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April 21, 2008
Maud: "What Am I Doing Here?" Comments (10)
A picture from a big day for Mr. Volunteer Man:
Click on Picture for High Resolution
And of course an earlier not so big day for Mr. Volunteer Man.
April 20, 2008
Maple Avenue Dead Zone Comments (4)
Maple Avenue in Vienna is dead. No new buildings. No new shops. For lease signs on every other building. Some buildings and or lots are completely empty. You might be wondering: "Aren't we going to have a revenue shortfall requiring big tax increases?"
No and here is why...
The political machine in Vienna is corrupt, but not politically dumb. When times are good they always keep the revenue coming in and no one pays attention, but when things get bad they simply cut back the budget no problem. How do they so easily cut their budget back? Well, when most of the money is blown on patty cake parties at the Freeman Store and other assorted dimwit expenditures it's actually easy to cut back the budget and crow to the 500 seniors actually paying attention that you (the Town Council) worked hard to tighten the belt. Next the Sun Gazette and other local rags write obligatory a** kiss to Maud and then we repeat the cycle. So feel free to go to sleep, wake up 5 years from now and note zero progress.
April 08, 2008
Learning About Maudasaurus from Hannibal Comments (0)
A memorable Dr. Hannibal Lecter quote from 'Silence of the Lambs' :
"First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature? What does [she] do...?"
The only way to change Vienna is to have an honest conversation about the nature of Maud Robinson and Jane Seeman. To understand their nature, what they do and why, only then can their defeat be executed.
April 07, 2008
How to Write Copy for People Over 90 Who Have Never Turned on a PC Comments (8)
From the Town website comes some great copy:
"The Town of Vienna is providing free wireless Internet access at the Town Green located at Maple and Mill Streets,NE. This is a pilot project. The goals of the Town's Wi-Fi pilot project are to attract more customers to the downtown Vienna business area, encourage the use of this public park, and enable more citizens to access Town services online. Users are responsible to take measures to secure their devices and Internet communications. Hours of Wi-Fi operation will by the same as the park hours (parks are open dawn to dusk) throughout the year. Users can log-in using Vienna Gov't Sponsored Free WiFi for the SSID. SSID stands for "Service Set Identifier" and is a unique ID for naming a wireless network. All wireless devices attempting to communicate with each other must share the same SSID. If you have questions or comments about the Town Green Free WiFi, you can contact our I.T. Administrator: Craig Griffin Email: cgriffin@viennava.gov Phone: (703) 255-6364"
Fairly innocuous? Not really. Consider this line more carefully:
"The goals of the Town's Wi-Fi pilot project are to attract more customers to the downtown Vienna business area."
They should have just said:
"The goals of the Town's Wi-Fi pilot project are to say pointless things on the Town website that everyone knows are complete BS, but nonsensical statements make 90 year olds happy so we continue to say them."
The interesting thing about a corrupt and immoral government is that every last word uttered is a manipulative pile of barnyard waste.
April 01, 2008
Vienna Council Member Involved in Altercation Comments (3)
From the Sun Gazette (Brian Trompeter):
"The Vienna Town Council voted 6-1 to censure Maud Robinson over a recent fight on the Town Green between Robinson and Historic Vienna, Inc. President Laine Hyde. A local teacher called 911 and both women were separated by Vienna Police with only minor injuries. A Vienna Police spokesperson had no comment, but witnesses said they were troubled that a local elementary class had observed the altercation."
What really happened?
March 30, 2008
Penguin Feather: A Real Vienna History Covered Up By "Historic Vienna, Inc." Comments (12)
"I bet Maud got her high on at Penguin too."
Sure we know it is a broken record that Maudasaurus has been around for a long time, but she has been around long enough that it is worth observing her hypocritical behaviors over the years. Back in the day, back in the late 1970s there existed a record store in Vienna called "Penguin Feather". Well before Apple's iTunes, the internet and even CDs you had to buy vinyl records. Penguin Feather sold records, but that was not the only thing they sold. Penguin Feather's main business was the selling of drug paraphernalia. This was not some secret business, rather Penguin Feather sold pipes, bongs and any other device you could use to smoke pot or coke in the open in front of kids. That ladies and gentleman is the Vienna history supported and promoted by Maudasaurus, not this new found Freeman Store/Town Green fantasy she has found in her old age. In her prime, when she was in her 50s, Maud did nothing to stop Vienna kids from getting high. The fact that she is 85 now doesn't excuse her political behaviors then.
March 28, 2008
True Historicity Comments (4)
How out of touch is Maud Robinson with anyone under 20 in Vienna? Here are some events and happenings from 1939 when Maud was a teenager:
January 1, 1939 - The Hewlett-Packard Company is founded.March 13, 1939 - Hitler advises Jozef Tiso to declare Slovakia's independence in order to prevent its partition by Hungary and Poland.
April 1, 1939 - Spanish Civil War comes to an end when the last of the Republican forces surrendered.
May 2, 1939 - Major League Baseball's Lou Gehrig, the legendary Yankee first baseman known as "The Iron Horse", ends his 2130 consecutive games played streak after contracting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The record will stand for 56 years before Cal Ripken, Jr. plays 2131 consecutive games.
August 2, 1939 - Albert Einstein writes President Franklin Roosevelt about developing the Atomic Bomb November 15 - In Washington, DC, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt lays the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial. December 15: Gone with the Wind premieres. December 14, 1939 - League of Nations expels the USSR for attacking Finland.
Ongoing we had the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Great Depression (1929-The Late 1930s) and World War II (1939-1945).
Why can't Maud be declared a historic structure? She is keen to declare everything else in Vienna historic. She has taken people's rights at her whim with no evidence of historical anything her entire career. However, the evidence says that she is the only verified historic structure in Vienna.
March 27, 2008
The Fun Never Stops Comments (6)
From the Sun Gazette:
Vienna officials will host a dedication ceremony for the Northside Park Connector Trail on Saturday, April 5 at 10 a.m. The connector consists of a 125-foot boardwalk-style trail, elevated in sections, and a 50-foot asphalt pathway connecting the W&OD Regional Trail and the Richard Black Bridge to the northeast quadrant of Vienna. In addition to the dedication ceremony, a tree will be planted near the trail, in commemoration of Arbor Day. Northside Park can be reached from Mill Street, N.E., or Glyndon Street, N.E. Parking will be available at the Northside Property Yard, 600 Mill St., N.E. For information, call Vienna Parks and Recreation Department director Cathy Salgado at (703) 255-6356, or e-mail csalgado@viennava.gov.
Following the dedication ceremony all 7 people in attendance will go to the Freeman Store to rest up after planting the big tree. Then they will share stories of Vienna as it was in the 1850s during Maud's youth.
"We have waited years for this dedication. We feel safe with Maud."
March 25, 2008
What Buildings Have Been Built Since 1980? Comments (11)
Another way to look the problem of run down and empty commercial space in Vienna: What buildings on Maple were built after 1980? Go down Maple Avenue from Nutley to East Street. Here is the initial list:
1. Whole Foods (retrofit of an old Lowes).
2. Starbucks, etc. (retrofit of an old Southern States).
3. Taco Bell.
4. Chevy Chase Bank
5. Wachovia Bank
6. Rite Aid
7. Anitas (new one).
What else? Is that it over the last 28 years?
March 24, 2008
Emtpy Stores? Comments (26)
We would like to inventory all empty stores on Maple Avenue and can use your help! Please add a comment and or address for each store vacant on Maple Avenue.
"As You Say Maud, 'F*** Vienna Businesses!'"
