ROCKAWAY BEACH IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES A Meeting of Rockaway Beach Improvement Association, Inc.

January 31st, 2013 at Eastern Yacht Club. (RBIA) was held at 7:30 p.m. on

Members from general membership were present as well as board members Kim Goodwin - President, Denise Woutila - Treasurer; Chip Miller - Sergeant at arms, and Kevin McDonough - Web Administrator/ Secretary. Bob Schweitzer Vice President was unable to be in attendance due to a family medical emergency. The meeting was called to order at 7:39pm by Kim Goodwin President. Introductory remarks were given and officers were introduced. Denise also took this time to distribute important phone numbers for the police department to those in attendance Kevin McDonough Secretary quickly reviewed the minutes from the October meeting and asked for a motion to accept the minutes as presented. Motion was made by Pat Sinclair seconded by Charlie Reed. All were in favor. Kim reviewed the Treasurers Report in great detail. The year was ended with close to $2,000 of unexpected surplus from membership dues, and fundraisers. Motion was made by Pat Sinclair to accept the Treasurers Report seconded by Chip Miller. All were in favor. Kim presented the Proposed 2013 Operating Budget for our organization, and Denise discussed details of what each line item was for and that a number of the estimates for our receipts were conservative so that we can be sure those expectations are met. Carole Ledley inquired as to why there was no line item for a donation to the Fire Dept. on the proposed budget. Kim said that that will be addressed later in the meeting and that the budget can be approved without the donation and an amendment can be made to the budget by a majority vote to incorporate our usual donation back into the budget. A Motion was then made to table approval of the budget until after discussion of Issues regarding the Fire Dept. by Carole Ledley and Seconded by Charlie Reed. Majority was in favor. Kevin and Chip Miller discussed the Future of the Middle River Fourth of July Fireworks. Kevin recapped that at the last meeting EYC had reported Marine Trades was withdrawing from the Fireworks Extravaganza and that EYC was currently contemplating whether or not it was a feasible undertaking for them. The Improvement Assoc. was invited to a feasibility meeting at the Yacht Club, where it was decided that Eastern Yacht club would now be the organizer of the Fireworks. Those in attendance gave a round of applause for EYC. The planning committee for the Fireworks is staffed by representatives from EYC, RBIA, RBVFC, and BQVFC. Proceeds of the event will no longer go to Marine Trades Education fund, but instead will go primarily to the Wounded Warriors Project; the remaining will be distributed to the Rockaway Beach Improvement Association, Eastern Yacht Club, RBVFC, and BQVFC. RBIA is responsible for staffing a committee for Fireworks Fundraising which is chaired by Kevin Mcdonough and Carin Smith. Volunteers from the community are being solicited as well as contacts which could lead to potential donations / sponsorships. Chip Miller answered questions regarding certainty of being able to pull off the event as well as a few other logistics questions. Uptick of crime in the community was discussed- with focus on Tickwood Road, and the Sue Creek Landing Development. Kim re-iterated the importance of remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity to the police. A resident discussed that a suspected vehicle on Tickwood Road, believed to be connected to the burglaries was reported to police an S10 Chevy Pickup Truck. The homeless population and their relation to crime was also discussed. A tent campsite is located on 702 near Hyde Park Shopping Center. Kim stated that we would look into the homeless issue, but that could potentially become a touchy subject depending on who owns the property they are on and where they will go once asked to leave. It was also made known to the membership that our organization would continue to put pressure on the police department to remain patrolling the community on a regular basis.

*Meetings may be recorded for record-keeping purposes.

