March 2007

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Well, March is known for lions, lambs, wind and Spring, and given this month's agenda, we will use them all.

First on our list is the budget, which will be presented at this month's meeting. The Executive Committee roared like lions to come up with a balanced approach to our budget for this year and for our future. Along with this year's budget you will find a questionnaire for all to complete that will give future executive committees guidance on spending. Many on the executive committee see us spending too much in one area and too little in others. So if you can not attend and share your opinion in person we will make these available all year.

Next, our lambs have stepped forward to assist us in the volunteer openings we have had. Constance Brines has volunteered to fill in for Remington Nevin on the Streetscape Committee until another person can be found. John Marsiglia has volunteered to organize the Garden Tour with executive committee member Kathy Orr. Connie and John are looking for any assistance you can give. The Garden Tour is set for June 3rd.

Well, a lot of cold wind has been coming through our 'hood this past month and I wanted remind everyone that you are responsible for the trash around your house, business or church. Crime and grime do go together and if you keep things clean around your house there is less of chance of crime happening. Please put your trash out the morning of pick-up and make sure that you cover your papers on recycling days.

Spring begins later this month and we get to change our clocks earlier than in years past (March 11th). This of course means more daylight in the evening and hopefully brings some crime reduction benefits. Spring also brings flowers and new construction; I understand that the project at S. Chester and E Pratt will begin in early March.

-Richard Hackett.

AH, SPRING!

Following a discussion at a recent Butchers Hill general meeting, we are working together to explore ways to bring more neighbors together. Our goal is to help make Butchers Hill more welcoming, friendly, clean and green.

Spring will be here in a few weeks - time to come out and meet our new neighbors, take stock of our sidewalks, plants, and building exteriors. Consider coordinating with others on your block for a spring sweep, block gathering, scrubbing marble steps, or tree mulching.

Please contact any of us with other ideas and watch for more information about our efforts.

• Kathy Hackett, Membership Chair, 410-327-2447;
• Connie Brines, Interim Streetscape Chair, 410-539-2827;
• Carolyn Boitnott, Crime Prevention and Block Rep Chair, 410-522-4991.

Welcome to our new major and deputy major at Southeast Police District, Major Roger Bergeron and Deputy Major William Davis. A very big THANK YOU to retiring Major Michael Kundrat. Major Bergeron had been serving as the deputy major under Major Kundrat for over a year, so he is very familiar with our area. Our new deputy major transferred to the Southeast District from the Western District, but has worked in SE in the past. We look forward to working with you both!

SPRING FLEA MARKET NEEDS VOLUNTEERS!

The Flea Market Committee is looking for additional VOLUNTEERS for the Spring Flea Market (Saturday, May 12), especially newcomers. We are especially looking for 1 or 2 people to oversee the Butchers Hill Booth. Proceeds from the BH booth will be used to augment donations to the efforts of the Education Committee. A spring flea market has been reestablished after a couple year absence, and we are really trying to make it a success! We will be needing workers to man the food booth, direct traffic, help with litter, do set up and tear down. The work started a couple months ago, but the volunteers are desired so that shifts can be established. Day of work starts by 6 AM, ends around 6 PM and many hands will lighten the loads. Please volunteer by calling Ray at 410-675-4948 or sending a message to BHFLEAMARKET@yahoo.com.

