July 2007 Archives
July 30, 2007
Weichert Sign Next to Town Green Causes Maudites to Stroke Out Comments (10)
Apparently several Maudites are up in arms over the new yellow Weichert sign on the building at the corner of Maple Avenue and Mill Street. The sign is on the side of the building facing the Town Green. Why are they are upset? The ordinance and the board (ARB) that granted approval for the sign were both conceived by the Maud and Charlie Robinson team to make Vienna look better (some success eh?). The circular nature of Vienna politics is something to behold isn't it? Dumb and dumber!
The Ticking Timebomb Comments (8)
The worst intersection in Vienna, Lawyers and Church, got closer to death on Friday afternoon as this "fender bender" shows:
Sadly, Maudasaurus won't "fix" this intersection because to fix it sets off a chain reaction of other needed fixes (And of course, this ain't a new problem). Why again is an 85-year old lady running Vienna?
However, to not fix a problem like this takes more than Maud. Take for example Sharon Baum (Vice Chair, Transportation Safety Commission) and Tara Voigt (Chairperson, Transportation Safety Commission). These two busy bodies are so in love with "power" (yes, even the table scraps of a Town board excites some to no end) that they are blinded to the problems with this intersection. They lead studies, hold meetings, talk with people and in the end do nothing. Small town cronyism at its finest.
July 27, 2007
Seeman on Recent #70 Comments (4)
From the Sun Gazette:
OK, so it's not the No. 4 ranking from two years ago. Regardless, Vienna leaders say they are still happy, that CNN/Money Magazine ranked the town No. 70 in its annual list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman welcomed the laurels, but said town residents did not need a magazine ranking to know Vienna is a pleasant place in which to live. “It's always good to get recognition, but it's not something we hold our breath for,” Seeman said.
Hmm. We thought Jane was responsible for the #4, but this comment seems to put distance between her and any ranking of Vienna. Keep the faith! Jane and Maudasaurus have a year to make changes. They can get us back to #4 soon enough!
July 23, 2007
"Town Concerned for Injured Spectators" Comments (7)
From the Town of Vienna website:
Town of Vienna officials have expressed their concern for those injured at the Town's July 4th fireworks display. "We are all deeply distressed that what has always been an enjoyable family event ended so disastrously, and we are keeping the injured spectators and their families in our prayers," said Mayor Jane Seeman. "In the weeks and months ahead, the Town Council will be reviewing our July 4th fireworks program with the County Fire Marshal's Office and studying all options concerning its future."
July 20, 2007
Vienna Fireworks Follow-up Comments (2)
Following up on the Vienna fireworks disaster:
1. 2004 Request for Proposal (PDF)
2. 2004 Shaefer Proposal (PDF)
The 2004 information is provided as 2007 has yet to be secured. Page 2 of the RFP, if that has continued to be policy until current day, opens Vienna wide to responsibility.
3. 2003-2007 Purchase Orders for fireworks (PDF)
July 15, 2007
Sue Allard: Historic Hypocrite Comments (9)
A few years ago Sue Allard, a resident of the Windover Heights Historic District at 315 West Street, NW, chained herself to a tree to try and prevent her neighbor from building a new house. Guess what? Now Allard is cutting down a massive tree in her front yard to add on to her house. The people involved in the sham that is Vienna's historic district are hypocritical nut jobs. Pictures to follow.
Sue Allard Reenactment
July 12, 2007
Town of Vienna Fireworks Disaster Update Comments (12)
It has been a week. Is there any news? Status of the injured? Culpability? Or is everyone involved just waiting for the announcement of lawsuits? The lack of news is odd.
UPDATE: Today's Washington Post Article.
