Friday, October 28, 2011

Time keeps on ticking...

We've seen political signs swirling around already--campaign signs, activity on Twitter, interviews, candidate declarations.  However, the real season starts in less than three weeks when petitions hit the street.  Monday, November 14 candidates may pick up petitions for the Ward races from the DC Board of Election.  This marks 144 days before the election. 
Please be kind & sign.  However, don't be pressured.  We live in a democracy true enough.  Let's not, though, clog up our electoral process with tomfoolery.  (I think we know who the always-runs are.)

To help us civic activists keep track of key dates in DCision 2012 here's a handy list of the electoral calendar BOEE DeadlinesDISCLAIMER: This document has not been authorized by the DC Board of Elections and Ethics, candidate, or candidate's committee. 

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

LISTEN TO ME!!! PART DEUX

From Commissioner Brown:

An update on the public space violation at 4908 Jay Street NE as provided by DC Dept. of Transportation. 

I understand there is a fine line government aides have to walk--give the resident too much detail and overburden with information or just do the work and get the results to the resident.   I've been there.   There is a level of trust, though, inherent in government operations.   I, generally, trust my government.  However, periodic communication doesn't hurt.  In fact it's a critical piece in relationship building.  Periodic communication also helps the staff not get thrown under the bus.


On Wed, Oct 26, 2011 at 12:18 PM, Lisle, John (DDOT) wrote:
Commissioner Brown,
I know it hasn’t looked like it, but our inspectors report they have been working on this issue for several weeks now, writing citations and communicating with the seller of the property and the utility companies who apparently did the work. That effort is still underway – and as you know has not yielded the desired result - so today the inspectors solicited the help of Street and Bridge Maintenance to temporarily repair the roadway and make it safe.

Attached are photos of the work performed at the site today.

Thank you for your perseverance and your patience.
John

BEFORE 4908 Jay St NE

DDOT Street & Bridge Maintenance mitigating
4908 Jay St. NE public space violation

ERFSC Community Meeting October 26, 2011

COMMUNITY MEETING

Ward 7 Workforce Trends
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Marshall Heights Community Development Organization
3939 Benning Road NE
Minnesota Avenue Metro | U2/U5/U6/U8/V7/V8
Presenters:
Ward 8 Workforce Council | Operation Hope |
US Department of Labor
 
For more information, contact Chynna Haughton chaughton@erfsc.org or 202-397-7300, ext. 116
 
 

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

LISTEN TO ME!!!

We've emailed, tweeted, reported to 311 and the Office of Neighborhood Engagement, cajoled, and prodded.  What's happened?  NOTHING!!  The public space violation at 4908 Jay Street NE is STILL there & has now attracted illegal dumping.  What does it take to get this cleaned up after nearly two months??? 

A stop work order issued on September 12 by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).  Instead of trusting that the DCRA inspector would inform the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the District Department of the Environment, there should be a check-off/prompt automatically within the stop work order process to initiate fines and a removal period.  It is inefficient and redundant to require residents to hope there was verbal communication within the agencies or to generate a complaint. 

City unresponsiveness breeds cynicism in and distrust of government in residents.  City unresponsiveness breeds boldness in construction companies, litterers, and others to blatantly disrespect Deanwood and the city.  I'm sick of it! 

4908 Jay St. NE


 

Monday, October 24, 2011

JOB OPPORTUNITIES: Money, Money, Monaaay!!

ONE CITY, ONE HIRE
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Any issues or questions, please call 202-698-4781.
Department of Employment Services
4058 Minnesota Ave. NE Community Room | Minnesota Avenue Metro, A31/U2/U5/U6/U8/V7/V8/X1/X2/X3/X9

Shift Supervisor | Assistant Store Manager | Store Manager Positions Available
Step 1 - Apply On-Line: www.riteaid.com/careers/

Step 2:  Register http://onecityonehire.org/prescreening/ and select EVENT TYPE “RITE AID”.

Shift Supervisor​ Positions Available
Step 1: Apply On-Line: http://info.cvscaremark.com/careers
Step 2:  Register http://onecityonehire.org/prescreening/ and select EVENT TYPE “CVS”.

Crew | Kitchen Prep | Apprentice | General Manager Positions Available
Step 1: Register http://onecityonehire.org/prescreening/ and select EVENT TYPE “Z Burger”.
Step 2: You’ll be contacted via email with your appointment time slot.

Courtesy Clerk |Seafood Clerk | Bakery Clerk | Night Stocker | Service Clerk/Deli | Floral Clerk | Food Clerk/Checker
Step 2: Register: http://onecityonehire.org/prescreening/ and select EVENT TYPE “SAFEWAY”.


Thursday, October 13, 2011

Vision and placemaking...

Friend and fellow East of the River blogger Nikki Peele made an astute obeservation a few days ago--women in the community are leading (and blogging) the transformation of DC's neighborhoods.  Think about it, there are JD Land, Life in the Village, Congress Heights on the Rise, and The Brightwoodian to name a few.  Yet as I discovered thanks to a Real Estate Bisnow post "The Key to Cities" men are at the table "making" the plans.  According to the featured post, economic development planning should be about women and, incidentally, that woman-centered vision is about placemaking and smart growth

A leading voice on placemaking Project for Public Spaces describes the concept as breaking "through [institutionalization] by showing [developers] planners, designers, and engineers how to move beyond their habit of looking at communities through the narrow lens of single-minded goals or rigid professional disciplines."

This finding is shockingly clear in the development landscape in Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7C (and north Ward 7).  In testimony about extending the disposition agreements on three critical north Ward 7 parcels 7C04 Commissioner Sylvia C. Brown asked about the development teams' visions and efforts "to create a sense of place—enlivening streetscapes, engaging current community members, and getting future residents excited about the developments' and surrounding communities' potential."  The question was discounted.  (With only one woman among the development team members is there a correlation???) 

New buildings don't magically make blight disappear.  New buildings don't magically reduce crime.  New buildings don't magically produce an improved quality of life. Vision does

PROACTIVE vision does.

Proactive, progressive vision with a real commitment to the broader community's bottom line does.

DC Council Ward 7 Land Disposition Hearing... Commissioner Brown's testimony starts at 4:25.  The exchange with Chairman Brown is at 11:37.