ANC2C Meeting Cancelled
Kevin Chapple's site and Slum Historique have also reported this, but might as well include it here, too: "This month's ANC 2C meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, March 7, 2007, has been canceled unilaterally by the chair, Doris Brooks. No other information is available at this time."
Well, I'm sure it's just because of the massive snow storm that's predicted.
posted by DaddyFiveOh @ 6:01 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
If it's because of the snow storm then our intelligent elected officials could simply say so. Is that so difficult? If Africare said they might be closed tomorrow, why not just say that. Why all the frickin' triflin' secrecy?
"It's none of your concern."
"No more information available."
We'll let you know when you can be involved in our democracy when we feel like getting around to it.
— Martin
Why are you giving this troupe the benefit of the doubt when you have witnessed numerous times for yourself the ludicrous stunts they pull?
These people cannot even answer a simple straight question honestly.
Facts:
Brooks/Thorpe restricted most ANC meetings to Africare to limit greater community involvement in 2C by not occasionally holding meetings elsewhere. They LIED when stated repeatedly that video taping was not allowed in the Africare facility -- when it is in fact allowed with permission. Now that a few honest citizens went through the proper channels to obtain the proper permission and that undermined The Brooks/Thorpe struggle to keep the public from having greater access to the meeting, Brooks(Thorpe) cancelled a meeting for no reason whatsoever.
The whole thing stinks to high heaven of rotten government runamok. And Jack Evans acts like this is all perfectly honkey-dorey because he's run the numbers and realizes that we can't vote him our of office or recall him. They've lost most if not all credibility and integrity as officials in a government of the people, for the people and by the people. They ignore our requests and can't answer straight questions.
Scott Montgomery Elementary is open today, so there wasn't a universal city shut down do to snow. Let's see if Africare's offices are going to open. ...
For the irony-impaired, that last sentence of the post was a teeny bit of sarcasm.
Anyone can see that there is no reason to call off a meeting just because one commissioner (or "Parliamentarian") can't make it. Doris Brooks is an embarrassment, pure and simple. As for Thorpe's antics, words fail me.
It might be a good idea to check and see if the cancellation is for real, if you get my drift.
How many District government officials does it take to answer a straight question, anyway? Good thing they aren't in charge of screwing in light bulbs (although they are incredibly deft at screwing things up); there isn't a room big enough to fit them all in to get the lights turned on. So we all get to live in the dark.
— Seagurll
Has there been any confrimation that the canellation is real and not just a trick of some sort?
uops! pardon my bad spelling everyone.
what happened to the epic snow storm?
what 'bad' spelling? we grade concepts not silly shit like spelling.
Mr. Gottlieb Simon
Executive Director
Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
Room 8
1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Mr. Simon,
I was all prepared for the regularly schedule ANC2C meeting on Wednesday, March 7, 2007, only to discover, albeit too late, that the “Parliamentarian and Executive Assistant” to the chair had canceled the meeting with no notice. Is this legal?
Do you and others at City Hall realize that the buffoonery, if not illegal acts of Leroy Thorpe and his cronies on the ANC2C -- Doris Brooks and Barbara Curtis, reflect more on you and the crumbling infrastructure of the District of Columbia than anything else? The reoccurring question I hear from my neighbors in ANC2C01, is why do reasonable people (specifically Councilman Jack Evans, who is copied on this letter) and others in city government tolerate such behavior. In case no one has noticed, Leroy “lost” the last election, yet he still acts like he’s in charge because neither Mrs. Brooks nor Mrs. Curtis have the slightest clue as to what they are doing. Watch the commission hearings on YouTube if you don’t believe me. Please try not to laugh.
Seriously, is this an egregious denial of reality on the part of you and the city government? Or have we reached the height of ignorance and shame in the District that such flagrant activities continue with no oversight or management? I believed in the ANC concept until I moved to Shaw, but now the actions of a few have completely turned around my thinking. Unfortunately, the government closes to the people doesn’t always serve the people. And the District, by virtue of its disappearing act or bureaucratic ineptness, only encourages such behavior.
Shame on you and others in city government who allow this. You should be embarrassed. Shaw deserves better. The residents of Shaw deserve better. As a Shaw property owner and small business owner on 9th Street paying several thousands of dollars a year in taxes, I encourage you or Mr. Evans to pay closer attention. Be a part of the solution, not the problem.
Sincerely,
1507 Eighth Street NW
Washington DC 20001
202.518.2453 + 202.318.1173 fax
ww@williamwaybourn.com
Hear,Hear!! to Mr. Wayboun's post and letter to Gottlieb Simon. I am an ANC 2C04 resident who also feels things need to change. What a joke our ANC is at the present time. I did not vote for Barbara Curtis (my "ANC commissioner")this past election but am stuck with her lack of leadership again for another two years. Our election results were very close with a difference of 32 votes between B. Curtis and R. Rogers. People if you want change, get out and vote at the next ANC election in 2008. Unfortunately, my concern is that not much will change until then.