BHA COMMITTEES AND MONTHLY MEETINGS

• Crime Prevention/Block Representatives: Wednesday, March 21st, 7 P.M., 2105 E. Baltimore St. The committee meets monthly to share information from our block representatives and to coordinate action. New block representatives wanted; if interested e-mail or call Carolyn: 410-522-4991.
  –Police ask that residents call 410-666-DRUG to report repeated suspected drug activity, but always call 911 if you need immediate police response.
• Butchers Hill Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.): Butchers Hill Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.) has been regularly patrolling the neighborhood for over six years, and conducts its walk-arounds on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. We meet at 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Patterson Park Ave. and Lombard St. All are welcome. For more information, please contact Evan Helfrich at 410-342-2148 or by e-mail.
• Community Representative, School 27 School Improvement Team: Carolyn Boitnott, 410-522-4991.
• Education Committee: The first meeting in 2007 for the Education committee is Monday, March 19, 7 PM, 232 S. Patterson Park Ave. Contact: Tori Simms, 410-675-4948.
• House Tour Committee: Note that there is no longer an Events Committee. The first meeting of the House Tour Committee will be in April. If you would like to have your home on the October 14, 2007 tour, or wish to nominate a neighbor for the tour-it is not too early! Call 410-522-6773 or email.
• Membership Committee: Wednesday, March 14th, 7:30 PM, 2207 E. Baltimore St. Contact Kathy Hackett, 410-327-2447. The Membership committee meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. E-mail BHAmember@gmail.com:
  • to find out how you can help at an event;
  • if you are interested in organizing the Garden Tour or chairing the Streetscape committee;
  • to share an idea to make Butchers Hill even better;
  • to request a new neighbor packet;
  • to sign up for our monthly e-mail.
  NEW NEIGHBORS: See the Moving In link on our web site: www.butchershill.org. If you would like to receive our monthly e-mail with a preview copy of the newsletter, please e-mail bhamember@gmail.com.
• Book Club: Thursday, March 22nd, 7:30 PM, 110 S. Patterson Park Ave. The selection for March is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. Contact: Anne Puckett, 410-675-8765. The Book Club is not taking any new members at this time.
• Land Use: Monday, March 19th, 7 PM, at the White House, 27 South Patterson Park Ave. The Land Use Committee reminds homeowners in the 2100 and 2200 blocks of E. Baltimore St. and the 2200 block of E. Pratt St. that you live in a City historic district. All exterior work and painting must be submitted to CHAP and Butchers Hill. We're happy to help with any questions. Contact Virgil Bartram: 410-327-4964. CHAP's number is 410-396-4866.
• BHA Executive Committee: Tuesday, March 20th at 7:30 PM, 2110 E. Baltimore St. Contact Richard Hackett.
• Streetscape Committee: Thursday, March 8th, 7 PM at 2225 E. Lombard Street. Connie Brines has agreed to serve as Interim Chair and is seeking new members. The current emphasis will be on streetscape maintenance-that is, focusing on trash removal, litter control, tree care, and other neighborhood appearance issues. Please join Connie and Sandy Sales at the next meeting (the day after the Butchers Hill General Meeting).
• Newsletter: The deadline for the APRIL issue is Saturday, March 24th. Contact Steve Young.

MARCH BUTCHERS HILL GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday, March 7^th. 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.

AGENDA: BHA 2007 Budget; Presentation by the Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition.

THINK SPRING - CLEANING!

The Streetscape Committee has arranged for the first dumpster of 2007 for March 15 in the 100 block S. Chester. It will arrive around 10 a.m. and leave around 2 p.m. No: large appliances (use Bulk Trash for these), no automotive parts (rimless tires can go to Quarantine Landfill, other parts to junk yards), batteries, wet paint or chemicals (go to Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in April or October). Please use this opportunity to bring items that might have been thoughtlessly abandoned near your house to the dumpster. If you can't get it there yourself, please call Sandy: 410-558-0149 with the information. Dumping is illegal. If you see it occurring take down license numbers or any other info useful to the police and report it to 311 or Carolyn: 410-522-4991.

The Streetscape Committee has developed some useful informational flyers to assist neighbors who do not seem clear on trash disposal regulations. Ideally, one representative from each block would be given a few of these flyers, as needed, to distribute where and when appropriate. We would also have them available at meetings. If you are interested in being a block rep, or have any other ideas of ways to keep our neighborhood clean and beautiful, please call Sandy: 410-558-0149 or come to the Streetscape or General Meeting and speak with Connie or Sandy. Constance Brines has agreed to become interim Chair of the committee, while Remington Nevin is serving in Afghanistan.

SNOW REMOVAL REGULATIONS state that during daylight hours, snow should be cleared from sidewalks within three hours from the end of a storm. In addition to being considerate of others, be mindful that anyone injured as a result of negligence can sue for damages. Also, mail carriers will not navigate treacherous conditions (such as icy walks and steps, or beneath construction scaffolding) to deliver your mail. No notice is required. It is up to you as a property owner to provide a safe place for your mail to be safely delivered.

