The Ho-Hum Season Is Upon Us
Dear Electors:
The primary election is just over a month away, and there has been almost
no news about the races and little excitement about them. Let's inform each other, at
least. For the next month, please let other readers of themail know about your most or
least favorite candidates. Tell us how to vote, and why we should vote that way. DCWatch
will be publishing any campaign materials we find for any candidate — the links are
at http://www.dcwatch.com/election2000
— but this year there has been almost no campaign literature, even from incumbent
Councilmembers with plenty of money to spend on their races. If you find any, let us know.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Community Garden and “Development”
David Pansegrouw, dpansegrouw@atpco.net
Good thing in my area of Columbia Heights (southeast corner) — the
Gethsemane Community Garden (on Euclid near 13th Street, behind the Amoco) is doing well,
even some red tomatoes! My family is very much enjoying having a garden plot this year;
our four-year-old is learning a bit. The lot is for sale but so far I have not heard of
any imminent sale. Hopefully the garden will continue next year.
Hassle — 1101 Euclid Street, NW, an unoccupied (other than
prostitutes, tricks and crack heads) multi-unit apartment building. The building has been
unoccupied for over two years now. It is a regular spot for illegal dumping as well as the
aforementioned folks, prostitutes, tricks, crack heads. Getting any help from anybody in
the city government is like getting water from a rock. Previously the building was managed
by Carson Reality and owned by a Mr. Banks of Banks Welding. Neither seemed to have much
interest in anything but milking out what rent money they could from the tenants. Both
were repeatedly extremely belligerent to people in the neighborhood, and they watched the
building slowly deteriorate. Finally, the building was closed for electric violations and
recently ownership of the building has changed to Mr. Foote of Foote's Plumbing. It seems
he is from the same school as the previous owners. Mr. Foote's response to complaints
about trash is pure belligerence ( he cussed me and hung up), all the while telling people
like Mr. Jim Graham that he will put up a fence and that he is going to develop the
property. Meanwhile demolition work goes on sporadically in the building with no visible
permits to be seen. A few of us in the area have been complaining to a variety of city
agencies and Mr. Graham's office with very little, if any, result.
At this point I am curious if any reader has any experience with
litigation against nuisance properties and can offer any pointers. It is clear to me that
the people in charge are content with the current situation, and I have run out of ideas
on how to change that contentedness.
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DC Marketing Center
Phil Mendelson, Phmendel@aol.com
Daniel Turner recently asked what we think about his being contacted by
the DC Marketing Center, which is surveying business owners and promising “a tailored
and rapid response to your firm's needs and concerns.” I think this is great. I
understand his skepticism, but what this is about is that the D.C. government is FINALLY
doing something about business retention. Other cities, with good economic development
offices, make a point of contacting businesses to learn of problems and concerns. Often
times there are relatively simple things that can be done in response — like breaking
a bureaucratic logjam, working with an on-site traffic problem, just providing answers,
etc. Not only does this help the business, but it engenders a sense that the city cares
and can be responsive. For as long as I can remember, D.C. has not done this, and we have
stood by watching as businesses leave for one of the neighboring counties.
I recently attended my high school reunion and had a long talk with the
economic development director for Solon, Ohio, about this type of business
retention/recruitment strategy. It seems to me that if Solon, Ohio, can do this, so too
can Washington, D.C.
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Citywide Call Center: Threat or Menace?
Mark Eckenwiler, eck@panix.com
Gary Imhoff recently inquired about others' experiences with 727-1000, the
Mayor's citywide service request line. I consider it a symptom of improved government
service, but not an actual improvement itself. As Gary notes, the operators refuse to give
out numbers for specific city offices and agencies, which is exactly the info one needs to
apply pressure to/nag ruthlessly/promote accountability among city employees. If a problem
isn't resolved after a call to 727-1000, I won't waste my time calling it again, and I'd
rather not drag my Councilmember's office into things every time a pothole/traffic signal
isn't being repaired. Those interested in a current list of key phone numbers can consult http://www.panix.com/~eck/dcphones for
direct access to various city agencies. (Caveat: some parts are very Ward
6-centric.) I welcome suggestions for additional or corrected listings.
