Fenty Community Relations Chief Resigns
A dispute within the administration of Mayor Adrian Fenty about regulatory enforcement has led to the departure of the city’s leading official for constituent services. Merrit Drucker, director of community relations and services, submitted his resignation March 21 and will leave the government on Friday, according to Drucker.
Drucker ran an office that follows up on complaints from residents on neighborhood problems and breakdowns in city services. He earned a reputation as an energetic go-getter as Mayor Anthony A. Willliams‘ clean city coordinator. Fenty’s appointment of Drucker to the community-services post was seen as a step up for the hard-driving manager.
During his brief tenure, Drucker championed the use of an aggressive city code enforcement regimen called Operation Fight Back, a multi-agency regulatory sweep first instituted by Williams in 2003. It seemed like an approach custom-made for Fenty, who has long been a stickler for using government tools to tackle quality-of-life problems.
But not everyone was happy with the hard-line approach, including some business owners and Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham.
When asked whether the lack of backing for his regulatory posture played a role in his decision to leave his post, Drucker replied, “Yes. I think I’ll just leave it at that.”
Another sticking point relates to Drucker’s work space. According to sources, Fenty ordered Drucker’s eight ward outreach coordinators to centralize their activities in Fenty’s “bullpen” at the John A. Wilson Building. Drucker wanted them to remain in the field, as they’d been under Williams.
Drucker says he mostly ignored the petty squabbling that is part of the D.C. government landscape. “I tried to stay out of the politics the best I could,” he says, but wouldn’t elaborate.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
This is worrisome.
March 29th, 2007 at 12:52 am
This is insane! Quiet as kept, Drucker was part of Fenty’s driving force to deliver responsive constituent services to Ward 4 residents when Drucker was the Ward 4 Services coordinator under Mayor Williams during Fenty’s first term. Drucker was so good at his job that Mayor Williams promoted him to Clean City Coordinator, and Fenty thought so much of him that he made him Director of his newly created office of Community Relations and Services. This new office was a hybrid of Williams’ Community Outreach and Neighborhood Services offices (a bad idea). If things have deteriorated to the point that Fenty accepted the resignation of someone as valued as Drucker no one is safe, and there’s something rotten in Denmark.
March 29th, 2007 at 6:55 am
Merrit is the pinnacle of service at D.C. Goverment. Those who know him black and white support his good work. I am a big support of Adrian but this does not speak well if someone like Merrit cannot find the support to do his job. He is all about the job. And some sleazy like Jim Graham can affect someone job. Merrit is also credited for those who know for being the ear in the administation and the hands that did the work that gave Adrian that custituent service king title. Merrit will be missed.
March 29th, 2007 at 11:26 am
If anyone could get something done it was Merrit Drucker - more has been accomplished and as a resident his results are noticed. The Office of Neighborhood Services and the Core Team held agencies accountable.
Mr Drucker’s decision of have the NSC’s in the field was correct. How else could they see what needed corrected or followup on work not done.
If only Mr Graham would work as hard - instead of dreaming up more “SMOKE SCREENS” this city could be a “MODEL CITY” not the laughing stock of the world!
Mr Grey, time to reconsider who chairs what! We must begin to make things work again with decency, democracy and fairness.
March 29th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Merrit was the best! How can Mayor Fenty sleep at night, knowing Merrit is no longer with DC Gov’t. He was the best NSC and Clean City Coor. ever hired. Merrit u will be missed.
March 29th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Only the first of those who push too hard and too fast to fall. Principled or brave people on the front lines run that risk. The admin needs to protect its own or lose its reformer cred.
March 29th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
When will Ward One residents realize that Jim Graham talks out of both sides of his mouth? One day he’s all over the City for not enforcing and the next day he tells them to back off. He is the most self-serving politician the City has seen and residents of Ward One should wake up.
Its one thing if Graham’s staff leave in droves, but when he starts driving out hard working and dedicated employees witha reputation for getting things done, than the one that needs to go is Graham.
Wake up Ward One: The only resident Jim Graham cares about is Jim Graham.
March 30th, 2007 at 8:50 am
I am a big Mayor Fenty supporter every since his days as Council Committee member…he always asked the hard and pertinent questions and read through the BS…however I am questioning allowing a true hard working and dedicated individual I know Merritt Drucker to be. Mr. Drucker probably does not remeber me, our paths crossed during a management program we both attended. I was so impressed by his passion, zeal and dedication to his profession. I usually don’t respond to polictal going ons but this matter has me baffled….Mr. Drucker is the type of energtic and resourceful individual that I felt was an excellent choice for the job….Jim Graham…I don’t know when the folks in Ward One is going to say enough is enough…
March 30th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Oh by the way I am a life-long DC resident
March 30th, 2007 at 11:50 am
As a Ward Eight resident and also working in Ward Eight I am appalled at this action. As a property manager who has been working with the Ward Eight Core Team for the past three years with a large group of property managers and owners within Ward Eight whose focus has been to do development and training to provide a better quality of life for their apartment community. This group has partnered with the Ward Eight Core Team and the US Attorney’s Office to make changes through partnerships within Ward Eight Core Team that is housed within the ward. Mr. Drucker provided great support for us in our continued efforts to maintain a better quality of life for our residents.
April 4th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
[...] Loose Lips: James Jones does an interview with ex-community services head Merrit Drucker. What he has to say about the supposedly services-friendly Adrian Fenty may surprise [...]
May 1st, 2007 at 6:05 am
This is sad and a huge loss for the city government. The improvements we saw in our area of Ward 4 were not due solely to then-Councilmember Fenty’s work. Rather, the improvements we have seen in the heart of Ward 4 were due to Merritt Drucker’s hard work and dedication to this area, and to the entire city. Mr. Drucker was the first to respond to our concerns, offer practical advice for improving our neighborhood, and coordinate the help that we needed. He was doing this long before Fenty stepped into the picture, and continued to do it for long after Fenty lost interest and moved on to his mayoral campaign. I only hope that Mr. Drucker can continue to serve our city in some capacity - we need him now more than ever!