July 10, 2007
Vienna's Special Pickup Program Encourages Pollution Comments (3)
From contributor "Town Green":
The Town of Vienna stopped picking up white goods... stoves, refrigerators, washers, etc. Why? Because they wanted to eliminate the expense of recycling these items. Fair enough... push that recycling expense onto someone else, particularly the vendor making the new white good sale. But what about other electrics... electronics that plug in like computers and televisions that we all replace on a regular basis? Why does the Town pickup these items and throw them into a landfill when there are options to recycle these? Many electronics manufacturers conduct their own recycling programs because they understand the terrible pollution impact their business is having on our natural environment. Why doesn't the Vienna Town Council understand this? The Town's special pickup program should either recycle electronics or stop collecting them and require residents to recycle these items through local recyclers. It's time for the garden club to stop living in the last century! Please recycle your electronics, Vienna.
July 09, 2007
Even More Cameras, But Not On Town Council Comments (4)
We noted last week that the Vienna Town Council has no problem video taping everyone at the Vienna Community Center with $50,000 worth of cameras. The hypocrisy is that they refuse to tape their own public meetings. Now this from the Connection:
"It has been two years since a camera caught a negligent motorist running a red light at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Glydon Road in Vienna. Fairfax County resident Mike Stollenwerk wishes it would stay that way. "People will get used to the government monitoring them and think that’s normal," said Stollenwerk, founder of the Fairfax County Privacy Council. "It’s a slippery slope." Stollenwerk may be disappointed with the Virginia General Assembly’s decision to allow red-light cameras back into the commonwealth but several local governments are expressing interest in the program. Officials in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Town of Vienna said they are looking into requirements and the fiscal impact of installing red-light cameras."
No Video Cameras of Council Meetings, But At Least They Can Now Track You As You Vote. Awesome! Comments (13)
From the Sun Gazette:
The Vienna Town Council on July 2 awarded a $43,732 contract to Security and Energy Technologies Corp. (SETEC) of Chantilly for 21 video surveillance cameras at the site. The community center's seven current cameras, installed in 1998, have outlived their useful life and are beginning to fail mechanically, said Craig Griffin, the town's information technology administrator. The new cameras, in addition to their greater numbers and being posted in more places inside and outside the facility, will allow community center staff members and town police to view live and recorded images taken at the site. The system can store images for up to two weeks.
Maud and Jane have already tried to ban the video taping of THEIR public meetings, but at least they can now track US with $50,000 dollars of security cameras when we go vote. So what is the reason again Vienna is the only community in the area with their leadership refusing to video tape themselves?
July 04, 2007
NEWS: Fireworks Injuries at Waters Field Comments (97)
Tonight a fireworks mishap at Waters Field in Vienna sent 8 people to the hospital. Watch video. Also Dave Statter report from WUSA 9.
Most alarming quote from the tragedy: "There was so much blood he [attending EMT} thought someone had died."
A recent comment from contributor "Town Green":
"As I see it, the Town has annually organized a fireworks event that does not establish a safe setback beyond the distance these rockets can travel. It has always been unsafe, risky, and scary. The current setback assumes that a rocket will never error and travel horizontally. This is clearly an unsafe assumption that puts the viewing public at risk of serious injury and death. This year they closed most of the fire station parking lot, encouraging many to move in closer. I believe the Town is directly responsible and liable for the public safety at this event, and that Waters Field (now made of plastic and rubber) is not a safe venue for a fireworks display of this size. The primary difficulty at Waters Field is that a safe and proper setback distance conflicts with the surrounding trees, poles, buildings, and streets. Also, dogs, toddlers, and definitely infants should not be taken up close to fireworks shows since they don't seem to like it... too much shock and awe."
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue tend to victim of mishap during fireworks display in Vienna, Virginia.
Source: CBS USA9
Live in the Historic District? Your Rights Go Away Comments (16)
Maud: "I have spent 50 years fooling people!"
