Signs Point to Less Roadside Clutter

By Christy Goodman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 5, 2008

"Litter on a stick" -- businesses are on notice that this is what many residents think of the small commercial signs erected along Calvert County's roads.

The Calvert commissioners, disgusted with the proliferation of such signs at the county's town centers, directed the Department of Economic Development to explain the rules governing roadside ads to those who post the signs. The signs advertise new homes for sale, local restaurants, yard sales, and other social and business functions.

County law prohibits the signs, but commissioners agreed in the past to allow them as long as they were are not posted before Friday night and removed by Sunday night, and are spread out, with about a quarter-mile between signs posted for the same business.

Business owners "know they are illegal, but they know they can get away with it," said Commissioner Linda L. Kelley (R-At Large), who referred to the signs as "unsightly" and "litter on a stick."

The county received permission from the State Highway Administration to dispose of the signs after years of being unable to enforce the measures, Kelley said.

There are a handful of businesses that put "30 signs at every intersection . . . spoiling it for everybody," Commissioner Gerald W. Clark (R-Lusby) said.

Commissioner Barbara A. Stinnett (D-At Large) said that signs advertising blood drives or local church dinners should be exempt. Stinnett also said she does not favor spending county tax funds on removing and disposing of the signs.

County officials estimated it would cost the highway maintenance unit some $52,000 a year to deal with the signs, said Commissioners President Wilson H. Parran (D-Huntingtown). If the county assigned detention center prisoners to remove the signs, the cost would be about half that amount, he said.

The Department of Economic Development was directed to report on any changes in the sign situation by July 15. If there is no change, the commissioners will reconsider a motion by Kelley to use jail inmates to dispose of the signs.

Huntingtown Hearing Set

Calvert commissioners voted Tuesday to hold a public hearing on what to do with an 8.35-acre tract at the center of discussions on reworking the Huntingtown Town Center Master Plan.

The property, owned by Michael Havenner, is bisected by an undeveloped road, Walnut Crossing, that is included in the 1993 master plan. As platted, Walnut Crossing would run parallel to Old Town Road.

Less than an acre of Havenner's property is zoned as a mixed-use district. The remainder can be developed as a residential neighborhood, according to the plan. Havenner has requested that a larger portion of his property be rezoned for mixed use, using the undeveloped road as a boundary.

During contentious public hearings, many Huntingtown residents have voiced their opposition to building Walnut Crossing and other roads platted in the 1993 plan.

"I would be concerned that a rezoning right now would preempt the [master plan] decision process," said Gregory Bowen, the county's director of planning and zoning. "Right now it is very much in the air."

Commissioner Gerald W. Clark (R-Lusby) proposed scheduling a public hearing in 90 days to hear the "substantial" public testimony on the subject. His motion passed 3 to 2. Commissioners President Wilson H. Parran (D-Huntingtown) and Commissioner Susan Shaw (R-Huntingtown) voted against the hearing.

SMECO Directors Slate

The Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative nominating committee has selected candidates for the five seats up for a vote this summer on the utility's board of directors.

The nominatees are:

· Calvert County -- Nancy W. Zinn.

· Charles County -- John H. Bloom.

· Prince George's County -- Daniel W. Dyer.

· St. Mary's County -- J. Douglas Frederick, Joseph V. Stone Jr. and Mary Ellen Tancreto.

SMECO customer-members will elect five directors to serve three-year terms; one in Calvert, one in Charles, one in Prince George's and two seats in St. Mary's.

All of those nominated by the committee are incumbent members of the board, except Tancreto.

In addition to selections made by the Nominating Committee, any 15 or more members acting together can make other nominations by petition. The deadline is June 27.

Members can vote in person at the 2008 annual meeting on Aug. 27, at SMECO headquarters in Hughesville.

Mail-in ballots are also available to members who wish to vote but cannot attend the meeting. To request an absentee ballot, call 888-440-3311, Ext. 4722, or visit the co-op's Web site at http://www.smeco.coop. Requests for absentee ballots must be made by Aug. 15.

