NEW FIREHOUSE -- ARE WE IN DANGER OF NOT GETTING IT ?

Friendship-Tenleytown Citizens Association is hosting a community-wide public
meeting with Acting Fire Chief Thomas Tippett concerning the replacement of
the old Tenley Firehouse. The meeting is Tuesday, May 23, 7 pm at the Tenley
Library.

Community meetings come and go, but this one could have significant public
safety implications. I urge everyone, who can make it, to attend.

If you read the Northwest Current, you know that the City Council has
budgeted $4.5 million for a new Firehouse on the existing site. The old one,
built in 1903, has been described by the Fire Department's planning officer,
as "completely dilapidated."  It has serious structural problems with the
floors,  and the doors are too small for today's modern firetrucks. According
to The Current story, there's  a half inch clearance on either side of the
door. The potential for damage to trucks is enormous and precious time is
taken up with taking in side mirrors and inching through the door each time
the engines go out.

If you're having a heart attack or your house is burning, seconds are
critical.

A group of local residents are asking that construction be held up as they
attempt to preserve the old firehouse because of its age and historical
significance. It's the second oldest firehouse in the city that is still in
use. Fire officials say that renovation would be too costly and pointless
since the doors are too narrow.

I would like to suggest that perhaps those things of value on the inside be
removed and placed in storage somewhere for donation to a museum.  Perhaps
the new station can have a similar facade to the old but with larger doors
and more practical interior. In any case, a firehouse need not be ugly. An
example of a lovely building is the brick Cabin John Firehouse on River Road.

The community needs to make its feelings known to the political powers. If we
don't, the project could be delayed for a long time, or even scuttled.

In the interest of moving quickly to get that much needed structure, I would
urge you attend the May 23 meeting and to contact Erik Christian, Deputy
Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, as well as Council Members Patterson and
Brazil,  to urge that construction begin as soon as possible.

Relevant e-mail addresses and phone numbers are:
Christian: Echristian-eom@dcgov.org;  727-6053
Patterson: kpatterson@dccouncil.washington.dc.us;  725-8062
Brazil: HBRAZIL@dccouncil.washington.dc.us; 724-8174
 

IS THIS ANY WAY TO TREAT A POLICE DEPARTMENT?
In an effort to find money, a proposal was made by Councilmember David
Catania to cut $7 million from the police budget for FY 2001. Councilmember
Harold Brazil, who spoke at the 2D CAC meeting last night,  opposes this
reduction in the MPD budget. It comes just as the Department is improving its
equipment and training and especially in finding qualified civilian employees
to take over some of the jobs that have been historically done by police
officers.

It also comes just after the MPD spent a real bundle on the IMF/World Bank
meetings. It comes just after the officers and detectives at 2D so rapidly
solved the murder at the National Zoo and arrested the gunman.  Commander
Newsham told us, at the same meeting, that his officers had taken the
attitude that no one would go home that night until they had solved the
murder. I appreciate that attitude and the changes we are beginning to see in
this historically starved department. I don't want to see its progress halted
or see it slip back. It still has a way to go and needs all the help it can
get to get up to snuff.

A call or e-mail to Council Chair Linda Cropp would be especially helpful.
The Council will vote on this on May 16. Her address is:
Lcropp@DCCouncil.Washington.DC.US. Phone number is 724-8032. Fax is 724-8085.

 
CRIMES IN PSA 202, APRIL 1 TO 30
ROBBERY
-- F&V,  5100 Wisconsin,  4/22,  2220,  parking lot
BURGLARY
-- 4200 Van Ness,  house
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  office
-- 4500 Wisconsin,  sporting good store
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  department store
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  office
-- 5000 Wisconsin,  retail store
THEFT
There were 13 reported thefts. Locations included: hospital, stores,
restaurants, offices, hotel, school, apartment, house, yard, grocery store,
construction site. (9 closed)
THEFT FROM AUTO
-- 5000 Belt
-- 4200 Jenifer
-- 4300 Jenifer
-- 4300 Garrison
-- 4600 Davenport
-- 4500 Western
-- 5100 39th
-- 4400 Sedgwick
-- 4600 Wisconsin
-- 4600 47th
-- 4200 39th
-- 4900 Albemarle (attempt)
-- 4400 Grant (attempt)
STOLEN AUTO
-- 4500 40th
-- 4000 Yuma
-- 3700 Alton
-- 4100 Chesapeake
ARSON
-- 3800 Fort Drive,  school
SIMPLE ASSAULT
-- 4500 Ellicott,  street
-- 3800 Fort Drive,  school
THREATS
-- 4100 Davenport,  house
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  restaurant
-- 4200 Davenport,  school
-- 5100 Wisconsin,  street
UNLAWFUL ENTRY DISORDER
-- 5300 Wisconsin,  hotel  (closed)

