DC Government

Potholepalooza Kicks off Today through May 22nd

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user fromcaliw/love

From a Press Release:

Mayor Vincent C. Gray and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy today launched the District’s fifth annual Potholepalooza campaign to expedite pothole repairs on roadways across the city. The Mayor and Bellamy helped fill potholes on Whittier Street in Northwest Washington as DDOT crews mobilized for the month-long campaign.

This year’s Potholepalooza will run through May 22. As part of the campaign, DDOT is adding extra crews to fill potholes and aims to repair identified locations within 48 hours (the normal response time is within 72 hours). During Potholepalooza, residents and commuters are encouraged to phone, go online, tweet, use Facebook, e-mail or use the DC311 smartphone app to submit requests for pothole repairs.

The first-ever Potholepalooza was held in 2009; over the past four campaigns, DDOT crews have filled 21,011 potholes. In 2012, DDOT received 453 service requests for pothole repairs during the month-long campaign and filled 2,443 potholes.

How to report a pothole

Residents and commuters can notify DDOT in a variety of ways:

1. Call the Mayor’s Call Center at 311;
2. Use the Online Service Request Center at 311.dc.gov;
3. Send a tweet to twitter.com/DDOTDC;
4. Post a comment to the Potholepalooza Facebook page at www.facebook.com/potholepalooza;
5. E-mail [email protected]; or
6. Use the District’s new DC311 smartphone application.

Those who report potholes should identify the precise location, including the correct quadrant (NW, NE, SW or SE) of the District, and provide as much detail as possible about the hazard, including the approximate size and depth of the pothole. DDOT crews will also be out and about proactively identifying potholes.

How is a pothole repaired?

Road crews fix a pothole by filling it with replacement pavement material. Cold patches are used for small potholes in lightly trafficked areas because they can be quickly applied. Hot asphalt is used in high-traffic areas or on large potholes, because it will hold much more effectively. If the road has become pitted with potholes, it may need to be resurfaced. Resurfacing a roadway involves stripping the upper layers of asphalt off, roughening the bottom layers, and applying a new upper roadway surface.

PoP Ed. – Clarification, Accountability and a New Direction by John Andrade

By Prince Of Petworth

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John Andrade is owner of Meridian Pint.

Ed. Note: Meridian Pint is a PoPville advertiser. PoP-Ed. posts may be submitted via email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail please include PoP-Ed. in the subject line.

Clarification, Accountability and a New Direction

Over the past 10 days the topic of Paid Sick Leave for Employees has become a hot button issue in DC politics. Last week, when called by a reporter from DCist, I was asked about my position on paid sick leave for tipped employees. I made the unfortunate mistake of speaking on this topic without being fully aware of this law and most importantly, how my staff truly felt on this topic. I was quoted as saying:

“I do my very best as the principal owner to take care of my staff above and beyond what I would argue is 99 percent of the restaurants in the industry, and I do very well at that. But when it comes to the government mandating that I take care of paying my employees in their absence, whether it be from being sick or emergencies or other issues that may arise, I’m not in favor of the government mandating it.”

I would like to apologize for those that I may have offended, most importantly my staff, but the fact is that I love my community and I love my staff even more. While I am not perfect, I would never expect anyone to work when they are sick or otherwise not able to work. I have always worked with our staff in these situations. I would prefer that staff members take the necessary time to get well. However, despite all my good intentions and great track record with the community, local charities and environmental sustainability, I have fallen short on the most important part of Meridian Pint, my staff. I am sorry to you all.

After reading the quote from another restaurant owner who said “paid sick leave is an expense that he and his counterparts can afford” I realized that he is right. While I believe that many restaurants in DC can barely afford to stay open, much less pay for sick leave, Meridian Pint is a great example of a restaurant that can and should afford to go above and beyond this law. Therefore, as of this week Meridian Pint will now offer paid sick leave to all of its employees including tipped employees.

The truth is, that the ‘Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2008’ is one of the most important laws that restaurants must abide by yet most of us in the industry are not aware of it and often overlook it. The attention that has been brought to my doorstep this past week has opened my eyes to the seriousness and magnitude of this oversight. I have become the poster child for so many of us in the restaurant industry who overlook the most basic needs and rights of our staff members. Our staff members are the life of our restaurants and without their good health and commitment we would not exist.

I hope that all of my poor decisions up to and including this past week serve as a
wake up call to all my fellow restaurant owners. We cannot drive our businesses forward without taking care of the most important part of our business, our staff.

