Comments on: Deputy Mayor Not Happy With Council Budget Moves

By: Fire Brass Likes Parking in Front of Hydrant - City Desk - Washington City Paper

Fire Brass Likes Parking in Front of Hydrant - City Desk - Washington City Paper — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:38:44 +0000

[...] long-term plan has been to move the city agencies out of Grimke, but D.C. Council politics have thus far interfered with that plan. Thus Dittrich posits a conspiracy of sorts on the part of the FEMS and corrections [...]

By: candycane1

candycane1 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:12:52 +0000

Sick of the mayor, Thank you for using my term of "F-Troop" I was so hoping that it would catch on! I'm serious Thanks!!!! It is indeed appropriate.

By: Downtown Rez

Downtown Rez — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:44:55 +0000

Q:
The RFPs went out to the general public months ago, and the intent to put them out to public bid was telegraphed to council and local citizen groups and ANCs over a year ago.
It would be presumptuous for me to say what "the council" did or didn't think during that time.

By: Angry Al Gonzales

Angry Al Gonzales — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:27:55 +0000

Q? In the lack-of-independent-oversight world of DC gov't, the council just waits until somebody pulls the right string, & then they pass whatever law that somebody wants.

By: Q

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:58:43 +0000

"Arrogated *NEW* powers", for these particular bids or for property bids in general? I agree that on its face it doesn't seem fair, but are you telling me that the Council was sleep at the wheel when DMPED issued the RFP?

By: Downtown rez

Downtown rez — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:35:13 +0000

Q: It is about favorable treatment, but in precisely the opposite way you write.
Here's the chain of events:
DMPED issued a public RFP, then the competing responding parties each spent resources to put together their best offers, then the council arrogated itself new powers, took the properties off the table, and showed "favorable treatment" by earmarking them to pet groups/causes.
It had been an open-bid process (within legal restrictions) until the council decided to earmark them.

By: Q

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:26:08 +0000

I almost agree with Downtown Rez on this. The GOAL was to sell these properties. The conspiracy was made real when the school consolodation plan occured. I'm not nostalgic, but turning them into McCondos and other mixed use property doesn't really serve the city constituents. Grimke is especially in a McCondo development area. Backus could be better served as either a replacement for the Lamond-Riggs Library, or some other Civic Minded property. How about moving those deplorable DMV facilties from Brentwood Road and actually having a TRUE drivers test location. I'm sorry Mr. Albert but if I was a Councilman I would not be sympathetic to "several developers [have] entered into a bidding process on the property, incurring “significant expense” to do so." That's all part of business. Just because you spent monies BIDDING on a project/contract doesn't give you rights or favorable treatment.

By: Downtown Rez

Downtown Rez — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:46 +0000

These schools have been out for bid for months. And they were announced as being put to bid months before that.
Actually, the entire awake and alive population of DC (including alive and awake council and staff) knew exactly what DMPED was proposing to do with these buildings well over a year ago.
Like much else in the budget, this current political disagreement is all about posturing. Another, more accurate, way to look at this is that the council wants to EARMARK the properties to favored clients/constituents, rather than benefit DC's coffers through an arms-length open bid process.

By: sick of the mayor

sick of the mayor — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:14:57 +0000

Duh???????? Has anyone in the mayors office ever thought to coordinate anything in the two years they have been there? NO. Not only no, they have deliberately NOT told anyone of their plans prior to the implementation so as not to have anyone elses imput.

See where it get's you F TROOP?

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:16:11 +0000

No chance of the council and mayor's office coordinating earlier in the process?