Association News – Friday, March 10, 2023
March 2023 Edition of the King Farm Chronicle
The March edition of the King Farm Chronicle is here. Please visit our website under Stay Informed / King Farm Chronicle to read past editions (https://kingfarm.org/king-farm-chronicle/).
Upcoming Board & Committee Meetings
- Board of Trustees (BOT)
- Wednesday 03/15/2023 – 7:30 PM
- To view the Resident Board Book, click here. To access the Draft March 15th BOT Agenda, click here. All BOT documents can be accessed via the FrontSteps Resident Portal within the ‘BOT (Board of Trustees)’ folder.
- Board of Code Compliance (BOCC)
- Monday 03/13/2023 – 7:00 PM (regular meeting)
- External Affairs (EA)
- March meeting was cancelled. Next meeting will be on 4/6/23
King Farm meetings are held virtually. Residents can find the Zoom registration links for all upcoming King Farm Board of Trustees and Committee meetings online by visiting King Farm website on the “Zoom Meeting Links” page. To attend the Zoom meetings, you must register in advance. Each meeting will have an open forum for residents to ask questions or make comments (limited to 3 minutes speaking time per resident). If you would like to speak during open forum, please provide the topic you will be speaking about.
**If you need assistance registering for a virtual meeting and for all other questions, please contact Management by phone (301) 987-0122 or by email at management@kingfarm.org.
Daylight Saving Time Begins – Spring Forward
Don’t forget to change your clocks! On Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 2 a.m. local time daylight saving time will occur. On Saturday night, clocks should be set forward one hour (i.e., losing one hour) to “spring forward.”
KFCA Table Talk – March 21st @ 6:00 PM
Board of Trustees (BOT), KFCA President, and Management are providing an opportunity for residents and owners to have discussions with the KFCA Leadership and Management in an informal setting known as KFCA Table Talks. These are not formal meetings, so the entire BOT will not be present, and no board decisions will be made. There will be 1 or 2 members of the BOT, the KFCA President, and the General Manager and/or management staff present. The format is a 1-hour open forum to allow a free-flowing dialogue of various topics presented by the attendees. However, depending on the number of participants, the format may be adjusted.
Join us for the KFCA Table on Tuesday, March 21st, 2023 at 6:00 pm (in person) at the Saddle Ridge Community Center (300 Saddle Ridge Circle). Management will place notices in the Chronicle (when dates are known in advance) and in the King Farm weekly Friday e-mail blasts. However, you are always welcome to schedule an appointment with the General Manager (gm@kingfarm.org) or the President (president@kingfarm.org). If you have questions, please email management@kingfarm.org.
VOLUNTEER TO HELP CLEAN UP OUR STREAM!
Come on out!
The Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup is taking place on Saturday, April 15, 2023. A group of volunteers working with the City of Rockville will be removing litter along the King Farm Stream Valley Park, known as Watts Branch I.
WHEN: Saturday, April 15, 9 AM to 12 PM
WHERE: Meet at the Gazebo on Watkins Overlook at the bottom of Crooked Creek Drive (marked on map below)
This activity is approved for MCPS Student Service Learning Hours. There will be forms at the check-in desk when you arrive.
Annual Egg Hunt on the Lawn & Magic Show Returns
King Farm will “Hop into Spring” on Saturday, April 1st, 2023 with the community’s annual egg hunt on the lawn (weather permitting). The lawn will be sectioned off in locations by age. Be sure to bring a basket or bag to collect those treat-filled eggs. Only children will be permitted on the lawn during the hunt!
The Hunt will take place promptly at 10:15 AM so if you plan to partake in the egg hunt only, please be there no later than 10:00 AM so you don’t miss it. Hoppers the Bunny will be available for photos inside the Community Center after the egg hunt.
King Farm resident children of all ages are welcome to attend the hunt. Due to space limitations, this event is only open to King Farm residents and their children, sorry no non-resident outside guests, friends or relatives permitted.
