The department will then color the surface in Spring 2016.
An announcement has also been posted on the department website, which previously had no notice regarding the work.
I can only characterize the actions of Parks as bizarre. They not only dropped the ball on basic communications with the neighborhood, but also did not feel it was necessary to announce a major project that inconveniences users of the park until it was half-finished. It sounds like they need to hire a PR consultant.
Is there any accountability or oversight over this department? Oh, yeah, that's right. The County Council. Asleep at the switch again. As one commenter mentioned, this is the service you end up with when there aren't any actual Bethesda residents on the Council.
96 comments:
Thanks for the update, Robert. Maybe renovating the courts bodes well for no road.
More likely though, one office doesn't know what the other is doing.
Dyer found out via another site. So by his own admission would this be plagiarism?
7:30 AM There's a sign.
Let's not compare Hull's plagiarism this year with reporting on a sign :)
To 7:30 AM
This is where I saw the update, so I thanked Robert.
What was Hull's plagiarism?
Yeah there is a sign and the other article pointed him to it. Not a big deal to anyone but Dyer is all we try to point out the hypocrisy. :)
So then Robert should be thanking the other blog for finding out and getting the sign moved forward?
7:48 AM You could say we should all thank Robert for getting the sign installed and the Parks site updated?
#SaveOurPark
It'd be lovely to have a representative from *Bethesda* on the Council (like Dyer).
I suspect we'd get quicker response to our needs.
"The Department will then color the surface in Spring 2016."
Notice how Dyer can't bring himself to use the word "paint" to describe how the colors are brought onto the surface of this asphalt court? He's still clinging to the notion that the colors come from "clay".
Dyer makes an absolute fool of himself because he can never, ever admit that he was wrong, even on such trivial details.
Dyer never said it would be clay.
This is Battery Lane Park, not Roland-Garros.
@ 8:03 AM - Sorry, but the voters of both District 16, and then County at large, rejected your hero both times that he ran.
8:09 AM Right and the result hasn't been great for Bethesda residents so far. Our needs aren't being met and our voices aren't heard.
I wonder how much that sign cost. Seems like a waste of taxpayer money to state the obvious.
Let's state the obvious: Developers are desirous for a road to go through Battery Lane Park.
I suspect a deal will be forthcoming. We'll give you a new little pocket park and you'll give us Battery Lane Park.
A PR consulting firm to help them announce every time they take out a park bench and put in a new one. Great use of money.
Of course the court is being resurfaced. That's been abundantly obvious since the start - to everyone other than Dyer. It was stupid for Dyer to blow hot air about the issue and it's dumb to expect the parks department to issue press releases and put up signage for all park projects. That'd be a complete waste of time and money.
8:26 AM Dyer wasn't the only resident asking what was going on.
Poor communication from Parks.
It's a pattern.
If they'd put up the sign up at the beginning, like they have always done in the parks by my house and are probably required to do, this would have been a non-issue.
Just let the parks dept do their job. Dyer: bothering and insulting other people while they do real work since ____.
8:28 AM Parks has a list of improvement projects on their site, why wasn't this listed for a week?
Second, why didn't they respond to Dyer or other residents who asked?
Really isn't difficult. Dyer is on every social platform, on email, etc.
8:30 AM Ding Ding Ding. Exactly!
Best comment so far is 8:30AM:
"If they'd put up the sign up at the beginning, like they have always done in the parks by my house and are probably required to do, this would have been a non-issue"
I find the council members' offices to be fairly more responsive than the city offices. The traffic guys are good about real problems.
That crazy guy is bugging us again. Ah, just let him rant. Wacko.
"Probably" - does anyone even know if they have to by law? If not, then anything else is a courtesy. If that's not to your liking, press constructively for change.
9:20 AM Is it required? Don't know. But why not respond to residents asking about it?
Sussex House condos are next door. I'm curious if there was outreach to those residents about a county project underway next to their building?
Why would there possibly be community outreach concerning an asphalt top being resurfaced? There are probably 10,000 public projects every year in MoCo that are more important and/or disruptive.
It's one thing to throw insults, snark and animosity at the author of this blog, quite another do to the same to people honestly commenting. You should be ashamed.
re: Anons @ 830 & 831: being a (cynical) tech guy, I would suspect one reason for not being on the website, is that (a) there is only one person responsible for updating the content on the website and (b) said person was on vacation or sick and therefore (c) it had to wait until that person got back.
Or the alternative which is that said webmaster was never notified of the change. Yes it happens.
Can we all just commit to being a spectacular dick to dyer anytime we see him on the street? Insults, intimidation, anything we need to get this scum outta town?!
10:29 AM Doubtful, since you can't hide behind "anonymous" in public.
We'd be better off if the scum we got out of town was @10:29 AM. Do you act this way in person?
@ 10:29 AM - We would love doing that, but few of us are regularly on the street at 3 AM.
