06/06/2021
🛑‼️Carver Center Community‼️🛑 PLEASE READ‼️🛑
We need your voice now! This is our last chance to Stop the Sale of Carver Center’s Grounds!
Carver Center Foundation recently learned that early this week, the Board of Education will consider giving up ownership of a parcel of Carver Center property ultimately to be transferred to a private business to expand their parking lot.
Background:
In 2018, Marquis Health Services LLC (Marquis) acquired Orchard Hill Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, a center located on West Road and bordering Carver Center. Orchard Hill is interested in purchasing or leasing a 7,500 square foot parcel of land that is part of Carver Center’s grounds. If you are familiar with the Carver Center grounds, this area is best described as the hill next to the tennis courts.
At their meeting on Monday, June 7, the Board of Education’s Building and Contracts Committee may vote in support of permanently taking away this piece of Carver Center’s property. According to the proposal before the Board, the contract under consideration is to declare this parcel of Carver Center property as surplusage so that it can be transferred to Baltimore County. Orchard Hill would like to obtain the land to expand their parking lot.
If the Building and Contracts Committee votes to support the transfer of property, the full Board of Education will vote on the contract at their meeting on Tuesday, June 8.
The Exhibit and Backup Documents before the Board of Education may be viewed for additional details on the proposal, including pictures of the area. Click on either of the meetings, click on View the Agenda and then click on the agenda item under New Business entitled ARA-205-21 George Washington Carver Center – Property Transfer.
Carver Center Foundation Board Opposes Losing School Property
The Board of Carver Center Foundation opposes the transfer of ownership of this property (the hill) for two primary reasons:
Key stakeholders are not being included in the process.
Nobody from Orchard Hill, their parent company or their legal representation has reached out to Carver Center students, parents, guardians or Carver Center Foundation for input on their plans to obtain the land.
The only effort to connect with our community on the matter was when their legal representation called Claire Carberry, President of Carver Center Foundation, hoping to gain support from Carver Center Foundation to persuade the Board of Education to sell the land.
Giving up any part of Carver Center’s grounds does not help the school; it only harms the school.
Carver Center already is the second smallest campus of all of the public high schools in Baltimore County, making it impossible to say that the hill is surplus. The school shares a border with 11 commercial businesses and the Detention Center, with very little natural buffer and no room to expand. Encroaching upon Carver Center’s property would further detract from the limited resources the school has.
The hill is frequently used by Carver Center students, faculty and the community.
Carver Center faculty use the hill for science instruction.
Athletes use the hill for hill sprints and conditioning.
Spectators use the hill to watch matches on the tennis courts.
The future use of the hill should be determined by Carver Center to meet the needs of future generations of Carver Center students. A property transfer would permanently end all future use of the green space.
Approval of this property transfer would set a precedent, opening the door for other businesses to request more of Carver Center’s limited land.
Carver Center Foundation wants to maintain the current footprint of Carver Center, giving the students, faculty, staff and the community the rights and freedoms to use the land to meet their academic, artistic, athletic, ecological and aesthetic needs and to serve the school and its community now and long into the future.
WE NEED YOUR VOICE! Take Action Now!
We are asking all students, parents, guardians, supporters and other community members to act quickly and advocate to Stop the Sale of Carver Center’s Grounds!
Let your voice be heard by emailing written public comments to the Board of Education at [email protected].
For best consideration by the Building and Contracts Committee, send the email before they meet 5:00pm on Monday, June 7.
If you email by 3:00pm on Tuesday, June 8, you can email [email protected] and also cc: Councilman David Marks at [email protected], so that the County Councilman who represents Carver Center’s district is aware of your concerns.
Students, parents, guardians, alumni and other Carver Center supporters are encouraged to tell the Board of Education to oppose the surplusage and transfer of any Carver Center property.
Sample email messages are available at the below for your use; however, personalized messages are more impactful so feel free to include how this would negatively impact you or your student.
https://tinyurl.com/CCFStopTheSale
To show the volume of messages, you are encouraged to use the
subject line “Stop the Sale of Carver Center’s Grounds.”
If you have a personal connection to a member of the Board of Education, please contact them.
Ask them to oppose the request to deem the parcel Carver Center property surplusage and prevent the sale of a piece of Carver Center’s campus.
On Monday, June 7 at 5:00pm, attend the virtual Open Session of the Board’s Building and Contracts Committee Meeting.
Your presence will send the message that the Carver Center community is paying attention.
Check the agenda by clicking on the meeting to see where ARA-205-21 George Washington Carver Center – Property Transfer falls under 2. New Business.
The meeting is held on Microsoft Teams and may be joined using this link. Depending on the device you are using, you may choose to or be required to download the Microsoft Teams app, or you may connect through a web browser.
Register to speak on Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30pm during public comment period of the virtual Open Session of the Board of Education Meeting.
Complete the registration form by 3:00pm on Monday, June 7.
Ten speakers are selected at random to speak for up to 3 minutes.
If selected, you will receive confirmation of your registration, along with the call-in number, passcode to join the meeting, and public comment guidelines and procedures.
Note: Public comment will occur after the vote.
On Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30pm, attend the virtual Open Session of the Board of Education or watch on BCPS-TV (Comcast Xfinity channel 73, Verizon FiOS channel 34).
Observe the Board vote on the future of this piece of Carver Center property.
Check the agenda by clicking on the meeting to see where ARA-205-21 George Washington Carver Center – Property Transfer falls under L. New Business - Contract Awards.
If joining online, the meeting is held on Microsoft Teams and may be joined using this link. Depending on the device you are using, you may choose to or be required to download the Microsoft Teams app, or you may connect through a web browser.
Thank you in advance for your advocacy and support on this important matter.
In Community,
Claire Carberry
Carver Center Foundation President
