<div>Good discussion about a community center. I like the idea of it being included in 'Dumms Corner' as we already enjoy walking tthere to pick up an ice cream, pizza, milk, or a bottle of wine... or all the above!</div> <div> </div> <div>But my question would be: how well are the area community centers, such as College Perk and Berwyn Heights, being utilized? MNCPPC offers a huge array of classes at various locations, including these. As residents of this great county we can find just about anything we want within reasonable distance. We've used the classes for ballet, gymnasitcs, swimming, and others. There is so much to do in this area, often for free, that it is overwhelming. What are we lacking?</div> <div> </div> <div>My concern would be that we are not repeating, at a great expense to our town, what is already available near by. If we pursue this matter further, it should be with an eye for
specializing in something that can not be found else where, and shrewdly investigating what the other centers offer and what works and doesn't. </div> <div> </div> <div>Thanks</div> <div>Nancy Mooney<BR><BR><B><I>towntalk-request@riverdale-park.org</I></B> wrote:</div> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Send TownTalk mailing list submissions to<BR>towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR><BR>To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<BR>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk<BR>or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<BR>towntalk-request@riverdale-park.org<BR><BR>You can reach the person managing the list at<BR>towntalk-owner@riverdale-park.org<BR><BR>When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<BR>than "Re: Contents of TownTalk digest..."<BR><BR><BR>Today's Topics:<BR><BR>1. Re: The mayor's proposal for a community center as part
of<BR>the ... (ABragg7393@aol.com)<BR>2. Re: The mayor's proposal for a community center as part of<BR>the ... (ABragg7393@aol.com)<BR>3. Re: The mayor's proposal for a community center (Iris McLaurin)<BR>4. Re: Mayor and Council Salaries (Rob Oppenheim)<BR>5. Re: Mayor and Council Salaries (Marc Molino)<BR>6. Community Center (Sarah Michailof)<BR><BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 1<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:40:45 EDT<BR>From: ABragg7393@aol.com<BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] The mayor's proposal for a community center<BR>as part of the ...<BR>To: gerardkiernan@earthlink.net<BR>Cc: TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>Message-ID: <422.2dc0c580.324c821d@aol.com><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"<BR><BR>In a message dated 9/27/2006 6:32:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, <BR>gerardkiernan@earthlink.net writes:<BR><BR>> <BR>>
http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/AboutRiverdalePark/TownGroups/CommCtrStud<BR>> yComm.html<BR>> <BR>> <BR><BR><BR>Audrey<BR>-------------- next part --------------<BR>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<BR>URL: http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20060927/1f8601fa/attachment-0001.html <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 2<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:41:54 EDT<BR>From: ABragg7393@aol.com<BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] The mayor's proposal for a community center<BR>as part of the ...<BR>To: gerardkiernan@earthlink.net<BR>Cc: TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>Message-ID: <4be.58ff722.324c8262@aol.com><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"<BR><BR>In a message dated 9/27/2006 6:32:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, <BR>gerardkiernan@earthlink.net writes:<BR>Dear Gerry, thank you for all your information. We can always count on you <BR>to help with the facts.<BR>> <BR>>
http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/AboutRiverdalePark/TownGroups/CommCtrStud<BR>> yComm.html<BR>> <BR>> <BR><BR><BR>Audrey<BR>-------------- next part --------------<BR>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<BR>URL: http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20060927/b9433819/attachment-0001.html <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 3<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:48:00 -0400<BR>From: "Iris McLaurin" <ELSIEGOH@STARPOWER.NET><BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] The mayor's proposal for a community center<BR>To: <TOWNTALK@RIVERDALE-PARK.ORG><BR>Message-ID: <017c01c6e2a0$2139f910$ebeba742@EGOH><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"<BR><BR>Mayor Archer,<BR>Please clarify, "new Spiropoulis project?" Are you speaking of the project<BR>for the property across from Dumm's, or project for the old Credit Union<BR>property owned by Mr. Spiropoulis? Thank you.<BR><BR><BR>Iris McLaurin-Southall
