Last updated 12/18/2002
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2002

December 18, 2002

At the December 18, 2002, Thomas Casey was elected by the Town Council to fill a vacancy on the Council for Ward I.  He replaces Derek Bennett who resigned last May.  Congratulations to Councilman Casey.  The Council also elected Councilman Jerome Corrigan to continue in office.  Councilman Corrigan had been continuing to serve since the person who won the election last May declined to take his seat.  

Mayor McGinnis announced in the public period of the Town meeting that the Fiscal Year 2002 Town audit, which was due to be submitted to the State by  November 1, 2002, will be completed by January 3, 2003.  

Citizens were asked to submit nominations to fill Councilperson vacancies in Wards I and II by November 22, 2002.  Thomas Casey, a resident of Ward I, submitted his name for consideration, but no one has asked to be considered from Ward II.  The lack of interest in serving the citizens of the Town on the Council is troubling.

December 16, 2002

Wilhelmina Gray has been appointed to the position of Town Clerk, replacing Michelle Dyer who resigned last month.  The Town still needs a Treasurer.  Of  critical importance is the need to complete the Town audit which was due to be submitted to the State by November 1.  

Citizens were asked to submit nominations to fill Councilperson vacancies in Wards Iand II by November 22, 2002.  Thomas Casey, a resident of Ward I, submitted his name for consideration, but no one has asked to be considered from Ward II.

November 12, 2002

Town Clerk, Michelle Dyer resigns.  Her assistant, Ms. Cotton, left the day before, and on Friday, November 15, Ms. Dyer also vacated her position.  This leaves the Town with only the Mayor and retired Councilmembers to operated the Town Clerks office.  The Police and Maintenance Departments remain staffed.  Persons interested in being employed in the Clerk's office should contact Mayor McGinnis as soon as possible.  The Town also needs a Treasurer.

The Town financial situation is unknown at this time.  At the beginning of October, Ms. Dyer requested an extension on filing the Town's audit with the State Departement of Legislative Services as required by law.  The extension of the due date was from November 1 to January 3, 2003.  It is unknown at this time when the audit will be completed.

October 15, 2002

Shooting occurs in Forest Heights.  On October 12, 2002, about 8:30 p.m. shots were heard on Ottawa Street near the Park.  Several P.G. County Police officers responded and a crashed vehicle was found on the 5800 block of Ottawa Street containing bullet holes.  No blood was found and the vehicle occupant or occupants had fled the scene.  Subsequently, two arrests were made and the cause of the incident was determined to be a domestic disturbance.

July, 7, 2002

The Mayor and Town Council passed a $624 thousand budget at the June 19, 2002 Town Meeting.  The Town Charter requires a "public hearing" on the budget, but the Mayor did not ask for or permit public input while passing the budget as required by the Town Charter.  Furthermore, the budget was passed before 8:00 p.m., the time advertised on the sign outside the Municipal Building as the start of the Town meeting.

Mayor McGinnis "appoints" a Councilman for Ward I to replace Derek Bennet who resigned.  She announced this secret appointment at the June 3 workshop meeting.  The Mayor has no authority to make such an appointment because the Town Charter reserves the responsibility for filling vacancies on the Council to the Council itself (see Section 33-11 of the Town Charter).

The Town's trash pickup contract was awarded to Goode Company. The amount of the contract was $147 thousand per year, a 17% increase over the previous contract.  Beginning July 2, 2002 pickups will be on Tuesdays and Fridays instead of Mondays and Thursdays.

The Town has canceled the Red Light Camera program at Indian Head Highway and Livingston Road.  The program had been credited with a 30 percent reduction in accidents at the intersection.  Preliminary analysis indicates the program was about breaking even with two cameras operating and made a profit if the low volume camera was turned off. The mayor was questioned about the program cancellation at the May 15 Town meeting, but she refused to answer questions about it. She also stated that the issue should not have been posted to this website.  However, the cancellation of the program was discussed at the Town Council's May 6, 2002 Workshop Meeting, which was open to the public.