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John Compton: Oh, just one more person. No, and that's there, right?

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John Compton: The missing 2 people.

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Meredith Horan: Can't hear.

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Jean Moyer: I can't hear either.

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John Compton: In drawing box. Yeah. Something.

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Jean Moyer: Here we go!

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John Compton: Alright. Now, can anybody hear me? You hear me?

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Jean Moyer: Yes.

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John Compton: You have to unmute and speak.

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Georgette Cole: I can hear you, John.

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John Compton: Yeah, very good. Thank you. Thank you so much.

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John Compton: Okay, well, we'll give another minute or 2. How many we got here? 9.

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John Compton: That's known too too many.

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John Compton: 7. Okay, 7, 30.

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John Compton: Everybody can see everybody. I hope. I I the remote, doesn't work so I can't do the zooming. So you'll just

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John Compton: have to figure out who's speaking. We'll we'll try and remember to identify ourselves. It might be more.

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John Compton: You always do that. You're the pro at it. We all know who you are in it.

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John Compton: Yeah.

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John Compton: yourself to alternate.

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John Compton: How rude

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John Compton: if we if we get, I'd have to pull up dinner so that could be. There you go!

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John Compton: Oh, the calories! After this!

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John Compton: Alright, I do think maybe we'll start start the public hearing tonight. We have a public hearing on ordinance

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John Compton: 2,025 0. 3.

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John Compton: I'll read the title Ordinance to exempt fences from the requirement, to apply for a Montgomery County permit amending Article 4. Building permit regulations and Article 13. Application of legislation.

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John Compton: So the public hearing is called to order, and

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John Compton: Anyone who cares to speak to this ordinance at this time may do so

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John Compton: by raising your hand.

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John Compton: Okay?

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John Compton: Doing well.

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John Compton: Then we'll call the public hearing

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John Compton: to a close and move on to the Town Council meeting council meeting to order

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John Compton: 1st item of business is to prove the agenda proposed. Agenda will be signed, I trust, shortly.

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John Compton: Okay, there.

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John Compton: Okay, so the agenda I'm showing here has a few

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John Compton: alterations from the one that was sent out, and at the time I I sent to the Council and put it into the materials. The this

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John Compton: most of this is now in the one that's in the documents folder. There are no minutes, so I've removed the minutes from approval

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John Compton: available under my

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John Compton: under my report, I've added the music weekend and most importantly under administrative matters. I've added an item on the revision of the Washington Grove Employee Handbook.

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John Compton: something that Gene Moyer has been working on, and she will explain exactly why, method?

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John Compton: It didn't need revision. It did but but

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John Compton: where she and I would like to bring it to the Council's attention. It is the document is in the draft.

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John Compton: His materials.

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John Compton: Okay. There was one minor change down here. My council reports of note.

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John Compton: So do we have any comments on.

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John Compton: or alterations suggested for the agenda

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John Compton: do we make? I don't think we make a motion to approve. If no one objects, the agenda is, it's approved so that makes sense no objection for me. Good. Okay. So the agenda is is adopted, and I'll stop

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John Compton: to share that will bring us to public appearances, regular business. So we have a few people here. This is your opportunity to speak to any matter at all whether it's on the agenda, and especially if it is on the agenda.

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John Compton: so if you would wish to speak, please raise your figurative hand. It'd be the best. But

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John Compton: oh, no, yeah, I can't see everybody yet, but now I can.

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John Compton: Oh, we have one here in the room. Kathy. Laymen has a public appearance. Yes.

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John Compton: you maybe know by now that the little red house on Lucas Lane.

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John Compton: It's gonna go on market.

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John Compton: and it's it's a mess. It'd be really hard for anybody to do anything with it, but I think the town should buy it and use. Have make it another municipal building for storage, and

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John Compton: you should see the storage in the back here. It's just a mess, because there's no place for anything to go.

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John Compton: and the next time we get it's something like that

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John Compton: she'd have a better place to work, and I would just like the Incident Council to consider it. I took it to the planning commission and they sent it to you. So

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John Compton: that's what I'm doing, that.

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John Compton: What does it look like? Here, Peter?

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John Compton: Oh.

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John Compton: if you just go down Grove locust land. Yeah, right there. Well, and in all parents. That's my mother lives over there, too. But I'm I'm looking out for this for the future, and I I just think it would be kind of neat, even move it.

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John Compton: It's probably happening townland, anyway. Comment on this. Do we have a choice? The Hpc. Has raised the idea of the town buying.

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John Compton: and it's not quite. I don't think this building may qualify, but a a historic

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John Compton: property which could then be turned into a

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John Compton: Another town

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John Compton: facility with you know, store displays other displays storage whatever other purposes. I don't know if that

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John Compton: qualified says that would meet that need.

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John Compton: but it has needs. So it's the Hpc, that would, yes. Well, I mean, yeah.

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John Compton: okay, that doesn't mean you can't think about it. This is true. Yeah, thank you.

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John Compton: Alright.

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John Compton: Okay, I think Kathy was the only one. So we will close out public appearances and we will go on to the treasurer's report.

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John Compton: Jane is here and support momentarily.

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John Compton: Okay, Jane.

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Jean Moyer: Yep, I'm here.

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Jean Moyer: I don't have much more than what is already commented in the report.

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Jean Moyer: It appears as if it

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Jean Moyer: we are only at 64% of our income, but that is a direct result of

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Jean Moyer: not having spent any of the Arpa money.

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Jean Moyer: So that's not to be an alarming thing.

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Jean Moyer: there's a bit we have started the migration for the town website to Agov, so that cost is a bit over budget for the town website modernization. But for good reasons we did not also address it in this fiscal year the Ada Aids and services. So there's that money is

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Jean Moyer: available to a degree and that is also in next year, fiscal year's budget.

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Jean Moyer: other than that. I don't have any big changes to make note of in the

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Jean Moyer: expense areas.

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Jean Moyer: It was. May was a very quiet month in terms of spending.

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Jean Moyer: hiring is a whole nother nor another topic for May. We have 19 positions to hire for the summer.

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Jean Moyer: So I've been quite busy training new people in the payroll in the payroll and timekeeping system and tracking down that we have all the right paperwork and minors work permits in May. So

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Jean Moyer: that is all I really have to say on this.

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John Compton: Oh, I have a question, Jean, so I was told that you can now pay us through Zelle. Is that correct?

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Jean Moyer: I cannot pay people through Zelle. That is, we people can pay us through Zell. John and I have not come to even discuss the possibility right now.

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Jean Moyer: you know, checks require countersigning between John and I. So we kind of have to figure out how we would make that

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Jean Moyer: work with Zelle.

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Jean Moyer: It's totally possible. But our policies and procedures right now wouldn't allow it.

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Jean Moyer: But people can send payments through. Zoom.

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Jean Moyer: Right? Okay, makes sense.

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John Compton: Anybody else have any questions for Jane.

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John Compton: I will point out that our contract tree removal

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John Compton: is going to be even even not even significantly higher than what it is showing here for the end of May the last month. It's gonna seem

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John Compton: unfortunately a bunch more. I wouldn't.

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John Compton: Somewhere between 5 and $10,000.

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John Compton: But it just puts an exclamation point on

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John Compton: The fact that, you know, many of our older trees are

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John Compton: in tough shape, but dying and

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John Compton: begin to pose a danger, and we remove them. If they're a danger, we we prune branches and we remove them. If they are clearly dying, and we want to get a head start on replanting in that location.

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John Compton: So we have to think it out.

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John Compton: Yeah, there were 3 requests over the last week from residents, you know, with town trees, so I'm sure, and I applaud. I applaud. I applaud the fact that in front of Rene's house over here a branch fell on onto the walkway. That was probably this thick.

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John Compton: and that, you know, that would have really killed. So I I think it's great. They were being a little proactive as far as

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John Compton: doing this.

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Jean Moyer: And next year's budget. That removal is 40,000.

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John Compton: Wow, but yeah.

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Jean Moyer: But even that probably won't be enough for next year, at the rate we're going.

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John Compton: Right?

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John Compton: Okay.

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Jean Moyer: Yep.

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John Compton: Thank you, Jean. We need a motion to accept the services reports now.

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John Compton: A move.

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John Compton: I'll second. Bobore moved, and Mary Warfield has seconded

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John Compton: no further discussion. All in favor. Please raise your hand.

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John Compton: It's unanimous. The Treasury support is approved.

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John Compton: Okay, that brings us to my report.

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John Compton: which goes around for a while hopefully, it won't take a while, though. 1st of all, the kudos

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John Compton: it was a you know, a big month. The circle fest organizer and volunteers obviously is the Circle fest was a big success.

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John Compton: have written that the people of the Circle and resident sympathizers put on a musical and recreational potluck gatherings led by President.

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John Compton: The people of the Circle expression came from Peter. So don't blame me. They like it. I had a different expression, which I will tell you what it was. Thank you. So they did a great job. By the way, it wasn't dozens. It was boards.

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John Compton: and kudos, also to the Meadows Committee volunteers, who participated with the Parks department's supervision and planting over 300 wildflower plugs and grass plugs.

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John Compton: I may oh, that was part of the Restoration plan for the meadow. And

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John Compton: the town residents came through with their

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John Compton: their labor on that. It's fantastic.

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John Compton: Okay? Next item.

