April post from Roger- Slots at Mall

Guys, If you are against the slots casino at Arundel Mills Mall, this is your CHANCE TO BE HEARD. We still have seats available on the bus and we need to fill the bus! Let's show the County Council that we can get the people out for an important event. I often hear, "someone should do something about it." That someone is YOU, me, and everyone in our communities. At the April 6th meeting, the County Council is expected to vote on whether to change the zoning to permit a Slots Casino at Arundel Mills Mall [Bill 10-09, Zoning Video Lottery Facilities]. Items: 1) 5:30p.m., Monday, April 6th-A Gunthers bus will leave from the Frank Hebron-Harman Elementary School parking lot to take folks to the County Council meeting in Annapolis. Please be there prior to departure time, so we can depart at precisely 5:30! We need to get to Annapolis in time for folks who wish to speak to sign in prior to the meeting start time (6:30p.m.). One of our residents (Ray) has kindly offered to schedule and pay for the bus. Ray has refused to accept any reimbursement, but rather, requests folks make donations to the Harman Civic Association. Donations can be mailed to: Harman Civic Association P.O. Box 711 Hanover, MD 21076 Please remember you don't have to speak at this County Council meeting! When HCA President Wayne Dixon speaks (or one of our other speakers), we want to have the group stand up to show the community supports our testimony. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AT THIS MEETING!!!! 3) If you wish to speak at the hearing, you need to sign up to speak. They will start letting speakers sign in at 6:30p.m. on Monday, April 6th. Each speaker is allowed to speak for 2 minutes. Those of us who wish to speak will have to wait until it comes up on the agenda. This item is called "Bill 10-09, Zoning Video Lottery Facilities." I am hoping it will be early on the agenda because of its importance. If you have never been to a County Council meeting, the Council members sit at the front of the room facing the audience. There is a table for speakers set up at the front and middle of the room facing the Council members (with the audience to the speakers' backs). This set up makes it easier for folks who don't like to speak before a group; the audience sits behind you! Usually 3-6 speakers are called down to the table at one time. There are usually about 3 microphones on the speaker table. The speakers then have up to 2 minutes each to speak on the topic (they speak in the order they are called). After this group is done speaking, then another group of 3-6 speakers are called to come to the table to speak in the order they were called, 2 minutes for each speaker. If you sign up and everything you wanted to say has been said by earlier speakers, you don't have to go down. They will just fill your seat with another speaker on the list. After everyone is done speaking, we may expect the County Council to vote on whether to change the zoning to W1. The slots casino must have the change in zoning to W1 or it will not be permitted at Arundel Mills Mall. Thus, the zoning change is the key! 4) If you wish to drive down to the County Council meeting, the address is 44 Calvert Street in Annapolis. Directions: -Take I-97 to US 50 east -From US 50 exit off on to Rowe Blvd (MD 70) -On Rowe Blvd, you will pass the Naval Academy Stadium (on your right side) -Continue on Rowe Blvd over the bridge (you will see the Naval Academy on your left) -Stay on Rowe Blvd as it curves to the right (you will see a cemetery on the right) -From Rowe Blvd, turn right on to Calvert Street. -You will cross over Northwest Street -Then turn right almost immediately on to Clay Street -As you turn on to Clay Street, stay to the left side, you will almost immediately turn left into the parking ramp. Be sure to take your ramp parking ticket with you, so you can get it validated at the desk outside the Council Chambers. The County Council Chambers are across the street from the Clay Street parking ramp. From the ramp you cross Calvert Street to enter the building. There is also a parking ramp behind the Council Chambers, but you have to pay to park there. It isn't a huge cost, but they do charge you and you can't validate that ramp ticket. 5) I am attaching the information on the County Council members to send e-mails on how you feel about a slots Casino at Arundel Mills Mall. Please go to the following. This is very important to let all 7 County Council members know where you stand. Please paste the link below into your web browser. http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/index.cfm You will see all 7 members (Daryl Jones (District 1)) is our County Council member. The Council Chair is Ed Reilly (District 7). Just click on the contact link next to each County Council member to do an e-mail to each one of the members. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an e-mail. Thank you for your support! Roger Fox