Kim relayed to the membership that we had requested copies of the budget, bylaws and latest Treasurers Report back in October from the Rockaway Beach Vol. Fire Department. Our reason for requesting such documents was twofold First, to ensure proper structure and governance existed to prevent anything from jeopardizing the fire departments stability and overall the welfare of our community, as recent scandal at neighboring companies in Middleborough and Middle River have left a cloud of uncertainty over the future of those departments. Secondly, to see just how our tax dollars and our donations as individual residents and as the Improvement Association are appropriated be it for equipment, building maintenance, etc. Requests were met with resistance to provide hard copy documents to the Assoc. A request was made to the oversight agency for the Volunteer companies- which relayed to us that our request was reasonable but that they did not have the documents on file and forwarded our request back to Rockaway instead of obtaining the requested documents for us as they are required to do. Citing the Freedom of Information Act, a second request for copies of the documents was made, which was met from an e-mail from an attorney stating they would not provide copies of the documents, but would arrange for a meeting at which the documents would be explained to the requestor (RBIA). At the same time, an email from the Fire Chief of Baltimore County stated that his office also found our request for copies reasonable and that he and his office would support a formal request signed by the principle officers of our organization to the Vol. Fire Dept. for copies of the aforementioned documents. The suggestion of the RBVFC for us to attend a meeting to have the documents explained to us was not followed up on by RBIA because the fire dept. had already been urged by those in authority over them to provide us with copies of the documents for our officers to review as opposed to just explaining to us what is within those documents. The formal request signed by Principle RBIA officers was responded to with a letter from the Fire Dept. President inviting RBIA to a meeting to discuss our concerns that meeting was not attended by RBIA because our concerns had already clearly been outlined in our letter to the fire Dept. requesting the documents which was signed by our principle officers. Members from the Fire Dept. were in attendance, and Martha Spangler stood up and screamed to the body this body needs to know the truth that you were invited to a meeting and continued to go on until being interrupted by our President, Kim Goodwin when she had to call order to the assembly. Kim asked Ms. Spangler to identify herself so that she could be addressed properly, which she refused to do and sat down. Kim then explained the reasons why suggested meetings were not attended. Steve Kerby and Michael Ledley, also Board members of the Fire Dept. discussed that they felt offended by the communitys request for documents and interest in the structure of the Department eluding that it suggested allegations of misconduct at the Dept. and could potentially jeopardize the future of the company because of the fire Chiefs and County executives supposed agenda to do away with Volunteer companies. Kim stated that that was in no way the case whatsoever and that we want to be involved with whats going on at the fire dept., and if we know that all things there are the way they should be then the community would back the fire department 110% should any threat to their future arise on a county level. The Fire Dept. also said that part of their resistance was because of Denise, as they feel it is a personal vendetta and questioned the authority of Kim to request such things without approval from RBIA membership Kim dispelled that allegation and stated that the Fire Dept. is the business of the community, as if something were to happen to the Dept., it would affect the safety and welfare of the community, plus as donors we are entitled to know the goings on of the organization which we support. As officers of the RBIA we are elected to ensure the welfare of the community and of our organization. Ms. Anna Renault (Avenue News and Holly Neck Conservation Assoc.) stated she felt the issue was best discussed privately between governing bodies as this could go on all night. Charile Reed made a motion to Table debate seconded by Milton Goles. All were in favor. After much discussion, a motion was made by Chip Miller to approve the budget as proposed with an amendment of adding a $100 line item for a RBVFC donation. Motion was seconded by Brian Robertson. Majority were in favor. Before opening the floor up to Open Forum, Kim discussed the Transparency of our organization any member may request documents from our organization (treasurers reports, minutes, bank statements, letters written regarding a certain issue, budget, etc.) We are 100% transparent as our members, you have a right to know everything that goes in in our organization. If you want to know something- simply ask!

*Meetings may be recorded for record-keeping purposes.

Kim opened floor up to open forum. A few things were discussed such as Traffic Configurations (Bobby bs, Seneca Road), as well as a few Road Concerns. Robin Ferro brought up a leaky hydrant, crumbling asphalt and clogged storm drain by her home that she would like looked into Kevin said he would take care of it. Kevin also said that he had met with Public Works regarding Road repairs we wanted made. Anna Renault and Kevin discussed an issue of illegal clearing and encroachment, along with planting of invasive species and laying of gravel within a protected Forest Retention Easement within the New Haven Landing Community (New Haven Woods II subdivision) on land which is owned by Baltimore County and how after quite the battle with DEPS trees are going to be planted, signs posted, gravel and bamboo removed. A round of applause ensued from the membership. A motion to adjourn was made by Charlie Reed to adjourn at 8:58pm and was seconded. All were in favor. Kim thanked everyone for attending.

Respectfully Submitted,

Kevin M. McDonough, Secretary

/Kmm

*Meetings may be recorded for record-keeping purposes.