Fort Ward Pipeline to Nowhere. September 28, 2012

Letter to Alexandria Gazette
September 28, 2012

The September 6, 2012  Alexandria Gazette story City Officials Clash with Descendants of Long-Neglected Graves at Fort Ward noted problems with the City of Alexandria completing an interim project to manage park runoff which has been damaging Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery graves.  The article included comments by Transportation Director Rich Baier's comments about the pipeline that was removed.  I removed the pipeline from my property because: 1) it wasn’t designed as we agreed it would be 

What Rich didn't explain was that when the city engineered the sort-term alternative for dealing with water runoff problems they couldn't complete the scheme due to a difference in elevation.  The idea was to channel water coming from the park and some of the adjacent homeowners into a pipe, away from the cemetery, and down-slope into a storm sewer within Fort Ward Park.  The 800' of plastic pipe was proposed to go from the park, across our property, and back through the park.  Although the pipe was put in place above ground the city wasn't able, or willing, to connect it.  After numerous e-mails, meetings, etc. and no action I removed the pipe from our property and returned it to the city.  We were agreeable to being part of the solution but the city didn't carry out the plan we agreed to.  

Frankly the pipe wasn't functional and wasn't going to be redesigned until after the city approves a management plan for the park.  A good bit of the work the city did to reduce water runoff was well done.  The pipe was a bit of a joke and Mr. Baier's decision to throw stones at adjacent homeowners--and taxpayers, is a bad reflection on city services.

Democracy Not Debatable. Alexandria Gazette. September 12, 2012

September 12, 2012
Alexandria Gazette

Alexandria — To the Editor:

#Your coverage of the discussions about whether or not the two candidates running for the job as Mayor of the City of Alexandria should meet to debate is frustrating. The debate about whether to debate is not what many of the residents want to read about. We need to hear more about the vision that Andrew Macdonald and Mayor William Euille have for Alexandria. The city is a place that is easy to love but it is also an area that is struggling with land development, traffic, vacant businesses, education, and storm water/ flooding. We are also a city struggling with how we make public decisions so that residents have meaningful access and input. The candidates for Mayor need to find the time to meet in public forums and discuss these and other topics before the election.

#Those of us that live in the West End have had our share of surprises with the city's decisions related to the BRAC project, second battle of Fort Ward, land use and traffic at dysfunction-junction, and the Beauregard Plan. In each case decisions have been made under the cover of darkness and in a ham-fisted way which makes many people cynical about our political leaders and civic engagement. Rather than spend time and money to send us political literature and speak in selected gatherings it would serve Alexandria well to be able for the public to listen to and ask questions of Mayor Euille and Mr. Macdonald. I don't believe this part of our democratic process is debatable.

#J. Glenn Eugster

#Alexandria