#DyerIsAVampire
Is Dyer's shill now whining that the County is putting out TOO MUCH information on the replacement of the tennis court?
Who needs consistency, anyway?
11:21 AM Yes, all of Dyer's restaurant sneak peaks/reviews take place at 3AM.
Even Silver is closed at that hour, so your comment makes no sense.
Dyer's extensive reporting of government meetings are not at 3AM.
His exclusive sneak preview of Williams Sonoma wasn't at 3AM.
etc.
I'm having a hard time finding many of Dyer's reports from 3AM? Unless news breaks late, then of course Dyer will report it.
I love the passion of Dyer's readers.
Clearly, no other local journalist has this much feedback, discussion and attention.
11:13. Language!! If being called out for bullying and intimidation gets you this upset, you need to address your juvenile behavior and find ways to help you deal rationally in the future. Your anger at such a minor issue is frightening. (And pretty much proves my point.) Please get help.
Sincerely, 10:43
Be afraid 11:29 ...
Still surprised that other sites would think insulting Dyer's readers would help them in some way.
That strategy clearly didn't work for the BethesdaNOW blogger (R.I.P.)
I love how Dyer's shill can't wait even a few minutes before jumping in to defend his hero once again.
Be afraid of who? 11:13? Please.
Wanting to run someone out of town with insults and face-to-face intimidation? Over a blog? Then replying with vulgarity? Over a blog?
Sincerely, 10:43.
I saw an unregistered squirrel in the park today. I asked for its papers and it ran off. I demand answers.
Still surprised that other sites would think insulting Dyer's readers would help them in some way.
That strategy clearly didn't work for the BethesdaNOW blogger (R.I.P.)
Insulting your way to the top isn't a strategy.
7:30: The fact checker is giving you a four Pinocchios rating - I'm the one who broke this story, has been following it, and just reported on the latest development, a sign explaining what's going on that was only erected because I publicly held the Parks department accountable for their defiance of the protocol for informing the public of park renovations.
7:48: Trying to credit another site for my work? Pathetic.
8:28: So much for "open data".
Will Dyer ever admit that the colors on the tennis court were/will be from paint that is applied to an asphalt surface, rather than from "clay"?
Uhm. Guess that's why dyer never wins elections.
So Dyer finds out the answer to his question from a comment or who read the answer in another blog. Dyer confirms it with the sign and posts about it. And proceeds to delete the reference to the original source.
Stay classy, Robert Dyer.
Still surprised that other sites would think insulting Dyer's readers would help them in some way.
That strategy clearly didn't work for the BethesdaNOW blogger (R.I.P.)...now he's on the clock trolling Dyer today and everyday. GET TO WORK blogger!
Readers love Dyer. The one negative guy doesn't.
Saying its one negative guy is like saying it's one guy that likes Dyer. Let's be fair here.
It's. The. Same. Negative. Guy.
He even posts anonymously from the shitter at the Bethesda Starbucks.
"Andrea", the information came directly from tthe sign and website notice, which were only posted after my enterprising reporting exposed Parks department's failure to notify the public. Stop trying to steal credit for my work.
5:12pm Good evening, Mr. Hull. :/
How. Would. You. Know?
I am posting from my shitter now though at home
"Robert" you have said multiple times if something is posted on your blog first then anyone else obviously ripped you off.
"enterprising reporting exposed"
Dyer, are you being serious right now? It's like you're begging for people to make fun of you. This whole blog - author, commenters, and subject matter needs to chill. We're talking about an effing tennis court being resurfaced for christ sake. It could not possibly be less important.
9:26: The raw nerve that the story has touched makes clear it is very important, and another gaffe by a Montgomery County Government department that doesn't realize it serves the public, not the other way around.
Agreed.
Continuing the honesty--
If posters put as much concern/time in positive actions as they do insulting someone who is actually doing something, things might be better in the county. Negativity breeds negativity.
Gives a lovely impression of Bethesdans.
Yep. Wish more people would be as involved in the local community as Robert.
"Robert Dyer is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life," says 8:59 AM/4:32 PM/3:21 PM/2:14 PM/1:04 PM/12:04 PM.
Honestly, I think he does it on purpose to get more people to comment. He doesn't mind that it's negative; "no such thing as bad publicity" is his motto, I think.
8:14: Actually, that's the Parks department motto.
Involved is one thing. Involved constructively is another.
Remember, no one is ever "asking for it, it's just not the smartest thing to do given the circumstances....
This illustrates the disconnect perfectly. The raw nerve has always been less about the subject matter and more about your personal approach and style and character and such. Once you get that you can more effectively market yourself and make yourself more like able to the readers and voters.
Sure I get all that. But then why did you delete the comment answering the question about what was going on that referenced the BM answer before you posted what you saw on the sign? Even if you saw the sign before you saw that comment or article?
