The County Board, County Manager, and County Staff took a break today from budget work sessions to hold an off-site work session at WETA's headquarters in Shirlington about selling off "excess" County Property
Besides the branch libraries, like Cherrydale, being sold the County Board, County Manager, and County Staff (most of whom don't live in Arlington) discussed disposing of the following properties: Woodmont Center, Lubber Run Recreation Center, Gunston Bubble (Shirley Playfield), Long Branch Nature Center (Glen Carlyn Park), Gulf Branch Nature Center (Gulf Branch Park), Edison Center Complex, and Madison Center. The total assessed value of the properties (excluding the branch libraries) is about $158 million and the total value of the land of the properties is $149 million. Long Branch Nature Center (which costs about $75,000 to operate) is assessed for $72 million and Gulf Branch Nature Center (which costs about $37,000 to operate) is assessed for $32 million.
As for the branch libraries, Library Director Diana Kresh believes they could be converted into storefronts or kiosks.
There was no mention of abandoning the Artisphere or reducing the amount spent on new sports, recreation, and entertainment facilities.
Several County Board members appeared not to be impressed by arguments that the County's population is growing and the County is losing open space because of redevelopment. One County Staff member said "off the record" that "Chris Zimmerman is desperate to get the Pike streetcar constructed, any way he can".
Thanks for your blog.
2100
42 comments:
None of the properties mentioned above costs more than $100,000 per year to operate, except for Edison Center, which is DHS office and program space.
So which corporate crony or cronies has/have the inside track on developing the Nature Centers?
Cindy, can you post the spreadsheet that was handed out at the meeting?
How else will they be able to afford 23 additional bus shelters on the Pike at $1 million each?
Let's cut to the chase...how much in bri...I mean consulting fees...do I have to pay Chris Zimmerman to redevelop one of the "excess" County properties?
How long before the bond rating firms find out that the Zimmercrats have so tapped the County out that they are having to sell public libraries, community centers, and nature centers to developers to raise cash?
Oh, their Democratic ward heelers on the Planning Commission who facilitate their deals were the guests of honor.
Handful of Arlington residents saw the meeting notice and attended, maybe five. Majority of those on County Staff were non-residents.
Wonder what Mr. Conflict of Interest, Chamber Pot $cott, will report about this?
Oh, they mentioned reducing the number of fire stations. Fi$$ette joked that if there's anything harder than building a new fire station in a neighborhood it's taking one out.
They are going to use their corrupt Democratic ward heelers and facilitators to get the neighborhoods to 'buy in". Most likely by packing whatever committees they form with flunkies from ACDC.
Does this mean the Feds won't award Zimmy a $75 million grant for his stupid streetcar?
So what's the agenda? Urbanize and pave the entire County over? Sell off public infrastructure to their corporate cronies?
Zimmerman and Fisette are the worst, they only care about their own interests, any behefits to the residents and taxpayers from their actions on the C.B. are purely coincidental.
Big topic of discussion - "How do we get the sheep...er, neighborhoods, to buy-in?"
The Washington Post Metro on Mar. 21 has an article discussing the new pools, indoor running track, etc at the Crystal City Northtract costing over $20 million. The parks could save this $20 million expenditure easily if the county is truly interested in reducing park expenditures.
Why should I as a taxpayer pay for someone's swiming pool when I already paid for three Olympic pools at our three high schools?
The Artsphere continues to cost $2 mill a year. That is a no brainer--eliminate the Duds-Artsphere.
Thank goodness we have such wonderful parks and rec centers left in our community that cost almost nothing to maintain.
I live here and use the parks often.
We posted the spreadsheet from the March 20th County Board Meeting
Jay Fisette is the worst; Chris Zimmerman is the second worst.
Seen any mention made of this County Board meeting by AIM, AVN, County's Public Information Office, Editors of the Arlington Mercury, Arlington Sun Gazette, ArlNow, or Patch blogs? Why not?
Because they're all sleazy scum who, in one way or another, have been bought off by the County Board?
Also bought off by the County Board's Chamber of Commerce cronies.
Swimming pools? Almost every County Board meeting there's a residential site plan with a new swimming pool included.
How have we gotten to the point where two long-time school board members now on the county board are devising ways of selling off nature education centers?
It's all one corrupt Greenpublicratic Party. Like the last years the limo libs and country club repubs and former hippies ran states in the frost belt, e.g., Wisconsin. They got to be so bad that the neo-cons looked good.
Consequences? What consequences? The people who make these decisions are going to be retired in 5 years or will move on to imposing their urban village idiocy aka smart growth on another state, city, or county.
Selling off branch libraries and nature centers to pay for renovating synthetic surface soccer fields at $700,000 every 8 years, how much more corrupt can you get?
How many other parks are they going to sell to their corporate cronies bulldoze into McMansions? Prime candidate is Lacey Woods Park. Look at what's happening to the formerly-forested area just across Washington Blvd.
County Board is anti-education, (including Mary Hynes and Libby Garvey) except for physical education.
They are anti EVERYTHING that might benefit the people who actually live, vote and pay taxes here and only care about what appeals to them and their friends and what gets them big bribes from the developers.
Zimmy did not lift a finger to help save the Planetarium. Zimmy's wife is a long-time NASA employee. Big priority the last few years at NASA is Planetary Science. Duh.
What can you expect? Zimmy is a 1st Generation Yuptard.
Then there is Nada Tejada +?+
Agree. One-Party Arlington GreenPubliCrats = Limo Liberals + Country Club Republicans + former Hippies who now hang out in Westover.
Where were the so-called journalists from the Arlington Mercury who report every little phrase of drivel someone spouts at the budget work sessions?
Anyone know who the go-to person will be for the campaign contributions and 'consulting fees' related to he sale of the public infrastructure?
Another topic that the Arlington Democratic Machine forbids the local media to discuss.
Yupette, County Government's Chief PR Facilitator and Media Manipulator - Diana Sun - is lying like a dog about the purpose of the March 20th CB-CM work session at WETA.
FYI - the term CBO/ELT means "County Board Office / Executive Leadership Team"
What happened to the Arlington Mercury blog? Looks like they've become C.B. Facilitators.
How about the Wa$hington Po$t? Main concern is developing the property it owns on the Alexandria waterfront. BTW, the daily paper is usually sold out of vending boxes and at convenience stores, even at $1.25.
I have also experienced the Post being sold-out weekdays and sometimes on weekends. Obviously the Washington Post Corporation management no longer cares about publishing a newspaper.
FYI, Based on the bond rating houses' demands Donnellan has a secret committee meeting to discuss selling off old and under-used County infrastructure. County employees are lying like dogs if they claim this isn't happening.
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