I would again like to apologize to my staff for overlooking your most important
needs, your health and your income. Moving forward I will promise to always put
you all first above all other concerns. I would also like to apologize to my
community for not following through on my pledge to be the best gathering place in Columbia Heights. I have let you down and for that I am sorry.

Dear PoPville – Advice on Helping the Homeless?

By Prince Of Petworth

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Dear PoPville,

I live on U Street between 14th and 13th and regularly walk past a homeless woman whom has made the stoop for the former Republic Gardens nightclub her hangout spot morning, noon and night where she congregates with other homeless, boozes, and asks for change. She also uses the alcove next to “her” stoop as her personal restroom, resulting in a constant and nauseating scent whenever you walk past. On occasion the walk from the stoop to the alcove is too much and she will just urinate where she sits. In recent weeks she has been an even more frequent fixture at this locations.

While I realize that homelessness and public urination (among other things) isn’t a new problem or even one unique to this location, it is without question disgusting.

Apart from notifying the police, which has proven useless in the past (I once informed a nearby officer that she was hammered and vomiting all over the stoop and sidewalk and he said “oh you mean [Susan], not much we can do about that”), is there anything else that can be done? This has to be a public health issue…right? She disappears for a few days from time to time, which I assume is when she either finds a new spot temporarily or is admitted somewhere but I suppose the allure of U Street keeps calling her back. Is there something that can be done as a more permanent solution?

Has anyone had success with DC’s Homeless Services?

DC Emancipation Day Tuesday – Street Closures for Parade – Garbage and Street Sweeping Suspended

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user gc-dc

From DPW:

The DC Department of Public Works will observe Emancipation Day, Tuesday, April 16; however, rush-hour parking restrictions will be enforced. Vehicles violating these restrictions will be ticketed and towed. Other parking regulations, including expired meters, residential parking and street sweeping, will be suspended for the holiday.

Sanitation services will be suspended for the holiday and will resume Wednesday, April 17.

· In once-a-week trash and recycling collection neighborhoods, Monday’s collections will follow the regular schedule, while Tuesday’s collections will “slide” to Wednesday, Wednesday’s collections will be made Thursday and so on.

· In twice-a-week collection neighborhoods, Monday’s collections will follow the regular schedule while Thursday collections will “slide” to Friday. Tuesday and Friday collections will be made Wednesday and Saturday.

· Street sweeping will be suspended Tuesday and resume Wednesday, April 17.

Street closures for DC Emancipation Day Parade after the jump. (more…)

Dear PoPville – How Can We Stop This Homeless Man From Setting Fires in Columbia Heights?

By Prince Of Petworth

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Alley between the 1400 block of Columbia and Irving St, NW

Dear PoPville,

Since the construction staging site went up in the alleyway between columbia and irving at the 1400 block in late august to early september 2012 there has been a homeless man living under the stairs of the condemned church. He is a hoarder and had managed to amass a huge pile of stuff in and around the stairs. Basically kept to himself, was just an eyesore and made us nervous.

However, the past few weeks he has set 3 fires. The first got out of control and spread into the church, due to all of the hoarded stuff in the alleyway. We cleaned out the alleyway and didn’t come back for a week, when i smelled the second fire. I am writing to you at 2 AM early Thursday, right after the 3rd fire has been put out. I have been told to call 911 immediately when I see him, but since that doesn’t seem to work, I was wondering what else can be done on my part to take care of this problem.

Yes, I am sympathetic to his plight but he is putting our lives at risks by setting these fires. In addition, I have been the one to smell it first due to our proximity to the fires and now I’m fearing for my safety.

Any and all suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

Perhaps the DC Mental Health Mobile Response Team could intervene:

Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES): 202-673-9319 (24hrs, 7 days per week)
Mobile Crisis Services (MCS): 202-673-9300 (9am -1am, 7 days per week)
Homeless Outreach Program (HOP): 202-673-9124 (9am -8pm , M-F)

Cool Way of Concealing Dumpsters, But Is It Legal?

By Prince Of Petworth

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Earlier in the week we noted the cool way Table was concealing their dumpsters at 903 N Street, NW. Thanks to a reader for sending a curious update from the Old City Green’s newsletter:

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) wants this removed because “it is a new structure in-front of an old building”. What do you think? There is a petition to keep it up at the restaurant, so stop by! (903 N St. NW)

Mayor Gray Submits Fiscal Year 2014 Budget to Council, Includes $400 Million for Streetcars

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user Rich Renomeron

From a press release:

Mayor Vincent C. Gray today released his Fiscal Year 2014 Proposed Budget and Financial Plan. The $10.1 billion budget leverages the District’s strong financial position to make major investments in expanding affordable housing, strengthening education and workforce development, and safeguarding public safety without raising new taxes or fees.