SMECO is an electric cooperative providing electricity to more than 144,000 customers in southern Prince George's, all of Charles and St. Mary's, and all but the northeast portion of Calvert.

Water Briefing Scheduled

Citizens for a Better Charles County will host a public briefing on groundwater and aquifer issues June 18 from 7 to 8 p.m.

Jason Groth, Charles County's acting water resource manager, will speak in the Youth Room at La Plata United Methodist Church, 3 Port Tobacco Rd.

Groth will discuss county efforts to address those concerns. The presentation will be followed by the group's monthly business meeting.

Health-Insurance Talk

Todd Eberly, professor of political science at St. Mary's College of Maryland, spoke yesterday on state-based efforts to expand health care to the working uninsured, at the third annual National Medicaid Congress in the District.

The meeting, which runs through tomorrow, brings together state officials, legislators and industry representatives to discuss how to achieve health-care reform. Those efforts, Eberly said in a recent study, often involve Medicaid.

"Although Medicaid covers 50 million citizens, very few are working adults, as they are typically precluded from program participation. Yet a significant number of the 47 million uninsured are working adults who simply lack access to or cannot afford health insurance," Eberly said in a statement released by the college.

Medicaid is the safety net in health care for low-income Americans, but the program historically has been limited to children, pregnant women and the elderly.

PR Group to Meet

An organization of area public relations professionals will take their business out to the ballpark this month.

PRISM, or Public Relations Individuals in Southern Maryland, will meet at the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs' stadium in Waldorf June 19 at noon. Mark Viniard, general manager of the new professional baseball team, is the scheduled speaker. He will address sports marketing and brand development.

Viniard also will talk about how sports marketing can work for local companies and nonprofit organizations. He is responsible for managing the new club's business operations, including ticket sales, group sales, corporate partnerships and publicity.

A buffet lunch will be served in the stadium's Legend Club. The cost for members is $13; nonmembers, $18. After lunch, there will be a tour of the new ballpark. Contact Mike Zabko to make reservations at MikeZ@somdredcross.org or call 888-276-2767. Or RSVP through the PRISM Web site at http://www.prismonline.info.

Cover Crop Grants Available

Farmers who plant cover crops this fall to reduce nutrient runoff, control soil erosion and protect water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries may be eligible to receive up to $85 an acre in cost-share grants through the Maryland Department of Agriculture's 2007-08 Winter Cover Crop Program.

Sign-up for the statewide program is scheduled from June 23 through July 8 at local soil conservation district offices.

"Cover crops are one of the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways to protect the bay and its tributaries from nutrient runoff," said Gov. Martin O'Malley. "With the passage of the 2010 Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund, we are staying true to our priorities of protecting the environment and strengthening family businesses and farms. The record $18 million in funding will help farmers offset higher planting and fuel costs associated with planting cover crops."

"Funding this year will allow farmers to plant nearly 500,000 acres in protective cover crops this fall, including in some targeted watersheds," Maryland Agriculture Secretary Roger L. Richardson said in a statement.

Under the program, several factors such as early planting will increase the reimbursement rate. This year there is no acreage limit. Maximum cost-share benefits of $85 an acre will be awarded to farmers in priority watersheds who plant their cover crops by Oct. 1, use tillage methods that maximize soil-to-seed contact and follow other environmental guidelines.

A base funding rate of $40 an acre applies in most cases. Cost-share funding of up to $75 an acre is available to farmers who plant by Oct. 15. Farmers who plant by Nov. 5 will be eligible to receive up to $70 an acre.

Traditional cover crops may not be harvested. However, they may be grazed or chopped for livestock forage for use on the farm after they are well established.

A Commodity Cover Crop Program is available to farmers who want to harvest their cover crops. Up to 300 acres can be enrolled using a separate application.

Farmers should contact their local soil conservation district office to enroll before the July 8 deadline. For more information, contact the Maryland Agricultural Cost-Share Program office at 410-841-5864.