Mar. 2, 2005
Peggy McEwan
Special to The Gazette

A group of parents and residents who are against plans to build a new Seven Locks Elementary School on Kendale Road in Potomac took their fight to state legislators on Saturday during a town hall meeting with District 15 representatives.

A petition to save the current school on Seven Locks Road was circulated by members of the Seven Locks Coalition during the meeting, where 33 residents showed up to voice an opinion on matters affecting them or to hear what state legislators had to say.

“Seven Locks Elementary is being knocked down to build high-density housing,” said Marcy Myers of Bethesda. “This will create more traffic, do we really need to feed the beast?”

“Let me assure you, no one on this panel is in favor of closing Seven Locks,” said Del. Jean B. Cryor (R) of Potomac. “You have done everything right,” Cryor said referring to the steps the citizens had already taken to change the decision.

At least one person asked how the group could get due process once the school board had made its decision to rebuild the school at a different location rather than renovate and expand the current school.

And while state legislators could not answer that question specifically, Del. Brian J. Feldman (D) of Potomac did remind residents that the school board is elected and therefore accountable to residents.

But the Seven Locks school was not the only item of interest Saturday, especially with the General Assembly session one month under way.

Issues about the ICC (Intercounty Connector), slots and schools in general were also discussed.

“I am very interested in what is going on, the ICC, slots, the schools and safety,” said Jonathan Golup, of Rockville.

Those were all issues in the forefront of legislators’ minds as well.

“The ICC is coming, no question about it,” Cryor said.

“I’d be for it if it was going to help, but the state’s own study says it will increase traffic on the Beltway,” said Diana Conway of Potomac. “As soon as the road gets built, there will be more development.”

But Tom Durek of Bethesda was happy about the ICC.

“We want the ICC; it will reduce the traffic congestion and road rage,” Durek said. “It will be mutually advantageous to Montgomery County and Baltimore.”

Slots and school programs were also big questions discussed by District 15 representatives. The slots and schools go together because future school construction will be funded by the new gambling income.

Slots, too, are coming according to legislation passed just last week in Annapolis. Again, there were supporters and detractors.

But it was likely the most divisive issue among legislators.

The panel itself was split on slots, Cryor and state Sen. Robert J. Garagiola (D) of Germantown voted for, and Del. Kathleen M. Dumais (D) of Bethesda and Feldman voted against.

“It means $25 million for Montgomery County schools and is an on-going source of income,” Cryor said.

“I question if this is the direction I want to see Maryland going,” Dumais said. “I don’t think this is the end. I see it increasing and I also think the [projected revenue] is questionable.”

“This is a vision of the state that bothers me,” Feldman said. “It takes a major up-tick in gambling to fund basic government structures. I want Maryland to become the bio-tech Silicon Valley of the East Coast.”

“The practical reality is slots or cuts,” Garagiola said.

Many people stayed behind following the two-hour meeting for an informal talk.