<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 4<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:53:09 -0400<BR>From: Rob Oppenheim <ROB.OPPENHEIM@COMCAST.NET><BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Mayor and Council Salaries<BR>To: TownTalk <TOWNTALK@RIVERDALE-PARK.ORG><BR>Message-ID: <200692721539.058444@Rob2><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<BR><BR>People do not serve on the council for the money. Yet money matters. <BR>Council members have to be able to afford to dedicate time to the job. <BR>?<BR>As an example, along with many evenings and weekends, I set aside <BR>Mondays (all day each week) to work on town issues. <BR>?<BR>I like to be positive about our town. If I were to be fully honest, I think <BR>the town is worse off now than 12 years ago, and we are facing serious, <BR>challenges ahead. The mayor cannot do this alone. A good, creative, <BR>hard working council is critical to bringing us back and to move us forward. <BR>?<BR>My proposal is not
based on inflation, rather on what it will take to move <BR>the town forward. I first suggested a cap of $600/month with pay based <BR>on participation (meaning some would get significantly less). I got shot <BR>full of holes on that, so I backed off to $450/month. Frankly, I doubt if <BR>even that will pass. <BR>?<BR>-Rob<BR>?<BR>P.S. Regarding Inflation and what other towns pay ...<BR>>... So, this would be quite a raise, not simply a Cost of Living adjustment.<BR>True. But not as much as it might look at first glance. Arguably the RP <BR>council was underpaid in 1995 when it was last changed.<BR>?<BR>Back in 1991, Hyattsville started paying $250/mo. In 2004, College Park <BR>started paying $367/mo. Adjust their rates for inflation and project to 2007 <BR>and you get about $440/month**. Also consider that these are much larger <BR>towns and have a lot more staff to support the Mayor and Council. <BR>(And they have a larger tax base to afford it too).<BR>??<BR>**Any
pay change will become effective in 2007, so figure 12 years of inflation <BR>for RP and 16 years for Hy. I used the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for state <BR>and local government workers,<BR>Ref: http://www.economagic.com/em-cgi/data.exe/blsec/ecu11113i <BR>ECI for Hy at 16 years is about 76% = $440, <BR>ECI for RP at 12 years is about 50% = $300 <BR>ECI for CP at 3.5 years is about 14% = $420.<BR>?<BR>[end]<BR>-------------- next part --------------<BR>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<BR>URL: http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20060927/35eef38b/attachment-0001.html <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 5<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:06:53 -0400<BR>From: "Marc Molino" <MMOLINO54@HOTMAIL.COM><BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Mayor and Council Salaries<BR>To: towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>Message-ID: <BAY113-F21DE3F171433187388366FA51B0@PHX.GBL><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed<BR><BR>Rob,<BR>Am I correct in the assertion
that at least half of the current council <BR>members also have full-time jobs in addition to their duties on the council? <BR>I know for me personally, affording time to dedicate to such a job would <BR>have nothing to do with money and everything to do with simply finding the <BR>time. It's not as if some extra money replaces the time one might need to be <BR>spending on other paid work, instead of council duties. I have no issues <BR>with considering a raise, though I think this would be little incentive to <BR>create a better council and tieing compensation to participation/performance <BR>doesn't seem realistic/feasible. Which is why the salary is more like a <BR>stipend or honorarium--it's a token acknowledgement for the service rendered <BR>and in no way seems to reflect the amount of blood, sweat, and tears being <BR>offered.<BR><BR>Out of 6 council members and one mayor--you, Gerry, and Vern are the only <BR>representatives I consistently see participating on this
list and writing <BR>articles in the Town Crier. That doesn't mean the other council members <BR>aren't doing anything, it just means that whatever they're doing is not as <BR>visible (to me personally). Given that it's highly unlikely that any raise <BR>would be setup based on participation or performance, what is the point of <BR>the raise?<BR><BR>Again, I'm not against the raise ($300 to $400/month seems reasonable), but <BR>if you're talking about moving the town forward, it sounds like you're <BR>asking for greater dedication and participation amongst the citizens and the <BR>current council members. That's just not something you can buy, nor <BR>something you can adequately compensate. It is something you can foster and <BR>I think the increased communication and outreach to the public that this <BR>council and administration have been doing is building a foundation for <BR>growth.<BR><BR>I'm not sure I've ever used so many words and yet said so little