*registration is not required for this event*
2023 Annual Meeting and Election
2023 King Farm Annual Meeting & Election will take place at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, April 26th via Zoom meeting. For more information about the meeting and to register for the zoom , please visit the Farm website: https://kingfarm.org/annual-meeting-election/.
Candidate Information:
- There are four (4) open seats for the Board of Trustees (BOT). Three (3) seats are two-year terms and one (1) seat is for a one-year term.
- Three (3) King Farm residents will be running unopposed: Sue Beckerman, Ric Ricciardi and Matt Roh. The vacant seat on the Board of Trustees will be filled by the Board of Trustees by appointment after the election.
- If you would like to read each candidate’s Statement of Purpose, please click here or visit the FrontSteps portal under “Annual Meeting & Election 2023” / “2023 KFCA BOT Candidates”.
Voting in the Election:
- Even though the election is uncontested, registered King Farm voters are still encouraged to vote.
- E-voting (electronic voting) is the preferred voting method in Assembly elections. Electronic voting has been used since 2020, and King Farm will continue to utilize online voting for the foreseeable future. VoteHOANow is the selected 3rd party vendor for online voting. VoteHOANow recommends that you add votehoanow.com as an approved domain so emails are not sent to the spam folder.
- Citizen Titleholders with their names listed in the Assembly records will automatically receive a unique registration code via email and/or on a postcard via USPS mail to vote electronically. All Citizen Titleholders of houses, townhouse & condominium units, as shown on the Assembly’s records, are automatically registered to vote. Registration codes will be generated for Citizens who register by Monday, March 27th, 2023.
- It is the responsibility of each Titleholder and Citizen to ensure that the Assembly has your correct information on file. If you haven’t already, please make sure to provide your contact information to the King Farm Management Office at management@kingfarm.org as soon as possible so it can be added to the community database.
- For more information about voting, please visit the website: https://kingfarm.org/registering-to-vote/.
Registering to Vote:
- As a reminder, All Citizen [resident] Titleholders of single-family homes, townhomes, and condominium units, as shown on the Assembly’s records, are automatically registered to vote.
- More information about registering to vote can be found on the website: https://kingfarm.org/registering-to-vote/.
- UPDATE: Please note that non-resident Titleholders are NOT eligible to vote in the election per the governing documents.
- Non-titleholder Citizens must register ANNUALLY!
- All other persons who wish to vote, including tenants and other occupants of a King Farm residence who are not the record owners of the residence, are required to complete a Citizen Registration Form in order to register as Citizens with the Assembly and to vote in elections (registration forms can be found on the website).
- Citizen Registration Forms must be submitted by 12:00 pm, Monday, March 27th, 2023. You can submit your form to the Management Office via email at management@kingfarm.org or by placing it in the drop box to the right of the front office door (300 Saddle Ridge Circle).
- All forms will be verified (signed lease, state issued driver’s license, and/or owner verification).
Please note: To vote, you must live in King Farm (Citizen), be 18 years or over, current within 30 days of any financial obligation due to the Assembly, and registered with the Assembly. If you meet these specifications, you are a Qualified Voter and may vote in this election. If you are NOT a Citizen Titleholder and have not registered by the deadline you are not permitted to vote in the election.
Home Maintenance & Repair Reminder
This is a friendly reminder for all residents who are performing or planning maintenance projects on their home/lot. Even though notification is not required for maintenance projects, please be courteous and alert your neighbors about any projects occurring at your home.
Additionally, make sure your contractors are courteous to your fellow neighbors by containing debris (materials, trash, etc.) in your lot and cleaning up any debris and materials throughout the project to ensure that debris does not blow into neighboring yards. This is especially important when it comes to roof repairs and replacements. Cleaning up nails and screws in the alley is especially important since those materials can puncture the tires on vehicle and bikes. Also, make sure the contractors do not damage landscaping or other property while performing work on your property.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation!