Dyer's jobs is to read signs for illiterate Bethesdans.
"Dyer's jobs is to read signs for illiterate Bethesdans."
Haha. Obviously personally needed by @7:14AM !!
"Style"? You mean, like what brand of tie I wear? "You're like able (sic) enough, Hillary."
6:02: Uh, because A) it was spam to redirect readers to another website, and B) the sign that was referenced was placed as a result of my enterprising reporting, and C) the Parks department declined to respond to my inquiries (and inquiries from other taxpayers) but was very quick to respond to a media outlet it knew would give them the kid glove treatment, in hopes of showing its PR disaster in a better light.
Neither spam nor abuse of taxpayers funds to play media favorites should be rewarded. Hence - BAM - spam comment deleted. Have a good one.
Hey so all links to all sites should be deleted as they redirect readers to other websites.
Yes that was great you started the chain and the other source got it handled and the answer for us all. Appreciate you kick starting things.
So inquiries from you and other taxpayers are being put in the same bucket as what is considered a friendly news source.
Where is the abuse of taxpayer funds btw?
Andrea, it's considered "advertising" and quite common to remove from blogs. Many blogs don't even allow linking/referencing another site to being with.
If I contact them with an issue, I'd hope they wouldn't ignore me. Even a generic email reply would be something.
Apparently alluding to "the other place" or even "elsewhere" is "spamming", according to Dyer.
And I love how he determines that anyone who disagrees with him is an agent of the MoCo Machine, and thus "abusing taxpayers funds".
Gotta be pretty dense not to realize style of reporting and writing versus fashion.
So if a question is posed by say the Washington Business Journal and there is a lengthy discussion on it and a reader posts a link to the answer in Capital Business - is that spamming/advertising?
Again, it's commonplace. Some sites allow linking to only their own pages. Some none at all. Do you see the Washington Post allowing linking in their comments?
I see plenty of links in the comments at the Post.
And dyer is inconsistent. He allows links to anyone BUT the certain blog. That would make it censorship. Or a vendetta. Or something not totally straight and honest and open
"He allows links to anyone BUT the certain blog."
Then he is consistent.
Lol yeah I guess he's consistent with his enforcement of an inconsisten stated rationale of spam / comment policy.
5:43/2:45: I've never been banned from any "Facebook group". Total BS as usual from the resident troll. You're a complete loser hanging out in the comments section here all day posting trash. You've also again made the mistake of identifying yourself by placing yourself at events where there was only a small group of people in the room. Pretty stupid. Don't bother applying for the CIA, moron.
5:23: Using taxpayer funded email and social media accounts to promote and/or benefit one private media entity over another is an abuse of taxpayer money. For a government employee to withhold an answer to a direct question, and funnel it to another outlet in a pathetic attempt to drive traffic there, is a complete abuse of public property.
9:23 - that might be a stretch to say it's promotion or abuse. Is there a kickback? Or they honestly think it's a good source of news for our community and are sharing it? What are the government regulations for sharing links via government email or official versus unofficial social media accounts?
Yes it's pathetic a government employee didn't answer your question. Did they funnel an answer to a specific site in order to drive traffic there? Doubtful. They might have cherry picked who they responded to, but to do so to drive traffic to another site? Unlikely.
Dyer should try getting a new, unlisted phone number and see if that helps his cause with the county answering his calls!
Betsy, first of all, you can't use taxpayer-funded email/Constant Contact accounts to promote a private media outlet. 99.9% of the time there is a government webpage for any topic being discussed in the Ken Hartman newsletter.
None of the other County services center director emails I receive link to media reports, and certainly not to the same media source over and over and over every time. He's either got to link to a variety of sources - and I've had tons of stories of relevance to Bethesda residents during the last few weeks that he's started linking to my competitor again - or not link at all.
Frankly, I don't care if government doesn't link to me. But if they are going to use taxpayer money to link to private media outlets, they'd better link to me as one of them.
Is there a kickback? I'm not privy to that information.
"Robert B" - they absolutely want to drive traffic to another site, to steer the public to a source that will provide relentlessly-positive coverage of Montgomery County Government, and the elected officials they do the bidding of, and approve them for their appointed positions. Unfortunately, using taxpayer money to that end is illegal and unethical.
Where does it say that is illegal and unethical? Excuse my lack of knowledge on the rules here. Thanks.
Can you clarify your position on this. You say:
"you can't use taxpayer-funded email/Constant Contact accounts to promote a private media outlet" as well as "[Hartman's] got to link to a variety of sources [such as yourself]". Well which is it? Can he or can't he link to private sources?
You say you don't care, but if he does, he "better" link to you also. So you're saying it's illegal but if he does do the illegal act he "better" include you as well?
As a taxpayer I really appreciate our local government pointing is to good and trustworthy sources of local information. Thanks Ken!
"Stupid" and "moron" - what a swell and upstanding candidate for county council.
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