March 19, 2008
Who Is to Blame for the Vienna Police Station Waste of $? Comments (14)
From the Sun Gazette:
"The Vienna Police Headquarters building has proved problematic ever since it was built in the mid-1990s. Now, with the expanding need for heat-generating computer servers, town police need another heating-ventilation-and-air-conditioning (HVAC) system to keep the equipment functioning. The Vienna Town Council on March 17 awarded an up-to-$12,000 contract to Tri-Tek Engineering of Herndon to study which HVAC system would best meet the station's needs, now and in the future. Town police converted a former photography room into a computer-server area several years ago and now may use another room, which used to house photo-red-light camera servers, for the same purpose. The station's current HVAC system cannot provide the necessary cooler temperatures for the server room, and is not connected to the station's natural gas generator, which provides uninterrupted electricity if commercial power supplies fail, said Vienna Police Chief Robert Carlisle. Council member Edythe Kelleher questioned if the required HVAC equipment could not just be purchased for less than the study would cost. Vienna Town Manager John Schoeberlein said town officials estimate the police station will require about $30,000 worth of heating-and-cooling equipment for the station. Smaller, cheaper HVAC units likely will not meet the station's requirements, he said. Council member Laurie Cole said the station's ongoing travails underline the need for proper design and construction. “The life story of that building has been, ‘don't do anything on the cheap,'” she said.
So who was the Vienna politician who masterminded this building? Who was the Vienna politician who could have cared less about wasting money to build a bad structure in the early 1990s? That would be Charlie Robinson (Maud's husband). This boondoggle lays at his feet.
Note: John Schoeberlein was Town Manager for the planning of the current Police Station. And clearly he will be around to help waste money to fix the first mistake.
One Step Closer to the Nut Farm Comments (8)
From the Sun Gazette:
[The Town of Vienna] Narrowly approved the purchase of $1,500 worth of “Town of Vienna, Va.” decals that residents may display in the side or rear windows of their vehicles. Town officials still are working out the best way to distribute the 15,000 green-and-white decals, which are designed to promote town pride. Council member Michael Polychrones questioned why, during a tough budget year and the recent elimination of Vienna's auto-tax stickers, the council would spend taxpayer money for more decals. The motion passed by the closest of margins, a 4-3 vote. Council members Polychrones, Kelleher and Daniel Dellinger voted nay, while Mayor M. Jane Seeman and Council members Cole, George Lovelace and Maud Robinson voted in favor. “Civic pride overrules good judgment,” [Maud] Robinson said.
Former Vienna Mayor Jim Martinelli, Who Was Not Hinged to Reality, Was A Maud Supporter
March 17, 2008
Maud Gives Dick DeAngeles a Big Sloppy Historic Kiss Comments (2)
From the Town Council minutes in December 07:
Councilwoman Robinson spoke on remarks that had been made sometime ago by a citizen of the Town about Dick DeAngeles, who lived for many years on West Street; and who had performed meticulous research on all the dwellings on the hill, which comprise the Historic District. The remarks that had been made referred to Mr. DeAngeles as a “mere meteorologist with no credibility in the process he had performed for the Town of Vienna on his own time. Councilwoman Robinson further stated that Mr. & Mrs. DeAngeles had moved to Snow Hill, Maryland, which the Maryland Historical Trust has called the most historically intact Town in Maryland. Mr. DeAngeles spent endless hours developing material for a comprehensive walking tour, and is currently the Chairman, of the Preservation Commission, which has been charged with establishing the guidelines to protect the historic nature of the Town. Due to his efforts the Preservation Commission has received a grant of $15,000.00 from the Maryland Historical Trust to fund the cost of the project. Councilwoman Robinson stated that she felt his accomplishments in Maryland validate his competence and dedication which he had given to the Town of Vienna.
Dick DeAngeles was a loyal Maud machine member. He would do or say anything to help Maud prop up her phony historic district. Now ten years plus after living in Vienna Maud uses Town Council time to fawn over one of her former sock puppets. Nothing DeAngeles ever did regarding Vienna's farcical Windover Heights Historic District was certified by any authority. One day soon we can only hope that crazy old people lost in distant decades will not run Vienna.
Note: It should be noted that the individual (Sue Allard) who moved into Dick's former home in the Windover Heights Historic District once chained herself to a tree to support Maud. These really are sick people.
March 12, 2008
"That's Amore" Out of Business Comments (18)
We have a nice new road in front of where "That's Amore" restaurant used to be. Operative term - used to be. When you have moronic politicians leading the way, politicians who have spent the better part of their careers railing against success and money making (regardless as to whether that actually helps the whole community or not), when you have lazy, freeloading contractors who seem to be on perpetual bath room breaks and when time to completion is no object, is it really a surprise this happened? Wasn't it just last week the Vienna Town Council members lined up like retarded sock puppets in front of That's Amore and did a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new road? Our real fear is that when Maud goes she really won't go. Like her hero she will live on.
March 06, 2008
Public Corruption Comments (1)
From the papers:
[The Town Council voted to] renew the town's five-year lease with Historic Vienna Inc. to allow the non-profit group to operate and maintain the historic Freeman Store, the original Vienna Library building and the grounds at 131 Church St., N.E. The group will pay the town $1 in annual rent.
Said another way? Maud votes to allow her group of personal buddies (led by Laine Hyde) a free club house to play in. Is there any other local government that leases out millions of dollars of public assets for $1 a year with no outside competition? Is this behavior legal? When the history is written of Vienna politics Maud will go down as a dirty and corrupt public official.
March 02, 2008
Hey Maudasaurus What is Your Plan for This? Comments (3)
A new city is envisioned for Tysons and what is Vienna planning to do in response? Complain, whine and ultimately do nothing? Why are we expecting an 85 year old Maudasaurus with absolutely no experience in these matters to lead Vienna? If Maple Avenue is gridlock now, what happens in 5 years when Maud hits 90? Maud what is your solution? Connecticut Avenue's reversible lanes in DC sure offers ideas for solutions. Maud's strategy of not easing traffic in Vienna, hoping people would use different routes, has failed. Maybe Howard Springsteen Vienna's Weenie of the Year, the guy who sits on the Transportation Safety Commission, has some ideas?
Fannie Travis was part of the group that served the machine over the years. She was a member of Maud's Commercial Architectual Review Board. She was loyal.
March 01, 2008
The Snail Government Takes Action Comments (12)
From the Town website:
"At the Town Council's request, the Planning Commission is conducting an analysis of parking issues in the Church Street Pedestrian District (between Lawyers Rd and Dominion Rd). As part of this analysis, comments are being collected from Church Street Property Owners and Business Owners/Managers, as well as from the general public. Please see below to select the appropriate survey for your situation. Responses should be submitted by March 16."
Here is the survey. Look, if we were Seeman or Robinson this is exactly what we would do too. They have made their Council positions "for life". They don't have a clue how to run lead or even run a government, but "surveys" make them feel good.
NOTE: Don't miss Seeman's letter on the subject.
February 04, 2008
Power Lines Revisited Comments (3)
Why can't Vienna get its power lines on Maple Avenue underground? Stop one day and just look up. It is plain awful what hangs up and down our main street.
January 18, 2008
The Good News and Bad News Comments (4)
Good news? Maud is not going to run again in 09. Bad news? She will resign right before she has to declare her intentions and will then appoint a loyal machine member (read: loser) to do her bidding for her. What a system Vienna!
While most Vienna citizens look to past leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and John Kennedy for inspiration, Maud has always had a penchant for the "dictator for life" politics of African strongmen.
