In testimony and meetings we have had significant success in strengthening residents' roles in land use, ensuring the Downtown master plan is feasible, and working to preserve the rural west. Last month the County Executive made the Route 40 Design Manual a top priority in response to HCCA's request; the project is four years overdue. This month HCCA established a committee to address residents' problems with the local hospital Emergency Room.
An excellent board of directors, webmaster and listserve moderator have made these successes possible, and member participation in listserve discussions has provided guidance and advanced our understanding of issues.
Vice President -- Cathy Hudson
I have lived in Elkridge for the last 47 years (I graduated from Howard High School). I have a degree in Biology and have worked over the years as a cardiopulmonary technologist, an editor, a teacher, and a financial services provider. I have been an officer or board member of the Greater Elkridge Community Association, the Friends of the Patapsco Valley and Heritage Greenway, the Lawyers Hill Assembly Rooms and the Grace Episcopal Church vestry and childcare center board (I co-led the effort to build a modern, 9000 sq ft childcare center several years ago). I was just appointed to Howard County’s Environmental Sustainability Board.
I have enjoyed serving on HCCA’s board for the past 2 years and have headed up the environmental portfolio. I helped to revive an environmental networking group that meets monthly and runs a Yahoo environmental listserve (hccenvironment) of 82 members. I have testified locally and at the state level to support various environmental issues. I hope to continue building this network to encourage and assist environmental groups and ;)
individuals in Howard County.
Secretary -- Walter Carson
I've lived in Howard County for almost 10 years. My home is in the western end of the county, near Lisbon. I serve as Secretary to HCCA and enjoy keeping the Minutes in order; and, would appreciate the opportunity to continue in this position.
I serve on the Howard County Public Adult Guardianship Review Board. I am admitted to practice law in Maryland. I work for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I'm also on the Board of the Howard County Historical Society and am second vice president of that organization. And, I serve as the secretary of a newly organized group known as "Concerned Citizens of Western Howard County, Inc.
Treasurer-- Stephen Meskin
After
having lived in various places around the world, I moved my young
family to Maryland and Columbia, Town Center in 1980, to take a new job
in Baltimore. And although I changed jobs a few times after that, we
have not moved again, preferring to stay in what seems to be as close
to paradise as we are likely to get. I retired in 2006 as the Chief
Actuary at the Department of Veterans Affairs in spite of the wonderful
commute to DC.
Since then I have become more active
in the community, testifying before various public bodies in Howard
County such as the County Council, Planning Board, and the Columbia
Board of Directors. For the last two years I have served on the Town
Center Village Board where I was instrumental in drafting Town Center’s
testimony on ZRA-113. While my two children were in school I chaired a
committee to review Howard County’s school mathematics program and
later served on the School Board’s Ethics Advisory Committee. I have a
PhD in Mathematics and currently teach one course at Loyola College of
Maryland.
I
appreciate the work that HCCA has been doing by politely and
assertively holding our elected officials to a high standard of civic
responsibility. Now that I am no longer on the TC Board, I would find it an honor to serve on the HCCA Board and do what I could to help.
Director -- Angie Beltram
I have lived in Howard County with my husband and have raised three daughters who attended public schools here. I have served on the Planning Board, Zoning Board and County Council. During the last three years, I have served on the HCCA Board of Directors and have testified on behalf of HCCA when designated to do so by President, Bridget Mugane. My particular interests are in land use, zoning and open process.
I was the founder of Citizens for an Open Process for Everyone (COPE). In past years, I was quite active in HCCA before it almost became defunct; thanks to Bridget, it has come to life.
Director -- Brian England
I have lived in Columbia since 1973. I am an auto technician and in 1978 we opened an auto service and repair shop in Columbia. Our business was awarded Maryland small business of the year in 2004 and I was Maryland small businessman of the year in 2005. I still work a few hours a day in our business enjoying the management side. Our company won the Energy Star Award and we have a very comprehensive recycle program. We have had a partnership with the Howard County School System for over 10 years and I have been very active in promoting career education for all students. I have been interested in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) for 20 years, and have been a member MPEF (foundation) board for two years.
I would like to be a member of the HCCA board because I believe we have to be active on a local level to protect the environment. I agree with the HCCA mission statement and have already worked to reach the majority of it’s goals. Finally I love living in Howard County and want to see the county looked after for future generations.
