Mid Year Report
Dear Reporters:
Below, Ed Barron reminds us that it is time to prepare our mid-year report
cards, both for the Mayor and for the new Council. Please, if you're interested, send in
your grades for scholarship, application to task, attention to detail, as well as
deportment. I'd be especially interested in your scores for, “Plays well with
others.”
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
###############
Mid Year Report
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
Here we are at the mid point of Tony Williams' first year as Mayor. I find
myself right smack in the middle between delight and major disappointment in the Mayor's
performance to date. His heart appears to be in the right place. His lack of political
experience and true leadership capabilities have become painfully apparent. Tony Williams,
for all of his life, has been a doer, a make things happen person. He's now thrust (by his
own petard) into the role as Mayor of Dodge City and has found that there's so much to do
and so little time. The Mayor must change, and change dramatically, if he will accomplish
even a small part of what needs to be done in this city. Instead of trying to play all the
instruments in the symphony orchestra, the mayor must take up the baton and get the most
out of his piccolo player, the best out of the trombonists, and beautiful music from all
the players.
The new Mayor must become a Team Builder and a Team Leader. Not a manager,
a leader, one who delegates authority, and autonomy, one who trusts others and gives them
freedom to make things happen. A real leader is a first among equals, not a czar. A good
start would be with the City Council. The Council could be a bastion of strength and the
source of some real help in making things in this city work better. The City Council is a
potentially viable, ready made team to help the Mayor. If Tony Williams wants to
accomplish the things that need to be done in D.C. he must learn to be a Leader, not a
doer.
###############
My (What Seems to be an Annual) Arena Fee Gripe
Tom Berry, tom@berrybest.com
Long-time readers of this forum probably recall my sentiments regarding
the egregious Arena Fee imposed on DC businesses. This year the District has outdone even
Marion Barry's administration in that arena (pun intended), however. The fee was due June
15th. Always civically fiscal minded, I filled out the return, enclosed a check for the
proper amount and posted it to the DC Treasurer on the aforementioned date. Two days
later, we received in the mail a notice from our local leaders that “the filing and
payment date has been extended to August 2, 1999.” Ah, there's nothing like earning
advance interest on someone else's money, is there now? And all of the timely filed
businesses loose 6 weeks of interest on their own money. I'm just thankful that we didn't
have to pay, like some, the maximum fee of $8,400.
###############
Several weeks ago, while waiting for the bus going downtown at 16th &
V Streets, a truck pulled up and two uniformed Metro employees got out. One proceeded to
clean the ground around the shelter with a blower, the other was checking the shelter for
safety. I pointed to the bus stop across the street, in front of the old Roosevelt
building. It is in disrepair, with the bench is missing a board and the stop rather dirty
-- graffiti, etc. I asked them, and I was told by the Metro employees that the stop they
were working on was a Metro Stop and that the stop across the street was not maintained by
Metro, but by the District. And of course, it wasn't maintained at all. So what's the
story here? Is there someone who decides which stops are which? Does anyone know how to
tell a bus stop that is maintained by Metro and that “maintained” by the
District (besides the later being in disrepair). Does anyone know who to call to get the
District to fix the Metro stops that are supposed to be maintained by the District?
[It's true that some stops are owned and maintained by Metro and others by
the District, and that they aren't marked WMATA's governmental liaison to the District is
Herb Leonard, 962-1050. Try calling him to find out who in the District government
maintains DC-owned stops, and please let us know what you find out.]
###############
Crosstown Hell, Part II.
Sid Booth, SidBooth1@aol.com
I made the mistake of driving up Massachusetts Avenue from downtown on
Monday and encountered more construction and traffic delay than I've seen since they
repaired the Massachusetts Avenue bridge over Rock Creek Park a few years ago. It looks
just as nasty. Since other readers of themail might also be affected sometime, can someone
advise how long this disruption is likely to go on and whether there are better times to
use that route than others? As a Mt. Pleasant neighbor, I'm already looking forward to the
new traffic patterns required by the repairs that began this week on the Porter
St.-Klingle Rd. bridges over the park, a promised “18-month” project.
