Hickory Ridge Village Board
Linda Hitzelberger, Chair
410-730-5817
Jerry Lioi, Vice Chair
410-730-3199
Miles Coffman
410-997-5323
Tom Louden
410-730-6866
Michelle Wood
410-997-1461
Columbia Board Rep.
Gregg Schwind
Staff
Jessamine Duvall, Village Manager
Anne Kulesza, Covenant Advisor (Applications)
Carole MacPhee, Covenant Advisor (Complaints)
Joan Lancos, Events Coordinator & Land Use Liaison
Bill Laing, Facility Coordinator
Dean Lindblad, Bookkeeper
410 992-5043
Schedule
May 4: Village Board meeting, 7:30 pm
May 5: Application Deadline for May 20 RAC
review
May 5: Deadline for May 14 issue of The Log
May 6: Resident Architectural Committee
meets at 7:30 pm
May 14: Next Log publication date
Reader’s Exchange
FOR SALE: Sofa bed w/ mattress—very good
condition. $80. Call for details, 410-992-5513.
YARD SALE: Saturday, May 2, 8 am—2 pm. 10213
Owen Brown Rd. Rain date May 3.
FOR SALE: Two like-new black folding director’s
chairs (wood/canvas). $30 for both. Call: 410-9925669.
Columbia Cards
If you live on CA-assessed property but don’t have
a CA membership, you can get reduced, pay-as-you
-go daily admission rates to CA facilities
and programs by getting a Columbia
Card. To get your Columbia Card, come
to the village office or CA Membership
Service Center with valid state ID and, if
applicable, your dependent children’s birth
certificates. We will help you apply for the card,
which comes to you in the mail in about a week.
For more information on the Columbia Card, please
call 410-730-1801.
Village Services
Information & referral
Black & White and Color Copies; Laminating
FAX sending and receiving—Fax# 410-992-5843
Postage Stamps
Notary Public
Columbia Cards
CA Soil testing dropoff site
April 23, 2015
RAC Agenda
The following applications will be reviewed at
the May 6 RAC meeting:
11745 Stonegate Lane / Shed
10440 Schoolmaster Place / Garden arbor;
Birdhouse; Gate; Trellis
12011 Yellowbell Lane / CA Rain garden
6319 Golden Hook / Widen driveway; Shed with
concrete pad
11762 Lone Tree Court / Siding
6737 Pyramid Way / Front deck/stoop
THE
Hickory Ridge Village
The Hawthorn Center
LOG
Phone: 410-730-7327
6175 Sunny Spring
www.hickoryridgevillage.org
Editor: Jessamine Duvall
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30-5
Saturday 9-noon
Kids’ Lunch & Learn
Flea Market-May 9
Join the RAC!
School is out on Friday, May 1, so we are inviting
you to lunch! Join us for a Kids’ Lunch and Learn
from 12 noon—1:15 pm on Friday,
May 1 with a Spring theme: Worms
101! Preschool and elementary school
children and their parents will learn
some fascinating facts about worms from the
Howard County Master Gardeners! Kids will
enjoy a pizza lunch, then they'll get to explore a
worm bin, make a craft, and read the book
"Diary of a Worm." Slimy, slippery, and oh so fun
— all for only $5 per person! Children must be
accompanied by an adult. Space is limited, so
purchase your tickets online in advance at bit.ly/
worms101 or stop by the village office to
register.
Because we will be having Shredding and Ecycling on Village Election Day, our Spring Flea
Market will be held on Saturday, May 9 from 8
am – 12 noon in the front parking lot of The
Hawthorn Center. Sell your antiques,
“junque,”
crafts or business
products. Spots for sellers are $15
each or $25 for two, and they are
selling out quickly. Stop by The Hawthorn Center
to reserve your preferred space. We will
advertise the market in the classified section of
the Columbia Flier and on a variety of web sites
and social media platforms.
Hickory Ridge is looking for two new members
to join our Resident Architectural Committee
(RAC). This volunteer committee meets
on the first and third Wednesday of
each month to review Exterior
Alteration Applications submitted by
residents. Members also conduct site visits
between RAC meetings. Applicants must attend
two RAC meetings and obtain a Letter of
Compliance before they are appointed by the
Village Board. Call or stop by the village office to
request an application form.
Village Election
Saturday, April 25, is Village Election Day!
Hickory Ridge Community Association members
can vote at The Hawthorn Center at
6175 Sunny Spring from 9:00 am - 3:00
pm.
We will also be holding a
shredding and electronics recycling
event on this date, so please join us! For
shredding and e-cycling details, please see the
related article inside this newsletter.
A few village election rules to remember:
 According to our legal documents, only one
vote per household may be cast. The same
applies for renters: one vote per lease.