Director -- Barbara Russell
I have lived in Columbia, Howard County for over 41 years and have observed the development of Columbia from the beginning and all of Howard County as well. I worked for 25 years as a Senior Administrative Analyst (Legislative Assistant) for the Howard County Council retiring in August of 2006. I have been an active member of the community since I moved to Columbia in July of 1967 usually serving each organization to which I belonged for many years and in leadership positions. Some of those organizations are: President Running Brook Cooperative Nursery School Board, Chair Columbia Early Childhood Education Board, President Talbott Springs Elementary School PTA, President Vantage Place Supportive Living Board, Vice President Columbia Foundation Board and Chair Columbia Association Board.
Having closely followed the General Growth Properties plan for the re-development of downtown Columbia since the charrette, I appreciate HCCA's contribution to this process on behalf of citizens and its role in informing the public . I appreciate the opportunity to bring my perspective to HCCA on this issue in particular. I am also familiar with the county's Route 40 Plan and other issues of current interest to HCCA such as environmental issues, petition requirements, affordable housing, health care, infill development, development in the western part of the county, traffic issues, park development, etc.
I strongly believe that the best way to insure that the county (and state and federal) government follows the right path is to have an informed and active citizenry. HCCA provides that opportunity and I would be happy to serve as a Director of the board.
Director -- Richard Tufts
My wife and I moved to Howard County 33 years ago and have come to love our home and community in the rural west where our daughter grew up attending public schools. I am retired from federal service and have a great interest in not only our community, but also maintaining and enhancing quality of life throughout the county. Working part time at Maryland Public Television, I participated in TV production for Motor Week and represented the Executive Producer at various manufactures’ press events. During those ten years, I recruited sponsors to ensure continuance of the show. Together, my wife and I organized a charity Braille rally with a local car club for students at the Maryland School for the Blind. The event became the school’s premier fundraiser. I served on the Western Howard County Senior Council at the Glenwood Senior Center and organized an annual car show to raise money and provide a unique family day.
Shortly after Concerned Citizens of Western Howard County organized in the rural west, I joined the Board and have been active in various Daisy related issues. Together with our local council member, I brought Pre-submission Community Meetings to the west then, together with HCCA’s president, subsequently added the requirement for commercial development. Moreover, with our council member, I added five roads in the rural west to the Howard County Scenic Roads Inventory and intend to add more. I am interested in fair and equitable government and maintaining and enhancing the quality of life for all Howard Countians. Specifically, I want to participate in the survey of commercially zoned areas in the rural west to determine what citizens want for their communities. I look forward to working with HCCA Board members and county officials to implement Public Engagement in Land Use, PELU, recommendations plus appropriately updating the county’s Adequate Public Facilities
Director -- Joel Yesley
I’ve been active in local community affairs since moving to Columbia 8 years ago, having served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for a Better Columbia over the past 5 years (currently as the President) as well as two citizens’ budget committees appointed by the Columbia Council. I have also taken a public stand in opposition to the Downtown Columbia Plan, attending focus group meetings as an observer and speaking out at public hearings. I have acquired a deep understanding of land use issues through my tenure with the Maryland Dept. of Planning from 2000 to 2005, where my major focus involved examining the potential impacts of sprawl-type vs. “Smart Growth” development on the ability of the existing infrastructure (roads, schools, etc.) to absorb additional development as well as the financial impacts of alternative land use patterns on local governments. I have used this experience to organize and moderate a very well-attended panel discussion for HCCA on the “real” costs of growth that was held in March 2008. I intend to support HCCA’s efforts to increase public awareness of the impacts of development on the financial, social, and environmental well-being of the county in the ensuing year as well as to gain a greater voice for the public in the county’s land use decision-making process. My most relevant previous professional and academic experience was a 5-year stint as a consultant in the field of economic development during the 1990s as well as graduate degrees in the fields of economics and urban and regional planning.
My other major interest on the Board over the past year has been the issue of affordable housing. I head the Affordable Housing Committee of HCCA and have represented the organization as a liaison with other nonprofits in the county with similar goals. I believe nonprofit organizations, such as HCCA, can play a major role in galvanizing grass roots support for increased county government intervention in private housing markets to help achieve this worthy goal. I have used my knowledge of how private markets operate as well as the ability of government to influence such activity through regulatory and incentive-based approaches to guide the development of HCCA’s affordable housing policy. HCCA has testified at a public hearing sponsored by the Planning Board that GGP’s affordable housing plan for Downtown Columbia is grossly inadequate, given the extent of the need for such housing in the county.
