Wasn't Lies, It Was Just... Bulls**t

The new public bathroom is exciting. I also can't wait to visit the Town Green to watch movies!

"Most importantly, this is a legacy those of us can leave today for those who follow."

How long before something is dedicated in the name of one of the Seemans or Robinsons?

Seriously, the best thing about the Town Green is the toilet, if they keep them open. Right now trail users coming through Vienna go in the woods along the trail in both NE and SE. Discarded toilet paper and feminine paper products appear regularly in these woods. This waste pollutes the Potomac watershed. Thanks to Maud, trail users can now go green.

Exactly how much did the Town Green cost? It is not $3.5 million. I believe that the land cost $2 million in 2001, design costs were $250,000 and construction costs were 1.5 million. You are already over $3.5 million. Didn't TOV also pay to buy out leases? Plus, the land is worth well over $2 million now, so the real (opportunity) cost is more like $5 million, even ignoring the forgone tax revenue. The money would have been better spent on sidewalks, upgrades to existing parks and a pedestrian bridge over 123. Yes, Mayor, this is your "legacy."

Hasn't Glyndon Park (my personal fave) been hosting family movie night for years? Doesn't Nottoway have summer concerts every year?

Not trying to be a pooper but this Town Green will not be life shattering for me or family.

"Seriously, the best thing about the Town Green is the toilet, if they keep them open."

Town Green, your point about the restrooms is well taken, but VCC would have been a better location as it would also serve people using the athletic fields when VCC is not open. They also could have placed the restroom along the trail at Church.

"This is the centerpiece for Vienna," Lovelace said. "A lot of people we haven't seen for while, I think we'll meet them on the green."

How many times in the next year will anyone snap a picture of George Lovelace at this Town Green? None is a good guess. But we will watch closely as Lovelace hangs out there looking for long lost friends. George apparently sees the TG as an offline version of Classmates.com.

For upwards of $10 million you would think Lovelace could spin some better BS than that.

You people are all jerks. Here is what my boss Scott says about you:

For the past half-decade, there has been an ugly undercurrent running through Vienna town civic life. Critics of what we think could fairly be called the entrenched political power structure of the town have become more vocal and, in some cases, more unseemly in their complaints. The matter may well have come to a head at last week's town election, where voters overwhelming re-elected three Town Council members in a validation of the current council's management of town affairs. The two challengers have cried foul, suggesting improprieties at the polls, including what could loosely be described as intimidation of voters who might not have wanted to vote for the incumbents. No one is suggesting, whatever may or may not have occurred at the polls, that it would have changed the outcome of the races. And perhaps, in the final analysis, the complaints will turn out to have no merit whatsoever. But clearly they are worthy of serious investigation by county and state officials, who have ultimate responsibility for the fairness of elections in Vienna. Just as important, any investigation needs to end with a public report that analyzes the complaints and determines whether they have validity. On the broader issue, we think both sides should take proactive efforts to restore confidence in the town leadership: * Elected officials should work to be more open to the concerns of their critics. It is a small group making a lot of noise, these critics, but that doesn't mean that they don't have points deserving of consideration. * Those very critics need to tone down the rhetoric and back off heavy-handed abuse of elected officials. It's unseemly and doesn't advance their cause with the broader public, a public that, so far, isn't exactly rallying toward them. A little bit of civility would go a long way. Perhaps it's time to give it a try.

If you people would learn to kiss Maud's ring, your life would be like mine.

Ok, we know the Town Green has cost every household in Vienna about $1000. Will they get that much out of it, heck no? And the colossal gall of the Mayor and Town Council is beyond belief - it's outrageous. They say with their phony organization chart that the citizens of the Town are at the top, yet do you see any mention in that blasted plaque embedded in concrete of the taxpayers of this Town who just happened to pay for the Town Green. No way - they take all the credit and don't even mention the people who paid for their monument. And, for sure, the contest is on as to who the Town Green will named for. Will it be the Jane Seeman or Maud Robinson Town Green? Let's take a poll. Maybe we could do a lottery to help pay for the Town Green so they quit stealing from your pockets.

Brian T. is suggesting that you not be truthful or watchful of what is happening in Vienna. It is exactly the opposite advise he should be expounding for there is no reason we should not be aware of what is happening. And as Sym's ad says: An educated consumer is our best customer. Vienna refers to its' citizens as customers.

If you look at the numbers, you cannot state, given Rhoda Stevens and maybe others efforts, that at least one of the challengers could have not won. It's not likely that both would have won, but at least one could have won if Stevens had not been forcing people to vote her way.

If there was no reason to expect that they were going to effect a change in the outcome, why do you think Stevens did what she did?

As for my favorite line about the TG, it is Lovelace's line that when people drive by on 123, people can stop at the TG and use their cell phones and talk to people.

For the past half-decade, there has been an ugly undercurrent running through Vienna town civic life.

I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. In layman's terms, would that be five years, Scott?

