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February 2006
I would first like to thank Dave Dyer for his time and service he has provided over the past two years as President. Dave's guidance and establishment of our Education Committee and various other projects will leave a positive legacy for our community association for years to come. So thank you, Dave, and I look forward to working with you on the Executive Committee as we move forward. I believe I speak for all the new members of the Executive Committee in showing our appreciation to the nominating committee for the hard work that went into selecting us for the upcoming year. I would like to introduce myself to those of you who may not know me. I am originally from Philadelphia and moved to Butchers Hill in 1995. My professional background lies in commercial real estate appraisal as well as information technology. I am currently a technical recruiter for a company in Sparks. Last year my wife Kathy and I purchased 2110 E. Baltimore St. after being long time residents of S. Chester St. I look forward to increasing our membership with more diversity by utilizing my experience in real estate and business. This month a representative from the assessor's office will attend our meeting. They will be available to explain our new property reassessments that we all have received. Bring your questions! The March meeting agenda will include a representative from the Mayor's office and Peter Beilenson. --Richard Hackett. BUTCHERS HILL EVENTS CALENDAR for 2006
The Butchers Hill Flea Market is only on our calendar once this year, and may not occur at all unless we have some help. We need two people (a pair of generous volunteers) to step forward to direct our Fall Flea Market, or we will have to drop the event all together. In preparation for the Flea Market, Sandy Sales created a detailed time line with complete directions and information on how to run a flea market. The varied tasks and duties are pretty well delegated, but we will need leadership and two willing people to oversee the September 16th affair. In the past Sandy and Rick Gilmour cooperated in running the events, but Rick has moved and Sandy will be out of town on the actual day of the Flea Market this year. She had already filed the permit request will be available and happy to train and help anyone beforehand. In the past it has been a popular festivity in Butchers Hill and for many other people who are Flea Market fans. Can we do it again? Contact Sandy at 410-558-0149 or Sue at 410-522-6773 if you'd like to volunteer or want more information. --Sue Noonan. Crime Prevention report: We had a good turn out at our last Crime Prevention meeting. One common theme was finding a way to better communicate with each other as a way of helping reduce crime and being more helpful to the police. Here are some things all residents can do:
BHA COMMITTEES AND MONTHLY MEETINGS
FEBRUARY BUTCHERS HILL GENERAL MEETING Wednesday, February 1st. Coffee & cookies, 6:45 p.m. Meeting 7:00 p.m. St. Andrew's Church hall, corner of Chester & Lombard Streets (entrance on Lombard).
Contact Richard Hackett, richhackett@systemsalliance.com. AGENDA: A representative from the assessor's office; President's Ad Hoc committee on Job Training & Rehabilitation; Appointment and Approval of Committee chairs for 2006; Review of all committee budgets for 2006. BETSY PATTERSON'S ROYAL ROMANCE Elizabeth "Betsy" Patterson was born in February, and her romance with Jérôme Bonaparte makes a good valentine's story, despite its tragic later overtones. 
Jérôme (a brother of Napoleon) first saw "the Belle of Baltimore" at the Govanstown races in August 1803. It was love at first sight for both. He found her cheerful, witty, and more cultivated than many of his compatriots. She spoke French fluently and could intelligently discuss the works of enlightenment philosophes. And - she was beautiful! It was a whirlwind romance: dances and balls, long country carriage rides, and many tender love notes. Jérôme, "forgetting France, Napoleon, future prospects, and all else, determined to marry her," as one biographer said. And marry they did, on Christmas Eve 1803, in a ceremony officially licensed by Baltimore County, ceremoniously blessed by the Rt. Rev. John Carroll, Bishop of Baltimore, and punctiliously covered by a written marriage contract. Betsy was 18 and Jérôme had just turned 20. Although Jérôme's brother Lucien averred that "our mother, myself, and the whole family...highly approve," one Bonaparte - Napoleon - was adamantly against the marriage. His opposition was formidable, especially after he declared himself Emperor in May 1804. He ordered Jérôme to return home without "the young person to whom [you] have connected [your]self." He asked the French Senat and the Pope to invalidate the marriage. (The Senat did; the Pope didn't.) Worst, he cut off Jérôme's allowance! Both Lucien and Betsy's brother Robert urged the couple to stay in America. The British navy helped by making the high seas unsafe for Bonapartes. In the event, the couple had a happy extended honeymoon. They were celebrated in Baltimore