City & County Updates:
Annual International Night Cultural Celebration Returns This Month
International Night will return Friday, March 17th, following a two-year pandemic hiatus, for a free evening of multicultural fun and entertainment at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre.
From 6:00 PM, International Night will showcase dance performances and traditional clothing displays, with an opportunity for attendees to sample unique and traditional foods from around the world, engage with and learn the customs of people from different countries, and discover our community’s different cultures.
Watch video of the celebration the day after the event on Rockville 11, channel 11 on county cable, and on the city’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofrockville.
For more information, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/internationalnight. The theater is located in Rockville Civic Center Park at 603 Edmonston Drive.
Town Center Master Plan
The City of Rockville will host four interactive listening sessions to kickoff outreach and engagement for the Town Center Master Plan update, which will help guide the area’s success in coming decades. Join the discussion and sign up to receive updates about the project at engagerockville.com/towncenter.
7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 13, Rockville Memorial Library, second-floor meeting room.
7-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, Rockville Memorial Library, first-floor meeting room.
10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 22. WebEx virtual meeting.
7-9 p.m. Tuesday, April 25. WebEx virtual meeting.
Centenarians Will Be Honored at Special Montgomery Recreation Celebration in May
County residents who are ages 100 and older or will turn 100 in 2023 will be honored in May at a special celebration. Montgomery County Recreation is now seeking to identify those residents so they can be invited to the event. Read more here.
ROCKVILLE’S FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Protect your home from flooding! The City of Rockville offers financial assistance to residents and property owners who have installed approved flood mitigation practices.
Approved practices include: floodproofing windows, flood gates or panels, basement drain tiles, battery powered sump pumps, elevating utilities, French drains, surface grading, flood alert systems, and flood resistant building materials.
Find more examples and learn how to apply at www.rockvillemd.gov/floodassistance.
King Farm Neighbors Village News (KFNV)
KFNV Events:
On March 9, 2023 from 12:30-2:00 pm, the King Farm Neighbors Village (KFNV) Book Club discussed the 2021 novel, Oh William!, by Elizabeth Strout. In Oh William! readers are “(b)eing privy to the innermost thoughts of Lucy Barton,” (NPR), the protagonist in My Name is Lucy Barton and Anything is Possible. Book Club members enjoyed the book as an easy-to-read novel in a journal format.
For March, the KFNV activities include a luncheon by a new KFNV group, The KFNV Friends, which has been formed to attract more members of the King Farm community to the KFNV through friendly get-together events like monthly luncheons, “Watch Parties” of seasonal sporting events, and other activities which foster the friendly sense of community at King Farm. March’s luncheon will be on March 16, 2023 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at Bon Fresco, 534 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850. Although The KFNV Friends is organizing the luncheon, participants are responsible for the costs of their own lunches. In addition, this event is open to KFNV members only. Please see below on how to easily become a member of the KFNV. The KFNV Friends group hopes to connect with many old and new members at their monthly March lunch.
Other events for March are:
- On March 15, 2023 from 10:00-11:30 am, the KFNV will host a special Coffee and Conversation where the topic will be: What is happening with King Farm’s Town Center? Cade Weiler, Property Manager with Sterling Organization in King Farm, will discuss with participants the plans for the King Farm Town Center. Please join the KFNV at Coffee and Conversation to get your questions answered; and finally,
- On March 23, 2023 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm, KFNV will host its monthly highlight event: “Off the Beaten Path in Montgomery County,” a slide show /lecture of the “Top 10” lesser-known spots in Montgomery County with historical importance. The lecturer will be Mr. Ralph Buglass, a speaker for Montgomery History, the county’s historical society, as well as a volunteer researcher for Peerless Rockville, the city’s historic preservation organization. The KFNV is happy to welcome Mr. Buglass for his third presentation to a KFNV audience. Through his presentations, Mr. Buglass offers not only his knowledge of the history of the area, but shares beautiful photographs to accompany his lectures. The KFNV is looking forward to another engaging and informative presentation by Mr. Buglass.
