published since 1948 for the town of Glen Echo, Maryland ≈ chartered in 1904 ≈January 2019 playing, etc. She will come since that will have the most Town Council Notes to a Town Council meeting impact on residents. The once the inventory is com- first house to be built will be he Town Council meeting was held December 10 with plete. For now, she continues on the lot facing upper Cor- Members Costello, Spealman, and Stiglitz present, to tackle the files in Town nell Avenue. Welty Homes Talong with the Mayor, Town Manager, and four residents. Hall, which are in a “signifi- will be the homebuilders as cant state of disarray.” well as the contractors for Town Business for Town Hall, the ADA- Ms. Ventura and the Echo the road project. Town Manager Nicole Ven- compliant elevator hasn’t editors are working on a The owner of 7315 Uni- tura told the Council that worked in a while and is pamphlet for new residents, versity Avenue had until going forward the Irish Inn awaiting a part to be fixed. which explains Town gov- December 16 to appeal the would be billed quarterly Modernizing the elevator ernment and services. Once County’s ruling that wall- for the Town land they use could cost a lot ($50k), so it is complete, all residents ing in the back porch and for parking, and payment Ms. Ventura and the Mayor will receive a copy. expanding the kitchen has been received. It was are also looking into a chair without permitting was also mentioned that a new elevator, which would go up Building and unacceptable. At the time laptop had been purchased the stairs ($8k–$12k). Permitting of this meeting, that hadn’t for the office. It will be used Resident Martha Shan- A pre-construction meeting happened. (In an update to by Ms. Ventura and the non gave the archive update to discuss the Vassar Circle The Echo later in December, archivist. Ms. Costello asked (For more on this, see page project will be set soon. All Ms. Ventura reported that that a legend for the budget 10). The archivist has been residents will be welcome to the Town had received a categories be created, so at work in Town Hall since attend. Town resident and building permit from the that they are clearer. September. She has gone developer Aaron Hirsch is owner: He hopes to convert Ms. Ventura spoke at through Council meeting still waiting for the permit- the addition to a covered length about the Town’s minutes and back issues ting but hopes to break porch, going out 9 feet.) website not being complete- of The Echo. They are now ground in January both on The owner and developer ly ADA compliant. At 94 per- stored in archival boxes, the first house within the cir- of 31 Wellesley Circle (aka cent compliant, we’d need which were donated, in cle and on the road widening 6004 Cornell Avenue), Alex to hire someone to make Town Hall. The archivist is of Vassar Circle. The Council Boyar, has his permit from the site 100 percent—a legal first creating an inventory asked Mr. Hirsch to come to the County to start build- requirement for govern- and then a plan for organiz- the January meeting with a ing. He submitted his plans ment websites, she said. As ing, saving, digitizing, dis- timeline for the road work, to Town Council in early The Echo 1 December and has received The Echo his Town permit as well. Distributed free to Glen Echo residents. Subscriptions for non-residents: $12 per year (to subscribe call The Council began to Susan Grigsby, 301-229-7735). Copies of The Echo are discuss a resolution to on file at Little Falls Library. Also provided online at change the Town’s building This photo www.glenecho.org. Total circulation: 190. permit fees. The resolu- of a sample LED streetlight appear- EDITOR Emily Parsons tion was a collaboration of ing in last month’s ([email protected]) issue of The Echo the Mayor and Ms. Ventura set off a lively ART EDITOR Mary Parsons with the Town lawyer, and discussion on the CONTRIBUTORS Carol Barton, Dia Costello, Town’s listserv. Matt Costello, Bernie Edelman, Aaron Hirsch, at the time of the December Keep an eye on upcoming Town Angela Hirsch, Mona Kishore, Gloria Levin, 10 meeting, had not been Council meeting Rex Rhein, Joe Shannon, Martha Shannon, shared with Town resi- agendas for fur- Holly Shimizu, Patty Sieber, Mickie Simpson, ther developments Dan Spealman, Bill Vincent, Julia Wilson dents. Council Members too on this issue. seemed to be responding COPY EDITORS Maire Hewitt, Debbie Lange to this resolution for the The costs go up, so the fees ADVERTISING Patty Sieber ([email protected]) DISTRIBUTION Jane Stevenson, Jan