and Washington society, visited Philadelphia and New York city, and even braved the New York state wilderness to sleep under the stars on a visit to Niagara Falls. Napoleon could not be ignored forever. On March 5, 1805, the couple sailed for Europe. Betsy, who was pregnant, believed that if she met Napoleon, she could win him over. But when they arrived in Lisbon, the Emperor ordered Jérôme to Milan while denying entry to "Mademoiselle Patterson." Betsy was furious: "Madame Bonaparte," she rejoined, "demands her rights as a member of the imperial family." It was not to be. The 16-month honeymoon was effectively over. While Jérôme rode overland to Milan, Betsy was forced to sail out of imperial influence to Britain. On July 7, 1805, she gave birth to Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte - "Bo" - who was to grow up without his father's influence. --Rick Gilmour. Read More: Betsy Bonaparte: The Belle of Baltimore by Claude Bourguignon-Frasetto. Available at local libraries and at the Maryland Historical Society bookstore. Special thanks to Ric Cottom of the MDHS for allowing me to use two of his copyrighted transcripts from the "Your Maryland" series on WYPR. Credits: Image copyright (c) 1928 by Robert A. Stokes company. Digital version by Howard Ehrenfeld for the Butchers Hill Association. There is no community dumpster scheduled for February. The next dumpster will be Thursday, March 23rd in the 100 block S. Chester Street. In the meantime, remember that city residents, using their own vehicle (car, van, unmodified 3/4 ton pick-up) can dump at the city transfer stations for free, Monday through Saturday, 9 to 5. The one nearest us is the Eastern Sanitation Yard (6101 Bowleys Lane; does not accept building materials). For big items, the Quarantine Road landfill (6100 Quarantine Road) is easiest to use, since the dumpsters sit below the level of the vehicle. For more information, go to: www.baltimorecity.gov/government/dpw/waste.html. COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD THE ART WALL AT SIMON'S KINI COLLINS OPENING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 6 TO 8 P.M. From 1970 to 1986 Kini Collins studied and taught Japanese martial arts in Japan and the United States. In 1985 she started writing fiction and eventually received a BA in writing from Vermont College. With the thought that it would help her become a better writer, she began studying drawing in 1988 and worked with several teachers until 1990, after which she worked and studied on her own. She began showing work in late 1994 and is represented in Baltimore by Paper Rock Scissors Gallery and in Naples, Florida by Trudy Labell Fine Art. Her work was published in New American Paintings Issue No.33. She participates in several group shows each year and organizes collaborative exhibitions. Anyone interested in a Butchers Hill book club? If there is enough interest, I'll be happy to hostess a meeting to discuss some guidelines, book choices and dates. Barbara Gilmour, CPA, Tax Specialist, now offers pick-up and drop off service in Butchers Hill, and has been approved by the IRS for e-filing. On Monday, January 23, 2006, Council President Sheila Dixon will announce the beginning of online access to legislation from the City Council's website: www.baltimorecitycouncil.com. This will provide convenient public access to the business handled by the Baltimore City Council. You will be able to search for pending legislation and view the legislative history of a bill as well as continue to access the meeting schedule, committee voting sessions, council journal, & council agenda. Easier access to the Baltimore City Code, Public Local Laws, the Baltimore City Charter and City Council Rules will also be available. The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) is again offering FREE income tax preparation services to low- and moderate-income taxpayers. We emphasize the Earned Income Credit, but anyone whose income is below the state median income will be accepted. You qualify for free tax preparation if your income is $21,415 for one person; $28,004 for two people; $34,593 for three people; $41,182 for four people. Free tax preparation services will be offered on the following dates, at One North Charles Street, Suite 222 (corner of Fayette and Charles):
Clients must call for an appointment: 410-547-6537 in the Baltimore area and toll free at 800-510-0050. You must bring with you all the W-2 and 1099 forms you received for 2005, records of all other income; social security cards for your children, yourself, your spouse, and all other dependents and family members, and picture IDs; last year's tax return, if you filed; information about expenses that you think might help reduce your taxes; if you are married and filing jointly, your spouse must come with you; if you want your refund directly deposited to your checking account, bring a voided blank check. Remember that it will take two to three hours to complete your return.
Monday, February 13th, is a City holiday: Lincoln's Birthday observed. 1024 |
BHA PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE