From: HSIA Community Email [president@hillsmereshores.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 6:00 PM
Subject: Sea Breeze Mix-up
There was a miscommunication, on my part, that resulted in a mix-up in the September Sea Breeze. I wrote an article on the possible new beach strip lawsuit but it was inadvertently put in as the President’s Comments, not as a separate article. Since my comments didn’t make the issue, I have included them in this email. They will also be available on the web site shortly. Sorry for the confusion!
-Bill Shuman
President, Hillsmere Shores Improvement Association
President’s Comments - September 2009
What a beautiful time of the year. The days are still warm, the nights are cool, and it is still light in the early evening. It’s a perfect time to get out on the water or just take a stroll along the beach or marina.
We live in a very safe neighborhood, compared to other semi-urban areas. However, crime does occur and we need to be vigilant to make sure we don’t become victims. A lot of it has to do with common sense. Perhaps that’s not the best term to use because it has a negative connotation. Many of our residents grew up here or in rural or suburban areas. They never had to lock their doors or worry about leaving a bike in the front yard. Many of them probably took exception when I said we were a “semi-urban” area. I agree that in many ways our community is rural or suburban. However, in some ways we are truly semi-urban. That most of the crimes reported for “Hillsmere” are due to the fact that the shopping area at Hillsmere Drive and Bay Ridge is included in our official statistics should drive that point home. Recently, a resident on Meade Drive had an expensive scooter stolen from her garage at dinner time. She had just gotten home and left it in the garage with the door open and the keys in the ignition. She figured that since she was home, it was no problem. I had a conversation with her and her husband and they are wonderful, intelligent people. She just was thinking “suburban” when she should have been thinking “urban”. Leaving the garage door open invites someone to steal or, worse, see something they want and decide to come back later. Please don’t get my message wrong. You don’t need to be afraid or paranoid. You just need to exercise a little “city sense”. Another story illustrates that concept perfectly. Some years ago, a sailing friend was in town for the boat show. She lived in Friday Harbor, a small island in the San Juan Islands north of Seattle. We all went to a restaurant on West Street for dinner. We were seated at a table by the door. She put her purse on the wall behind her that separated our table from the entrance to the restaurant. It never occurred to her that anyone would ever take her purse or lift her wallet out of it. Being freshly relocated from Philadelphia, we quickly educated her on how to think in the city. We love Annapolis and Hillsmere but we always lock our car and house. It a habit that doesn’t take away from the wonderful lifestyle we all enjoy.
Speaking of a different kind of “recycling”, the Curbside recycling Report Card for Anne Arundel County was recently released. Our area had the largest increase in recycling in the county, three times the county average! Our area also includes Bay Ridge, Herald Harbor, Epping Forest, and Rolling Knolls. We went from 30% a year ago to 42% now. The goal is 50%. That means that 50% of what you put out at the curb is recycling. It’s really not that hard. We have surpassed that percentage in our household. Again, it’s just a state of mind. What’s worked for us is having a recycling basket in several places in the house, like the upstairs bathroom, as well as the main one in the kitchen. Before we put anything in the trash, we ask ourselves if it could be recycled. Remember, in Anne Arundel County, you don’t need to separate, rinse, or anything. If you have any doubt if it’s recyclable, toss it in the bin.
October is the time that the HSIA budget committee begins to prepare the budget for next year (the FY 2011 budget starts next July 1st). The board will approve a proposed budget at the October board meeting. The membership will approve a budget at the November General Meeting. After that, it is too late to make any changes (at least to the Special Tax part of the budget). If you have any questions or suggestions, please email Bruce Walker at treasurer@hillsmereshores.net.
Another Fall activity in Hillsmere (and a recycling, of sorts) is the HSIA elections. Board members and officers serve two years terms with elections in alternating years. This years elections will be for the seven HSIA directors. If you are interested in running, please send an email to nominations@hillsmereshores.net or leave a message on our 24 hour voice mail at 410-263-4456.
As I’m sure you know, our community was involved in a bitter lawsuit over the last six years when three waterfront residents on East Bay View Drive sued to take community property between their platted lots and the water by adverse possession. We ultimately lost that lawsuit. Now the lawyer that represented them has sent us a letter, on behalf of nine of the remaining beach strip property owners, offering to buy the property between their platted lots and the water for a total of $130,000. The letter made if clear that the offer and it’s terms were non-negotiable and that if we didn’t sell them the land there would be another lawsuit for adverse possession. In an effort to avoid more litigation and find a win-win resolution, the HSIA Board of Directors has agreed to accept their offer but without the riparian rights. Of course, any agreement would have to be approved by the membership. Please read the article in this Sea Breeze that describes the situation in more detail and explains why we feel that we must retain the riparian rights. We hope that they will take this opportunity to be good neighbors and accept our offer.
Well, have a great Fall. Enjoy the weather. Come to one of the remaining Beach Happy Hours and the Pig Roast at the marina. All residents are invited to attend these events at no charge. I’ll see you there.
-Bill Shuman
President, Hillsmere Shores Improvement Association