January 11, 2008
Maud, You and the DC Government are Kissing Cousins Comments (2)
While it might not be perfectly analogous, the article below is exactly how jack*** Maud (yes, she deserves to be called that) behaves with her Vienna Historic District:
Human Dignity Also Needs to Be PreservedBy Marc Fisher
Thursday, January 10, 2008; B01For more than a year, Richard Lucas has been trying to win permission to cut through his elderly, infirm parents' front porch so they can get from their living quarters onto the street without climbing stairs. And for more than a year, the D.C. historic preservation authorities have found reasons to say no to a ramp.
After all, as the city's architectural historian put it, "repeating porches of similar height and depth create a notable pattern and rhythm" along the Lucas family's Mount Pleasant street, and the District wouldn't want to let that rhythm be broken just to accommodate a couple of old folks who have lived in their house for 47 years.
Again and again, Lucas tried to satisfy the city's preservation police, paying his architect to rework plans for a ramp to minimize its impact on the supposedly pristine look of the 1930s rowhouses on Walbridge Place NW. But each time Lucas tried, the city came up with more objections. And so, at ages 90 and 87, Cornelius and Merry Lucas remain stuck in their basement rooms, able to come and go only through a back door that opens onto an alleyway.
"Again and again, we've tried to please them, but they're intransigent," says Richard Lucas, who has had to take a large chunk of the money he'd set aside for the ramp and waste it on architects and lawyers. "Instead of a ramp, they wanted us to put in a lift, and we rewrote the plans to do that, and then they weren't satisfied with the angle of the lift. So we changed that, and then that wasn't good enough. Suddenly, it was about wheelchair maneuverability."
Now, on the eve of a hearing before an administrative law judge who handles appeals from the historic preservation board, the District is suddenly interested in settling the Lucas case. Why? Well, let's visit with Kim Kendrick, the nation's top fair-housing official, who read my column about the Lucases a year ago and could hardly believe what she was reading.
"I read your column and said, 'Something is wrong here, and we've got to do something,' " says Kendrick, the assistant secretary for fair housing in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. So she wrote to the District's preservation officials. "Generally in matters like this, people respond with answers promptly. Not the District. In this case, we had to issue subpoenas."
What Kendrick eventually learned disturbed her even more. "I was real concerned when I heard one of the District officials say that they don't have to follow the Fair Housing Act," she says. "One in five persons in this country are disabled, and in a case like this, federal law protecting the disabled applies."
Kendrick visited the Lucas house to see for herself and concluded that "it's just not a good situation for them. For this couple to have to go to the back to get out of their house and to have to live in the bottom level like that is just not the proper accommodation."
A few weeks ago, HUD filed a complaint against the D.C. government, alleging that by denying the Lucases permission to install a ramp, the city is violating anti-discrimination laws. "I hope they would get off the position that historic preservation trumps fair housing or any law that protects the disabled," Kendrick says.
D.C. preservation chief David Maloney said he was prohibited from speaking about the case because of ongoing negotiations. He referred me to city spokesman Sean Madigan, who also declined to comment. Previously, city officials have argued that the Lucases have sufficient access to their house through the alley and that Mount Pleasant, which the city has declared a historic district, needs to preserve the elegant look of the granite retaining wall along the fronts of Walbridge Place rowhouses.
If the city doesn't back down, Kendrick says, the feds will refer the case to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. That, and a year of pressure from a team of lawyers who took on the Lucas case without charge after my column appeared last year, seems to be having an effect. Last week, the D.C. attorney general's office reached out to the Lucases' lawyers seeking settlement talks, which are now underway.
"We've been trying for a year to compromise with them," says Dominic Perella, a lawyer at Hogan and Hartson who has been working on behalf of the Lucases. "We were prepared to sue the city" before the latest negotiations began.
"The whole point of this was so that my parents could enjoy the neighbors and the front of their house and get a little light," Richard Lucas says. "Now they're in declining health and the months just keep going by as the city delays and delays."
"This is not right," Kendrick says. "Preservation does not trump fair housing. The city must follow federal law."
January 10, 2008
Is There Any Plan for Anything in Vienna in 2008? Comments (17)
Question: is there any plan to substantially improve or create anything in Vienna by our government in 2008?
January 09, 2008
What's Next Maud, Prohibition? Comments (1)
From the Sun Gazette comes a story titled "Vienna's Oktoberfest May Make Comeback" by Maud's boy Brian Trompeter:
After a 19-year break, Oktoberfest may be returning to Vienna. The Town of Vienna and the Vienna-Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce have tentatively agreed to sponsor an Oktoberfest/Taste of the Town event on Oct. 4. The event would be a fitting finale for summer activities at the Town Green, said Tom Hanton, the chamber's vice president for membership.
Finale for Town Green summer activities? There is NOTHING going on at the Town Green, but now we have public officials outside of Town Council pretending that this boondoggle waste of money is accepted and useful? The Trompeter/Maud propaganda continues:
There would be live entertainment and activities, both designed for a younger audience, on the Town Green. A separate stage on Church Street would cater to an older crowd. Beer would be served from a closed-in area on nearby private property, as alcohol is verboten on the Town Green.
"Verboten"? It's almost as if Maud now writes the articles for Trompeter! And alcohol at the Town Green is verboten why? The article makes it sound like we citizens all know that alcohol is banned there for special events and that we all know why and agree with it. What's really odd about the no alcohol at special events bit? We have seen Town Green and historic nutbag Laine Hyde's crew have fun with alcohol, so why is it banned at the Town Green?
But it gets better. Here are some of the concerns of Council members about having Oktoberfest:
Council member Laurie Cole said chamber officials need to make sure their event does not interfere with the Vienna Optimist Club's Walk for Growing Hope, which likely will take place on the same day near that location.
Does anyone know what the "Walk for Growing Hope" is? Better yet, Maud foot soldier George Lovelace outlines his concerns:
Council member George Lovelace said organizers should be prepared for the onslaught of out-of-town visitors that Oktoberfest events often bring.
Good point George! Any economic development, any outside money coming into Vienna would be really dumb. Is this all a dream? Or do these nitwits actually run a government?
December 30, 2007
PARADE Magazine Chimes In on Senator Age Issues Comments (7)
Should there be an age limit for Senators?
91% YES
"Most of corporate America requires retirement by age 70. The Senate should too. Some Senators are there for decades, and it's impossible for anyone who's in office for that long to relate to the real world."
-Jim Thomas, Bonita Springs, Fla.
"We should have age and term restrictions. Senators should be held to two terms, just like the President. This would also help eliminate pork, since Senators would not be able to develop the power to request it."
-R.V., Carson City, Nev.
9% NO
""I oppose age or term limits. If the voters choose to elect an older politician, we should follow their will. Only they can decide if a person is unfit for office."
-William Doyle, Clark, N.J.
"I believe that society works best when the energy and idealism of youth pairs with the experience and wisdom of age. Someday, I hope, our society will get over its fear and its denial of aging."
-Sen. Robert Byrd (D., W.Va.), 90, longest-serving Senator in U.S. history
December 28, 2007
Red Lips? Not in Our Town Maud! Comments (9)
Recently the Town of Vienna lead by Maudasaurus tore down the one and only structure in the Town that was certified "historic". Even though the structure is GONE, Maud the fraud recently organized a ceremony at the location where the building used to stand to "celebrate" the building's memory (we could not make this up). Of course, Maud was her usual happy-go-lucky self:
Long after you are gone Maud this website will serve as the true testament to your abuse of power and idiotic public policy.