Short term project volunteers needed to help our neighborhood school children:

Our elementary/middle school, Commodore Johns Rodgers, at 100 N. Chester St. has an after-school clubs program on Thursdays from 3 to 4 pm which will continue until early May. The clubs are run by teachers, and they would like one-time visitors or more in the following club areas:

• Fashion (students will be putting on a fashion show at the end),
• Photography (students have been given digital cameras),
• Computer (students are working on creating a website),
• Math, including math and strategy games,
• Science (interested in doing experiments),
• Cultural (interested in meeting people from other cultures and learning about foods, etc.),
• Steppers (interested in finding a community service activity).

Carolyn Boitnott, Butchers Hill school liaison, 410-522-4991.

ATTENTION: Parents, Grandparents & Home-School families ...

School #27, 100 N. Chester St., is having the Scholastic Book Fair from Feb. 27^th through March 9^th, from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are many new $1-$5 books, an opportunity to win a $1,000 Home Library and a Build-a-Book Party for 4-to-6 year olds. The party will be Wednesday, March 7^th, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. For $6 per child you will get a 10-page, wire-bound booklet with art supplies, so you can create a book (perhaps a family keepsake) about whatever you choose, along with pizza, soda and cookies. There will also be a door prize. You may pay at the door, but RSVP is required: 410-396-9300. To enter for a chance to win the $1,000 Home Library go to www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/library by May 31st to sign up to receive a free monthly e-newsletter.

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

Sign up Now to Become a Neighborhood Tree Steward: Attend the City's Free Neighborhood Tree Steward Training Sessions:

Through classroom training and hands-on practice, Tree Stewards learn the basics of tree biology, planting, maintenance techniques and more. Upon completion of training, Tree Stewards make a commitment to improve and protect their community forest by participating in the planning, planting, and maintenance of trees in their neighborhoods and parks.

To sign up for the March 2007 Neighborhood Tree Steward Training or if you have questions, please contact Jahmilla Wilson, Department of Recreation & Parks: Jahmilla.Wilson@baltimorecity.gov or (410) 396-0729.

FRIENDS OF PATTERSON PARK NOTES

Many dedicated and excited park users have been asking the same questions all winter. I'll answer the 3 most common questions here--

1. The first volunteer project will be on March 24th.
2. We will have free concerts this year starting in June.
3. There are 406 squirrels in the Park.

Dispenser Donations?
The winter weather has damaged many of the dispensers that we use as "doggie-bag dispensers" throughout the park. We are currently seeking donations of plastic bag dispensers. If you can spare any, please drop them off at the White House and we will use them to replace the broken ones. For more information email callie@pattersonpark.com.

Youth Soccer - Free for 6 - 10 year olds
Skill assessments: March 24th & 31st. We are looking to form 8 teams, playing Saturdays from April 14th through late May, 3-5pm in Patterson Park East (between Ellwood and Linwood Aves). REGISTRATION REQUIRED! To register your kid or to volunteer call 410-276-3676 or email friends@pattersonpark.com.

Audubon's Tiny Tot Safari: For the Birds
Saturday, March 10th, 10-11am. This program is designed 2-5 yr olds with an adult. Learn what makes a bird a bird. Find out what different birds eat for dinner, and make a tasty treat to take home. Please register by Thursday, March 8th: call 410-558-2473 or email PPAudubon@gmail.com.

Paint the Town Green at the rink: Ice skate to Irish music!
Friday, March 16th 7-9pm
Featuring green ice, face painting, shamrock punch & cookies and a gold guessing contest.
For more information call 410-396-9392.

Construction on the vacant lot at Pratt and Chester Streets is set to begin in early March with the storm water and sewage lines. Stonington Partners, the developers, hope to complete the six houses, as presented to Butchers Hill, by the end of this year. For those who were not around for their presentation, there will be three houses facing Pratt Street and three houses facing Chester Street. They are allowed to build four-story houses because the property has Business zoning.

Barbara Gilmour, CPA, Tax Specialist, now offers pick-up and drop off service in Butchers Hill, and is approved by the IRS for e-filing. Phone number: 410-825-0157.

Please be a good neighbor and remember to pick up trash on the sidewalks and curb in front of your house. Help keep Butchers Hill clean & green!