March Meeting Updates & More

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AmyJean Chung Fry

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Mar 16, 2025, 8:34:02 PMMar 16

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Dear Neighbors,

Is it spring? I feel like fake spring has fooled me a couple of times already this season. The nicer weather is welcomed after having such a cold winter, but I will tell you, I didn't mind some of those snow days.

Whenever the weather warms up, I am reminded of how nice it is to be outside but just like spring can bring allergies, this nicer weather also brings a flurry of unwanted activity in and around town. This is my not so subtle way to remind you to PLEASE lock your vehicles. Petty crimes and rummaging through cars is not abnormal this time of year, so while I am so grateful that we have 24/7 policing and wonderful officers patrolling our streets, let's do our part to keep ourselves safe. ** Park vehicles in well lit areas. ** Do not leave valuables in vehicles. ** And if your vehicle is rummaged through, and even if nothing is taken, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ** REPORT ** it.

Last week, due to the diligence of our neighbors, a suspect who was rummaging vehicles on several different streets was caught because they took the time to report this activity. This type of information helps our officers to know where the activity trends and patterns are. Let's help them while we help keep ourselves safe by reporting.

I want to give a huge shout out to the "COC" - Cheverly Oak Court Crew - who have an active text/phone tree that works to keep each other safe and informed. If you don't have a group thread on your block, consider creating one. It is a great way to stay connected and keep each other informed. We all know it takes a village, so let's be that village for one another. (and as a reminder, if you see any type of activity, please do not take action yourself but consider reporting instead.)

Another exciting bit of news on the Cheverly Police Department front is that we have sworn in our new Chief of Police, David Morris, on Thursday March 13.

Chief Morris, along with Deputy Chief Krauss, have done an amazing job with our CPD. Not only are we 24/7, we have quality officers who are invested in Cheverly and keeping our community safe. I have to give a huge shout out to Mayor Kayce for her leadership to get us here. Chief Morris thanks her all the time, but I think it is important to acknowledge the leadership that has brought us to this point - the first time in my tenure - so a big THANK YOU to Mayor Kayce for her commitment to the safety of the Town.

On another note of some good news, I want to give a shout out to my husband, Coach Larry, and all the volunteers of the Cheverly Boys and Girls Club for another great basketball season AND this news coverage on two of their teams that have a majority of deaf players. It started with one family that brought on another, and seeing the need to provide resources the club stepped up to ensure interpretation at games and practices. This year, they even had several deaf coaches for our CBGC teams. When our town organizations promote the values of our town, it is hard not to be proud of the countless hours put into this program. WAY TO GO CBGC!!

https://youtu.be/IqsLmynHs6w?si=mo0lfD2QGrltW19O

Watch here for the first part:

https://youtu.be/WWZlI8Ghoko?si=XSPztRMaMAAhbBqs

Elections

As many of you know, Cheverly elections are less than 2 months away. On May 5, 2025, I am running for re-election and I am seeking your vote. Please remember that this is our first election where 16 year olds will be able to cast their vote for Mayor and Council Members. You can grab your mail-in ballot several ways including ONLINE requests! If you need voter registration information, you can find it here. Remember, ALL residents 16 years or older can vote in local elections. Every election my goal is voter access and voter engagement. Ward 6 does not always have the highest turn out, but I encourage you to vote and to make sure your neighbors are voting too. It is important to make your voices heard, especially in this coming election.

For those of you who have supported me in the past and would like to do so again, please let me know. I appreciate always being collaborative in all that I do and to ensure that I am hearing your concerns and advocating for Cheverly. I'll be at a door near you but if you want to set up a separate time to chat, please let me know.

Homestead Tax Credit Ordinance : Council Member Dalaker sponsored a bill to raise the tax credit from $50 to $150. This measure was originally proposed from former Council Member Marverly Nettles (Ward 1) with the intent to assist those in the most need during a time where we were obliged to balance our budget. Understanding that the need remains, and in fact, has increased, I appreciate CM Dalaker's intent to continue to help our residents who may need it with this tax credit. More information on the Homestead Tax Credit.

Financial Update - The Town Accountant provided an overview of the budget through January, reporting no red flags. Be sure to watch it if you want to hear directly. I appreciate Town Administrator Galloway for always being focused on providing transparency and information so our residents can stay up to date with town finances.

Board of Elections - Big thanks to our Board of Elections supervisors who are working hard right now to ensure that our elections go smoothly in May. The next Board of Elections meeting will be March 21 at 5:30.

Boyd Park Flooring - Having received a grant to update and upgrade playground equipment at Boyd Park, an unexpected expense popped up regarding Boyd Park Flooring. With the different options before us, council members unanimously voted to install corkeen flooring. This type of flooring is accessible and not as environmentally harmful as the rubber option. Unfortunately, this type of flooring was also the most expensive option, which was a concern across the board, however, the Town remains committed to accessibility and believes that an investment in the inclusive option is worth it.

Public Safety Cameras - Chief Morris presented plans to add security cameras with license plate reading technology in some areas of town. While there are concerns about surveillance tools in town, Council Member Bryner suggested a hearing or review board to look into these types of AI implementations. If you are interested in participating, please let me know, I am happy to connect you with this group that will draft related policies.

Eley Building Update - Despite some permitting delays, we are still hopeful for a completion by mid-June. Fingers crossed and stay tuned for a potential open house later this spring.

Narcan Training - There will be community Narcan training on March 24 in the evening. I did this training last year and it was incredibly valuable. More info here!

Congressional Resources - Thanks to Beth MacKenzie from Congressman Ivey’s office for joining our meeting on Thursday to share resources.

**There are many things happening at the federal level that are directly and indirectly impacting our neighbors. I know that many of us are looking for ways to help. If you want to get involved, I am looking for neighbors who want to get together with other neighbors to come up with ideas of how we can be that village we will all need in the coming days. If you are interested, please let me know.

Upcoming Events

For more information about these and other events, check out the town newsletter/en Español

Blood Drive

March 19

10am-3pm

Town Hall

Cheverly Youth NCAA Watch Party

March 19

6pm-8pm

Town Hall

Budget Meeting

March 20