Maud Protects Us from Robots Comments (2)
These two surveys for senior citizens were recently posted in the Vienna Town newsletter:
Ever see the commercial parody from Saturday Night Live about robots attacking old people? Vienna seems to base public policy on similar fears:
Is Vienna really headed toward Seinfeld's Del Boca Vista?
December 15, 2007
Maud's Legacy Comments (15)
Vienna - Oakton
Source: Fairfax County Times
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11 2007
On Dec. 8, at approximately 12:20 a.m., officers from the Town of Vienna Police Department responded to the Wolftrap Motel on Maple Avenue in Vienna, to arrest three subjects alleged to be transporting a large quantity of marijuana. The arrest was the result of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Vienna Police. The officers had been conducting surveillance for several weeks and developed leads on suspects believed to be involved in the drug trade, police said. At the motel, Vienna police located three suspects. During their interaction with the three men, officers observed what they knew to be a "duty gun belt," similar to the ones worn by law enforcement, in the trunk of their vehicle. The holster was empty and the officers inquired as to the whereabouts of the weapon, police said. The officers were informed by the suspects that a backpack in their possession contained a large bag of marijuana. A further search of the subject's vehicle revealed another large bag of suspected marijuana. In addition to the marijuana, a large amount of cash was also discovered in the men's possession, police said. The three subjects were transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and warrants were secured for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Each individual is being held on a $10,000 bond, police said. Arrested were William Hemming, 21, of Binghamton, N.Y.; Nathan Petersen, 22, of Fairfax; and Michael Barry, 23, of Manassas.
December 13, 2007
Vienna Fireworks, Mother Maud and the Logic of a Nut Comments (21)
Vienna Mommy writes:
Hey, Maud, my kids might like a laser show. Your fireworks scare them. Now, they scare me, too.
Waters Field fireworks endangered By Monty Tayloe Source: Fairfax County Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11 2007 At Monday's work session, the Vienna Town Council considered the subject of laser shows."The kids like this?" said a skeptical Maude Robinson, watching a promotional video from a laser show company.
After this summer's July 4 fireworks malfunction, which resulted in injuries to 11 people, the council has to consider alternative options to its heretofore traditional fireworks display at Waters Field.
It seems very likely that last summer's unfortunate shoot was Waters Field's last. Since July 4, Fairfax County Fire Department Battalion Chief Keith Johnson has doubled the required crowd distance from certain kinds of fireworks, and regulations are likely to get tougher when lawmakers weigh in. According to Johnson, Waters Field was one of the "tightest shoots in the county."
Using plastic cutouts and a map, Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Salgado demonstrated for the council that accommodating the new required distances and finding room for a crowd of spectators are close to impossible with the large-grade fireworks the town traditionally uses.
Meanwhile, smaller mortars would not provide a sufficient display. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the Town has to look elsewhere.
"I think people will understand why we have to look at other things," Councilwoman Laurie Cole said.
The council has examined other options, including holding the shoot at Nottoway Park or Westwood Country Club. However, Nottoway Park doesn't have the proper entrances to accommodate the thousands of people who show up at Waters Field every year and it technically isn't in Vienna.
Westwood has a great deal of space and already holds its own fireworks display, but recently turned the Town down.
"You wouldn't believe what we offered and they said no," said Town Administrator John Schoberlein.
In a letter to the Town Council, Westwood's board said it was concerned about the issues associated with accommodating such a large number of people.
According Salgado, a large-scale laser show would cost about $15,000, which she says is comparable to what the Town would pay for fireworks this year. According to Salgado, a laser show could be customized to include town landmarks and symbols and have a patriotic theme.
Along with the laser show, the Town is considering smaller "ground effects fireworks."
Meanwhile, Schoberlein believes the council may be able to hold a fireworks display at Westwood sometime in the future.
"For the following year, we could put together a really good proposal for them. ... We can ask every year if we want," Schoberlein said.
December 03, 2007
Maud Wants Christmas Red Banned Comments (3)
Tonight at the annual Church Street stroll Jane and Maud took credit for Christmas. We are one lucky Town to have such accomplished leaders! They also proposed to eliminate all use of the color red during the month of December. Maud's nutty hatred toward the color red reminds us of the famous Joan Crawford "Mommie Dearest" scene where she screams and rails against wire hangers while she beats her daughter senseless.
"Maud, no more red!!!"
November 30, 2007
How About a Knife in Your Side with Your Coffee Ma'am? Comments (15)
Vienna Mommy writes:
Let me get this straight - two knife attacks that we know about. Cedar Lane is out of control. This simply has NEVER, EVER been common practice in Vienna. I refuse to believe we should tolerate this any longer.
Man Attacked with Knife at Shopping Center in Vienna by BRIAN TROMPETER Tuesday, November 27, 2007A Vienna man suffered knife wounds after he was attacked by a group of men on Nov. 21 at the Cedar Lane Shopping Center in southeast Vienna, Vienna police said.
The victim was walking toward Young's Market in the shopping center at around 9:42 p.m. when he heard someone yell “Stop” in Spanish slang terms, police said.
The victim allegedly was grabbed by two Hispanic males on the arms. A third Hispanic male suspect, wielding a knife, approached the victim from the front, police said.
The third suspect then began slashing the victim across his stomach, causing a non-life-threatening laceration, authorities said. The victim attempted to grab the knife and was cut across his hand, police said.
The victim was able to free himself from the three subjects and run away towards Park Street. The assailants chased the victim, but were unable to catch him, police said.
Fairfax County Police resources were called in to assist Vienna police in the search for the subjects. Officers were unable to locate the assailants using K-9 and other methods. The suspects are described as Hispanic males, one of them having a shaved head.
Police ask anyone with information related to this case to contact Detective Scott Leroux at (703) 255-6332 or sleroux@viennava.gov.
Malicious wounding
Location: Shopping center, 200 block Cedar Lane, S.E.
Date/Time: 3:10am, October 27Details: A man reported being approached outside the shopping center by two men, one of whom cut his hand with a knife. The victim fled to a nearby business from where the police were called. The suspect with the knife is described as a Hispanic male, 5'10" tall, 170 lbs., medium length hair, no facial hair. The other suspect is described as a Hispanic male, wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt.
Fairfax County
Source: Fairfax County Times
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5 2007Around 8:53 p.m., PFC Dean Bailey of the Vienna Police Department stopped a 1997 Toyota Corolla in the 200 block of Maple Avenue SE for failing to use headlights. According to the Vienna Police Department, PFC Bailey determined that the driver, Walter Martinez, was wanted in connection with his alleged involvement in a robbery and malicious wounding at the Cedar Lane Shopping Center [For reference the location in question] in June. In the earlier incident, a security guard at the shopping center observed three men attempting to break into an automobile. One of them was armed with a knife, police said. When police responded, they located an injured robbery victim. A police statement about the June incident described Martinez as a known member of [a local gang]. Additionally, Martinez had two warrants on file for failing to appear at court hearings in Fairfax County. Bailey arrested Martinez and transported him to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where he is currently being held without bond. Jose Javier Ayala, also connected with the June incident at the Cedar Lane shopping center, remains at large.
November 24, 2007
How to Fix Cedar Lane Area Problems Comments (40)
Vienna Woods do you want your problems fixed? Then listen to the Vienna Police:
Overcrowding, said Sheeran, is a zoning issue, and independent of the gang issue. "We understand that the Vienna Woods area is concerned about changes in their neighborhood," said Sheeran.