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John Compton: I would like to propose that we have here in town, probably prior to a council meeting, although it could be a separate meeting a review of the 2025 Maryland legislative session.

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John Compton: I was speaking to Nancy King, our State Senator for District 39, and we realize they have. District 39 representatives have not been here at the town with a legislative wrap up.

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John Compton: It is an opportunity to ask questions to understand. You know what the what legislators faced, and so I'm planning to invite them to. To a future meeting. Could be as soon as July, but it'll have to be one that works for them, of course.

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John Compton: Far as the Washington Grove Connector Connector Pathway. Report. It's still not. We still don't have the mandatory Referral Review by the Planning board scheduled, although apparently it's been requested. The holdup was a forest conservation plan

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John Compton: which has now been signed off on within the parks department.

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John Compton: so that should be coming along shortly.

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John Compton: the the project leader has also requested that we

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John Compton: start looking at any approvals the town has to give for the the bit at the end of brown

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John Compton: as well as the easement to

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John Compton: Allow them to use town property for this purpose.

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John Compton: The stormwater infrastructure maintenance project.

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John Compton: Well, I I had hoped to get get get the design proposals to the Council today. That didn't happen. So we're gonna go for July

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John Compton: and

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John Compton: hopefully, I'll be bringing that. That will be a major a major presentation and consideration. The Council will be asked to approve the specific work.

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John Compton: We'll have some cost numbers.

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John Compton: And all of that is basically the go ahead to

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John Compton: complete the design build amendment.

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John Compton: which specifies how the how the contract funds, which are $577,000, how those will be spent

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John Compton: specifically, on this project. So that's the decision that needs to be be made as to

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John Compton: and and and we will bring forth the group's gonna bring forth hopefully some visualizations where appropriate, so that

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John Compton: the council and the town can see what it will. You know, some have some idea of what it might look like, and it will look like after the work is done

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John Compton: in the various locations.

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John Compton: Okay, so I've heard some rumors that Smi's project management manager is not being very responsive. Do you know anything? No, we're having the designs. We're in the design phase. This is the designer, the design as a contractor. Yeah, yeah, we've we've had a bit of a delay. We probably could have moved a little faster.

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John Compton: But it is what it is. And we we we expect to get here in July and move ahead.

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John Compton: Yeah. So so we'll be kind of on schedule, because there may be probably, you know, hold ups there, too, as well.

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John Compton: So I will. I mean the Peter's pointing out, just reminding everyone. We have a drop dead date to spend the Arpa money of December 31st of next year. This year. Next year

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John Compton: that is only about 400 and

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John Compton: 50,000 of the 577. So you know it. It seems

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John Compton: unlikely we won't have spent that money. We may not have finished the project. But the rest of the money is coming from the State. But

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John Compton: and that doesn't have that.

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John Compton: Okay, all right. And

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John Compton: I'm just putting a call out here to the Council, and in general to the town, that we we are in search of a new planning commission, alternate

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John Compton: because a little further in the agenda we're gonna I'm going to propose to appoint the alternate as a full time full member, and we still need a member of the Board of Zoning appeals to flush it out as the 3 members. We have 2

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John Compton: alright, the status report on the tennis court locks and signage.

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John Compton: Aha! I had to bring some more stuff up here.

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John Compton: yes. So the tennis court locks have started to be used. The combination is not really a mystery.

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John Compton: However, we we anyone wanting to use the tennis court needs the combination, and I actually haven't yet seen a written. How the heck do you get the combination

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John Compton: if you need it. To document, you have to play pickle ball. Yeah, yeah, you have to know the pickle ball player. So

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John Compton: but oops and along with the locks we wanted to put in some improved signage.

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John Compton: on the courts and I have. I'm gonna show new signs which are are here, but not installed.

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John Compton: This is the one in English.

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John Compton: and we're going to do same information on the same shape sign, same size sign in Spanish. We've just about finished that translation.

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John Compton: I don't know.

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John Compton: And and adjustment to get it onto this size sign this is 18 inches by 24 inches in size. So it looked pretty good, I think. Your picture, I should have had it showing what it'll look like, but everybody will see it when it's

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John Compton: okay, as as far as the in addition.

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John Compton: Where am I on this thing?

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John Compton: Alright next is the maintenance shed. So the maintenance shed Hume and

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John Compton: human entry door. Somebody was calling it the warehouse entry door. Has had a combination lock

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John Compton: installed on it so that we don't have to pass keys around.

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John Compton: And the reason for that is

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John Compton: Yeah, here it is

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John Compton: The reason for that is because

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John Compton: The Woods Committee is hiring some high School

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John Compton: volunteers and a few paid, I guess mix of paid, and volunteers will get the the. So whatever the volunteer credit

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John Compton: for it. To water trees that they have planted. So here's what the door looks like now.

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John Compton: And that combination.

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John Compton: The door didn't get any nicer. But the okay can I ask a question, though, of course, it. Would it be possible to use locks like that on on the Town Hall doors, cipher locks, and state keys?

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John Compton: Possible? Anything is possible? We I never. I haven't thought about that. But but

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John Compton: I know. I know what Chris is thinking. We've had the the lock, so we've we've been considering doing a at least a number of the doors need replacement.

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John Compton: and we have no idea who has keys. There's some safety involved in it, though, with the bar, whatever the whatever you're doing in the building, like half open to the public and concerts and stuff like that. These safety bars have to be there right. But that's okay. That's not has nothing to do with that. That's part of the mechanism. You have to be able to

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John Compton: yeah, lock it. So people can't get out. But yeah, but it's taken me 3 years to learn how to open it. Yeah, all that skill is going to be wasted now, but that is something. I I would. I think it would be great to consider that it would really make sense.

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John Compton: Alright. The dogway stations which the Council approved installing last at the last meeting. The locations have been

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John Compton: been decided on. They're marked by little white flags with white circles around them. The 4 locations

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John Compton: people may have seen them. The 4 locations now are. 3 of them are roughly where they were were proposed to be. One is near the intersection of Acorn and Chestnut Road, although it's been moved a little bit toward the down to the Women's Club, because we're gonna do some storm water work there, and we wanna have it in the way for that.

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John Compton: The other one is near the maintenance shed across from the maintenance shed.

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John Compton: and there's 1 at the Grove Avenue where it intersects brown. It's actually across brown in that little bit of the path

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John Compton: that goes goes to Railroad Street, and the 4th one which was moved instead of being at Dorsey, near the wood in the woods has been moved to just onto the meadow path

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John Compton: on Ridge Road, across from Oak Oak Street.

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John Compton: but those will either be installed shortly this month or next month. And we're going to see how they how they work.

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John Compton: Okay, update on the vacant properties. Registry.

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John Compton: The vacant property register properties. Registry was approved by the Council. It's an ordinance, it is, to begin with the Fy. 26

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John Compton: July first, st and for that we need to let everybody know they need to have their property registered if it's vacant. So

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John Compton: mary has spent some time with my

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John Compton: comments and created some good form, great forums, one that will which notifies those people we suspect.

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John Compton: and with the reason why we believe it is, I can. I can show you, those are actually going to be on the website. The ones on the website aren't actually the ones we finalized. But we'll fix that they are. However, in in the document material here. I'm not. Gonna bring them up.

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John Compton: Edit edit. Everybody's got a look at it. We don't. We don't need wordsmith it here we're so certainly could be. There will be room for

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John Compton: changes in any event. We want to get those out in advance of July first.st So with Kathy's and Mary's help, and Mary has identified, has a list of properties that are maybe considered vacant and reasons

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John Compton: I probably should. I probably should just show the the one the notification document, simply because

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John Compton: if the

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John Compton: so here you can see it here. So the top part of it allows allows us the town to indicate what reason?

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John Compton: Region, the property is being considered vacant.

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John Compton: so and and there could be multiple reasons. Obviously it might not be as overgrown or dead vegetation, but in combination with something else that would be

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John Compton: sufficient suggestion.

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John Compton: And you'll all recall that not registering has penalty.

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John Compton: And so we want everybody to have a chance to avoid their penalties.

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John Compton: So you can see there's the documents in the document folder. Take it off.

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John Compton: Okay. Last item is, just the reminder to everybody that the record committee is having music weekend on the usual weekend

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John Compton: no, it's not. It's not the

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John Compton: usually it's not father's day, probably the one afterwards. Amazingly enough, it's the weekend of the 21st 21st to the 20 second. It's on the

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John Compton: the agenda now. The agenda also has. And but it's in a

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John Compton: It's in a listserv distributed. Email they're having a jazz brunch potluck sign up.

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John Compton: They did that last, but they did for something. So

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John Compton: yeah, they're asking people to sign up. So they get. You know. It's not as if there's isn't always enough food. But

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John Compton: okay, and that's the end of my report.

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John Compton: No questions there

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John Compton: we can move on to what I call administrative matters. The 1st item is official town email addresses the

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John Compton: We we now have the domain, Washington Grove, maryland.gov, we have.

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John Compton: you could. The the website now shows that it is Washingtongrove, maryland.gov

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John Compton: and we now have an email account

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John Compton: that will allow us to have unlimited

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John Compton: John Thompton at washingtongrove.com bill in your whatever we have. Kathy already has Clark at Washingtongrove, maryland.com

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John Compton: but now everybody else can have that.com or dot gov.gov if I say.com just look it over. You're actually right.