You say "ugly", I say honest. On a national level, we can roast Bush or Cheney on anything from their hair to their policies. But, when it comes to Jane or Maud, we are supposed to keep our mouths shut? Since when is being critical of your leadership relegated to the national scene?

Totally different subject but when are we going to get back to county water and stop making money for the town?

Judge dismisses Falls Church water rights case

Greg Hellman, The Examiner
2007-05-17

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by Falls Church against Fairfax County on Wednesday, ruling the city could not claim exclusive rights to provide water to areas within Fairfax County.

The ruling opens parts of the county adjacent to Falls Church to water competition — they had previously been served exclusively by Falls Church — and ends a months-long dispute between the two jurisdictions.

Fairfax County officials hailed the decision as a victory for fair competition.

“I think it means that fair competition is going to be allowed for a large swath of Fairfax County where heretofore it hasn’t,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald Connolly said. “Falls Church water has twice the rate of Fairfax water. And I think it’s time Fairfax customers are entitled to a choice, and this ruling guarantees that can happen.”

Falls Church contended it was granted exclusive rights through two measures: an agreement between the city and county that established the boundaries of water service and that, despite its expiration in 1989, was until recently traditionally honored; and a series of federal laws.

The court, however, dismissed the case, noting the expiration of the agreement and no mention of entitlements to exclusive service territory in any of the laws the city referenced.

Water service represents a key source of revenue for Falls Church, generating about $2.4 million this fiscal year out of a $67 million budget.

The city complained that when in January the Fairfax water authority contacted Trammell Crow, a developer of commercial and residential project near the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station, it deliberately tried to interfere with the city's customer base. The court, however, ruled that no protections for the city applied.

Falls Church Mayor Robin Gardner could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

If you disagree with the current administration about how they spend your tax dollars without representing you appropriately, that makes you part of an "ugly undercurrent through civic life."

If I remember correctly, the American Revolution was the result of patriots who disagreed with the administration and created an "ugly undercurrent through civic life."

Thank God.

>>Totally different subject but when are we going to get back to county water and stop making money for the town?

When the Town of Vienna increases its water and sewer rates, it's really the senior citizen garden club that is increasing the tax burden on younger families with kids since they consume more water per household. When the water supply is falsely over-priced, the Town's rate increases become a disproportionate tax on young families.

Don't worry Vienna mommy Edith is running again this year, and I'm sure she will bring the water up again. Funny how after she is elected everything just goes away. Pattern of incumbents?

If you want to know about water rates you should attend the budget reviews or read the budget where it is spelled out. Otherwise, use the internet addresses of town councilmen and present your questions. Now you have me off track, I wanted to write about my visit to Town Green last evening. I need to "go" so I recalled there were rest rooms at the TG. Reached the parking lot and the sign said "Reserved" *(for who?) I risked getting towed but I had to "go". I walked the fence but could not find an opening. Finally when I did I stumbled through what may have been flower beds to get to a lighted area near the stage. I couldn't find a door on the RR, a real clever design. Before leaving though I ventured up toward Maple Ave. to see what had been done to soften the concrete jungle. I was not impressed. However, there was a water feature running that reminded me of a water main break like we see all over during the winter months. Off to Magruder's. Ahhhhh
*comments on the handicapped water fountain will follow at a later time.

How much is the water bill each month for this TG?

Each of you, your homework tonight is to write a letter to the editor of the Sun Gazette.

I was going to sit down and write in my diary but decided I would share my day with the Sun Gazette.
Dear Sun Gazette,

I had the worst tree day of my life today. I watch a two or three hundred year old tree cut down but even sadder was the fact that two other trees that the town wanted saved (remember Park St. reconstruction and asphalt sidewalks)had no drip line protection and a thirty ton machine ran over the roots. To top it off the machine was then parked right next to the trees. A sham on the public again, those trees will be dead in two years or sooner. To take my mind off this tragedy I visited Church St. and observed traffic at Lawyers Rd. It is amazing what can take place in a matter of ten minutes. Obviously the markings are badly designed. Cars entering from the county that adhere to the marking end up striking a stick marker. How about the car leaving Church St. that pulls out into an on coming car. Then the car that makes a right turn onto Church St. at a high rate of speed and almost runs down a group of people crossing Church St. Then another group crossing, but not together, and almost run down by another car which was not speeding. Many ice cream customers are parking on private property across the street. Had enough of this so I decided to leave only to be threated by two cars that were too impatient to wait for a parker. At Bazins there is a truck parked in the travel lane and the driver is directing traffic around him. No way, so he jumps in and pulls into the clock shop. While stopped at Bazins it was apparent no one was going to use the sidewalk or the stairs because of the crowd gathered there. Bazins looked like it was doing a thriving business for a Thursday evening. As I proceeded up Church St. I wondered why the town did not cut the ratty blue spruce tree sitting in the island at Mill St. This was all so depressing I had to go to Safeway on a goodie run.