If Maud and the rest of the Vienna Town Council do nothings wanted to fix this problem permanently, they could. They could rezone the entire apartment complex to give the apartment owner an incentive to do something new. The owner could literally be "forced" to build new condos at a higher price point and immediately "fix" the issues in that area of Vienna with economic development. Why will this not happen? For the same reason nothing else happens in Vienna that makes logical sense. We have an 85 year old nut named Maudasaurus running the show supported by a few hundred other 85 year old nuts who leave their house once a year to vote. Sorry no need to sugar coat this sad state of affairs by pretending the situation is something else.
Solution? All of the residents of Vienna Woods propose to the Vienna Town Council to have the apartments rezoned. A petition drive would have to be considered by the Town Council by law. Then you could at least see Maud rationalize in public why a rezoning would be bad and why sticking with the current state of affairs is good. Come on Vienna Woods residents, here is your solution.
"Rezone Cedar Lane Apartments? NO! I Will Patrol! Everyone Is Scared of Me."
November 21, 2007
Let Maud Run Your Bath Comments (5)
"Vienna Mommy" contributes:
More personalized services?! Does Mad Maud come over and run my bath water each night? Hardly. Just another 'control' issue for the town.
Vienna Officials Want Better Deal on Water, Sewer Services by BRIAN TROMPETER November 20, 2007Vienna officials expressed interest in obtaining cheaper water-and-sewer services from Fairfax County, but were uneasy at the timetable and potential concessions required under a plan proposed by county officials at the Vienna Town Council's Nov. 12 work session.
Vienna officials for years have noticed the discrepancy between the cost of water obtained from the city of Falls Church and water from Fairfax Water. The town has raised water-and-sewer fees five times in recent years - including an average $59.28 boost during this budget cycle - to meet increasing costs.
The current 25-year water-and-sewer agreement with Vienna expires on March 31, 2008, and county officials said they hoped town officials would indicate by the end of this year whether they were interested in switching service providers.
“We think we're giving you the best agreement now,” said Philip Allin, board chairman of Fairfax Water.
This rushed timetable, made worse by the presentation's postponement from a work session in September, did not please Vienna officials.
“To say we have a month and a half to make a decision is just out of the question,” said Vienna Town Manager John Schoeberlein.
Switching water-and-sewer service is not like picking out a new cable-television or Internet provider. Up to $2.5 million worth of connections would have to be made over a six-to-18-month period, if the county's proposal were accepted.
If the town joined Fairfax County's system, it would transfer an undetermined number of employees from the Vienna Public Works Department's Water and Sewer Division to the county. Any employee transfer would have to give workers the same or better retirement benefits than they currently receive from the town, Vienna officials said.
The town's current water-and-sewer customers would be transferred to Fairfax Water and Fairfax County Wastewater, and those agencies would handle all new customers directly. The agencies also would bill those customers and assume all regulatory responsibilities.
Fairfax County would take over ownership and maintenance of the town's water-and-sewer facilities, assume the town's outstanding $1.77 million waste-water-treatment capacity debt and be responsible for $24 million worth of sewer-line rehabilitations during the next two decades.
The town would give Fairfax County its 820,000-gallons-per-day unused treatment capacity - something Vienna officials say is worth quite a bit of money. Vienna also would remain responsible for $1,410,000 worth of outstanding general-obligation bonds for water-and-sewer projects.
The town's water rates would be frozen from 2008 to 2020 until they equalized with Fairfax County's charges, then rise at the same rate as the county's after 2020.
Vienna's sewer rates would rise at the same rate as the county's from 2008 to 2014, be frozen from 2014 to 2020 and equalize with the county's charges after 2020.
Fairfax Water is supplied by two plants. Its Corbalis Water Treatment Plant, located on the Potomac River, handles about 150 million gallons per day, is currently bringing its capacity up to 225 million gallons per day and ultimately may be expanded to treat 300 million gallons per day, officials said.
The utility's Griffith Water Treatment Plant, located on the Occoquan River, began operating in May 2006. It has a capacity of 120 million gallons per day and may be expanded to 160 million gallons per day in the future.
Fairfax Water officials said the utility tries to make its facilities blend into neighborhoods. Its pumping station on Backlick Road, for example, looks like a brick colonial-style house, while its Tysons Corner pumping station has public tennis and basketball courts on the roof.
Fairfax County operates 3,367 miles' worth of water pipelines and 3,330 miles' worth of sanitary-sewer lines. Smaller systems, such as Vienna's, are cost-prohibitive to operate in the long run, said Steven Edgemon, deputy general manager of Fairfax Water.
Fairfax Water is only one of two utilities among 55,000 nationwide to hold coveted AAA ratings from all three major bond companies, and is renowned for its state-of-the-art equipment and methods.
“We have a stellar record of performance,” Edgemon said.
Schoeberlein said it is unlikely Falls Church officials would make a similar offer to take over Vienna's water-and-sewer facilities, but they may decide to offer the town a better wholesale water rate.
Council member Maud Robinson said she would have to consider Fairfax County's proposal carefully because the town prides itself on providing separate, more personal services for its residents.
Council member George Lovelace said the town needs to shore up its water-and-sewer services for the coming decades, but must negotiate carefully to best serve town residents.
“We don't want to give away the farm,” he said.
November 05, 2007
Keeping the Machine Oiled: Robinson and Cole Pour in Some Grease Comments (16)
From the Sun Gazette:
Legislators also should resist efforts to force towns to hold local elections in November, said Council member Maud Robinson.
No surprise that Maud wants her machine run Spring election to continue. What is her argument for that? Well, she doesn't say. Also from the Sun Gazette:
Council members also reviewed a proposal by Finance Director Phil Grant to let residents pay for more town services by credit card. Grant proposed the town use Arlington-based Govolution, which handles Fairfax County's credit-card processing. The town charges convenience fees for online payments of water bills, traffic tickets, meter deposits and real estate taxes, but under the new proposal would have absorbed most fees for credit-card payments made over-the-counter at town facilities. But the Town Council opposed having the town absorb credit-card fees. Subsidizing an estimated $8,000 annually in credit-card charges “could pay for two speed humps,” said Council member Laurie Cole.
Cole worries about $8000, but spends $5+ million on a "Town Green" that no one uses. Laurie do you think no one sees the hypocrisy? Keeping the Town run like Mayberry is a clear part of keeping the machine running smooth. Transparency and ease of use? Not when you have ding dongs like Robinson and Cole running the show.
October 27, 2007
Former Vienna Town Council Member Dies; Maud Opines Comments (5)
From the papers:
“Vince was the true soul of this town,” said Vienna Town Council member Maud Robinson. “He was the soul of integrity. He was a good family man. He had something that all the college degrees in the world can't give you: instinctive intelligence and common sense.”
October 20, 2007
Traffic Up, Freeman Store Open, Town Green Empty Comments (5)
The traffic in Vienna is clearly some of the worst in Northern Virginia. To make things worse our Town Council members have conspired with the State to produce two of the most inefficient and incompetent road projects ever - Beulah Road and Branch Avenue. But guess what? The Freeman store is open and empty as is the Town Green. Maud's priorities are not the priorities of the average citizen. Does anyone have the guts to call her out except this site?
October 18, 2007
Beulah Road Disaster Is in Your Lap Maudasaurus Comments (14)
From a resident:
The Beulah Road Construction has turned to nightmare for Vienna residents especially residents live along the section of construction. The contractors VDOT authorized have not exercised care or respects to not to encroach the property right of the residents involve on the path of construction.There are several incidents that contractors used drive ways or private properties to be the staging area of their equipments and caused some drive way damaged after their equipments were removed. Residents spoke to on site manger of Martin and Gass to express the concerns of these property damages and the contractor has yet to dispatch any personal to fix the problem.