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John Compton: dot. Gov

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John Compton: The difference between this and and your council email addresses that you might have already the council address. 1st of all, your your

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John Compton: is a 1 way. It's only you can only receive mail. You can't send mail with a your council with with a.gov you?

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John Compton: So I mean you could continue to do what you're doing now. In other words, you could. You could use your

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John Compton: gmail, or whoever created a a Washington or the washingtongrove.org that we email, some are using. But if you use a Washington grove, gov.

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John Compton: you can both send and receive emails with that email address.

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John Compton: Okay, and more important. Of course, the clerk can send email address. So she has one. But we're we. We can set up a lot of a whole bunch of others.

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John Compton: You know and and for anyone but commission planning commissioners.

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John Compton: Hpc, you name it

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John Compton: alright. So maybe a private discussion. But I still am getting not getting any of those.

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John Compton: because I've got that stupid counselor, Mary. Yes, I know I haven't heard a word, but I'm sure it's a daddy. Well, didn't you get you were going to suffer for a while, and she must have just given up. Okay, sorry, Mary. If you remind me again, I'll make concerted effort to get rid of it from all my

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John Compton: my repetitive email. So I just have a question, if we have a.gov email.

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John Compton: Can you guarantee that we won't get fired?

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John Compton: We'll have to get rid of Di. Yeah, all right.

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John Compton: I'm trying to think of a reasonable candidate to lead Washington Grove. It's not called fired anymore. Don't get dozed.

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John Compton: Right? Okay?

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John Compton: So the reason it's an administrative matter. Please think about whether you want an email address, and right now

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John Compton: I think I and I think, Marilyn

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John Compton: Hi, but I'll make sure she can set them up, too. So I don't have to do all of them. Not that it's that hard, but

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John Compton: to set them up. They will require you. If you're going to send email with that email address.

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John Compton: you have to use the.gov server.

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John Compton: No, just you like you. You send Gmail. You use the Google's Gmail in my case. I use apple server to use my.me.com

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John Compton: but you'll have to be able to go in. And everybody, most everybody's email client

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John Compton: book you name. It is quite capable of.

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John Compton: you know, sending through multiple servers. You just choose

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John Compton: your email address that you're using on your email. And it does the right thing.

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John Compton: But it does take. You know, you have to have

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John Compton: incoming. So outgoing servers and incoming servers or some identification information.

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John Compton: Okay, next item on the agenda is let me inserted about the Washington Grove employee handbook. I'm gonna let Jean give you an intro as to what this is all about but before she does in the document,

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John Compton: folder, I included the what we have currently as as a personal personnel policies document.

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John Compton: and it has about 3 or 4 pages of stuff and kind of, you know. Look what it is.

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John Compton: However, the employee handbook goes considerably further, and is considerably more comprehensive. We also have a harassment, separate

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John Compton: harassment policy, and a personnel.

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John Compton: what's it called gene? A personnel.

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Jean Moyer: Disciplinary.

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John Compton: Disciplinary

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Jean Moyer: Policy.

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John Compton: Policy.

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John Compton: Okay, so those are what we currently have. And I'll let Jean go ahead.

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Jean Moyer: Alright, I, in my defense, able to

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Jean Moyer: say, I started with a I was able to get my hands on a recently updated personnel handbook

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Jean Moyer: of another nonprofit that was very small, seemed very kind of representative of the smallness that we are. It was 44 pages.

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Jean Moyer: so I pat myself on the back that I did call this down to 11 pages, and if you discount the front page, I think it's 9 or 10 pages. So

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Jean Moyer: The fact that it's bigger it there are reasons. There were certain Federal Maryland

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Jean Moyer: employee laws, regulations that were not addressed in the

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Jean Moyer: the one that was is currently in play. And so I know that the draft that I began with had been recently updated and was fully compliant every which way in Maryland, Federal, and the county. So I felt pretty comfortable, using that as a starting point.

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Jean Moyer: also with our insurance, our property insurance

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Jean Moyer: every year I have to fill out what's called a loss control risk questionnaire in.

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Jean Moyer: And if you score 90% on it, you get a credit

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Jean Moyer: we lost our credit last year, because I was very honest in my answers.

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Jean Moyer: and I would like to stay honest. Going forward. There were 2 items, I added to this handbook.

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Jean Moyer: in order to say honestly that we are compliant with that questionnaire any of the it related sections. Are part of that, and there's a small section on vehicle. Use.

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Jean Moyer: We don't have a vehicle, but we might in the future.

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Jean Moyer: and in order to say we did all these good things with vehicle use. I had to write this, as you know, saying, should we have one in the future, we will do all these things.

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John Compton: Hmm.

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Jean Moyer: So I we we really can't

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Jean Moyer: remove them, and we can't decor, you know. Change them that much.

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Jean Moyer: there are a couple items about 6 of them that are in there specifically to meet the Maryland and Federal Department of Labor Regulations, and again I paired them down as much as I could. So that is adoption. Leave

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Jean Moyer: that's a Maryland one, I believe. Flexible leave related to caring for a sick relative. Fmla deployment leave is required. Parental leave is required, pregnant and or nursing employees. Maryland is

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Jean Moyer: supportive of that and accrued unpaid sick leave based on Fmla.

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Jean Moyer: and that in part relates to us because we are a local government.

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Jean Moyer: So this is a draft

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Jean Moyer: and you know I don't think that we will solve any of it tonight, but this is an introduction to it. I would like to get it.

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Jean Moyer: finalized, not too, into the future. Ultimately, all employees, even our seasonal should at least

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Jean Moyer: get this, because we have to prove, should there be an audit, that we provide this to our employees, including temporary employees and the system that we use allows when you're hiring people to have a document just attached. And they have, they automatically get it. And can electronically attest that they got it and read it.

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Jean Moyer: Whether they read it or not, they can attest to that through the system, and that captures for us, that we provided it so.

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Jean Moyer: But I have not used the system because this is a draft. So

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Jean Moyer: I I guess we should schedule, you know. Maybe a bit of time, John, in a next council meeting

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Jean Moyer: to go through it. I would ask any of the Council people to send me any comments

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Jean Moyer: in the next month. That would be helpful. But if we want to just

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Jean Moyer: spend a few minutes, John, going through page by page, I'm not so much the words but the sections, and then I can answer any questions folks might have.

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John Compton: You're proposing that tonight, or at the next meeting.

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Jean Moyer: Hi! There! I think the agenda called for 10 min, so we don't have a lot of time.

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Jean Moyer: but if something jumps out at you, and you're like, why, why is that there?

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John Compton: But point of information.

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Jean Moyer: Yeah.

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John Compton: Has sue ellen

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Jean Moyer: Not at this point. Yeah.

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John Compton: I would I would propose that. She review it and and Gene, you had said that.

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John Compton: it's fully compliant with all the federal, State and county.

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John Compton: How do you? What's the what's the basis for that statement?

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Jean Moyer: Oh, so the draft that I started with had been professionally written.

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Jean Moyer: At the request of this nonprofit and

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Jean Moyer: the the outside consultants that wrote it. Specifically, that is their point is to make sure everything is compliant.

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Jean Moyer: I also spent time doing my own research.

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Jean Moyer: So that I, in my attempts to pare it down. I didn't get rid of something that I shouldn't.

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Jean Moyer: But yes, I think Sue Ellen, or if she has somebody she can name, who is, you know, an employment attorney? I think it's a good idea to have them look at it.

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Jean Moyer: The timing of whether they look at this draft or later draft. Is.

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Jean Moyer: and I, you know, can be debated so.

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John Compton: And and I think that would be a good idea, because something that is

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John Compton: legally compliant for a private nonprofit may not comply with

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John Compton: the potential additional legal requirements that we, as a municipality, have.

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John Compton: True, I that's why I did actually go to the Federal regulations and the State regulations myself.

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Jean Moyer: And I've got notes as to what applies to us, no matter what, because we are a municipality. But I would certainly welcome having someone else. Look at this.

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John Compton: I don't want.

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John Compton: I you know I I think we can.

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Jean Moyer: Pare it down a tiny bit more. But, we can't take out the things that should be there.

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John Compton: The second question, so included in the folder was

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John Compton: a a separate document. The the 2022 personnel policy is

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John Compton: is the thinking that we would have both, because I'm no, I'm a little

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John Compton: certain they seem to cover a lot of the same.

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Jean Moyer: No, no, no! That is the current policy.

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John Compton: I see that was me.

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Jean Moyer: They written in 2,009, and tweaked here and there.

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John Compton: Yeah.

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Jean Moyer: So this would replace that.

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John Compton: Okay, that that's good, because I I wouldn't want 2 documents that that cover the same subjects because they

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John Compton: it could conflict, you know, interfere with each other or whatnot.

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Jean Moyer: And I changed the name to employee handbook just because it it is the more current term, and

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Jean Moyer: a employees have to are required to get a copy of it. So it goes beyond personnel issues. So

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Jean Moyer: I called it an employee handbook.

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John Compton: Well, I I think it's great. Thank you so much, Jean, for all the work that you did in putting this draft of this employee handbook one last comment, because I deal with this a fair amount in my private litigation. Practice is having a a system and ensuring that people

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John Compton: acknowledge receipts, and and you'd reference that that you want that to to be something. I I think it's something that should be like a prerequisite before beginning your your job, that you have.