However, both the owner and tenant of a
property may vote.
 If your name is not listed on our official
printout of property owners, please be
prepared with identification that verifies
your residency in our village.
 Outstanding covenant violations on your
property that have been sent to CA for legal
action may impact your eligibility to vote.
This year we mailed absentee ballots to every
home in Hickory Ridge to make voting easier for
those who can’t make it on April 25. You should
have already received yours by now. Each
absentee ballot has a postage paid return
envelope included for your convenience. Please
take the time to complete your ballot if you are
unable to vote in person on April 25. If you
didn’t get your ballot by mail, stop by the village
office to pick one up before April 24 at 5 pm!
Block Party Grants
Spring has sprung, which means it’s time to plan
a block party. Get to know your neighbors and
have fun! We will make it easier through our
Block Party grant program for Hickory
Ridge residents. This program offers
qualifying parties a $25 gift card to our
local Giant for party expenses. The
program is limited to 10 grants each
year, with each street being eligible for only one
grant per year. If you want to organize a party
for your street, call the village office for an
application form.
Pathway Cleanup
Our community stream cleanup on March 21
was a huge success! We had approximately 75
volunteers—our largest cleanup group yet, and
by far the largest turnout among the
Columbia villages that participated.
Despite the lousy weather, we had two
scout packs, several families and
individual volunteers come out to
help. We collected 38 bags of trash and
debris. In addition to the lots of bottles, cans,
and plastic bags, we collected a hose, a helmet,
a sandbag, a boom box, a briefcase, a backpack,
a tennis racket, some reading glasses, a broom,
an iPod, a purse, a knife, a caulking gun, a car
fender, a fan blade, one sock, a flip flop, a 3 gal.
jug, a shoe, a large basket, a piece of carpet, and
all kinds of balls including a bowling ball. Thank
you to everyone who participated in the event,
and a special thanks to Patrice Donnelley from
our Hickory Ridge Watershed Advisory
Committee for spreading the word and
spearheading the event planning!
50+ Lunch & Learn
On Thursday, May 28 from 11:30 am—1 pm
we will host another fabulous 50+ Lunch and
Learn event at The Hawthorn
Center. For only $5 per person,
attendees will enjoy a delicious
lunch
and
an
engaging
presentation! Rachelina Bonacci
from the Howard County Office of Tourism will
present “Tourist in Your Own Backyard,”
highlighting the wonderful sights and activities
available right in our county. You won’t want
to miss it! Advance registration requested.
Sign up online at bit.ly/HR50pluslunch (case
sensitive) or by calling the village office.
Open Streets Event
The Little Patuxent Parkway loop in Clary’s
Forest will be the site of the first Open Streets
Howard County event on Saturday, June 13,
2015 from 10 am to 2 pm. An Open Street event
allows County residents to envision and
experience different possibilities for
creating pedestrian and bicycle-friendly
streets in Howard County while
enjoying fun outdoor activities for all
ages.
Traffic patterns on the Little Patuxent Parkway
loop will be modified for this event. The four
existing lanes will be temporarily reduced to two
lanes to accommodate bicycles, pedestrians, and
event activities. If you have questions about
how this will impact your travel on June 13, call
the village office. For more information and to
sign
up
for
event
updates,
visit
www.thehorizonfoundation.org/openstreets.
CLARY’S FOREST STREAM - WALK
Sunday, May 24  4pm-6pm
Observe Clary’s Forest Stream conditions and environment with John McCoy, CA’s Watershed Manager.
Meeting Place: Watch Chain near Flywheel @ trailhead
Sponsored by the Hickory Ridge Community Association
Watershed Advisory Committee
For details, contact the village office at 410/730-7327
E-cycling/Shredding
On Saturday, April 25 (Village Election Day!),
from 9 am—1 pm we will have shredding and
electronic recycling trucks in the parking
lot of The Hawthorn Center. Come cast
your vote and then cast off your
unwanted paper and electronics! You
can bring up to 3 bags or boxes of paper
for shredding. Cardboard and plastic will
not be accepted. You can even watch your items
being shredded on a video monitor. For electronic
recycling, televisions (no projection TVs), stereo
equipment, office equipment, and phones are
accepted. Kitchen and household appliances are
not. For details on acceptable and unacceptable
items, visit our web site or call the village office.
This event is free for Hickory Ridge residents. Nonresidents will be charged a $3 shredding fee. Be
prepared to show proof of address.
Senior Housing Info
Facing an empty nest and wondering about the
future? We can help! Join us on Tuesday, May 5
from 5—7 pm for a presentation on
the many types of senior housing in
Howard County. Representatives from
several communities will be present to
answer questions. This seminar is FREE; preregistration is encouraged. Register online at
bit.ly/LTMay5 (case-sensitive) or by calling the
village office at 410-730-7327. Questions about
seminar content and speakers should be directed
to Nancy McCord at 443-285-9209.