Shaut, first time, but there was a go up. Mr. Hirsch argued Raya Bodnarchuk, Maire Hewitt, Janice Henderson possibility it would be voted that the Council was repli- CIRCULATION Susan Grigsby, Julie Lull in that night. Many new cating a level of government Next Deadline: January 20, 2019 and increased fees for both that already exists and do- Letters to the editor are welcome. They must be signed. demolishing and building ing it without transparency Articles for publication are also solicited. Please send structures had been added. to Town residents. The new comments about The Echo to the editor, the Mayor, or any The Mayor and Ms. Ventura fees would cost Mr. Hirsch Council Member. Volunteer reporters are always needed. said this was to shift the cost $8,400 more for his upcom- of the Town hiring an engi- ing Vassar Circle homes. neer to sign off on projects The Council agreed that as needed to the property residents should be notified owner. They also argued of the proposed changes to that this was how other the Town’s building per- towns in the area conduct mit fees and given a short their permitting process. period to comment. The Ms. Costello and Mr. Mayor and Council commit- Stiglitz said they didn’t ted to drafting a document think the fees should go up that will outline the changes town of Glen Echo in cases when the engineer as well as their thinking MARYLAND 20812 wouldn’t be called in, and behind them, and plan to Phone: 301-320-4041 Fax: 301-320-3639 that smaller projects should distribute it later in Decem- Website: www.glenecho.org Office: 6106 Harvard Ave. have smaller fees associ- ber. They still hope to pass a Mailing Address: P.O. Box 598, Glen Echo, MD 20812 ated. Mr. Hirsch raised the version of this resolution at Office Hours: Monday–Friday 10–4 question: Why does the the January 14 meeting. MAYOR Town even need an engi- Willem Polak (301-229-6042) neer? Mr. Stiglitz said after Town Hall Rental COUNCIL MEMBERS the case of 7315 University The Council’s plan for the Dia Costello (301-538-7784) Avenue, where the County building permit fee resolu- Nancy Long (301-332-3823) Dan Spealman (202-560-2237) didn’t issue a stop-work tion is now similar to what Matt Stiglitz (301-229-0926) order when asked to by the was done for the resolution TOWN MANAGER Town, the Council deter- to increase Town Hall rental Nicole Ventura ([email protected]) mined that the County can’t fees—although that pro- Next Town Council Meeting: Jan. 14, 2019, 8 PM be relied upon to do its job. cess also included several 2 January 2019 resident committee meet- s mentioned in the homes on Vassar Circle in ings led by Ms. Costello over ATown Council Notes, A Closer the next year, did research the past couple months. the Mayor and Town Look into those comparable The resolution, which was Manager have proposed towns and have reported reported on in the Decem- a set of increased fees for Town on the listserv that the ber Echo, passed with a few various Town permits. In Permitting towns used by the Mayor minor changes. the past, the fees were Fees Set to and Manager are larger typically $50 or 10 percent Increase and have building codes Police Report of the cost of the County that differ from the Mr. Stiglitz attended the permit. Now the proposal University Avenue. In a County’s. The tiny towns Police Advisory Board is for $2,500 for new con- nutshell, illegal work was in the County, like Glen meeting and provided the struction, $125–$1,200 for done on the property and Echo, are more in keeping Council with an update. additions depending on when requested, the Coun- with our old permitting The number one crime the size, as well as smaller ty did not issue a stop-work fees. Another question is, remains theft from auto- fees for fences, walls, and order. The Mayor had to do we want to have the mobiles. Keep cars locked; any demolition, which pre- do it, and the ensuing legal Town replicate oversight keep valuables hidden; viously didn’t carry a fee. fees came from the Town’s already provided by the and report any break-ins. The main argument for savings. These permit- County? Further, would Regarding the door-to-door these increases set out in ting fees would protect the the increased fees do any- solicitor concerns, people a letter from the Mayor to Town in the future, accord- thing to prevent a scofflaw coming to resident doors for residents is that the Town ing to the Mayor. from walling in a screened sales purposes must have a will now be hiring its own These changes as well porch, like in the Univer- license from the County.