage.com.
Before the races get underway, all are invited to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the Fall Festival, beginning at 11 a.m. in the North Creek Community Center parking lot, 20125 Arrowhead Road. Listen to live music from rock band “45 RPM,” play children’s games, ride the rides, get your face painted and purchase delicious festival food, all in one place.
A shuttle for festival-goers will run between the MVF Office and the Church of Latter Day Saints parking lots and North Creek CC all day. Pumpkins will also be judged for Best Decoration, Most Innovative Design, Funniest, Scariest, Best Disguised, Best Animal Look-A-Like, Best Cartoon Character and Best Themed Pumpkin Racer and Driver Duo—creativity counts! An interactive petting zoo with Squeals on Wheels will be added this year, as well as an additional children’s ride and 50th Anniversary foam pumpkin launching!
If racing pumpkins is not your thing, try baking with them and enter the Pumpkin Pie and Treat Baking Contest. This contestant friendly event has just two rules – entries must include pumpkin in the recipe and be baked. Awards will be given in two categories, Pumpkin Pies and Pumpkin Treats, and in two age groups, 15 and Under and 16 and Over. Entry registration and submission will take place at North Creek Community Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Vendor spaces and sponsorship opportunities are still available! Get your business noticed by Montgomery Village residents, and join in the racing action. Call 240-243-2359 or e-mail
Join your friends and neighbors for fantastic fall fun on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North Creek Community Center, 20125 Arrowhead Road. For more information, call 301-948-0110, e-mail
by Mike Conroy
As per regular practice, the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Nominating and Election committees meet in late August or early September to review materials for the annual MVF Board of Directors Election. They forward recommended changes to the MVF Board for approval before the election process begins with the first call for candidates.
At the September 22 MVF Board of Directors meeting, the Board approved the Guidelines for Applicants Seeking Nomination to the MVF Board of Directors; the Application for Candidacy; the MVF Call for Candidates; Election and Voting Procedures; Voting Information for individual ballots; the 2016-2017 Election Calendar; and changes to the format of the Candidates’ Forum. Most of the recommendations from the Nominating and Election committees were clerical, or date-related changes.
At the 2017 Candidates’ Forum, residents who wish to ask questions will be asked to do so in a civil and respectful manner, and within a one-minute timeframe—the same amount of time each candidate has to answer the question. Residents interested in becoming a member of the MVF Board of Directors should look for the first Call for Candidates in the Friday, Nov. 4 issue of the Village News for application details.
Other Agenda Items
Based on recommendation from the Architectural Review Board (ARB), the MVF Board approved updated guidelines for basketball poles and new Village-wide guidelines for greenhouses. At the August and September ARB meetings, revisions to the Basketball Backboard Policy were discussed, and a revision to make distance requirements in this document and the Basketball Unit Guidelines consistent was forwarded to the Board.
Following a resident request for a greenhouse in Eastgate in July, the ARB drafted guidelines for such structures to conform to Village design standards. The guidelines outline requirements for general, freestanding and attached greenhouses, and the new guidelines, which were approved by the MVF Board, can be found online at www.montgomeryvillage.com.
The Board also approved bids for roof replacement at North Creek Community Center (NCCC) and the Watkins Mill Bathhouse, as well as an HVAC replacement at NCCC. S&K Roofing was selected to perform the roof replacements at a cost not to exceed $50,997 from Reserves. Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning was selected for the HVAC replacement at a cost not to exceed $30,439 from Reserves.
President’s Remarks
MVF Board President Pete Young commented on another successful pool season, and thanked MVF staff for their work. He also noted several upcoming fall events, including the Great Pumpkin Race and Fall Festival, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15 at North Creek Community Center, 20125 Arrowhead Road; Young said it’s “his year to bring the win back to MVF” in the opening races.
EVP Report
Executive Vice President Dave Humpton noted that the Board would look to finalize the MVF 2017 Budget at the Thursday, Oct. 27 meeting. He said that he and CFO Greg Snellings would be looking at year-to-date (YTD) expenses to see if the proposed increase in the MVF Fund can be lessened. Humpton also mentioned that Montgomery County will soon begin work on the Lake Whetstone outfall riser. During this project, the construction area will be fenced and the water level in the lake will be lowered several feet.
He informed the Board that the Apple Ridge Pool renovation had begun and that Apple Ridge Recreation Area is fenced. While parts of the area are open (ball fields, tennis courts, basketball court), there is no parking at the site. Additionally, Keller Construction Management will periodically be flying their FAA-licensed drone over the site to take some aerial photos, which will be shared on the MVF website when available.
Treasurer’s Report
CFO Snellings gave the financial report for both the month of August and YTD. Total Revenue was reported at $5,486,082 YTD, and Operating Expenses at $5,210,614 YTD. MVF’s YTD Net Income is approximately $850,000 versus a budget of $400,000.
The Capital Contribution Fee totaled $100,577 YTD, with $18,888 added in August. Contributions to Reserves (CTR) in the amount of $85,434 were made for the month, bringing the total YTD CTR to $683,475.
Snellings reported the Operating Fund activity totaled $663,488 for the month which was a net loss of about $143,000; however, this was expected due to regular increases in the summer/pool seasons. It was noted this is expected to even out by the year’s end.
With $5.5 million in Revenue and only $5.2 million in Expenses YTD, MVF is approximately $275,000 ahead of budget. Considering that the budget called for a loss in revenue at this point in the year, the end result is about $320,000 favorable to the budget. This excess will be considered in the final MVF 2017 Budget proposal for the MVF Fund assessment.
The Balance Sheet maintains MVF’s strong financial position, showing $8,393,079 in Cash and Investments, and $15,852,962 in total assets. Collections activity (assessment receivables) is favorable by approximately $200,000. Snellings expects to see the continuing decreased trend in Delinquencies for the third quarter.
Next Meeting
The next MVF Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 in the North Creek Board Room, 20125 Arrowhead Road. The meeting begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. with Residents Time. Residents are invited and encouraged to attend. The meeting agenda and information packet will be available online at www.montgomeryvillage.com the week of the meeting.