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Jean Moyer: Yes, and.

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John Compton: And you acknowledge. Yes, I understand. I I've given it, and I understand I'm supposed to follow them.

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Jean Moyer: And our system called rippling allows for that.

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John Compton: Perfect.

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Jean Moyer: Existing employees. If I upload a new document, I'm given the option to send it to them, and we can set it up that they have to acknowledge it. Yes.

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Jean Moyer: yeah. Because, yeah, you know in court just having it. The having the policy does not protect you. You do have to prove that the employee got it, and they acknowledge they looked at it, whether they did or not.

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John Compton: Excellent thanks again, Jean. Great work

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John Compton: I I just have a comment on the the point at which the attorney town attorney should review this.

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John Compton: the Count. I I think the Council ought to take a look at it and offer up any comments

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John Compton: before that happens, because otherwise it will have to go back and forth a few times.

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John Compton: I'm not sure you all have comments I have some already. I'm not gonna bring them up tonight. But

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John Compton: and and they are. They are questions that you know. I, I think will require deciding. I think you'll find some, too. It's kind of a

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John Compton: slog to go through this, and you know

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John Compton: none of you including me, maybe our our personnel

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John Compton: experts at all. But I think we? We can recognize things which are

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John Compton: both, important to employees and important to the town.

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John Compton: Probably find them so. So I guess my my charge would be. Let's plan on bringing the matter up again in July. Hopefully. And why don't you all go through it? Ask any questions you want. Jean's gonna be available. Obviously, by email. I'll be available and

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John Compton: Then we can come and and have a maybe a revised version to

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John Compton: really work with. But I'm hearing you say that's great. I'm hearing you say we should.

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John Compton: after we do our homework. Get that information to team or somebody prior like not bring it up during the meeting cause that'll take forever. I think it's worthwhile, like like we often do, circulating

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John Compton: amongst ourselves comments in advance as long as we're not deliberating about those or even sharing them with each other like, just BCC, yeah.

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John Compton: I I mean, I I appreciate that when

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John Compton: people send that in in advance in advance. Yeah. So I can consider other people's comments going into me.

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John Compton: Barbara's very good at doing that. I'm less good at that.

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John Compton: Okay, I I will apologize appears that the version I put in, and the version I just showed was not the most recent version. That I, at least did a little bit of work with.

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John Compton: So I'll be sure to send those out, and I'm done, and replace the ones in the meeting

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John Compton: documents to make sure I noticed the ones that you were looking at did not have my comments. I wish there's about 4 or 5,

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John Compton: and they're all going to be fewer substantive. So you've already done your homework. No, I just on what I tell you. What I did is I looked at the existing policy, which is much shorter, to make sure

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00:58:00.290 --> 00:58:08.859
John Compton: that they were all in the new version, and the process of doing that, I actually read them. And then I, you know.

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John Compton: had some, you know, comments on what was

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John Compton: okay. Great. Thanks. Let's move on to the next administrative matter. That's appointments to the appointments of the planning commission, as I mentioned in my report. We're looking for an alternate. That's because Jeff Mccrean submitted his resignation this month, citing personal commitments and

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00:58:35.160 --> 00:58:38.539
John Compton: the current alternate. Bob Kristen.

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00:58:39.200 --> 00:58:48.050
John Compton: was recommended by several planning commission members, and Bob is willing to move to a full commission

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00:58:48.190 --> 00:58:56.730
John Compton: position. So I'm proposing that he be appointed for the balance of the 5 year term that started June

378
00:58:57.340 --> 00:59:02.259
John Compton: 2,024, and runs through May of 2,029.

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00:59:03.750 --> 00:59:09.319
John Compton: Any comments on the disappointment. Great choice. Yeah. Good.

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00:59:10.360 --> 00:59:17.350
John Compton: Okay. And let's move. Move to a vote all in favor. Disappointment. All right. That's unanimous. Thank you.

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00:59:17.590 --> 00:59:25.459
John Compton: All right. Now I'm moving on to the UN. Some. The unfinished business we had the public hearing on ordinance. 2,025. 0, 3,

382
00:59:25.570 --> 00:59:29.348
John Compton: and we are now.

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00:59:31.110 --> 00:59:38.245
John Compton: we'll start the agenda going to do any further discussion. And

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00:59:39.980 --> 00:59:42.860
John Compton: If there isn't any we can bring it to a vote.

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00:59:43.670 --> 00:59:49.890
John Compton: So just to review. We approved the

386
00:59:51.050 --> 00:59:59.139
John Compton: the amended version, which now modifies 2 places to make clear that the Montgomery county.

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00:59:59.610 --> 01:00:09.129
John Compton: Oh, sections of the code that we subscribe to that. The fence requirements are excluded.

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01:00:09.250 --> 01:00:13.420
John Compton: And to do that we modified 2 areas.

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John Compton: Any further discussion.

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01:00:17.000 --> 01:00:24.420
John Compton: Okay, we'll bring it to a vote all in favor of ordinance. All right. That 6 0 ordinance is adopted.

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01:00:27.770 --> 01:00:33.129
John Compton: Alright. Next item on the business is on the agenda is some new business.

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01:00:33.250 --> 01:00:37.400
John Compton: and I'm going. This is going. Yeah, I think

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01:00:37.650 --> 01:00:43.959
John Compton: I'll read the title on the on the agenda item. It's resolution 2025, 0, 7.

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01:00:44.720 --> 01:00:54.980
John Compton: Short name is rules for events and recreational activities that use public facilities. And I'm going to let Peter introduce this while I

395
01:00:55.280 --> 01:00:57.580
John Compton: put it up for sharing.

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01:00:57.770 --> 01:01:04.389
John Compton: So I'm I'm gonna make the motion to accept resolution 2025 0, 7,

397
01:01:05.250 --> 01:01:13.149
John Compton: and and check a procedural question. I'm learning. So so there's 2015 0, 2.

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01:01:13.260 --> 01:01:29.910
John Compton: Okay, would you? This just this would, if we agree on this, this, does this supersede that? Or do we have to resend that. How's that work?

399
01:01:32.770 --> 01:01:48.509
John Compton: Yeah, right here. It. Actually, that's the 1st thing it does is super good. One of the things. Yeah.

400
01:01:48.700 --> 01:01:53.160
John Compton: Okay, okay, so that's that's my motion.

401
01:01:54.100 --> 01:02:04.840
John Compton: Okay? So it's it's to approve. Introduce. Yeah, 2025 0, 7. Resolution. Second, Barbara, okay.

402
01:02:05.600 --> 01:02:10.302
John Compton: so motion is is on the floor. to

403
01:02:11.660 --> 01:02:23.049
John Compton: to consider resolution 2025, 0, 7. The actual title is establishing rules for events and recreational activities that use public facilities.

404
01:02:23.490 --> 01:02:25.170
John Compton: So what's this all about?

405
01:02:28.940 --> 01:02:45.647
John Compton: I would just say that I think most of you are familiar with the fact that at the Methodist Church there's been a a full

406
01:02:47.040 --> 01:03:05.064
John Compton: yeah, where all this is about 20 tables or so. Have congregated Craig English was sponsoring that. And that's probably Patty giving me advice. So Craig English sponsored that every year since he's retired and moved away. He didn't want to do it this year, and

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01:03:05.530 --> 01:03:26.220
John Compton: One of our members of the Rec. Committee said that she would volunteer. She's also an office, and that she would volunteer to undertake contacting all of these vendors and establishing this again, and she asked if it was possible for us to do this right outside here on town property

408
01:03:26.220 --> 01:03:53.280
John Compton: and at the. So there's 2 things, one is permission to use town property to have the fare. The other one was that they had a food truck there, which was very successful, and so there was that question. And this has come up actually in a lot of events about having food trucks, trucks. And it's always been confusing. And I'm really glad that it's being discussed now, so that we can do things without being feeling guilty about it. So the 2 things we're looking for for this event

409
01:03:53.280 --> 01:03:59.089
John Compton: is to be able to have the town hosted versus the Methodist Church, and also that have a food truck there.

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01:03:59.260 --> 01:04:01.500
John Compton: And looking at the

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01:04:02.170 --> 01:04:24.719
John Compton: you know the old ordinance? 2015. I'm impressed that I can say 2015, 0, 2 it was. It was. It wasn't very clear as to whether we could have that I guess the real question comes down to who's making money? We can't. We can't have. Then people coming in and using town. Land facilities for a profit for themselves.

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01:04:24.770 --> 01:04:39.661
John Compton: And so the distinction, I believe, was made that if it's an event with a town people, and you can have vendors come in to support that event, and it might be ancillary. That's the right word profits that they might make. But,

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01:04:40.060 --> 01:05:07.538
John Compton: you know, this is really for the people of the town and and and just like, and then passion plea to the Council that there's a tremendous amount of work that is, gonna go into doing this. It's I just thought, it's no problem. Getting the vendors is really difficult to get to get them scheduled. They've got to be scheduled basically. Now, because they're every weekend is from now on this, you know, it's all booked. And so

414
01:05:07.900 --> 01:05:21.859
John Compton: this kind of like. We don't have the timeline of waiting a month or 2 months to do this. I would also say that. Well, I won't say anything else. I'll just say that it would be good if we could act upon this, and I think it's in the best interest of town.

