Neighborhood Notes - Foxhall: 24 January 2001

Last week Councilman Jack Evans addressed the FCCA on a range of issues: financial oversight, judiciary and constituent services. With D.C. poised to have an audited budget surplus four years in a row, Jack by September will have oversight responsibilities now held by the Control Board. He also believes that, instead of having presidentially -appointed judges confirmed by the Senate, DC should use the same nomination screening process, but with judges appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council.

His office staff, as do those for all Ward-based councillors, spend up to 80% of their time in constituent services on issues that the agencies should be handling. But until Mayor Williams appoints new permanent heads for DPW, DPR, HHS and DCRA, our city services will still lack accountability. This is also reflected in their budget processes – it is
not that there is not enough money, but agency budgets are not built up from identifiable, accountable, line items.

On Friday night the walls of the Hardy Recreation Center were gently shaking to the sounds of energetic piano playing by Bill Large, a long-time Foxhall resident who has come back after 5 years in Uruguay where the expatriate community benefited from his talents. Bill lead our community sing-along from a thick music collection ranging from the 1920’s to musicals of the ‘60s. The evening started with rousing tunes from Rogers and Hammerstein, segued into vintage pieces from World War II, and ended up with songs by artists like Frank Sinatra and the Beatles.

What with great company, cider and pop-corn, the sing-along was a great hit, and Linda Brackett plans to organize another one next month.

© Bob Andrew, Foxhall