* Please note that the KFNV has changed its monthly Movie Club, Book Club, Coffee & Conversation gatherings, and highlight events to in-person meetings and has reserved the King Farm Community Center, 300 Saddle Ridge Circle, Rockville, MD 20850 for these events. In accordance with the policy adopted by the KFNV Board of Directors, people attending KFNV sponsored, in-person events must be vaccinated per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID recommendations. Wearing a mask is optional. In case of inclement weather and if there is time to notify participants, the KFNV may opt for a Zoom presentation for any meeting or event. Therefore, the KFNV will not be offering a hybrid option for any future events. Finally, the KFNV offers transportation to many of its monthly events for KFNV members. Please contact the Operations Coordinator at kfnvinfo@gmail.com, or leave a voicemail at (301) 799-8104 to arrange for transportation.
Services
The KFNV community services are in full-swing with KFNV services such as transportation to appointments and simple household chores being the most popular services. In particular, February was a banner month for transportation services as KFNV volunteers gave the most rides it has ever given in a month since the inception of KFNV community services. As one grateful recipient of transportation to two appointments raved:
- “Hi, (KFNV) (Volunteer 1) was delightful and did a great job shepherding me to and from. I was quite anxious about the procedure and, bless his heart, (Volunteer 1) kept an eye on me and kept me distracted…
- (Volunteer 2) was lovely. He (and all the volunteers) arrived on time, got me there in plenty of time (I like getting somewhere early rather than late.), and was there waiting. [I had let him know my appointments were running a bit late and we agreed (I’d) phone/text him when I was done.] Very thoughtful. Thanks very much, (Service Recipient)
Please feel free to avail yourself of this service as well as any of the following KFNV community services:
- Simple household tasks
- Friendly phone calls
- Transportation to appointments
- Friendly visits
*Please note that services are open to KFNV members only; however, membership is free and an easy process. See below on how to contact the KFNV to schedule any of the services or with any questions that you may have about the services as well as how to become a KFNV member.
Calling all Volunteers
The KFNV is looking for volunteers to provide our community services. Volunteer work is very rewarding, and volunteers receive as much if not more from their service as the recipient. As one volunteer who has been providing friendly texts to a member stated: “I have been texting with H. for over 3 years now. I started our check-in phone visits in March of 2020. We exchange texts once a week. What an interesting life H. has had. It truly has been a pleasure getting to know her.” S. (KFNV Volunteer)
Please feel free to contact the Operations Coordinator for any questions you may have about becoming a KFNV Volunteer by calling (301) 799-8104, emailing to kfnvinfo@gmail.com or viewing the KFNV website at www.kfnv.org for information as well as an on-line form to become a KFNV Volunteer. The KFNV thanks you for considering becoming a KFNV Volunteer.
Contacting the KFNV
For most of the KFNV monthly events as well as the services, membership is required; but membership is as easy as filling out an on-line or mail-in form with residency in the King Farm Community being the only membership requirement. Although there is no fee to become a KFNV member, the KFNV does, however, accept and welcome donations; for these donations help defray the cost of KFNV services and events.
For information on how to register for any of the above events, to request a service or a ride, to become a KFNV member or a volunteer, or to make a donation, please contact the Operations Coordinator by calling (301) 799-8104 to leave a voicemail, email the KFNV at kfnvinfo@gmail.com, or view the KFNV website at www.kfnv.org.
RCPD News Report: February 28, 2023 to March 07, 2023
Click here to read the Weekly Crime Report courtesy of the Rockville City Police Department.
If you have a crime or concern to report, please contact the Rockville City Police Department at:
Non-Emergency: 240-314-8900
Emergency: 9-1-1
2 W. Montgomery Ave, Rockville, Maryland 20850
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