###############
Foggy Bottom/West End ANC Passes Jury Trial
Resolution
James McLeod, jmcleod@ibm.net
Good news! I took the issue to the people and they said, "Yes,
restore the right to a jury trial for most misdemeanors! Wednesday evening, Advisory
Neighborhood Commission 2A passed the attached resolution on a 4 to 1 vote (one
abstaining). The resolution concludes: “Be it resolved, that this Commission hereby
respectfully recommends that the Council of the District of Columbia amend D.C. Code
§16-705(b) to restore the statutory right to a jury trial for all persons facing more
than 90 days in jail, and, to address the Lewis v. United States aggregation issue, that
the new standard be set at 'more than 90 days in total in a single proceeding.'” For
an essay on the jury trial issue, see http://www.iblf.com/gideon.htm
###############
More On (and In) the Cable Advisory Committee
Jeffrey Hops, jeffhops@yahoo.com
The cable advisory committee of the District has been meeting, and we have
been going over the franchises of surrounding communities in order to get a good feel for
what a “state of the art” franchise is looking like these days. Our biggest
issue right now is that we are lacking people to fill the seats on the committee. There
are 4 mayoral appointments, 1 council appointment, and 1 DC Public Schools appointment
still open. If you have ever wanted to serve on a citizen's advisory committee, this is
your chance! Meetings are once a month and rarely last more than two hours (in the
evening). Folks with any background in the telecom industry and/or regulated utilities
and/or municipal management are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information, call
Walter Adams or Stacy Robinson at the Office of Cable Television (202) 671-0066. Tell 'em
Jeff sent ya.
###############
Pilot Program
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
A Post article a few weeks ago described the success that a
school in Baltimore has had in educating urban children. Some DCPS persons visited the
school and learned what was being done. I have heard no more about this, but it seems that
the DCPS should undertake a pilot program involving at least one school to use this new
curriculum and teaching methods to see if it significantly improves the learning by the
students in that school. The pilot program should involve an existing school with no
special efforts to load it up with the “best” teachers in the District to get a
completely fair representation of the effectiveness of this new curriculum and teaching
system.
###############
It continually amazes me that members of Congress feel that they can test
out each and every one of their pet projects on us — three years ago it was a ban on
city funded abortions for poor women; now it's the repeal of our 26-year- old ban on
handgun ownership. I encourage everyone who reads themail to write or call Rep. Goode of
Virginia ( rep.goode@mail.house.gov ) and
raise hell about his amendment to repeal our locally drafted gun laws. It might also be
helpful to call the congressman from California who wants DC residents to be allowed to
transport loaded guns (I think his name is Duncan Smith). Could you imagine how bad the
crime rate in this city would be if gun ownership were in fact easier? I don't think that
anyone who participates in this forum could stomach the thought of more of our own people
dying in the streets as a result of one Congressman's power-hungry and ill-advised
actions.
On a lighter note, Bee Wuethrich's comment on parking at a headless meter
only to return to find a new meter and a ticket struck a chord with me. I had the same
experience on Fessenden Street NW last year — I parked at a headless meter for some
two months without problems, but then one day I found both a new meter and a parking
ticket on my car. It amazes me how efficient the Parking Enforcement people are when the
school system can't even fix roofs and the police aren't well enough trained to hold their
fire. Where are our priorities?
###############
Update on Shaw Junior High
Nick Keenan, Shaw, NBK@gsionline.com
I haven't seen anything about this in the papers or on the TV news, so,
fellow readers, you're hearing it here first. On Tuesday, June 15th, Principal Erma
Withers and Assistant Principal Wilson Morgan of Shaw Junior High were suspended
indefinitely because of their public support for convicted statutory rapist Lorenzo
McCrea. Shaw has an academic record that might charitably be described as undistinguished.
It has a swimming pool that has not worked in years. It has athletic fields that the
students are not allowed to use. During the heat wave last week the air conditioning was
broken. However, Shaw does have an excellent marching band that has achieved national
prominence. Lorenzo McCrea was the director of that band. It appears that while it was
acceptable to put the band ahead of the
physical and academic condition of the school, it was not OK to put the band ahead of the
physical safety of the students, however much the leadership of the school wanted to.
###############
In regards to the person asking how people feel about the band teacher
having an affair with the 15 year old, and the principal and vice principal who wrote a
letter praising him as a role model. This is how I feel — nauseous and a tremendous
wonder of “in whose world is this man a role model?” The affair is disgusting,
though maybe I'm growing numb at an early age, because I am not shocked. What is shocking
is the judgment of both the principal and vice principal. I find this to be an appalling
display of poor judgment.
###############
Metro Poster Advertising, Part 2
Peter Luger, Mt. Pleasant, lugerpj@gunet.georgetown.edu
I admit I haven't seen the poster advertising Adam Sandler's new movie. I
assume the character's backs are to the public as they simulate urination in the photo.
It's a comedy! It's a young dad and his young kid! It's not like they're shooting cats!
This is exactly the reason the House of Representatives failed to get anywhere close to
passing legislation this week that would restrict minors' access to violence and sex in
books, magazines, video games and other mass media. It's the common, and true, argument
that once you violate a right (in this case, the First Amendment), it's a slippery slope
to taking everything away. And, I don't believe people commute by car to avoid Metro ads
they may find offensive. There is plenty of offensive stuff to see on the road and on the
side of the road while driving into DC.
###############
Metro Poster Advertising
Bill Adler, badler@csi.com
Regarding Patrick Shaughness's comments about the advertisement in Metro
for the movie “Big Daddy:” Somebody must have been asleep at the wheel at Metro.