Neighbors Needed!
We are looking for a few good men and women to
join our team of Neighborhood Liaisons!
Neighborhood Liaisons act as the
village’s point of contact for their
individual neighborhood or street
and will help the village communicate
with our residents on a grass-roots level. Each
liaison can represent one street, a group of
streets, or a townhome, condo, or rental
community. You’ll help us get the word out about
community events, crime prevention and safety,
and opportunities to build stronger connections
between neighbors. If you’re up for the task,
please contact the Village Manager at
[email protected].
Prevent Theft!
Spring Cleaning
As warm weather arrives, crime often increases.
Howard County Police have recently reported
thefts of GPS devices, iPods, loose change, and/or
tools from unlocked cars in Hickory
Ridge. Please remember that most
property crimes in this area are crimes
of opportunity. Thieves will often
attempt to enter several cars and houses on one
block. When they find one that is unlocked, they
take whatever they can grab quickly.
Wet winter weather has left many homes in our
village covered with mold and mildew. Did you
know that this buildup can permanently damage
the vinyl siding? Now that warmer
weather is here, please examine your
home’s siding and remove any
accumulated mold or mildew as you
complete your other Spring cleaning
chores. This simple task greatly improves your
home’s curb appeal!
Please take the time to remove visible valuables
or loose change from your car when you park. If
you are on the phone while parking, stop your
conversation and verify that your car is locked and
your anti-theft system is activated (push your
“lock” button twice).
Basketball Poles
Garage doors should be closed and locked at all
times, even when you are home. Bicycle thefts
from open garages are common occurrences in
the Spring and Summer months. These simple
steps will keep you from becoming a victim.
Scoop the Poop!
According to Howard County Animal Control Laws,
owners are responsible for removing pet
defecation when off their own property (including
CA
open
space)!
Additionally,
abandoned pet poop flows into storm
drains when it rains. These drains lead
directly
into
ponds,
streams,
tributaries and eventually the
Chesapeake Bay! Did you know that
one day's worth of a single dog's poop has enough
bacteria, parasites & viruses to contaminate 15
acres of shellfish beds? Shellfish are the filter
feeders of the Chesapeake Bay and are needed to
clean the water there.
Thanks to our Watershed Advisory Committee, we
now have updated yard signs to remind pet
owners to do the right thing. They are free to
Hickory Ridge residents (limit 1 per household).
Stop by the village office during our regular hours
to get yours!
Rain Barrel Demo
Have you ever considered using a rain barrel to
capture water for your garden? Are you curious,
but not sure what’s involved in setting one up?
On Village Election Day (April 25) from 10—11am
Deborah Wessner from the Hickory
Ridge Watershed Advisory Committee
(HRWAC) will provide information on
the benefits of using a rain barrel and a
demonstration of how to assemble
one. In addition, the HRWAC will give
away a free rain barrel by random drawing. You’ll
also learn how to get a free rain barrel through
the Master Gardener program operated at Alpha
Ridge Landfill, and what the requirements are for
submitting an application for a rain barrel to the
Resident Architectural Committee.
Howard County does not allow basketball poles
and backboards on the county roadway or right-of
-way and will remove them if they receive
a complaint. This is especially problematic
on cul-de-sacs, where basketball poles in
the street can make roads inaccessible to
emergency vehicles. If you have a basketball pole
on the roadway or right of way, move it now or
risk losing the equipment.
If you wish to put a basketball pole on your
property, you need to get approval from the
Resident
Architectural Committee
before
installing the equipment. You can find the
application requirements in our Architectural
Guidelines, on our web site under “Making
Exterior Changes.”
Village Board Candidates Village Board Candidates Village Board Candidates
LINDA HITZELBERGER, 6277 Golden Hook
I am seeking your vote for reelection to the
Hickory Ridge Village Board. Being a voice for our
community is important to me and I would like to
continue for another year. Each year brings new
challenges and concerns and I want to be a part of
the solution. This year we had an outcry to revisit
the proposed park slated to be built at our Village
Center. We listened to the request, heard and
read lots passionate testimony and conducted a
survey over several months. Though I was asked
(as the Chair) to do what was best for the Village
Center (put in a tennis facility), I listened to the
Residents (whom I agreed with) and
overwhelmingly your vote was for the Park.
I have served the residents of Hickory Ridge for
over two decades, I try my best and would like
your
vote
for
another
term.
CELINDAH GRIER, 6775 Half Crown Ct.
