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Health & Fitness

The Other Barn Was Rocking Last Night

Been a long time since I’ve seen anything like this in the Other Barn!  A crowd of 350 Oakland Mills residents and county officials wedged themselves into the Loft last night to hear Tom Carbo, Executive Director of the Housing Commission, try to defend the purchase of the Verona Apartments and the plan to increase the amount of subsidized housing in a village that already has so much low-end housing that about 60% of the students at the local elementary school get free or reduced-price lunches.
  
The overflow crowd politely endured an interminable lecture on types of subsidized housing from Mr. Carbo.  

But as Ginny Thomas stepped to the mike, it was like 1976 all over again, back in the days when Columbians had to kick and scream just to get voter registration booths in the mall.  (You young ‘uns have no idea how tough we old Columbians had it, but that’s another story).  

Our former representative to the County Council and Maryland House of Delegates was scathing in her denunciation of the Verona deal, which was finalized with no advance public notice and no public hearing. 

“Some people will try to make you feel guilty,” she insisted.  “Don’t let them.  You are doing more than you your fair share.”  The crowd roared its approval so often that she had to abbreviate her remarks—each speaker was limited to 3 minutes.
She did manage to announce the formation of a new group, the Oakland Mills Improvement Association (OMIA), which will quickly inform members of new developments on the local housing scene and work to support our hard-pressed schools.  

“Tonight is just the beginning,” she promised (or threatened, depending on your perspective).  Judging by the presence of both the Republican and Democratic candidates for County Executive, we do seem to have caught their attention.
Next up was Bill McCormack in his trademark green soccer shorts.  When not coaching neighborhood soccer, Bill has become a housing guru.  He actually reads things like HUD policy directives.  And he cited one that says, in effect: Thou shalt not place additional subsidized housing right next to existing subsidized housing.  And darned if the Verona isn’t cheek by jowl with Forest Ridge (formerly Stevens Forest Apartments), whose 108 units are all low-income housing.

Bill also brandished the Oakland Mills Master Plan (he's read that too!) which says that our village is completely deficient in high-end housing.  So if the county wants to achieve Full-Spectrum housing, it should be replacing the Verona with upscale townhomes like those next to the Mall.  That really had the crowd cheering--we can dream, can't we?
There were so many eloquent, impassioned speakers that I’ll add to this later, but I want to end by saying how proud I was of my neighbors.

This was not a mob with pitchforks.  These were hardworking folks who have logged hundreds of thousands of hours volunteering at local schools, food banks, and soup kitchens.  They had nothing but praise for the local schools that thrive against tough odds. (More on that tomorrow).
They cheered and applauded till the joint rocked, but no rocks were thrown. 

To join OMIA, send an email to OMIA2014@gmail.com.  There are no dues, no time commitment.  We will NOT share our list with anyone, and we will keep your email address private.
The founding members include Froydis Beckerman, Mike & Lois Clark, John Ditomasso, Werner Gruhl, Betty Jones, Bill Mccormack, Barbara Russell, Hector Santiago, Peggy Skaggs, Evelyn Tanner, Chuck Thomas, and me, Kay Wisniewski

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