(3/11/04) Pleasant Acres residents have Dan's promise.
Now they want to see Dan's plan.
Several subdivision residents on Tuesday asked the
town's board of commissioners to arrange another meeting with Dan Ryan Builders
to explain its plan to relieve recurring drainage problems.
The homebuilding giant has agreed in principal to
install drainage for water that regularly backs up in many yards when it rains.
But homeowners say they want specifics on how much excavation will be done and
which residents will be affected.
"We don't think it is unreason-able ... that they could
come down and show us exactly what they're going to do," said Earl Robinson,
the residents' spokesman.
Mr. Robinson and other concerned homeowners asked the
commissioners to help set up a meeting with Dan Ryan officials because the
board has acted before to mediate issues between the builder and homebuyers.
The builder, acknowledging that oversaturated ground
and topography caused the flooding, agreed to install drainage this spring. Ron
Morris, a company supervisor, sent a letter setting a May 15 deadline for
completing the drainage work. The letter was read at the town board's March 3
meeting.
Mayor Martin Burns said the town would try to set
another session between residents and Dan Ryan representatives.
In a separate matter before the board at the March 3
meeting, Mr. Burns broached the potentially contentious issue of annexation.
Careful to characterize himself as a low-growth proponent, the mayor said the
town may want to consider annexing land slated for development by 40 West
Builders,
The move could generate about $600,000 in fees and
other financial incentives offered by the company, Mr. Burns said, suggesting
this might offset the impending $l mil-lion expense facing Thurmont torepair
its sewer system.
Commissioner Glenn Muth, however, reminded the mayor
that any serious annexation discussion by the board should only be after an
official request had been heard by the planning commission.
The board also resumed its ongoing debate about
revising the town charter, focusing mainly on provisions for recalling
Thurmont's elected officials.
Already the target of an aborted recall effort last
year, Mr. Burns renewed repeated objections to allowing a recall drive without
significant evidence of wrongdoing.
Charter committee member Sandra Hunter said the model
charter referred to situations of "misfeasance, malfeasance and nonfeasance."
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