I completely agree with Mr. Shaughness: You don't have to be a prude to think that an
commercial advertisement depicting a man and boy urinating against a wall is in poor
taste. Metro should yank the advertisement. I've also written Metro, expressing my
feelings about their bad judgment.
###############
I too saw the “Big Daddy” poster in the metro. I really couldn't
imagine what the message was supposed to be, so I thought, “Is that supposed to be
how men bond?” I instantly decided that that was one movie I would definitely not
see. In my mind these ads are counterproductive.
###############
Prude or not, it's just a tasteless poster. I agree that “ad crosses
too many lines involving good taste, public order and even gender sensitivity.” But I
don't think Metro is a location requiring a much higher quality of advertising than
anywhere else. Maybe it's the years in the New York subway system that have inured me.
###############
DCPS Car Licensing Question Answered Long Ago
Kathy Sinzinger, The Common Denominator, EditorCD@aol.com
Item in The Common Denominator, Sept. 7, 1998: “We were
surprised to see a marked D.C. Public Schools police car being driven through the city in
the wee hours of a recent Sunday night, but not quite as surprised as the control board
staffer to whom we inquired about the Virginia license tags on the car. 'What?!' he
blurted. Apparently, the city contract requires the security company to mark the cars but
is silent on their licensing (i.e., 'taxpaying') requirements.”
Hope this helps answer the question.
###############
Blue Light Special
Mark Eckenwiler, eck@panix.com
In the last issue, Gary cheekily suggests, “If the police are
ignoring you, and not responding in adequate numbers, curse a cop and you'll soon be
drowning in blue shirts.” Actually, a reporter friend of mine from NYC once seriously
suggested that the best way to draw a police presence is to call 911 and report that a cop
is in trouble. You'd be amazed how many blue brethren and sisters (cistern?) show up.
N.B. Actually following my friend's advice might have bad consequences for
anyone who lacks a Really Good Excuse. Use only as directed; keep out of reach of
children.
###############
Some encouraging news regarding response time from DPW to service
requests. Last week I sent them an e-mail about an especially unsightly lot adjacent to
the Takoma Metro stop. Linda Grant responded in a day or so, and a day later the mess was
cleaned up. I had a similar experience when I placed an earlier request for grass cutting
in a park near my house, though a request for a trash can near the Metro stop is still
pending. On the down side, I sent a constituent's request to Phil Mendelson two weeks ago
but, to date, have not even had an acknowledgment of its receipt. That surprises me more
than the rapid turnaround at DPW.
###############
Good News at the DMV
Anna Marie Wrin, awrin@grains.org
Ernest changed his license and got the permit parking sticker this morning
... all in about 20 minutes! And I thought there was no such thing as a miracle.
###############
A comment by a friend made me wonder of there are any youth baseball
leagues in Washington, DC. Specifically, any t-ball teams. I have never seen kids playing
baseball in the District. Have they all switched to soccer or am I just not looking at the
right parks? I am really just curious. Any information on this would be welcome.
###############
DC in 2010: Essay Contest for High Schoolers
Job L Dittberner, Jobotto@hotmail.com
“Washington DC in 2010” is the theme of an essay contest for
high schoolers in the DC metropolitan area being organized by the National Association to
Restore Pride in America's Capital (NARPAC). The purpose is to get young people — and
their parents — thinking about the kind of city, regional hub, and national capital
DC can and should become in the coming decade. We are ready to launch the contest in
September with a January 31 deadline. There will be cash prizes, presentation of awards by
a metro leader, and (hopefully) media events. We would like to increase the value and
number of prizes for the winners and are looking for co-sponsors, partners, and/or donors
to supplement the cash awards NARPAC can afford to offer and to cover some organizational
expenses as well. If any of you readers of themail have ideas and suggestions, please
contact me at the above email address. Thanks in advance.
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
For Rent, Brookland/CUA area
Lisa Jokes, LBJokes@aol.com
English basement apartment available in July — $500, utilities
included. One bedroom, kitchen, living room, full bath. Private front/back entrance. Near
Catholic University, Trinity College, and Children's Hospital. Access to cross-town buses
and Brookland Metro. Contact Lisa LBJokes@aol.com
###############
themail@dcwatch is an E-mail discussion forum that is published every
Wednesday and Sunday. To subscribe, to change E-mail addresses, or to switch between HTML
and plain text versions of themail, use the subscription form at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/subscribe.htm
. To unsubscribe, send an E-mail message to themail@dcwatch.com
with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Archives of past messages are available
at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail .
All postings should also be submitted to themail@dcwatch.com , and should be about life,
government, or politics in the District of Columbia in one way or another. All postings
must be signed in order to be printed, and messages should be reasonably short — one
or two brief paragraphs would be ideal — so that as many messages as possible can be
put into each mailing.