The 4th of July is all about freedom and independence. There can be no better day to make a point about a government run amok than today. And little ole Vienna, Virginia in 2007 has a government that has crossed the line. An example? Recently, a Maud poster here named "EVS" wrote the following:
"[You] pump up your cause by claiming your Constitutional rights have been so egregiously violated. Seems more to me that you want out of what amounts to a homeowners association gone bad and your pissed because the ARB asked you to reveal your fence color? What's the deal with those lawsuits anyway? It's been years...and why not leave it to the courts....However, aren’t a citizen’s property rights subject to the State’s and/or municipality’s power and authority? In this case the Town’s authority to “preserve” that area. As part of its Historic District, the Town incorporated a quasi-judicial mechanism via the ARB, a set of codes, etc. that must be followed when determining whether to allow alteration, removal, etc. of homes in the district. There are those who would say that when you bought into the district you bought into those codes and so-called “arbitrary” rules and in some ways signed away your Constitutional rights. Also, still don’t understand how you didn’t look at the code or didn't notice the flaws BEFORE you moved into the district. Granted you might have been hard pressed to find a disclosure like, "Warning - when you buy a home in the Historic District, you are agreeing to give up your Constitutional Rights".
There you go tax payers of Vienna. That is the MORONIC logic in which the Town Council is spending tax dollars to defend their self-acknowledged defective historic district. They know they are wrong, they know the district is wrong, but they spend the tax money to show their power and mete out punishment to residents of Vienna who dare to assert their rights. But forget our rhetoric, look at the facts. Consider that on May 19, 1998 the then Town Attorney sent a memo to the Chairman of the Planning Commission justifying the addition of a brand new house to the historic district with no review by the review board. Imagine being the Vienna Town Council, defending this boondoggle of a historic district, and having this memo be part of the case:
"This will acknowledge receipt of yours of may 14, 1998 concerning the captioned and the question of its inclusion into the Windover Heights Historic District. The act of including or not including the property in the historic District is not a zoning or rezoning action and therefore, cannot be spot zoning. The age of the structure has no bearing on whether or not it should be included in the district. Your attention is invited to Section 18-280.2 of the Town's zoning ordinance concerning the boundaries of the Windover Heights Historic district. You will note that it is a historic district created by boundary and makes no reference to the age or character of the structures within the boundary. I have always maintained that if Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated at the local Giant, that structure would be historic. One the other hand, the mayor's antique chicken house is very old, but in my mind has no historic value."
This is not about preservation or rules or historic anything "EVS". This is all about two older women, Maud Gomer and Jane Goober, who have drifted into an arrogant state no longer hinged to reality. They are corrupt through and through.
July 03, 2007
Vienna Gets Response from Fairfax County Over May Elections; Cole Gets Testy Comments (9)
Vienna Town Attorney Steve Briglia recently sent a letter to the County regarding Vienna's May Elections. Laurie Cole at last night's Town Council meeting was none too happy with the County's response (PDF) to Briglia's letter and requested that Briglia write another letter. Video of Cole complaining to follow. It's now July and the May elections are still "boiling". Why is that?
The Vienna Inn Has Gomer and Goober Working Hard for Its Demise Comments (9)
Tonight at a Vienna Town Council meeting the Vienna Inn and parking garages came up. Nothing new there, Gomer and Goober are set to make sure the Inn comes to an end (and expect them to be sneaky about it as we have been saying all along). Seeman acknowledged that she is in talks with the Inn's owner (and other owners in the vicinity). Keep in the mind the current owner of the Inn doesn't own the land and Seeman & Robinson know that. The next time Seeman spins a yarn about small town this and small town that, perhaps Vienna citizens will think to respond back to her with the word "hypocrite" in a sentence.
July 02, 2007
Shell Station at Glyndon and Maple Goes Poof; What's Next? Comments (8)
The Shell gas station at Glyndon and Maple Avenue is now gone. What comes next Maud? We are sure you are reaching into your bag of tricks master plan for answers. Another prime spot in Vienna and we are all left to guess and hope what might come next. What an economic development system from Gomer and Goober!
"Maud, what are our choices behind the 3 doors?"