“After two years of sometimes-difficult decisions made to strengthen our fiscal health and hard work to grow our economy, we are now in the position to begin investing for tomorrow and funding our priorities at a higher level,” Mayor Gray said. “This budget makes significant investments that will boost the quality of life for all District residents — including a historic investment in the expansion of affordable housing.”

The plan’s priorities include funding for affordable housing, school construction and modernization, expanded library hours and construction, bringing the Metropolitan Police Department to 4,000 officers, and investments in streetcars and bicycle infrastructure.

The budget has three overall goals consistent with the Mayor’s One City Action Plan: 1) Grow and Diversify the District’s Economy; 2) Educate and Prepare the Workforce for the New Economy; and 3) Improve the Quality of Life for All.

Improve the Quality of Life for All

The Mayor’s budget reflects $100 million in investments over Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014 to produce or preserve 10,000 units of affordable housing by 2020. These include:

· $86.9 million in the Housing Production Trust Fund – including $66.9 million in FY 2013 and $20 million in FY 2014;

· $13.1 million to fund the other recommendations of the Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force;

· A commitment to dedicating 15 percent of the District’s deed-recordation and -transfer taxes to the Housing Production Trust Fund on a recurring basis.

The budget also funds other initiatives to improve the quality of life for District residents, including:

· Fully funding 4,000 sworn officers for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD);

· $7.2 million for MPD and $8 million for the Fire & Emergency Medical Services (FEMS) Department in FY 2013 for vehicle-fleet replacement initiatives;

· Replacing $27.9 million in lost federal funds to continue reforming the District’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program;

· The beginning of a $400 million, six-year investment in the District’s streetcar program and a $6.2 million annual operating subsidy – including completion of the District’s 1st streetcar line (Minnesota Avenue to Georgetown), completion of the engineering for the Anacostia Line and a study on adding additional north-south lines;

· A $16 million investment in the District’s bicycle infrastructure, including new bike lanes and trails, continued bike-friendly improvements to streetscapes, and the addition of 10 new Capital Bikeshare stations;

· A multi-million dollar investment in expanding, improving and renovating the District’s parks and recreation facilities and programs;

· Expanding hours and days of service to seven days a week at all the District’s public libraries, and investing in a major, $103 million renovation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library as well as construction or renovation of libraries in Cleveland Park, the Palisades and Woodridge;

· Investing $15 million in the One City Fund, which will provide competitive grants of up to $100,000 a year to non-profit organizations in education, job training, health, services for seniors, the arts, public safety, and the environment;

· And pay raises for District employees – union and non-union alike – including, for most, the first raise they’ve had in between four and seven years.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Food Truck Association Says: “Proposed Food Truck Regulations Would Make Food Trucks Illegal in Most of Downtown”

By Prince Of Petworth

Map of Proposed Regulations
Click map to enlarge

From a press release:

Food trucks will become illegal in most of downtown if Mayor Vincent Gray’s proposed new regulations are passed, said the Food Truck Association of Metropolitan of Washington, who today released a map showing the impact of the proposed regulations.

“The proposed regulations have one outcome – less choice and competition for District resident’s dollars and less food trucks just where residents want them the most,” said Doug Povich, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Food Truck Association and Co-owner of Red Hook Lobster Pound-DC. “The proposed parking restrictions have little to do with protecting public health and safety, and everything to do with restricting competition and consumer choice.”

Mayor Gray has proposed severe restrictions on where food trucks can serve customers, including:

Restricting food trucks in the most popular locations – with the exception of a limited number of lottery-assigned designated spaces;
Banning food trucks from serving from within 500 feet of lottery-assigned spaces;
Banning food trucks from serving where there is less than 10 feet of unobstructed sidewalk.
A map by the Food Truck Association shows the proposed regulations would make most of the Central Business District off-limits to food trucks – highlighted in red on the map.

“Red means dead.” “Food trucks who do not win a lottery spot will have few places to go,” said Povich. “The bottom line is that, if enacted, the proposed regulations will severely limit consumer choice, force many food trucks out of business, and put many food-truck employees out of work.

“Simply put, these regulations will hurt the city, ” Povich said. “The District will lose hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue. And DC residents and workers will be left with fewer choices and less opportunities for their dollars.”

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