Strathmore Bel Pre Civic Association 2021 Candidates (12 positions, 5 candidates)
Linda Bea
Age (optional) :
Occupation: Retired
Length of time living in the Strathmore Bel Pre neighborhood: 33 years
What are your most recent contributions for/to our community? I serve as Secretary for the Civic Association, running the Annual Yard Sale and the annual Membership Drive. I also develop and maintain the bi-annual Community Directory.
What do you see as the most important function of the Civic Association? We strive to engage community members in our various activities to foster a strong sense of community within our neighborhood.
What is your vision for the Board of the Civic Association? We should continue to foster communication among members of our community; provide timely, relevant information via our listserv and The Bugle; encourage and increase participation within the community and monitor external issues and events that may impact the Strathmore Bel Pre Community.
How would you build community in Strathmore Bel Pre? We should increase participation within the community by supporting the existing events and activities currently sponsored by the Civic Association, as well as developing additional opportunities for community interaction and engagement.
John Bogasky
Age (optional): 64
Occupation: Retired but many volunteer roles. Treasurer for Special Olympics MD, Montgomery County, Board Member for the Civic Association, Treatment and Learning Centers, Source America, and Glenmont Exchange.
Length of time living in the Strathmore/Bel Pre neighborhood: 31 years
What are your most recent contributions for/to our community)?I serve as Treasurer for our Civic Association. I also founded and moderate the Strathmore Bel Pre Civic Association’s listserv, fundraise for our Summer Entertainment series and organize the movie nights, manage Bugle advertising and am a Bugle columnist.
What do you see as the most important function of the Civic Association? The Civic Association provides a flexible vehicle for Strathmore Bel Pre residents to voluntarily join together to better our community
What is your vision for the Board of the Civic Association? The Strathmore Bel Pre Civic Association (SBPCA) aims to promote the interests and general welfare of the homeowners and residents of Strathmore Bel Pre, to provide for effective communication within the community, to provide a focal point for representation of community interests beyond the community, and to sponsor community events. My goal is to continue serving as Treasurer, organizer of the movie nights at the pool, and as moderator of the listserv.
How would you build community in Strathmore-Bel Pre? Continue supporting the Civic Association listserv, organizing the summer movie nights, and supporting The Bugle.
Elliot Chabot
Age (optional):
Occupation: attorney (retired)
Length of time living in the Strathmore Bel Pre neighborhood: 17 years
What are your most recent contributions for/to our community? From 2013 to 2019, I served as president of the Bel Pre Recreational Association. I am currently chair of the BPRA’s Governing Documents Committee, a member of the BPRA’s Emergency Response and Planning Committee, a board member of the Strathmore Bel Pre Civic Association, and assistant editor of The Bugle. I actively participated in drafting the COVID-19 rules for the pool and the annual community elections. I have assisted with the Summer Entertainment series at the pool, and with our community yard sale. I’m a Friend of the Aspen Hill Library, where (pre-COVID) I helped run the Friends book sales, and Friends programming, such as the annual community festival. From 2009-2020, I served as chair of the Aspen Hill Library Advisory Committee, which tends to the policy and functions of the Library. In 2019, I served as a member of the Montgomery County Planning Board’s Aspen Hill Vision Zero Advisory Group.
What do you see as the most important function of the Civic Association? Speaking out for our community before the County Council and other government agencies. Keep our community strong and our voices heard.
What is your vision for the Board of the Civic Association? Continue to build the sense of community within Strathmore Bel Pre. Continue and expand programs like the Summer Entertainment Series, the Annual Yard Sale, the community’s 4th of July Celebration, the town hall meetings, The Bugle, BlocktoberFest, the Spring Thing, and the community directory. Work together with the Recreational Association, local PTAs and scout groups, and neighboring civic associations.
How would you build community in Strathmore Bel Pre? Make even better use of the community’s website, listserv, and The Bugle, as well as the BPRA e-mail lists. Provide more opportunities for members of the community to become involved with the Civic and the Recreational Associations.
Lilla Hammond
Age (optional):
Occupation: Realtor with Long & Foster Realtors
Length of time living in the Strathmore Bel Pre neighborhood: 37 years
What are your most recent contributions for/to our community? I have been an active member of the Civic Board for many years, and organize the July 4thparade and activities.
What do you see as the most important function of the Civic Association? To keep our community up to date with local news and events which may affect them; to offer activities which bring our neighbors together and give them a chance to make new friends.
What is your vision for the Board of the Civic Association? During the last few years, the community's Civic and Rec Associations have been working together. We have wonderful people stepping up to provide information about issues from the outside which affect or could affect our community. Let's continue to support: Town Hall meetings; The Bugle; the listserv; the Community Yard Sale; the July 4th Celebration; and, the Summer Entertainment programs. We have a wonderfully active community. Volunteers are welcome and needed!
How would you build community in Strathmore Bel Pre? Through the years, our Strathmore Bel Pre Civic Association has created opportunities to build our community and bring us together. We have The Bugle which is filled with news and helpful information; the ListServ; the Strathmore Bel Pre Directory; the Annual Yard Sale, the Entertainment Series and the July 4th Celebration. Most recently, we have Zoom as another way to bring people together. Recently, neighbors used the Zoom platform to discuss the parking issues on Hewitt Avenue.
Chris Swan
Age (optional):
Occupation: law librarian (retired)
Length of time living in the Strathmore Bel Pre neighborhood: 16 years
What are your most recent contributions for/to our community? For the last 9 years, I have served as editor of The Bugle. I assist in running the Summer Entertainment Series, and generally plan and manage the Summer Music events. I’m President of the Friends of the Aspen Hill Library, which (pre-COVID) held book sales to raise funds for the Library, and which runs the annual community festival. For the last 2 years, I have served as Secretary of the Bel Pre Recreational Association.
What do you see as the most important function of the Civic Association? To create a strong and informed community, which is active, caring, has a sense of place, and enjoys living here in Strathmore Bel Pre, and is present in the larger community.
What is your vision for the Board of the Civic Association? I would like the Civic Association to have a functioning and inclusive website, and to plan and hold more events, both in the Summer Entertainment Series, and to bring back the Public Affairs Series, with presentations regarding issues and concerns of the times, and those affecting our neighborhood, and as citizens of Montgomery County.
How would you build community in Strathmore Bel Pre? Pre-pandemic, our community had grown its events to appeal to a broader group of our neighbors. As the pandemic continues, and our response to it changes, we should begin to reinstate those events to provide our neighbors, friends and family opportunities to participate in Strathmore Bel Pre activities. We started this fall with BlocktoberFest and Trunk or Treat, and hopefully will bring back the Spring Thing next spring. We also have had a large turnover of homeowners this year, and should reach out to our new neighbors to help them get acquainted with our community.