[DCWatch also maintains a list of DC Government and other useful telephone
numbers at http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/telephon.htm, and we also welcome additions and
corrections when you find them. — Gary Imhoff]
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Who’s in it for Kids? Voter’s Guide on
Children’s Issues
Susie Cambria, scambria@dckids.org
DC Action for Children is publishing (August 14) a voter's guide on issues
relating to children, youth and families. The focus is on the City Council races although
other races are mentioned. The guide will include responses to survey questions, data
about children, other questions to ask, and general information about voting in the
District. Call 234-9404 or E-mail to request a free copy. (Copies may be photocopied and
distributed).
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Is There a Law About Having Sidewalks?
Kirsten Sherk, ksherk@yahoo.com
Good question. I was on the very same stretch on Saturday night, and
wondered what it was like when that stretch of road was busy? (It was late when I was
there, so there wasn't much traffic.) Not only is public safety a factor, I felt bad
trooping through people's yards to visit my friends, and my feet were soaked by the dew by
the time I got there!
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Susan Bahcall asked if property owners must provide sidewalks. As I
recall, DC law has always regarded sidewalks a benefit to the owner. If the owner wants
one they have to pay, but its a one time only charge. If the owner paid for a sidewalk in
1893, for example, DC will keep replacing it forever. What we need is a pedestrian policy
that provides street improvements where needed and is not dependent on this antiquated and
patch quilt approach.
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themail's readers don't have to go far to experience a refreshing vacation
from the mindless waste we practice in the DC government. In a visit to Arlington County
this morning, I had an experience that made me feel like I had entered a whole new world.
I had asked for a copy of a certain plan that was of interest to me. The planner took a
few pages out of a loose-leaf notebook and stepped over to a nearby copy machine. After a
moment she said, this machine is not doing two-sided copies today. I'll need to run down
the hall — which she proceeded to do before I could offer to read them on the spot.
Contrast this with the attitude at the DC One-Stop Employment Center on
North Capitol Street, where job hunters print out enough unwanted pages each day to fill
my briefcase (and I only take home for recycling those that have not been scrunched up
into a ball or torn to shreds). Yesterday, I suggested to the fellow who seems to be in
charge of the computer lab that he re-use the nearly two inches of paper I had collected
— most of it with little printing on either side — by placing it in the lower
tray and making sure the lab's clients knew they had an option to use recycled paper if
they wanted. “Since most of us are just printing out job announcements rather than
our resumes most of the time, I bet that would save you a lot of paper,” I said. He
looked at me as if I were crazy and said that MOST clients would not tolerate that.
According to the Rainforest Action Network, the average American office
worker is estimated to dispose of 100-200 pounds of paper per person every year —
equivalent to 300-600 pounds of trees. In fact, forests are cut primarily to produce paper
products and lumber in roughly equal volumes, although the former is growing faster. The
world consumes five times more paper now than in 1950.
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Our beautiful National Mall is in danger. Plans for a World War II
Memorial — percolating for years — are now steamrolling ahead. But in the path
of the political steam roller is our beautiful National Mall. In actions behind closed
doors, and with very little publicity or public input, the American Battle Monuments
Commission decided that this memorial would be placed not in Constitution Gardens, which
had been agreed upon, but right in the middle of our National Mall.
The plan is to dig up the Rainbow Pool, sink a huge marble plaza and
fountains six feet below ground level, surrounded by 54 marble pillars and two
“gates” that are as high as a four story building. This memorial is without
content. And without soul. In a terrible irony, it is reminiscent of the Fascist
architecture of Mussolini and Hitler. This plan took only 16 days from formal introduction
of the Rainbow Pool site to get final approval — without public input — by both
the Commission of Fine Arts (CBA) and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).
This took place in 1995. But did you ever hear about it?
What you can do: Don't let this happen. The National Coalition to Save Our
Mall is fighting this. Legal action is being prepared. A significant part of that action
is that the Section 106 Review process was not done properly and PRIOR to the selection of
the site (as required by law) before granting approvals. Part of the Section 106 Review
process requires getting a recommendation from the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation (ACHP). The ACHP Board says that it first wants to hear detailed testimony in
opposition from the public before any recommendation is made. The ACHP hearing will be
held on August 28, 2000. We are requested to send a copy of our comments in advance to Mr.