There was another incident around 9:30 PM on October 17, 2007 when the utility company was trying to work on the water utility. The utility company worker placed some lighting device in the middle of one resident’s drive way. When the resident requested the utility company to temporarily remove the lighting device so that she can pull into the drive way the utility company worker not only refused to do so and she started cursing, swearing and threatening the resident about the utility company’s right to take over the drive way when they’re working on the project. The utility worker started walking toward the garage and taking pictures of the resident and the house. When this worker was asked to leave the private property she not only refused to do so and she continued to occupy the drive way and swear to the resident.
From all these incidents it’s showing the miss-management of VDOT and lack of oversight from town of Vienna has allowed contractors and associated working groups to ignore resident’s legal rights and quite enjoyment of their properties. And phone calls made to VDOT management posted on VDOT web site were never returned by any VDOT officials. It’s yet to be determined if VDOT’s contractors have broken any Virginia law by allowing their workers to trespass private properties.
Like many bloggers mentioned it should not take one year to construct this 0.8 mile of two-lane road. The lack of planning and mismanagement of Town of Vienna and VDOT have caused properties residents along the way suffer serious noise, dust, property trespassing and harassment of un-trained workers.
Hey guess what? Maud is 85 (not the 80 or 81 she lies about in the press) and doesn't give a sh**. Until people stop electing this whacked out and incompetent crackpot we will get more of the same! And Mayor Boob, well she is right there too!
"Maud is my hero!"
October 05, 2007
Would Maud Let this Happen Next to Her House? Comments (5)
A resident of DeSale Street sent some pictures in. People will have different views as to what they mean, but it is safe to say Maud would not let this take place in front of her house:
October 04, 2007
Vienna Town Council Gives Middle Finger to Drought Comments (16)
From Vienna Mommy:
Governor Kaine wants our state to be declared a disaster but Mad Maud and Mayor Boob are still running their leaky Town Green fountain and watering the flowers at Sarah Mercer park (as witnessed at 12:30pm today). Shouldn't our elected VIENNA officials at least act like they care or even watch the evening news?Kaine Asks For Statewide Disaster Declaration
October 2, 2007
nbc4.comRICHMOND, Va. -- Gov. Tim Kaine is asking the United States Department of Agriculture to declare Virginia a statewide disaster area. The request follows reductions in farm production caused by drought and high temperatures. Kaine's office said that the majority of Virginia's localities have already requested federal assistance. In Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to grant the Sanitation Authority's request and declare a water shortage emergency, imposing mandatory water restrictions, News4's Tracee Wilkins reported. Residents are asked to limit water use to no more than 75 gallons of water per person per day. Residents are also required to use only 3-gallon water containers to water lawns and wash cars. Restaurants will serve water only when requested, and ornamental fountains would have to be turned off. Failure to follow the ordinance could result in a $500 fine. Those living in Stafford County are already under water restrictions and more could be on the way. The original restrictions were put into effect a couple of weeks ago and were aimed at getting people to cut back on watering their lawn, but without any significant rainfall since then, the water level in the county's two main water supplies has continued to drop. Officials said if the current trend continues, Stafford could run out of water in four months. Because agriculture statewide has been impacted by the drought, Kaine and agriculture officials decided a statewide designation is needed. The designation would make low-interest loans and other relief available to farmers. Kaine said Virginia has never sought a statewide drought disaster designation before.
October 01, 2007
Jane Seeman and Maud Robinson Support Chap Peterson or Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis? Comments (7)
Jane Seeman and Maud Robinson support who? Neither of these long time political dinosaurs have signs in their front yard for either Chap Peterson or Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis. Are Vienna's machine operators blowing in the wind?
September 15, 2007
Dennis Adams: The Usual "Half the Story" Comments (6)
From the Sun Gazette comes a brief bit from Dennis Adams. He is the leading advocate against the Berry Street condos:
"...Dennis Adams, who lives at 210 East St., S.E., said the parking lots behind commercial buildings occupied by SunTrust Bank, Anita's “New Mexico-Style” Mexican Food and Karin's Florist have served as a transitional area since 1963."
What Adams failed to mention is that the current owner of by SunTrust Bank, Anita's “New Mexico-Style” Mexican Food and Karin's Florist can build a new and expanded commercial building incorporating the so called "transitional area" (which Dennis failed to mention is zoned commercial). So where does his argument go then? Forget the specifics of this case, like in the historic district, it's not uncommon for older, politically active Vienna residents to show up and say anything to get their way. As long as disingenuous arguments are laid out, Berry Street or wherever, this site will exist to expose hypocrites like Dennis Adams.
September 05, 2007
Potential Stroke Inducing News for Vienna Dinosaurs Comments (4)
Oh No! Egads! Say it isn't true! Help!
Maud ain't going to like the new owners (PDF) of the Wolf Trap Motel and Tequila Grande. She of course would be happier if they built an empty parking lot like the one she forced Magruders to build next to her home.
September 02, 2007
Old Ladies Run "Posh" Out Comments (41)
Let's be blunt. No need to sugar coat it. No need to keep pretending. Maud Robinson and Jane Seeman are ignorant old ladies hell bent on destroying Vienna.
Case in point: Posh.
Posh is going. You know, the long time gift shop on Church Street in the old bank - gone. Run out of Town by Maud, Jane and their idiotic zoning code. The Mayor refuses to meet with the owners because she is too busy hanging out at the Red Hunter blog. What property will these two dimwits condemn next?
To those people in Vienna with a pulse who vote, the time to pay attention is now. Do we really have to let two stubborn, angry and ignorant old ladies ruin Vienna? And please, will the sycophant children of Town management come online (yet again) and make some posts about how wonderful their parents are?
August 30, 2007
Lighting Dead Trees is a Skill Maud Learned in New England Comments (3)
Right now at 2pm in the afternoon, on an extremely sunny and hot day, the Town of Vienna has the lights on at the base of all of the dead trees at the Town Green. Do the dead trees really need to be lit right now? Go Maudasaurus! Keep wasting money!
August 29, 2007
Town Green Dry Today Comments (2)
Today was a 'dry fountain' day at the Town Green. Can any of the Maudites lurking here explain why the fountain's water is on some days and off on other days? Nothing too controversial on a late summer day, just a simple question looking for an answer.
August 24, 2007
Deep Thoughts from Mother Maud Comments (7)
From the Sun Gazette comes...a day in the life of the crazy people who govern our little Town:
The Town Council awarded purchase orders to buy $30,214 worth of equipment from Dell Computer and $12,000 worth of Microsoft software licenses from PC Mall Gov. Council member Maud Robinson said she is resigned to high computer expenses. “I have come to accept the fact that keeping all this high-tech stuff running is more than the proverbial cost of a yacht,” she said. “We've got the techs. It's going to be money, money, money. That's the way it goes. I've never seen so much built-in obsolescence.”
Vienna...you voted for that. And you wonder why we have no sidewalks, streets not maintained and Maple Avenue as one of the biggest traffic jams in Fairfax County...
In Her Younger Years Maud Railed Against the Horse and Buggy.
Maud ALWAYS Hates New Technology, But LOVES MONEY!
August 20, 2007
Town Website Comments (13)
From the Connection:
A jump in municipal efficiency and flexibility is expected in the coming months as the Town of Vienna has nearly arrived at full employment, filling some long-standing vacancies with the assistance of salary adjustments and a Web site overhaul, according to staff members. The results of the hiring push are some of the first benefits of the increased salary rates approved in June in this year’s budget, according to Nancy McMahon, director of administrative services for the Town of Vienna. That budget included a six percent increase to average resident real estate tax bills, and approximately $750,000 in increased spending for staff salaries and benefits, according to budget figures.