I am running for a position on the Hickory Ridge
Community Association Board so that I may
become more active in serving the community. I
formerly lived in Virginia, where I served on the
board of the homeowners association of The
Wharf, a community of Reston. That experience
provides me with an understanding of the type of
relationship that also exists between the Columbia
Association Board of Directors and the various
community boards that comprise the local
associations of Columbia. I also enjoyed a most
interesting and successful career as a Systems
Engineer, working for a number of contractors
supporting programs in government, state and
local and Federal, as well as private business. I
believe that my considerable experience and
expertise will provide value to the residents of
Hickory Ridge Village and to my fellow members
of the Association Board.
MILES COFFMAN, 6231 Bright Plume
I seek your vote for re-election to the Village of
Hickory Ridge Board of Directors.
This past year the board continued to be a voice
for the village regarding out-parcel development,
along with maintaining a healthy, vibrant village
center. Developers now come to the board to
discuss how their plans will be consistent with the
Village Redevelopment Plan. We continue working
with the village center to provide the merchants in
the center better signage along with plans for
usage of the CA open space that exists at the
MILES COFFMAN, continued
center. We still face challenges, especially related
to the redevelopment of downtown, traffic, and
the bordering out-parcels so the village will
continue to need the experience that I bring to the
board.
JERRY LIOI, 10322 College Square
Your Hickory Ridge Community Association is a
non-profit corporation separate from the
Columbia Association, and it is the job of the
village board as a group to make decisions on
behalf the association and provide guidance and
direction to our village manager. It is a part time
volunteer job. Hopefully you want someone who
has experience as an HOA board member and
officer, who has lived in this community for years,
and cares about the community. I have lived in
Hickory Ridge for almost ten years and in
Columbia for 19, served on the village board for
over two years, and you may have seen me at
events like the Columbia Market Study
presentations, “Columbia Speaks, CA Listens”, Bike
About, Bingo Night, or noticed on TellHoCo/
SeeClickFix my numerous requests to the county
to fix problems in Hickory Ridge. Please vote for
me on April 25.
MICHELLE WOOD, 6263 Golden Hook
It has been an honor to serve this village for the
past seven years. I strive to keep the best
interests of our residents at heart as the board
responds to issues that impact our village such as
development, upcoming legislation, and covenant
enforcement.
One of my favorite roles is
providing support for local community service
initiatives and/or organizations on your behalf as a
member of the Village Board. Hickory Ridge is a
wonderful place to live, and I am proud to
represent our village. I hope that you have been
pleased with my efforts to serve you over the
years and I request your support to return me to
the board this year. Thank you!
TOM LOUDEN, 11776 Bright Passage
I have served the Village of Hickory Ridge as a
member of its Board of Directors for the past 15
years. I love my community and wish to continue
doing my best to make Hickory Ridge Village and
Columbia an even better place to live. I have
served as Chairman of the Architectural
Committee for many years now. Together, we
TOM LOUDEN, continued
developed
comprehensive
architectural
Guidelines, enforcing them in accordance with a
resident friendly philosophy which assures
compliance with the covenants that govern our
Village.
There are many significant issues facing our village
that need to be resolved in 2015. Please send me
back to the board to finish that work. I need your
vote on April 25 to do that. Thank you!
CA Board Candidate
Section 4.04 of the Hickory Ridge Community
Association By-Laws states that if there is only one
candidate for Columbia Council after the deadline
date for candidate’s statements, then that
candidate is deemed elected by the members.
Therefore, the Board of Directors has appointed
GREGG SCHWIND as the Hickory Ridge
representative to the Columbia Council for the
term from May 1, 2015 through April 30, 2016.
GREGG M. SCHWIND, 6123 Dry Leaf Path
I have served as the Hickory Ridge Village
representative on the CA Board for almost six
years. I also sit on the Board of the Inner Arbor
Trust, the entity established to transform
Symphony Woods into a world-class park. The
coming year is an important one as we work with
the new CA President toward completing a
number of significant projects, including a planned
park in Hickory Ridge, the Hobbits Glen clubhouse,
a new CA headquarters, and a solution to the
shortage of indoor swimming lanes.
My
commitment remains to ensure that Columbia’s
values are preserved and residents are getting the
most for their assessment dollars. I ask for your
vote.
Second Election
If we should fail to reach a quorum of votes for
the Village Election on April 25, we will call for a
second election to be held from 9 am—12 noon
on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the Hawthorn
Center, in accordance with Section 1.05 of the
Association’s By-Laws. All absentee and regular
ballots submitted on or before April 25 will be
counted in the second election if one is held. We
will announce election results on our web site
after the polls close on April 25.
Did you get your absentee ballot?
You should have already received it by mail.
If you did not receive an absentee ballot in your mailbox and are unable
to vote in person on April 25, we have extra absentee ballots available at
the village office until Friday, April 24. Please stop by and pick one up!
Questions? Call the Village Manager at 410-730-7327