(sigh).<BR><BR>Sleep beckons,<BR>Marc<BR><BR>From: Rob Oppenheim <ROB.OPPENHEIM@COMCAST.NET><BR>Reply-To: rob.oppenheim@comcast.net<BR>To: TownTalk <TOWNTALK@RIVERDALE-PARK.ORG><BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Mayor and Council Salaries<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:53:09 -0400<BR><BR>People do not serve on the council for the money. Yet money matters.<BR>Council members have to be able to afford to dedicate time to the job.<BR><BR>As an example, along with many evenings and weekends, I set aside<BR>Mondays (all day each week) to work on town issues.<BR><BR>I like to be positive about our town. If I were to be fully honest, I think<BR>the town is worse off now than 12 years ago, and we are facing serious,<BR>challenges ahead. The mayor cannot do this alone. A good, creative,<BR>hard working council is critical to bringing us back and to move us forward.<BR><BR>My proposal is not based on inflation, rather on what it will take to move<BR>the town forward. I first suggested a
cap of $600/month with pay based<BR>on participation (meaning some would get significantly less). I got shot<BR>full of holes on that, so I backed off to $450/month. Frankly, I doubt if<BR>even that will pass.<BR><BR>-Rob<BR><BR>P.S. Regarding Inflation and what other towns pay ...<BR>>... So, this would be quite a raise, not simply a Cost of Living <BR>adjustment.<BR>True. But not as much as it might look at first glance. Arguably the RP<BR>council was underpaid in 1995 when it was last changed.<BR><BR>Back in 1991, Hyattsville started paying $250/mo. In 2004, College Park<BR>started paying $367/mo. Adjust their rates for inflation and project to 2007<BR>and you get about $440/month**. Also consider that these are much larger<BR>towns and have a lot more staff to support the Mayor and Council.<BR>(And they have a larger tax base to afford it too).<BR><BR>**Any pay change will become effective in 2007, so figure 12 years of <BR>inflation<BR>for RP and 16 years for Hy. I
used the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for state<BR>and local government workers,<BR>Ref: http://www.economagic.com/em-cgi/data.exe/blsec/ecu11113i<BR>ECI for Hy at 16 years is about 76% = $440,<BR>ECI for RP at 12 years is about 50% = $300<BR>ECI for CP at 3.5 years is about 14% = $420.<BR><BR>[end]<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>TownTalk mailing list<BR>To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription processing <BR>only<BR>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk<BR><BR>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit <BR>http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Message: 6<BR>Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:39:55 -0700 (PDT)<BR>From: Sarah Michailof <MINNESARAH@YAHOO.COM><BR>Subject: [RP TownTalk] Community Center<BR>To: towntalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>Message-ID:
<20060928033955.57166.qmail@web54401.mail.yahoo.com><BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<BR><BR>This idea sounds intriguing. Right off the bat, the community centers that come to my mind are stand alone facilities in the middle of a park or next to a school...I can't think of a community center in a "town center" type of setting. Are there examples of similar public/private development partnerships and how they turned out? Maybe Kennedy Smith can shed light on whether similar things have been done successfully in other towns?<BR><BR>Regarding the 2000 community survey - it is 6 years old now. There are a lot of new residents in my own piece of Riverdale Park (north of E-W Highway, east of US 1). In my own, admittedly narrow hindsight, I've seen increasing interest in community building since I moved here 4 years ago. I know I would have returned the survey, given the chance... : )<BR><BR>I think the idea of a community center is worth revisiting. A
community center could foster a presence in the town center during both day and evening hours, if done right, which would really be a boon to revitalization efforts. <BR><BR>Sarah Michailof<BR><BR>-------------- next part --------------<BR>An HTML attachment was scrubbed...<BR>URL: http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20060927/b7ca0bc0/attachment-0001.html <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>TownTalk mailing list<BR>TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk<BR><BR>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us<BR><BR>End of TownTalk Digest, Vol 2, Issue 28<BR>***************************************<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p> 
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