The Town of Vienna is successfully hiring more people by spending more money for THIS website? The Town website, the leaky fountain, the missing sidewalks, Mother Maud...Is it possible that Vienna is not really run by wasteful bureaucrats and power hungry politicians?
August 19, 2007
The Town Green Just Keeps Leaking Comments (5)
The Town Green leaks away nonstop onto the sidewalk. Last we checked water was not free. So how much is this irresponsible and purposeful waste of water costing Vienna? Is Maud paying for it with her idle millions?
Note: Why are the flags at the Town Green half-mast on some days and not others? Is this flag silliness as disrespectful as it appears to be?
August 16, 2007
A Small Issue Indicative of a Larger Problem Comments (5)
Can anyone explain why the Town of Vienna in the course of building the Town Green, which required new curb and gutter along Mill Street, did not add a sidewalk along the entire block? How did they miss putting in a sidewalk?
August 08, 2007
Town Green Water Leak Update Comments (38)
It appears Maud has turned off the leaky fountain. When the construction workers show up to start fixing the fountain, drop us a line.
Maud Sprayed Some of This & Boom No More Water!
August 04, 2007
The Town Green in All Its Glory (Goo) Comments (10)
Some pictures of the Town Green in all its glory: no people, dead trees galore, water problems, a busted fountain, mildewed sidewalks and flags at half mast (why is that by the way?). Nothing like spending a little money.
NOTE: Northern Virginia is in the middle of a severe drought, but the Town Green can grow algae? You bet!
"What's Growing at the Town Green?"
August 01, 2007
Dead Trees at the Town Green Comments (43)
"Flags at Half Mast for Dead Trees!"
Now that it appears all of the new Town Green trees closest to Maple Avenue are dead, will we be asking HUD to divert MORE money from assorted minority housing programs because we could not either plant the first round of trees properly or water them? We understand that to say something like this is "negative" to some, but incompetence needs to be pointed out.
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!
July 04, 2007
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 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?"
June 30, 2007
Follow Along As Vienna Investigates Itself Comments (4)
Vienna announced an investigation of their May 07 elections recently. Here is the start of that: page 1 and page 2.
June 29, 2007
"Attention My Children of Vienna, This Is Maud Talking. I Will Now Educate You." Comments (20)
From the July 07 Vienna newsletter comes this ditty from one arrogant and out of touch Mother Maud:
"I've decided there's a new kind of identity theft prevalent in this area. I call it community or municipal identity theft. It's increasingly visible in Falls Church, Fairfax City, Herdon, even McLean. Their core downtown areas are losing all individual identity to the current 'Town Center' theme of increased density, more height, mixed use and upscale shops. They are becoming part of what I recently heard a gentleman describe as the 'generic' character of area development. In the aforementioned towns and cities, this character change begins with a 'revitalization' program. Hopefully, the benefits of this undertaking will be improved architecture, pedestrian access and a desire to eliminate the less than lovely small strip malls, along with encouraging new businesses. On the negative side is the probable demise of the small shops and service providers so essential to day-to-day needs of home owners. They will be hard pressed to pay the increased rental costs. Change is inevitable, and Vienna has so far managed to accomodate it, particularly in regard to the commercial area which has steadily been made more attractive as a place to establish a business and in which to shop. This year or next, town residents and elected officials will need to deal with the question of how Vienna will respond to this latest development trend which jazzes up the investors' profits as well as the downtown ambiance. Before moving forward into new territory, the town may be well served if we look backward a few decades. The 50s and 60s featured requests by developers for apartment and town house rezonings, followed several years later by condominium proposals. In each instance, the town fathers and concerned residents carefully weighed the pros and cons of each proposal and judiciously limited their number and location. Paramount in their considerations was not what was currently in vogue development wise, but the retention of Vienna's predominantly single- family residential small town character. As a result, we are now unique in the midst of area sprawl and density. The question now is, will we exercise the same careful judgment and commitment of our predecessors who nurtured and preserved the real small town we enjoy today? Will we honor that legacy or become one more generic?"
This woman is running Vienna in 2007 while living in a pipe dream fantasy world of the 1950s. Enough! How in the world does this space cadet look at the daily traffic on Maple Avenue and think small town? With 20+ banks how does she think small town? With fast food restaurants, gas stations and nail salons on every corner, where is the small town? With no one, and we mean no one, walking anywhere in Vienna day or night, where is the small town? The only small town around here exists in the cloistered interior of Maud's memory.
But give her credit, this crap (and it is crap) scares old people into voting for her. How and why we don't really understand. Maud smacks them with higher taxes every chance she can, solves nothing with traffic, lets roads and sidewalks go unchecked, and builds multi-million dollar monuments to herself. Yet when she starts up the fight against the evil 50 story condos and those developers who will get *rich*, a certain contingent of Vienna laps it up like Tuesday's milk at Magruders.
Here is a fun task for all non-Maud voters in Vienna: Go drive by the new down town in Fairfax City. Look at the quality. Look at the brickwork. Oh yeah, that's bad Maud! Better to have strip malls and run down buildings on every corner. Maud is a fraud.
June 28, 2007
Maud Marvels at New Industries Comments (14)
From the Sun Gazette:
Vienna's skate park concept is in its earliest stages. What happens next will depend on the outcome of real estate discussions and the availability of construction moneys, she said. Vienna Mayor M. Jane Seeman said people have been asking for a skate park for years, and that young people are skateboarding in parking lots all over town. “We provide facilities for other kinds of sports,” she said. Vienna officials recently installed metal bands on some surfaces at the Vienna Town Green to discourage skateboarders there, Salgado said. Council member Maud Robinson marveled at skateboarding's increasing popularity and sophistication. “It's like the sandlot baseball game has morphed into the big time,” she said. “Kids are used to parking lots and curbs. Suddenly, to accommodate them, we need a whole new industry developed.”
"Thank you Maud, that was clear."
June 25, 2007
The Town Green on a Sunny Summer Day Attracts No One Comments (17)
The Town Green (otherwise known as "The Maud Memorial") sits empty yesterday for another sunny summer weekend day. A $5 million dollar plus "postcard" park with zero recreational functionality, and just a few months after its launch, attracts no people. As Gomer says, surprise, surprise, surprise. When faced with the next ill-conceived, multi-million dollar pet project, will we as a community just trust the Ayr hill Garden Club again with our money?
June 20, 2007
Maud Robinson: Sign Hypocrite Comments (35)
Maud loves to brag about how her husband crafted Vienna's ordinance for its Commercial Architectural Review Board. This Board regulates signs: their colors, words, size etc. among other things. It is supposed to apply to everyone equally, but it doesn't work that way. Now that the Town has their new Town Green they regularly station temporary metal signs along the sidewalk on Maple Avenue. Why is no other business on Maple allowed to advertise like this Maud? Can't you obey the basic laws that you helped create?
June 19, 2007
Freedom of Information? Not in Vienna Comments (26)
The Town of Vienna government is actively working to prevent the release of public information under Virginia Freedom of Information laws. Perhaps the over eighty set doesn't give a hoot, but it is the same type of arrogance displayed with their recent election gaffe. One example?
Citizen Request to the Town of Vienna:
Please provide audio cassette copy of June 4 Council meeting.
Town Information Officer Response:
A copy of tape #2 is ready to pick up in the Town Clerk’s office. Tape #1 proved to be defective and could not be copied.
