Skip to main content

Leave "Em While You're looking Good

Tonight is my last meeting as a member of the Oakland Mills Village Board.  I've decided that I needed to take a break, because the year coming up will be a life-changing one for me:  my oldest is getting married in September, and my youngest is making the transition to Middle School. (Thanks goodness there isn't one in between!)  This is a year I need to devote to my family.

It isn't any easy decision to make because I have learned so much in the past two years.  If you really want to know the "skinny" on what is going on in your Village, plus greater Columbia, and even, to some degree,  in Howard County, you should serve on a Village Board.  Yes, you have to put the time in, but the education is phenomenal. And your feeling of ownership in your community increases.

I think that most people assume that being on a Village Board is about going to meetings.  The Oakland Mills Board has two meetings a month. But you might be surprised how many other things I have done over the last several years that stem from Board membership.  Let me see now, since being elected, I have:

     visited homes to see their connection to Route 29
     started a children's music/dance event at the Second Chance Saloon
     given testimony in front of the CA Board
     served as a docent for the Columbia Home Tour
     sung "Happy Birthday" to Lavenia Nesmith at a Jazz in the Mills Concert
     run a children's art activity table at the Oakland Mills Art Show
     eaten many a burger at half-price burger night with fellow board members
     run the wagon rides for children activity at the Oakland Mills Cultural Arts Festival
     given testimony in front of the Howard County Council
     become a Hocoblogger

I have been privileged to work with a variety of  excellent Board members, and with a Village Manager who never stops thinking Oakland Mills, not even when she sleeps. If I'm lucky, I'll get the opportunity to do it again, once I have this year behind me. 

On the other hand, if lots of other folks get inspired to run for the Board, well, that would be even more of a victory for Columbia.  I'll just find a different way to serve where I am most needed.

Whatever your talents are, your Village can use them. Who says being on a Village Board isn't exciting? 

hocoblogs@@@











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more