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01:05:22.220 --> 01:05:44.560
John Compton: and I also think that the Rec. Committee, you know, does a lot of work. And this has been a very excellent experience for the Rec. Committee, because I and most of the people on the committee, you know. Everybody comes and goes. We didn't know that new events have to be blessed by the Council, which is a great idea. But like even the karaoke that's happening is kind of kind of like a new event. And so

416
01:05:45.040 --> 01:05:55.430
John Compton: we really, you know, it's it's great to know that. And it's no problem doing it. But this has been just. And it's just been a very good educational experience for us. So

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01:05:57.950 --> 01:06:01.220
John Compton: questions. Yeah, but

418
01:06:01.570 --> 01:06:09.629
John Compton: I I maybe I should make a further time before you ask questions. So the the Rec committee, having.

419
01:06:11.010 --> 01:06:17.770
John Compton: you know, praise that there was a a policy that was

420
01:06:18.710 --> 01:06:26.570
John Compton: that stood basically in the way of of things that seemed like the town would like to have happen that were to the benefit of the town.

421
01:06:27.322 --> 01:06:42.589
John Compton: They went to the effort to propose new, a new term, new new conditions. To revise that policy. That's what this is. And when they send it to me.

422
01:06:43.894 --> 01:06:59.390
John Compton: You know, we we have had various difficult decisions to make. Concerning not just rec committee events. But events brought up, put on by the Sustainability Committee, by by residents who.

423
01:07:00.350 --> 01:07:08.790
John Compton: I can relate to you. When Kathy Fletcher wanted to make Jim Fletcher's artwork available

424
01:07:09.696 --> 01:07:15.300
John Compton: for sale. Of course. She wanted to use the hall

425
01:07:15.937 --> 01:07:24.703
John Compton: and unfortunately it's right. There clearly can cannot be used for a for profit, making activity. So

426
01:07:25.330 --> 01:07:33.169
John Compton: and I, I created a workaround where where she got to display his artwork.

427
01:07:33.760 --> 01:07:59.489
John Compton: and anybody wanted to buy it had to go over the Women's club and buy it, which is not part of the town, which is not the town thing. So there was no actual sales here on on town property. It was obviously something that we might have wanted to to support, but it just didn't seem like I didn't want to set a precedent that anybody could come in here and just sell whatever they felt they need. So

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01:08:00.264 --> 01:08:10.429
John Compton: and there have been others. So I wanted to. Be sure that this revision didn't just apply to recreation committee

429
01:08:12.300 --> 01:08:31.870
John Compton: events and other things. So which is why the Ti, the title here? And now I'm suggesting in in this, in in this and what's been introduced, it's for events and recreational activities that use public facilities to apply to all public facilities.

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01:08:32.080 --> 01:08:45.883
John Compton: basically anything that uses it. So the I see idea. So this should be read with that in mind. It's retains things specific to the Recreation Committee, because, of course, they put on the vast majority of events. So

431
01:08:46.540 --> 01:08:47.300
John Compton: the

432
01:08:48.479 --> 01:08:57.780
John Compton: the old ordinance. What? What's shown here are where the new language is, and what's not highlighted is is the existing language.

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01:08:58.420 --> 01:09:07.089
John Compton: And the Rec. Committee did a a really good job here in this, in this particular paragraph

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01:09:07.260 --> 01:09:14.336
John Compton: here, and then just I'm again putting too many colors take it off and just leave my

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01:09:14.960 --> 01:09:30.389
John Compton: arrow. Pointing to it that the town's recreation says, are dedicated to uses whose primary purpose is to benefit the town of Washington Grove should not be used for private profit, making activity, unless the primary purpose

436
01:09:30.609 --> 01:09:39.210
John Compton: of the use is to benefit the town of Washington Grove, so that is, provides a way of allowing profit, making activity.

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01:09:39.470 --> 01:09:59.670
John Compton: If it seems to be to the benefit of the town. The primary purpose of the use of the facility is a benefit to the town, so I go on to define that if the use provides town residents with social or cultural benefits that foster a sense of community, and then nothing in this paragraph limits the requirements of the town for the Town Council

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01:09:59.850 --> 01:10:15.040
John Compton: approval that is mentioned further down in the document, so that basically defines the circumstances where some sort of profit, behavior might be allowed, and when you think of an art fair, this would qualify

439
01:10:15.320 --> 01:10:19.909
John Compton: immediately, and then you can go on further to the next paragraph.

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01:10:20.730 --> 01:10:41.280
John Compton: that be it further resolved, That the scope of allowable profit, making activities at such events approved by the Council may include artisans, food, or other vendors who themselves create and sell their own physical products, providing the primary purpose and council approval requirements stated above, our met.

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01:10:42.140 --> 01:10:50.126
John Compton: Yeah, it's got to be benefit to the town and it's this encompasses artisans and soul. So

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01:10:50.830 --> 01:10:53.089
John Compton: creators of stuff.

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01:10:54.960 --> 01:10:59.417
John Compton: So that's that's really the gist of it. The rest of it.

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01:11:00.140 --> 01:11:03.650
John Compton: is is how to get what what needs to be approved.

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01:11:04.278 --> 01:11:12.989
John Compton: The last paragraph, the last further resolve is that the the Town Council must approve any new activity.

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01:11:13.852 --> 01:11:25.819
John Compton: But if that activity is a recurring activity the Town Council does not have to approve the recurring, they just need to be informed that it's happening. So the Council has an opportunity

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01:11:26.220 --> 01:11:35.280
John Compton: to comment on it, and specifically, if nonprofit making sales just going on.

448
01:11:35.450 --> 01:11:41.339
John Compton: the the Town Council needs to be informed of that. So we don't. Somebody doesn't step over the line somehow.

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01:11:41.880 --> 01:11:52.290
John Compton: That's the intent, all right. And tonight, obviously, nobody's gonna has has read it. But now you know the intention. Well, it's been. Everybody has, I think. Yeah.

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01:11:53.300 --> 01:12:05.340
John Compton: I didn't. I didn't create a clean version of it. I have a question. So the vendors

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01:12:05.340 --> 01:12:26.779
John Compton: we'll pay a fee to come here right? So then, where does that money go? Just into the town treasury? It's been written that it would go to support Rec committee activities. But it would go into the town treasurer. Okay, yeah. So that would be an approval. So the councils would. Still, this has to be passed some shape or form.

452
01:12:26.870 --> 01:12:33.539
John Compton: and then that activity needs to be approved by the Council. And we the can we, the Council can put

453
01:12:33.990 --> 01:12:43.670
John Compton: requirements like this one, but but they're bringing that. That's what they're proposing. All we have to we have to do is approve it or add our whatever.

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01:12:44.530 --> 01:13:05.680
John Compton: Yeah, it's just the thing that I really like about this is that it has to be approved by the Council. I mean, every event has to be so. It's kind of like a fail safe where it's going to be reviewed every single time this comes up, and we can decide whether it's in the best interest of the town, and it's it follows the guidelines. Here

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01:13:05.890 --> 01:13:07.630
John Compton: I have a point of information.

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01:13:09.870 --> 01:13:14.100
John Compton: As I read the marked up version.

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01:13:14.763 --> 01:13:24.740
John Compton: That reflects John, your comments. There seem to be 2 categories, and and forgive me if this is clear to everyone. But there's a category that

458
01:13:24.920 --> 01:13:32.609
John Compton: the Rec committee itself can implement, which is more or less similar to

459
01:13:33.050 --> 01:13:36.490
John Compton: what was in the 2015. 0, 2. Resolution.

460
01:13:36.690 --> 01:13:43.539
John Compton: yeah, with with the with the one change well, organizing and managing

461
01:13:44.738 --> 01:13:48.579
John Compton: and then deleting the Town Council approval.

462
01:13:49.270 --> 01:13:56.380
John Compton: And then there is a second category of activities that the Town Council can approve.

463
01:13:56.680 --> 01:14:02.009
John Compton: That can be that that aren't sort of at the direction of the Recreation Committee.

464
01:14:02.450 --> 01:14:08.839
John Compton: and can be profit making as long as the primary purpose is to benefit the town as defined.

465
01:14:09.020 --> 01:14:10.049
John Compton: Is that

466
01:14:10.520 --> 01:14:20.939
John Compton: yeah. All I did was move the Town Council approval, the the last, the last, where further resolved, applies to every include applies to the recreation programs as well.

467
01:14:21.350 --> 01:14:24.830
John Compton: If it's a new program activity, it must be approved.

468
01:14:25.870 --> 01:14:36.209
John Compton: And if if it, if the castle. If any involvement of artisans, food, or other vendors, the town Council must be notified.

469
01:14:36.360 --> 01:14:39.678
John Compton: So you could have a 1 year you could have.

