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Well, this season’s first meeting of the East Silver Spring Citizens Association was uneventful. Some good information, though. The coordinator of the Fenton Street Market thanked everyone for all their work to put on the first of two events, and reminded everyone that the next market will be Saturday, October 3. Just in time to feed into the South Silver Spring Block Party. Really looking forward to the latter. Hope you all come out. LT Paul Liquorie from the Montgomery County Police Department also spoke at length about crime and safety in our area. A good question-and-answer session, and LT Liquorie did a great job of fielding all the gripes/questions, giving contact names and numbers for issues, and giving good safety tips.

I had to leave just before 9:00, as the meeting was supposed to end at 8:30, so I didn’t hear any talk about why ESSCA quit the Presidents Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations (PREZCO). I assumed they were waiting until I was gone, as I saw someone actually watching out the window until I drove off. As I understand it, ESSCA wanted to try to dictate policy through PREZCO while PREZCO simply wanted to give a “yea” or “nay” vote to Montgomery County propositions. Sounds like an “if-we-can’t-make-up-the-rules-we’re-taking-our-ball-and-going-home” situation, but I would expect nothing less.

If anyone has insight into the explanation given at the meeting, send me a note. I still don’t know why no one would say anything out in public on the listserv. The meetings are public. Anyone can attend. What’s the issue? Are they upset because some hack-job blogger outed them? Did they think their resignation from PREZCO would go unnoticed? I brought it out and people started asking questions. Deal with it, people. Or find something else to do with your golden years.

Unfortunately, I had to leave as Mel Tull from the Silver Spring Regional Center was taking the floor, but I could tell the conversation was about to drag on for a while longer. Bailing because inevitable and necessary. But in other big ESSCA news, you may have remembered a post earlier this year where I made fun of the lame membership cards given out at the meetings. I’d like to think my ridicule did something, as this year brings us snazzy new membership cards. Very impressive, if I do say so myself, especially considering where we came from.

Thus begins another season of ESSCA – not with a bang, but a whimper. I’m looking forward to the meeting where we discuss historic preservation in East Silver Spring. Hope you’ll join me.