Vienna Citizen Response:
The Town does not have the right to not fix the "broken" tape...requested. Please advise when I can get the tape or when you have decided that the audio information on it is lost permanently.
Town Information Officer Response:
As we discussed earlier today, I plan to consult with the Town Attorney before tonight’s Council meeting on how to proceed [and later] Concerning tape #1, we will not be providing a copy of this tape since it cannot be reproduced due to damage.
Keep in mind, this was simply asking for a copy of the tape of the Council meeting...and the Town Attorney needed to be involved?
Vienna Citizen Response:
Does that mean that the information on the tape is permanently gone? Or that the Town will not be attempting to fix it? Was the Town Clerk able to listen to it for her minutes?
Town Information Officer Response:
Yes, the Town Clerk listened to the tape to prepare the minutes. The damage to the tape occurred when she attempted to copy it. Since the minutes have been prepared, and approved by the Town Council, there is no need to try and fix the tape.
Vienna Citizen Response:
Honest government is one reason to fix it. Clearly, the Town is in the wrong here morally and ethically, but perhaps there is some legal justification to fall on, but this is a horrible way to manipulate the system. People should be embarrassed.
The context here? The Town's silly and antiquated method of using "tape" to record their meetings allows them the cover to act like morons over basic rights we all have regarding Freedom of Information.
How did this request start? We wanted to hear Laurie Cole's voice asking the Town Attorney to investigate the May Vienna Election (since there were no citizens there to video tape Cole that night). Well, that record is PERMANENTLY gone and clearly the Town could care less.
June 14, 2007
Here's How the Old Lady Consolidates Power Comments (29)
From the Sun Gazette regarding the Monday Town Council meeting:
Council members want to change the fee for rezoning applications from $1,200 to $2,000. The fee also would apply to residents who wish to add or remove their properties from the Windover Heights Historic District. Appeals of Windover Heights Board of Review decisions, which now are free, would cost $250. The Town Council, after some highly contentious public hearings, has turned down numerous requests from property owners wishing to leave the historic district. “We are not trying to be punitive,” Town Council member Maud Robinson said regarding the fee hikes. “This is an issue of equity for the taxpayers.” The Town Council must hold a public hearing before adopting the proposed fee increases.
Isn't this a convenient way to solidify control, curb debate and push people around? Maud Robinson is biting off more than she can chew, she just doesn't realize it yet. It's only a matter of time until this woman does something so egregious that the Justice Department sits her down.
The article adds:
Many Town of Vienna land-use fees could double under a proposal put forth by Vienna Planning and Zoning Director Greg Hembree. The increases are necessary to bring the town's fees more in line with those charged by nearby jurisdictions and more accurately reflect the costs of legal advertising and labor performed by town employees, Hembree told Town Council members at a work session on June 11. “You have to look at these as user fees,” Hembree said. “People interested in these services should have to pay for them, instead of spreading the cost around the town.”
Interesting. The Vienna Zoning Director believes that the right to appeal a corrupt law, along with corrupt enforcement, is a SERVICE for residents?
"Hembree, I Changed My Mind, Make Any Appeal $10,000!
That Will Show Them!"
June 12, 2007
The Garden Club Strikes Back; Town Green Crack Down! Comments (34)
From Police reports:
Town Green, Maple Ave., E. & Mill St., N.E. 1:22 p.m. June 8: Nathan Wolfberg, 19, 1833 Toyon Way, Vienna, was charged with trespassing when he was observed skateboarding on the Town Green after being banned from the property..
Dramatization of Maud's Perfect World: Youth in Prison
June 04, 2007
The Town Green Lavatory is Open for Business Comments (31)
Cathy Salgado, head of Vienna's parks department, speaks to the wide involvement of citizens in the Town Green planning process:
“This was carefully thought-out, in review for a couple of years, We had a list of what people wanted in a town green and we planned with those interests in mind.”
What is so wonderful about the Vienna political structure is not that their words have any meaning or connect to any measurable reality, but rather what it is important is that their words make people "feel" good.
May 30, 2007
Vienna Demographics After 53 Years of Robinson Control Comments (21)
Perhaps no one cares, but...
9.51% - African-American population in Herndon
9.20% - African-American population in Leesburg
8.83% - African-American population in Fairfax County
6.89% - African-American population in Loudon County
5.07% - African-American population in Fairfax City
3.44% - African-American population in Vienna
Said another way, 85,628 African-Americans live in Fairfax County and 497 African-Americans live in Vienna. Four hundred ninety seven. How did Vienna get this way?
“You know I always get a little edgy when I hear the word ‘HUD' mentioned.”
-- Maud Robinson"The politicians can then say to the blacks and union members "hey, don't look at me", while it's wink wink to the gays."
-- Tom Seeman
Maud's Election Day Campaigner & Mayor's Son“And it defied comprehension how anyone could say that we have not tried beyond trying to make the lives of black people in particular better since the mid-fifties, with the trend accelerating greating [sic] from 1964 on. Trillions of dollars, program after program, quota after quota (excuse me, "diversity")."
-- Tom Seeman
Maud's Election Day Campaigner & Mayor's Son
Tom, no worries. You and the rest of the Vienna political establishment made sure that "diversity" is a four letter word in Vienna. We have a funny feeling that when census data is pulled for the last 50 years of Mother Maud's reign that there will be a year after year precipitous drop in the African-American population of Vienna.
The Robinson Political Machine Started in 1954 Comments (1)
Time line of Robinson political control in Vienna:
- Charles Robinson appointed to Board of Zoning Appeals in 1954
- Charles Robinson named to Planning Commission in 1960
- Charles Robinson elected to Town Council in 1962
- Charles Robinson elected Mayor in 1976
- Charles Robinson dies in office in 2000
- Maud Robinson appointed to Town Council in 2000
Mother Maud has had a death grip on power in Vienna for 53 years. That is bizarre any way you slice it. So what was going on in 1954 as the Robinson machine starts?
- President Eisenhower warns against U.S. intervention in Vietnam.
- Marilyn Monroe weds Joe DiMaggio.
- National Negro Network is established with 40 charter radio stations.
- First Church of Scientology established in Los Angeles, California.
- Bill Haley & His Comets record "Rock Around the Clock".
- Jerry Seinfeld is born.
- The Dow Jones closes at an all-time high of 382.74.
- The Boy Scouts desegregate on the basis of race.
- U.S. Supreme Court delivers decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
Wow.
May 29, 2007
ViVa Vienna Wrap-Up Comments (3)
Another ViVa Vienna is in the books. Families, kids, seniors - everyone raced to a central area in Vienna where they could eat, shop, hang out, walk, etc. Well, it's over. Jane and Maud give us three days a year. That's it folks. While other communities across Fairfax County get outdoor fair year round, we get three days. Tomorrow is back to normal. Get back in your car and go to your favorite Vienna strip mall. When you are done from another robotic day of Vienna errands (while stuck in traffic that Maud assures us has no fix), please go home. That is community building Maud and Jane style. Don't frown, you get three more days in 2008! Plus for the next year you can buy rock candy at the Freeman Store and use the lavatory at the new Town Green. Isn't that enough economic vitality for you?
May 28, 2007
Gomer and Goober Patrol Mayberry; Shazam! Comments (87)
Viva Vienna's Mayberry's security force of Town Council Member Maud Robinson Gomer and Town Council Member Jane Seeman Goober in action:
Maud: "If I was inside the Freeman Store you could not take my picture!"
Jane: "[Expletive Deleted]"
Question: Were these women seriously prepared to handle an emergency or was this all meant to be cute?