SUMMARY- Starting January 1, 2000
Sex Abuse -- Jan- (non rape) 1; Feb-0; Mar-0; Apr-0
Robbery -- Jan-8; Feb-1; Mar-4; Apr-1
Assault -- Jan-1; Feb-0; Mar-1; Apr-0
Burglary -- Jan-2; Feb-6; Mar-10; Apr-6
Theft -- Jan-27; Feb-17; Mar-18; Apr-30
Theft From Auto-- Jan-18; Feb-34; Mar-9; Apr-13
Stolen Auto -- Jan-5; Feb-7; Mar-5; Apr-4
Arson -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar-1; Apr-1
Simple Assault -- Jan-1; Feb-7; Mar-4; Apr-3 (includes 1 threat)
Destruction of Property -- Jan-5; Feb-0; Mar-4; Apr-3
Fraud -- Jan-2; Feb-0; Mar-1; Apr-0
Indecent Exposure Disorder -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar-1; Apr-0
Breaking & Entering Vending -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar; Apr-0
Drug Possession Arrest -- Jan-1; Feb-0; Mar; Apr-0
Unlawful Entry Disorder -- Jan-1; Feb-0; Mar-1; Apr-1
Carrying Pistol Without License Arrest -- Jan-0; Feb-1; Mar; Apr-0
Fugitive From Justice Warrant Arrest -- Jan-0; Feb-0; Mar-1; Apr-0

Total To Date: 267
Jan - 73;  Feb - 73;  Mar - 59;  Apr - 62

 
COMPUTER VIRUS ALERT:  The "I love you" virus has this phrase as its subject
on your incoming e-mail. Don't open it; just delete it.
 

UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE:

-- Million Mom March -- Mother's Day, Sunday May 14 -- This is way up there
for important marches in DC.  Let's do what we can to tighten those loopholes
that allow 17 year old kids with all the judgement of oatmeal to buy and
carry guns around the city.  Congress does respond to numbers.

--  ANC3E meets on Thursday, May 11.

--  Household Hazardous Waste Collection at Carter Barron Amphitheater
Parking Lot from 9 am to 3 pm, Saturday,  May 13.  You are encouraged to
bring old paints, pesticides, solvents, motor oil, batteries.  They will also
accept computers (but no monitors), printers, keyboards, mouse pointers,
power cords, circuit boards and mainframes. This is sponsored by DPW.  For
additional information, call Haley Clemm on 645-0751.

I don't know what they will do with the computers. If you have one and want
to give it  away, I can put you in contact with some charities that are
accepting them. At least one is giving them to inner-city kids. Contact me
before you dispose of it. -- KS
 
 

PROPERTY TAX RE-ASSESSMENT ALERT!
Forwarded to AU Park residents from Steve Posniak and Chuck Ruttenberg --

The D. C. Office of Tax and Revenue is now reassessing property on a
triennial basis, with specific groups of neighborhoods being reassessed each
year.
This year, American University Park properties were all reassessed.  It
appears, however, that a substantial number of residential and commercial
property
owners did not receive their reassessment notices.

If you own property in A.U. Park (defined by D. C. as the area bounded by
Western Avenue, Harrison Street, Wisconsin Avenue, and Tindall Street)
and did not receive a reassessment notice, there are two things which you
should consider doing.

1. Contact the OTR's AU Park Assessor, Estelle Davis, on 442-6675.  She
will send you what she will describe as a "duplicate notice," since OTR cannot
admit that they did not send out the original notice.  Once you do this,
of course, you can no longer claim that you have not been notified. The
original appeal period was supposed to expire on April 1, but has been
extended
until May 1, and may be extended again.

You can also independently look up your proposed Tax Year 2001 (first
bill due in September) reassessment on the computer at the Tenley Library.
(You
will need your Lot and Square Number.)  OTR also has a complete copy of the
printed reassessment roll in the Washingtonia Room at the Martin Luther
King (Central) Library.

2.  Notify Steve Posniak (ANC-3E-01), who is trying to track how many
reassessment notices in total were not received.  He can also brief you
on possible class action appeals in the works based both on 1) the number of
reassessment notices which were not sent out and 2) the failure of OFR to
follow the sections of the D. C. Code providing for timely provision of
all pertinent reassessment information.  Please provide your name, address,
Lot and Square (if you have it) and phone number (if you wish). Steve will
NOT forward this information to OTF unless you specifically ask him
to. Steve's e-mail address is <sposniak@clark.net>, and his phone number
is 244-1836.