470
01:14:41.090 --> 01:14:51.788
John Compton: I don't know whatever some the Circle Circle fest would be, you know. Nobody's making anything in the next year, they say, oh, we've got this great you know somebody wants to sell

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01:14:52.920 --> 01:15:12.719
John Compton: you know. Portraits of the mayor. You know, for profit. Will they be signed? Well, I I guess. My, I guess my question is, does this contemplate that there there are some activities that the Recreation Committee

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01:15:12.950 --> 01:15:41.159
John Compton: administers, and some that it doesn't administer. But as long as the Town Council. Yes, it allows for other committees or groups to have. Yes, they have to meet the same requirements. Obviously they don't meet the ones. Yeah, I mean, they may have to meet the same ones the Rec. Committee does, but it's not specified that they do in here, but the Town and Council has to approve it, so we can put anything we

473
01:15:43.470 --> 01:15:50.900
John Compton: well, I'm just wondering. Make make the General Requirement Council needs to see

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01:15:51.840 --> 01:15:58.029
John Compton: to bless how an activity is to be will conduct.

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01:15:59.820 --> 01:16:07.350
John Compton: it seems to me, and I guess I'm gonna move to amend this to to delete the

476
01:16:08.040 --> 01:16:12.610
John Compton: older carryover section that references, the Recreation Committee.

477
01:16:13.020 --> 01:16:24.150
John Compton: In other words, if we're moving towards a system where anyone can ask the committee.

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01:16:24.550 --> 01:16:32.620
John Compton: sorry anyone can ask the Town Council or permission to have one of these

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01:16:32.990 --> 01:16:36.300
John Compton: profit making activities as long as it meets the criteria

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01:16:36.460 --> 01:17:01.089
John Compton: of primary uses to benefit the town, then I'm not sure why we need specifically to have the Recreation Committee section, I mean, but it's likely that the Recreation Committee is going to be one entity that that comes to the town to do this. But but there could be others. It it seems a little confusing to have this

481
01:17:01.860 --> 01:17:03.010
John Compton: sort of

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01:17:03.725 --> 01:17:13.789
John Compton: carryover section of the Recreation Committee, where really that that's just the vestige of the the prior resolution. We we really are just kind of getting rid of all this.

483
01:17:16.150 --> 01:17:28.300
John Compton: can I just offer up a reason why? That's not the case? Sure. Yeah, if I'm if I'm misreading it. Well, yeah, I'm just gonna suggest that this business with the Recreation Committee

484
01:17:28.530 --> 01:17:33.869
John Compton: is is really a A, it's give. It's advanced

485
01:17:34.590 --> 01:17:38.180
John Compton: permission to do, for example, instructional

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01:17:39.301 --> 01:18:05.500
John Compton: activities. And like Yoga, like Yoga, like like summer in the parks, like any of these things. It sets a bunch of requirements, and you're absolutely right. We could pull this out, and then somebody comes in. I'm gonna do summer in the parks, and then we're gonna have to have a document that says, here's exactly what you need to do in order for it to be okay to do summer in the parks, whereas in here they have guidance on it.

487
01:18:05.900 --> 01:18:18.169
John Compton: It's it. I I that's a reason to have it put specifically in here, because the recommend Recreation Committee already has a whole laundry list of activities

488
01:18:18.380 --> 01:18:23.550
John Compton: that they set up and organize and

489
01:18:24.090 --> 01:18:39.430
John Compton: and sponsor. So think about it, Rob, let's not debate it. Here, let's let's let's. I don't think we can approve it. I I this sort of thing should, in my opinion, you can't raise and pass this sort of thing unless we have some critical

490
01:18:39.540 --> 01:18:43.900
John Compton: reason. I think the Recreation Committee can assume

491
01:18:44.790 --> 01:19:03.179
John Compton: from what they've heard here, that they're going to be able to have their fare, so they should proceed as if they will. In worst cases we don't change anything at all, and the Council passes a special dispensation thing. Okay, this fair can go on as long as this, this, this, that, and the other thing.

492
01:19:03.781 --> 01:19:12.628
John Compton: Well, let let me just leave. Sure. I I we I'll stop. Let me just leave this last comment, which is

493
01:19:14.130 --> 01:19:21.739
John Compton: As I read it as it's currently set up. There is a separate system for the Recreation Committee that actually imposes

494
01:19:21.850 --> 01:19:39.500
John Compton: sort of additional requirements unique on the Recreation Committee, that other committees or other just individuals within town don't need to to go through, and that seems strange. I'm not sure why we would want. I don't know if I agree with that, though.

495
01:19:39.900 --> 01:19:43.480
John Compton: Well, I I don't know. I mean.

496
01:19:43.710 --> 01:19:53.930
John Compton: that's just my observation of how the document works. I don't think I don't think that should be the case. I don't think we want, the Recreation Committee to

497
01:19:54.060 --> 01:20:02.470
John Compton: have imposed on it sort of additional criteria that needs to satisfy in order to do these things. For instance, like.

498
01:20:02.610 --> 01:20:04.840
John Compton: I don't think that there is

499
01:20:06.660 --> 01:20:19.059
John Compton: the the Rec. When the Recreation Committee is doing something there needs to be reasonable. Public notice of programs and activities given to town residents, and the town treasurer shall receive and disperse

500
01:20:19.530 --> 01:20:20.680
John Compton: funds.

501
01:20:22.010 --> 01:20:30.729
John Compton: but that those 2 requirements, for instance, aren't imposed on others that aren't. The Recreation Committee seems weird that you would have

502
01:20:31.130 --> 01:20:43.439
John Compton: no a separate set of rules for the recreation. It's not separate. It's the only one called out is the Recreation Committee. That doesn't mean the rest of the any other events wouldn't get the same

503
01:20:44.150 --> 01:20:54.270
John Compton: requirements. I mean, here's the well, that's not how it's drafted. I mean, I agree. Here's the reason that it shouldn't be that way. I'm just saying like that's how it reads right now under the Rec. Committee

504
01:20:54.460 --> 01:21:00.629
John Compton: recreation part of the budget, we have activities that are authorized

505
01:21:01.100 --> 01:21:15.431
John Compton: with funds. We we are. The town is going to spend money on summer in the Park. Look at the list. It's music, weekend labor Day, 4th of July. Blue Stover circle fest art night family program. That's not specific.

506
01:21:16.650 --> 01:21:19.580
John Compton: all these, these things are are

507
01:21:20.130 --> 01:21:27.659
John Compton: activities that we've already budgeted for and approved, obviously approved.

508
01:21:29.060 --> 01:21:38.060
John Compton: But their conduct is both by historically, their conduct. But it's it's this, it's in this resolution.

509
01:21:38.600 --> 01:21:40.439
John Compton: the former resolution.

510
01:21:40.540 --> 01:21:49.110
John Compton: the same text as to what things what? What the important things about operating these activities were.

511
01:21:49.340 --> 01:21:57.240
John Compton: Well, so that's a little apples and oranges, though, because I thought those kinds of things are when the Recreation Committee

512
01:21:57.680 --> 01:22:00.829
John Compton: wants to pay with town funds

513
01:22:01.050 --> 01:22:05.690
John Compton: say a band or a magician, or someone.

514
01:22:06.100 --> 01:22:13.880
John Compton: But what I thought this resolution is about is saying, if we want to have an event, and at that event.

515
01:22:14.490 --> 01:22:31.770
John Compton: Have a food truck come in and they can just set up. We're not paying them with town funds, but they're allowed to set up on town land and sell stuff to people that's that's different than part of an event that has benefit to the community.

516
01:22:31.860 --> 01:23:00.779
John Compton: Right? I I understand that all I'm saying is, when that happens and it's done by the Recreation Committee. This document, as it's currently written, requires the Recreation Committee to do more than what a different committee. I don't think we intend that or want that. I think you've misinterpreted it entirely. It's specific for this specifies things. The recreation Committee to do. Okay, if the Sustainability Committee comes to us with an event.

517
01:23:01.790 --> 01:23:09.140
John Compton: I would expect the Council to imply the same requirements depending on the nature of the event.

518
01:23:09.540 --> 01:23:14.110
John Compton: It's just that we don't have any activities that are ongoing or

519
01:23:14.880 --> 01:23:32.930
John Compton: in mind that the sustainability or anybody else's. We're trying to. Let's leave it at this. I don't want to. I'm sorry. I don't mean to derail things. I just don't want to get into the position of having to tell the Recreation committee things we already have set up. We already have a policy for

520
01:23:35.270 --> 01:23:44.290
John Compton: I don't let's all read it and think with an eye towards at least this one question I'm raising. Is it imposing as currently written

521
01:23:44.420 --> 01:24:05.150
John Compton: different standards on the Recreation Committee than some other committee or group or individuals within town? And if so is that what we want to intend or not? So 15, 0, 2 2020, 15, 0, 2, right. That was written specifically for the recreation correct. And so

522
01:24:05.670 --> 01:24:16.149
John Compton: this so what? What you've done, which is great, is you've included you. You've made it more encompassing for the whole, you know, for the whole group, not just direct commitment.

523
01:24:16.380 --> 01:24:27.030
John Compton: So I mean, I I kind of agree with what what Rob saying is, what you. What you said this is about is. This is not just about the. This is not just about direct committee.

524
01:24:27.190 --> 01:24:43.919
John Compton: This is about, you know, the town itself. Maybe what you're saying is it needs. It needs an amendment to include a statement. The Town Council may impose such other conditions on an event

525
01:24:45.570 --> 01:24:57.940
John Compton: similar or different from those specified for the recreation. Why don't we? Or just like what Rob's saying? Take the Rec. Committee out of it and make it a genetic genetic generic for the Grove?

