Comments on: New Parks Director: Ximena Hartsock

By: Fenty Names New Interim Head of Parks and Rec - City Desk - Washington City Paper

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:01:18 +0000

[...] is a Fenty favorite and was hastily placed at the top of DPR in April following the summary dismissal of Clark Ray. The council declined to confirm her appointment in large part because of its frustrations with the [...]

By: Wally

Wally — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:45:15 +0000

#26 you are wrong to say the dog park costs 80,000. The friggen real estate is worth a fortune and LIMITED.

A Ten Year leas on the park that was changed into a dog park would be worth millions -- and unlike a children playground where ANYONE can sit and eat lunch, the dog parks are exclusive to dog owners because of the stink.

The city spends MORE resources on a given dog park than a kids/general use park when you divide the potential users to REAL costs such as limited real estate and upkeep.

By: People Talking

People Talking — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:22:30 +0000

"She's a hard worker"

By: People Talking

People Talking — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:21:11 +0000

I will say that it is unfortunate that employees are dismissed, especially when they feel that the dismissal was unjustly done.

However, as to Dr. Hartsock, I will say that she is an excellent administrator and charismatic leader. Knowing Dr. Hartsock for a while, and even having her as an administrator, I am confident that she will be dedicated to DPR and the city through her service. I am not one that is big on exalting people, but I can not disregard how dedicated Dr. Hartsock is to her job and, most importantly, her staff. He's a hard worker, and she makes sure that things are getting done. She works with urgency, and further requires the same from her staff.

DPR you have an effective leader. Good luck!

By: Whatever

Whatever — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:04:39 +0000

Ximena Hartsock and her merry band of what they call a transition team are a joke! What can she offer DC Parks and Recreation when she is a Principal that ran a Public School on Dupont Circle, whoopie! She has a PhD in education, that rhymes with the word recreation but does not make her qualified for the job. Great Ximena and her transistion team are arrogant, condescending and rude! I am a recently terminated MSS employee by Ximena and company who was discounted, dicredited, and not even given an opportunity to show what I can do as a middle manager. The great Ximena and team have decided that tenured, seasoned, mature employees are not worthy to keep their positions. Can anyone say the word omnipotent, Ximena the great! If it sounds like I am taking this personal, I am! Ximena, you stay in tune with that clown, Adrian Fenty, because Dr. Hartsock you too are not the end all, be all. Well, great Ximena, I am going to make sure you DO NOT become the director of Parks and Recreation. GO BACK TO DCPS AND STAY IN ARLINGTON!

By: Bancroft Teacher

Bancroft Teacher — Sun, 03 May 2009 01:52:39 +0000

Dr. Hartsock was a principal a few years ago, for the past two years she has been in Michelle Rhee's team. People that know her understand why she was picked. She is the hardest worker person I've known. She has a gift of inspiring people to work hard and she is very bright. She isn't at fault of this mess. Fenty picked her, like Rhee did because they know she'll do all she can to make it work. Don't confuse her with witch Rhee. Dr. Hartsock is genuine, generous, and works like a machine. I am not defending the abrupt change but I am defending her because she deserves it.

By: You're just wrong...

You're just wrong... — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:57:12 +0000

"DC Parks Department has been spending more money on “dog parks” then on recreation for the city’s kids."

A typical dog park might cost $80,000, a typical playground might cost $800,000. Also, dog owners are required to maintain dog parks out of their pocket while DPR maintains playgrounds. Look at the contracts and see.

By: Washingtonian

Washingtonian — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:18:32 +0000

Recretion and Leisure Studies is a profession in which one can acquire a degree. When is someone going to recognize that and put someone in with the requisite skills and abilities to make the agency the premiere one it once was in the country? You say you want/need activities for our youth but the focus is on dogs and catering to Fenty. A school principal? What does she bring to this field that will make it work? When was the last time a DCPR director had a Recreation background?

By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 02 May 2009 03:46:03 +0000

Ray left DPR in a mess. I heard rumors of staff being fed up with Clark's bad management. Besides Clark, Thomas and Neil Rogers should respond to DPR's crisis. Thomas was very close to Clark in the beginning and used him to build political power against Fenty. Rogers' former experience in DPR allowed Thomas to have the right information against Clark. Lots of dirt will come out now that Clark is gone, we should try to see how things unveil instead looking for ways to save
Clark. DPR is not a good agency, it is a shame of an agency. Let's be real and not fool ourselves.

By: Local

Local — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:41:30 +0000

In my neighborhood the DC Parks Department has been spending more money on "dog parks" then on recreation for the city's kids.
We have a rusting playground, and a new tax payer funded dog park being constructed where there was once a nice area to sit and relax at lunch. Now it is exclusive use for dog owners as a city funded toilet.
As far as I am concerned supporting or kowtowing to single interest groups that take exclusive use of city land and funds makes Clarke Ray exactly the type of manager who should be replaced.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:58:07 +0000

Got to say that the quality of summer programs had declined drastically in the past two years...to the point that I and many of my friends had opted NOT to register our children. Sure they were inexpensive, but silly me, I thought a tennis camp ought to involve learning how to play tennis, etc.

By: Amused

Amused — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:49:09 +0000

So I just received the latest edition of the Current Newspaper - the front cover photo is of a soccer program sponored by the Department of Recreation, a story on the opening of the Cap City Little League and the field improvments with a photo of Clark Ray, players and others, and page three there is an article on renovation work beginning at Guy Mason.........was this guy not really doing his job?

By: Observer

Observer — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:49:00 +0000

"...grass was cut, fields were maintained"
And let's be clear just how fucked up DPR was. Here's an example- Only a few years back not only did DPR not maintain fields but users would actually plead with DPR to be allowed to maintain the fields themselves- out of their own time and pocket. They'd spend thousands of dollars maintaining a city asset that they would then pay to use. And the lucky ones got their wishes.
What a racket.
Clark put an end to that.

By: Fred

Fred — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:52:47 +0000

# Jason Cherkis Says:
April 21st, 2009 at 12:24 pm

I think AJDC pretty much answered your question Fred. Agency directors also get points in D.C. for what they don’t do. Ray wasn’t involved in any accounting scandals. That counts for something!

+++

Excellent point. But should we add a "yet" there? No, no. Seriously, good point.

AJDC, thanks for responding. I just wanted to know.

By: Conrad

Conrad — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:13:50 +0000

Does the Sports Alliance know they hired him??