John M. Fowler, Executive Director, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, The Old
Post Office Building, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, #809, Washington, DC 20004. Stand up
and protect our National Mall. Leave this perfect space as it is — perfect. I'll give
up more information as to the time and location as soon as I get it.
For further information: The National Coalition to Save the Mall, 9507
Overlea Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, 301-340-3938, 301-340-3947 (fax), Judy Scott
Feldman, Chairman. Check the dates of future hearings. Be there. Testify. Save the
historic and perfect stretch of Mall from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.
A Memorial honoring the veterans of World War II is a fine idea. But not in the middle of
the National Mall. Don't let them dig it up!
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Okay, I started the latest round of doggie doings, so let me scratch a few
fleas. First, a bouquet to Gaelyn Davidson for her helpful offer of a spare baggie to
owners who “forget” to bring their own. Alas, forgetfulness has little to do
with what I observe. What I see are yupster kids who have indulged themselves with the
biggest beast they can find, imprison it in a tiny city apartment all day, and then are
“annoyed” if it takes more than five minutes to sniff, poop and head for home.
These animal “lovers” are actually cruelly self-indulgent and shameless. Second,
Wille Schatz has the environmentally proper idea of digging a hole with a small trowel and
burying the mess. Sounds reasonable. But if a hole were dug in our yard for every dog that
does a number on it, it would soon look like gopher heaven. Is that not-in-my-yard? Maybe.
But the bottom line is, it's your dog, so either clean up the mess or keep it in your
territory. I favor not owning animals at all unless you are prepared to go the extra mile
and treat them with the kindness dependent creatures deserve, which means bagging their
poop, however odoriferous it may be.
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Mini-Grants for Community Greening Project
Judy Tiger, Grow19@aol.com
Garden Resources of Washington (GROW) has mini-grants available for up to
$1,000 for community greening projects located in Washington, D.C. Eligible projects
include community garden renovations, new gardens, tree plantings, and environmental
education projects. Funds are available to schools, community gardens, neighborhood
organizations, youth groups, civic associations, schools, churches, and other
organizations that have a greening project in mind and can complete it during this coming
Fall. Applications are due September 13th for projects that must be completed by November
20th. Applications and further information can be obtained by calling 234-0591 or by
attending one of three grant information workshops at the GROW office at 1419 V Street NW
(two blocks from the U St./Cardozo Metro stop) on Saturday, August 12th at 9:30 am;
Monday, August 14th at 6:30 pm; and Tuesday, August 15th at 6:30 pm.
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Actually, legend has it that the advertising execs that originally dreamed
up “Mr. Clean” were concerned that husbands might feel threatened by a product
pitched to their wives by a man. So they chose to characterize him as a eunuch to ease
their masculine minds while they were away at work and their wives busily cleaned house
accompanied by Mr. Clean. This accounts for the harem style clothing, bald head and
earring. No need to worry, this man cannot compete in the virility category. Mrs. Clean
would be the one husbands might want to keep an eye on.
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The City’s Future — It’s Hidden in
the Budget
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net
Is the Mayor following up on neighborhood inputs? Do his agencies have
challenging performance goals? Is the 300-lb gorilla getting bigger? How fast is the DC
payroll growing? Whatever happened to benchmarking? The largely disappointing details are
available in the August update of the NARPAC web site at http://www.narpac.org.
Numerologists welcome.
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CLASSIFIEDS — CITY PAPER PREVIEW
Dave Nuttycombe, webmeister@washcp.com
From washingtoncitypaper.com's LOOSE LIPS column, appearing this Friday:
WARD 7'S “MISSING” COUNCILMEMBER: The savviest members of the D.C. Council have
learned how to spend minimal time on the job while still grabbing headlines. This
particular art form was the centerpiece exhibit at One Judiciary Square last Wednesday,
where Ward 7 Councilmember Kevin Chavous was holding a hearing of his Committee on
Education, Libraries and Recreation. On an otherwise newsless day, Chavous lectured
Department of Parks and Recreation Director Robert Newman on a summer full of fiascoes
that turned baseball fields into hay fields and deepened the cynicism of D.C. residents
toward city hall.