From what I've heard - tell me if I'm wrong, b/c I am a new resident - ANC 2C gave out grant money to Leroy/Doris to purchase computers for a community computer center. Leroy/Doris took the money and bought computers with it, and the computers are all at Leroy's house, available only for Leroy's use, not anyone else in the community.
Is this true?? If so, isn't this illegal - theft from the ANC/public funds that are supposed to go for community use?
Mr. Simon's response to my letter and my subsequent response (again).
From: Simon, Gottlieb (ANC) [mailto:Gottlieb.Simon@dc.gov]
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 5:30 PM
To: ww@williamwaybourn.com
Subject: RE: Canceled ANC2C Meeting
Dear Mr. Waybourn:
I am well aware of the dissatisfaction among many residents of ANC 2C over the operation of the Shaw ANC. I understand, moreover, the frustration at seeing Leroy Thrope, who is no longer a Commissioner sitting next to Commissioner Brooks. However, no one at the Wilson Building has the authority to intervene as long as no laws are being broken. If you become aware that a law is being broken please let me know or one of the officials with the authority to take action such as the DC Auditor or the Inspector General.
To the extent that the concern is with the manner in which meetings are being conducted, the main recourse is at the ballot box. That means of course, defeating a candidate in the general election In between general elections, voters can initiate a recall. Otherwise, unless a Commissioner becomes a convicted felon, they cannot be removed from office except by the action of their constituents.
The Chairperson of the ANC, Commissioner Brooks appointed Leroy Thorpe to be the ANC's Parliamentarian. This is a position that is established by the ANC's bylaws. Until there is a majority available to change the bylaws, or until Commissioner Brooks decides to replace him, he is able to hold that position. (The Parliamentarian by the way is only an advisor to the Chairperson, not a decision-maker as such.)
As far cancellation of last week's meeting is concerned, it is my understanding that Commissioner Brooks asked Mr. Thorpe send out the cancellation because neither she nor Commissioner Curtis were going to be able to attend the meeting. With both of them absent, the ANC would not be able to take official action. In the past the Attorney General's office has concluded that the Chairperson has the inherent power to cancel or postpone meetings. That power, however, is restricted under ANC 2C's bylaws. They specify that the Chairperson may reschedule a meeting "with the concurrence of the Commission . . . ." That, however, was not done in this case.
I am ready to help the Commission all I can, if they wish me to. However, as a body made of elected officials they are accountable to their constituents, not to me and not to other government officials, except as I mentioned above. Given the internal divisions, the situation is obviously difficult and frustrating. However, while there are clearly differences in style and behavior, all sides say that want better things for the neighborhood. I think that is grounds for us all to be "part of the solution."
Sincerely,
Gottlieb Simon
=================================
Gottlieb Simon
Executive Director
Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
Room 8
1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 727-9945 v (202) 727-0289 fax
=================================
Mr. Simon,
Thank you for your prompt response, but blaming the voters for the conditions at ANC2C is much akin to blaming the soldiers for the conditions at Walter Reed. I don’t want to cast aspersions on how DC voters cast their ballots, but I came from Texas where voters in certain areas were encouraged to “vote early and vote often.” It’s hard to see much difference in Texas and DC, where voters headed to the polls had to run the gauntlet of red-hatted individuals during the last DC primary, and heard “reminders” about how to cast their ballots. There is a fine line between “education” and intimidation.
Unfortunately, you missed my point on how the actions of a few compromise the integrity of the whole process, if not directly harm to the reputations of you and Mr. Evans. What you characterize as “dissatisfaction” has turned to outright animosity. Set up a meeting with some of my neighbors if you don’t believe me.
Such benign neglect underscores exactly why people won’t “fight City Hall” because they will just get more of the same. If you or Mr. Evans believe that Shaw is well-served by these individuals, or that their level of service is equal to the service in other areas of Mr. Evans’ district, I would like you to cite an example. Are there other areas of District 2 where churches operate unchecked as slum landlords? Is there another portion of District 2 that requires as much police presence to prevent violence and drug activity? In fact, is there any other area of the city that has as many complaints filed by one individual against police officers for doing their jobs? Are there other areas of the city where a single church can hold up the liquor permit of a business all the while ignoring the renewal application of single-sales liquor store right across the street? Are there other areas of zoning indifference where the paradoxical presence of churches and liquor stores is so evident?
As for Mr. Thorpe’s appointment, did no one in City Hall notice or even care that his “appointment” came after Mr. Chapple was elected, but before he took office, virtually guaranteeing Leroy’s continued control over the ANC commission? Surely, you can’t blame that on the voters of Shaw. As for Mr. Thorpe’s role as merely an adviser, you have observed the commission meetings and know as well as I do that he’s acting in more than in an “advisory” role, often telling Mrs. Curtis to switch her votes. It’s a complete sham.
I disagree that both sides want what’s best for the neighborhood – in my opinion one side wants to continue its unchecked policies of the past, where tax dollars are used to benefit a few while the majority of residents of Shaw don’t even know they don’t get the same level of service as other areas of Mr. Evans’ district.
Make no doubt that change is coming to Shaw. Unfortunately, it will be without much help of the city and/or its elected officials.
William Waybourn
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