526
01:24:58.800 --> 01:25:16.729
John Compton: So I read this differently. I read this as saying, there are certain things that the recreation does now, and that's the unhighlighted part of that paragraph. And then, in the yellow paragraph below. It says, all new programs and activities

527
01:25:16.730 --> 01:25:37.520
John Compton: must be approved blah blah! And then the Town Council must be notified by the recreation or other organizer at least 30 days, you know, etc. So I see these sections applying like one to the Rec. Committee, because they're traditionally the people who have done this, and then opening it up to other

528
01:25:37.970 --> 01:25:44.249
John Compton: committees that may want to do it as well, but they have to get approval for that the 1st time that comes around

529
01:25:45.160 --> 01:25:57.549
John Compton: it doesn't really restrict other committees by having it there. It's just specific for the Rec. Committee. If they, you know, we can apply the same things if we want to. But by being there doesn't mean it's well written the way it is.

530
01:25:57.900 --> 01:26:26.600
John Compton: I I couldn't find when John edits things I try to find fault, but usually easy to do. No, it no, I I mean, I just think this is pretty straightforward, and it it achieves. If there's a need that you know there's a need. And you said it's with, we sneak things around. Try to get things done. And, as Gene said, let's just be honest about it. So if we if we vote to implement this at the next meeting, that's you think that gives the

531
01:26:26.880 --> 01:26:37.199
John Compton: folks enough time to get the fall festival set up here, because I want it done. Now. Yeah, it does. And it's also the but just as a also as a goodwill statement. The Church.

532
01:26:37.570 --> 01:26:41.130
John Compton: Margie at the church said that if

533
01:26:41.390 --> 01:26:44.769
John Compton: if we didn't approve this, that they would.

534
01:26:44.850 --> 01:26:49.639
John Compton: I'd be happy to host it at the church again. But we would really like to have it

535
01:26:49.660 --> 01:27:00.079
John Compton: bring it in. Yeah, so, but we. So we can make the commitment to these 20 vendors. But I really appreciate what you said, John, is that I think that

536
01:27:00.473 --> 01:27:26.440
John Compton: everybody here would support the event. I just think this was, you know, Rene? Lisa. And then, John, I think the 3 of them did a fantastic job keeping this really basic really simple, so that when you read it, you can basically understand what it's about. I really think it's well done. I don't see how we're gonna improve it. But you you can

537
01:27:26.520 --> 01:27:49.169
John Compton: question, though right. And and what comes to mind is. And and it's kind of like what Rob is saying to it sounded like originally. What you're saying is that the Rec committee was the governing body of of activities. And then, now, this is taking that out this. And it sounds like you're you're not giving it up. And you're we're putting in direct committee

538
01:27:50.980 --> 01:27:57.850
John Compton: instructions or requirements, or whatever, in addition to anybody else that wants to come in to to.

539
01:27:59.470 --> 01:28:23.750
John Compton: I understand what you're saying. Well, so you know, I, who is the governing body, the governing body? Yeah, the council. Okay. So do we want to roll everything up to the Council, but it says in there every all existing programs. Once the Council approves a program, it can run. It runs every year, and it doesn't get re, it does get re-approved. So this is just whenever we want to create new programs.

540
01:28:23.800 --> 01:28:47.820
John Compton: a new activity, it goes to the Council for guidance and approval which makes it which I mean everybody. Everybody was excited on the committee. It wasn't like, oh, they're taking authority, or anything like that kind of confused, and I guess the other thing is this, you know, all along, and you know we were using the church private property.

541
01:28:47.870 --> 01:29:04.060
John Compton: I'm assuming the parking lot hard surfaces if we don't. No, it was on it wasn't. It was well on the grass grass. Well, food truck, yeah, but but but the the event itself was on

542
01:29:04.420 --> 01:29:31.799
John Compton: was on the side. But if we if we and I guess that's what I'm getting at is this, we're limited on space here in town for parking, as we know. Right? No, we have. The church parking lot is right there. Yeah. But there's a mutually understood agreement in town and the church that we can use a lot anytime. We? Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So it's it's, I mean, it's almost in the same location. It's just it's just across the street, that's all.

543
01:29:31.970 --> 01:29:35.999
John Compton: So I don't think I don't think talking isn't gonna be an issue with it.

544
01:29:36.560 --> 01:29:39.060
John Compton: Interesting, you know. Okay.

545
01:29:39.110 --> 01:29:53.709
John Compton: yeah. Parking with food trucks, you know, tires if it's not on hard surfaces, and then also parking for people to come in, especially since we're trying to bring people in from outside town, too. Right? Well, they have. If if you've been to the fair.

546
01:29:53.750 --> 01:30:13.319
John Compton: a lot of people from out of town a lot, it's very, very popular. A lot of people come from out of town. It's really a fun event. It's really nice. No, I think. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's not a good idea. Are you worrying about damaging town property? Is that what you're saying? Yes, no problem. And then, you know, parking on neighbors yards, I know. You know I was

547
01:30:13.480 --> 01:30:20.959
John Compton: involved in a wedding, you know, a couple of years ago that used to, you know the the hall, and there were residents.

548
01:30:22.656 --> 01:30:47.670
John Compton: you know, very, very adamant, and coming out of their houses to tell me people don't park in front of my house. Put these cones out, you know. So you know. Yeah. But you know, and that's what I'm getting at is, you know, we just answer what kind of worries me, because if we?

549
01:30:48.080 --> 01:31:16.469
John Compton: And then again, that's where I'm going with the with the governing body, like, if we have the right committee and anybody that has an issue or question or concern, or whatever they could go to the right committee chair. If we if we open this up, that anybody and everybody, you know, then somebody has a question, where are they going to go? Are they going to come to the Council? And then, if they come to the council, they're going to come to the full Council, send out an email to the Mayor and Council. You know, how is it going to be controlled?

550
01:31:16.670 --> 01:31:20.199
John Compton: Right? And that's the other question I have. So

551
01:31:21.680 --> 01:31:39.180
John Compton: the Council will have to approve the event. Right? So that would be something that we would be thinking, yeah, yeah, parking is always an issue. But like Circle Fest we had over 200 people, and it will grow and you go. Oh, my God! You can't have 200 people in the circle. Where's everybody in the Park? There was not one

552
01:31:39.230 --> 01:32:03.230
John Compton: instance of anybody having, you know, any problems with that. Yeah. People we've been around for. You know the town forever. We've had all these big events, even like when we have celebrations of people who have passed on. There's, you know, a lot of people here. They're all parked wherever and except for that one person, there's never there's not, you know, it's not an issue. This is a community.

553
01:32:03.300 --> 01:32:05.340
John Compton: and we make it work. So

554
01:32:06.136 --> 01:32:13.883
John Compton: while you were talking, I threw up the world. Simplest potential. Additional

555
01:32:15.800 --> 01:32:24.330
John Compton: Hang on to the last one the the It. It. This further resolve, says, approved programs and activities are subject to the following

556
01:32:24.700 --> 01:32:31.719
John Compton: blah blah, such other conditions as the Town Council may require of the activity, sponsor

557
01:32:32.629 --> 01:32:43.419
John Compton: everything, and the only ones we've made, the I, the the possible ones. Some of the possible ones are under the recreation committees

558
01:32:44.574 --> 01:32:49.189
John Compton: requirements, which are all, some of which have already been listed there.

559
01:32:50.420 --> 01:32:53.409
John Compton: So maybe that helps it doesn't.

560
01:32:55.660 --> 01:33:09.479
John Compton: we're still calling out the Recreation Committee in particular, because they've literally been charged to do educational and and kinds of activities?

561
01:33:10.065 --> 01:33:14.985
John Compton: That they do, in addition to the social events that

562
01:33:15.960 --> 01:33:26.200
John Compton: and those all involve collecting fees. And what have you? And therefore this had to be. They had. They had to have some specific allowance to do that.

563
01:33:28.390 --> 01:33:36.580
John Compton: Just have a question. Yes, so I I understand. As I was reading this, it was obviously tailor written for the fall festival.

564
01:33:37.030 --> 01:34:01.920
John Compton: Yes, I was wondering how in your guys mind how this fit the other scenarios like Catholic Kerry flutters trying to sell art in the house in the Town Hall I mean some, and back in when this original was revised from the original thing. It was about people giving private lessons on the tennis courts and in the Town hall for various things.

565
01:34:02.060 --> 01:34:03.280
John Compton: And

566
01:34:03.760 --> 01:34:16.989
John Compton: so I'm just curious. How does this address? The not public, not making money on town facilities for other types of events? And how do we determine whether it's in the benefit of the town

567
01:34:17.120 --> 01:34:25.130
John Compton: for those kind of events? Or is this really just tailored towards the fall festival? We're not really worried about those other types of things right now

568
01:34:26.300 --> 01:34:27.490
John Compton: about my opinion.

569
01:34:27.670 --> 01:34:43.529
John Compton: If I'd had this I wouldn't have any problem for sale, because this is a benefit to the community. The community loved Jim in general. We all knew about his artwork, his.

570
01:34:43.530 --> 01:35:01.780
John Compton: His paintings were liked by some and not liked by others. His sculptures were great interest, whether, no matter whether you like them or not, and it was just part of him. Our signs were, you know, are done by, so I think that one would have qualified as a benefit to the community, and yes.