“What we want to see are results,” chanted the councilmember.
It didn't get much tougher than that. The hastily called hearing was notable not for
anything that Chavous or Newman said. Rather, the key was who showed up to watch: every
last member of the D.C. media who didn't happen to be spending the week in Philadelphia.
Read the entire Loose Lips column here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/lips/lips.html
From washingtoncitypaper.com's CITY LIGHTS page, here are a few early
warnings for upcoming events:
FRIDAY: The Grandsons, with the Stateside Steel Band, 7 p.m. at the State Theater, 220 N.
Washington St., Falls Church. $10.
AUG. 15 & 22: The Films of Will Rogers, with musical accompaniment by organist Ray
Brubacher. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, and Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the Library of Congress'
Pickford Theater, 101 Independence Ave. SE. Free.
More details and more critics' picks are available online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/pix/pix.html
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Sunday, August 27th from 7 pm on, at the DC Arts Center on Eighteenth
Street just south of Columbia Road. Music, food, drinks, spoken word poetry and lots of
fun. Featuring local bands — Vice Versa and a jazz group. $10 donation at the door,
or $15 to buy a T-shirt along with entry. Hope to see you all there, Robin, Susie and
Nijole, editors of The Wash. The Wash is Washington's free art journal; check any coffee
shop in Adams Morgan, 14th Street between P and U, U Street, Cleveland Park, or
Georgetown. Other places have it too, but we can't guarantee them. Always findable in
Tryst. Hope to see you all there, Robin, Susie and Nijole, editors of The Wash.
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DC Council Hearing on DC Emancipation Day
Malcolm L. Wiseman Jr., wiseman@us.net
The DC Council is asking citizens to offer testimony on the proposed
legislation to make DC Emancipation Day an event annually celebrated on April 16th. The
hearings will take place at the council chamber on October 19 at 10 a.m. The event has
been organized and observed for the last several years to highlight our status as
“the first freed, last free.” On April 16, 1862, slavery was abolished in DC,
nine months prior to the official proclamation on January 1, 1863. Yet DC citizens still
suffer under an oppressive yoke, that of continued disenfranchisement and congressional
paternalism.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Tables, chairs, TV, lamps, box fans, rugs, adult clothing, household
goods, kitchenware, sporting and camping goods, loads of books, vacuum cleaners, two
dot-matrix printers, computer cables, and many free items. 1310 South Carolina Avenue, SE
(13th and C SE), Saturday, August 12, 8 am - 1 pm.
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EPICA (a DC-based non-profit) is selling a donated Brian Hinde Sailboard
with 15 foot mast and sail for $400 o.n.o. The windsurfer is in very good condition.
Please call 332-0292 and ask to speak to Zoila to come and view the board.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING
Basement Apartment for Rent
Andrea Carlson, BintaGay@aol.com
One bedroom basement apartment in Chevy Chase with separate entrance,
close to shopping and restaurants, 15-minute walk to Metro. Non-smoker, no pets.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HELP WANTED AND VOLUNTEERS
We seek a caring and reliable individual to provide after-school care at
our home for our seven-year-old son beginning in September. The position is part-time
— Mondays 1:30-5:30, Tuesday-Thursday 3:30-5:30 pm. Some scheduling flexibility would
be appreciated and additional hours are also possible, if desired. Our home is located in
Northwest DC, near Tenley and Friendship Metros. Good English is essential, own car
preferred, and maturity and creativity in dealing with young children a big plus.
Competitive pay. If interested, please contact at 686-1759.
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Prevent Child Abuse
Norah Lovato, pcamw@juno.com
If you are looking for an interesting and fulfilling way to spend some
free time and meet new people, please contact Prevent Child Abuse of Metropolitan
Washington (PCA/MW). We are seeking volunteers to staff the Crisis and Family Stress
Hotline and the PhoneFriend Supportline for children. Training is provided in telephone
counseling, communication, and crisis intervention skills. Next training begins in
September. Call PCA/MW at 223-0020 for more information and to receive an application.
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