The D.C. Council has just gaveled to order a hearing on parks contracts transferred by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty in such a way as to evade council oversight.

The issue goes beyond the $82 million in parks spending already identified. According to figures obtained by LL, the Fenty administration has authorized $120.7 million in spending to be sent out to the D.C. Housing Authority. Those funds came from projects budgeted by both the parks department and the deputy mayor for planning and economic development. About $72 million of that has already been sent to DCHA.

The projects built through this method included not only the parks projects already identified, but rebuilds of Walker-Jones Education Center and the Deanwood Recreation Center totaling over $74 million. Both of those projects were managed by a team that included Banneker Ventures, the firm owned by developer Omar Karim, who has close ties to the mayor. And the scope of parks work has expanded to include as many as 26 projects.

LL will be following the hearing from the John A. Wilson Building, and will be Tweeting away!

You have questions about the $82 million dollars in parks-and-rec spending that Mayor Adrian M. Fenty is sending to the D.C. Housing Authority? LL has (some) answers!

What are these projects?

According to data furnished by the D.C. Council, they are 12 projects to renovate 12 parks or recreation facilities. One, to build a $1.3 million ballpark at Emery Rec Center, was awarded in January. The rest---concerning 7th and N park ($800,000), Bald Eagle Rec Center ($5.3M), Barry Farm Rec Center ($15M), Chevy Chase Playground ($1.3M), Fort Stanton Rec Center ($12M), Guy Mason Rec Center ($3M), Justice Park ($12M), Kenilworth Rec Center ($12M), Park View ballfield ($1.2M), Rosedale Rec Center ($16M), and a new park in LeDroit Park ($1.7M)---were awarded last month.

Read More "Fenty’s DCHA Contracts: Some Questions" »

Today at least 10 managers at the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation were fired, less than a week after Mayor Adrian M. Fenty relieved DPR Director Clark E. Ray and replaced him with DCPS administrator Ximena Hartsock.

Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. released a late statement this evening decrying the move: "Once again we are witnessing the flagrant disregard of our City's workforce....These are individuals with families, children, mortgages, and obligations. They are our neighbors and our fellow residents, and include many hardworking childcare service providers."

LL has heard rumblings, unconfirmed, that Hartsock's team at DCPS will be moving with her to Parks and Rec, where they will jointly administer DPR and DCPS programs this summer.

A former senior Parks and Recreation employee says that he was fired in February for raising questions about the participation of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's twin sons in a youth basketball league.

Michael Williams, 60, made his allegations in a lawsuit being filed today [PDF] in D.C. Superior Court against Fenty, DPR Director Clark Ray, and the District government. The suit seeks $5 million in damages, in addition to other relief.

You can read a full account of Williams' allegations in this week's LL column.

Read More "Ex-DPR Official: Messing With Fenty’s Kids Got Me Fired" »