571
01:35:02.480 --> 01:35:05.750
John Compton: nobody was going to benefit from having them sold. But

572
01:35:05.950 --> 01:35:08.659
John Compton: that's fine. We might have charged her a fee.

573
01:35:09.010 --> 01:35:20.049
John Compton: consequently, and said, Okay, you know, we we want to make sure we're not supporting a for profit, making activity with any funds. So we'll try to think

574
01:35:20.290 --> 01:35:30.180
John Compton: so. Does this send this send that kind of question to the committee just officially. So if something came up it would come to the committee to decide if it was in the town.

575
01:35:30.340 --> 01:35:42.316
John Compton: Sorry. Okay, I mean, say it with Kathy. Would that have been? How how active the committee is, you know. Right now we have a good committee that really

576
01:35:42.890 --> 01:35:50.989
John Compton: you know, being being comprehensive about things and starting new stuff. We've had a rec committees which are barely limping along.

577
01:35:51.160 --> 01:35:58.129
John Compton: you know, and they would never have taken on this question. There's a we don't want to deal with it. So guess who will end up having to deal with it.

578
01:35:59.800 --> 01:36:29.560
John Compton: I will on the Council, because somebody wants to use the Polly were doing it today she'd come to us and voted guided by these criteria, not exclusively. I mean, that makes sense. Like, I agree, this, this is a very sensible thing. We should definitely do this. I just, I know. Yeah, I understand. So John, the chair of the Rec. Committee

579
01:36:29.560 --> 01:36:37.656
John Compton: had a question. Is that can I bring it up now, or you can make it your question? Well, I am actually, she's allowed to.

580
01:36:38.770 --> 01:37:01.009
John Compton: yeah, if you want information, well, I'll just let me just read this because it'll be okay. She would like to know, we would like to know? Could the Rec committees? Could the Rec committee specific language be moved out of this and into a charter document for the Rec. Committee. It currently doesn't have one that way. It can be more general in the ordinance. That's basically

581
01:37:01.640 --> 01:37:03.490
John Compton: totally yeah. Yeah.

582
01:37:03.820 --> 01:37:22.710
John Compton: If you're talking about the bylaws for the Rec. Committee. Yeah. Well, she's saying, basically, like, Rob was saying, let's make this more generic and not just Rec. But I think our discussion is, I don't want to make this more complicated because we're getting yeah. The rec committees is getting. And this conversation is fantastic. This is like a really

583
01:37:23.152 --> 01:37:33.757
John Compton: it's wonderful and not have emails going back and forth, but just to have everybody move along. Okay, I I think the answer is, to

584
01:37:35.820 --> 01:37:45.129
John Compton: again. I'll send around a clean version. You all know what this is about, and everybody can, and you know, consider it in.

585
01:37:45.480 --> 01:37:52.700
John Compton: you know, more quiet, right? And I'm getting a lot of text. So the people who are texting me can have their input

586
01:37:53.120 --> 01:38:10.320
John Compton: it's not if we're not voting right now, yeah, until June, hearing no objection. That's okay.

587
01:38:11.010 --> 01:38:12.939
John Compton: Alright, good. Thank you. Guys.

588
01:38:13.580 --> 01:38:19.029
John Compton: Alright. That takes us to the other regular business, which is the town Council reports

589
01:38:19.580 --> 01:38:25.730
John Compton: first.st I only called out a very few items. One was the

590
01:38:26.860 --> 01:38:37.359
John Compton: in in Peter's Recreation committee report. The art in the Park day, May 17, th which

591
01:38:38.020 --> 01:38:43.160
John Compton: was apparently a success with kids and adults.

592
01:38:43.896 --> 01:38:45.806
John Compton: With the fun

593
01:38:47.490 --> 01:38:51.950
John Compton: Additional thing that the tree that had fallen in the Park

594
01:38:52.040 --> 01:39:18.057
John Compton: was apparently a big hit. It was the best climbing. We don't have to get new play equipment free climbing next year. Unfortunately, there'll be plenty more of those entertainment things coming in the near future around the grove, anyway. So you can read about more about that.

595
01:39:19.530 --> 01:39:29.799
John Compton: John, reported out of the wits committee. The the High School volunteers will and and and paid

596
01:39:31.010 --> 01:39:42.440
John Compton: Participants will be watering. The 15 trees planted last fall in the woods that's as needed. If it rains every week, no watering will go. It won't rain every week.

597
01:39:42.650 --> 01:39:52.900
John Compton: so the new trees need tension. And he also reported that the status of the Restoration plans from April spring

598
01:39:54.045 --> 01:39:58.460
John Compton: where? The old cement walls.

599
01:39:58.660 --> 01:40:07.209
John Compton: Kathy showed the Pic. Kathy Pat shows the picture at at the annual town meeting of what it looks like cleaned up.

600
01:40:07.410 --> 01:40:12.840
John Compton: But it needs, needs some structural work. And so the the

601
01:40:14.280 --> 01:40:18.840
John Compton: that work is going to be be is being planned for the summer.

602
01:40:20.470 --> 01:40:30.119
John Compton: and lastly, with respect to the website once again, Barbara, just to point out. We're now a.gov site.

603
01:40:31.250 --> 01:40:32.000
John Compton: Which?

604
01:40:34.650 --> 01:40:42.950
John Compton: many of you most of you may not know, but the Montgomery County mayors have been having a monthly

605
01:40:43.080 --> 01:40:49.910
John Compton: lunch meeting by zoom since like since Covid started.

606
01:40:50.782 --> 01:41:03.357
John Compton: I think it was the idea of a couple of Mayors, Judge Ashman of Gaithersburg, whatever, and but by no means attended by all the mayors, and every month we have speakers, and what what have you but

607
01:41:04.230 --> 01:41:06.989
John Compton: But one of the things that came up at their last meeting.

608
01:41:07.550 --> 01:41:14.193
John Compton: Well, the the Speaker was a was a fellow from the Comptroller's office talking about

609
01:41:15.420 --> 01:41:19.809
John Compton: not the Comptro's office, the Attorney General's office, talking about

610
01:41:19.950 --> 01:41:36.170
John Compton: things of concern to municipalities, scams of residents, and how to avoid scams, and what to do about scams and the fact. The Attorney General's office has a helpline. They have more than a helpline. They will actually give you advice, and I mean you can

611
01:41:36.430 --> 01:41:55.120
John Compton: have complaints and all of that. So we went through all of that. And the the thing came up about cyber security of your websites. And what have you and a few of the mayors there said, Oh, hey, we just we we it's the reason we became a.gov.

612
01:41:55.643 --> 01:42:02.539
John Compton: and yeah, a bunch of them only recently went to.gov, just like we're doing. And one of them was

613
01:42:02.710 --> 01:42:09.820
John Compton: because the.gov site is significantly more protected against

614
01:42:10.230 --> 01:42:14.849
John Compton: infiltrations, not totally by any means. But

615
01:42:15.110 --> 01:42:36.529
John Compton: so and then barbara also reported the draft of other things that Christine has been doing. He's she's in particular been working with the consultant to on the website to make it more streamlined more effective and aiming towards adding functionality.

616
01:42:36.900 --> 01:42:44.910
John Compton: So but there's other thing. It puts up also the page. That's all I have to say about the council reports. You're all welcome to say anything that

617
01:42:45.140 --> 01:42:48.040
John Compton: feel anybody you need to particularly know.

618
01:42:49.080 --> 01:42:52.177
John Compton: Okay? If not, then we we

619
01:42:54.040 --> 01:43:04.830
John Compton: and move on. Christine's not posting the console reports anymore. But I am. We can always get the Council reports out of this agenda link document links.

620
01:43:06.660 --> 01:43:10.659
John Compton: Alright. Last item is, the next meeting will be July 14.th

621
01:43:12.740 --> 01:43:20.289
John Compton: that will be a significant meeting. We just talked about taking care of this resolution. We just spoke about and

622
01:43:21.640 --> 01:43:27.770
John Compton: found and determined to handle the the design, approval.

623
01:43:28.618 --> 01:43:41.071
John Compton: and cost design and work proposals for the various areas of the of the stormwater infrastructure management. Are we gonna get anything from? The

624
01:43:41.870 --> 01:43:58.839
John Compton: yeah. So I can't, you know from I mean, it's really, you know. Talk about when the iron, the iron is no longer going to be able to find the iron. Yeah, yeah, it's like embarrassing. Yeah, I'll follow up with yesterday.

625
01:43:59.590 --> 01:44:00.709
John Compton: There we go.

626
01:44:01.320 --> 01:44:03.779
John Compton: Peter's asking about the commercial corner.

627
01:44:06.030 --> 01:44:13.700
John Compton: the mechanism to accomplish the goals of the town and property from there with the renovation.

628
01:44:15.560 --> 01:44:19.619
John Compton: Okay, anything else. No other business.

629
01:44:30.170 --> 01:44:55.250
John Compton: But I felt like what we had about the recreation community proposal was very healthy and.

630
01:45:01.700 --> 01:45:02.729
Lisa Bielen: Thank you. Good night.

631
01:45:02.730 --> 01:45:04.380
John Compton: We're waiting for ourselves.

632
01:45:05.440 --> 01:45:10.520
John Compton: Yeah, I have a question.

633
01:45:15.650 --> 01:45:16.120
John Compton: That's.