ANC2E tried to pull the emergency brake on a controversial plan currently underway to allow the private Maret School to renovate and dominate use of primetime recreational hours at the Jelleff field and pool on Upper Wisconsin Ave. next to Whole Foods. The ANC asked the city to void the contract and re-open the process to allow community input before the field's future is determined.
Before a standing room-only audience of at least 60 people, the ANC officially heard for the first time about a 10-year contract signed by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and Maret that commits Maret to a $2.5 million renovation of the Jelleff field and pool. In exchange, the private school would have use of the fields after school Monday through Friday and for 10 Saturdays in the spring and fall.
News of the contract first came to the ANC via the media, since the contract process began when Jelleff was a private entity, negotiating with a private school, prior to the field's acquisition by the D.C. government. Maret School head Marjo Talbott said the community was well aware of the plan. "I've talked with many people in this room about this project." She said claims that the process had not been open were "disingenuous."
Jesús Aguirre, interim director of the D.C. Dept. of Parks and Recreation (DPR), had little to say about the Jelleff-Maret School agreement and how it was reached, but he asserted that community input had been sought.
"That never happened," interjected a member of the audience. Citizens Association of Georgetown President Jennifer Altemus echoed the view that the process had not been public.
Commissioner Charles Eason, who represents the district in which Jelleff is located, said "there was never a formal notice of this opportunity." Chairman Ron Lewis criticized the lack of openness of the process.
Talbott said that Maret has a good reputation of sharing athletic facilities with other organizations, and offered Stoddert Soccer -- the current user of the fields immediately after school and on Saturdays -- the opportunity to use the fields in the evening after lights are installed. One of the Commissioners pointed out, however, that there are no lights on the field, no contract signed for lights, and the community may object to such an installation.
"Are you prepared to pay $2.5 million to get your two hours on the field?" Commissioner Eason wryly asked Stoddert Soccer, represented by Vice President Nick Keenan.
"We don't have anywhere near that kind of money," said Keenan, whose organization sponsors 175 youth soccer games each year across all eight wards of the city.
After two hours of passionate discussion and debate, the ANC voted unanimously to urge that the contract between Maret and D.C. be voided and the RFP to manage the fields be relet. 
"We urge as strongly as possible that the Maret School and the Department of Parks and Recreation negotiate to void the existing agreement and [DPR] solicit and welcome genuine community input and involvement," said the resolution.
While the ANC thanked Mayor Fenty, the D.C. Council and Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans for buying the Club and thus keeping the “facility as a green space dedicated to recreational use,” the resolution pointed out that the DPR-Maret contract was “entered into behind closed doors, without meaningful attempts by DPR to solicit community input or engage in a more competitive process."
Speakers included the head of Maret, Marjo Talbott, representatives of the DC Stoddert Soccer League, Friends of Jelleff and the British School of Washington who are current users of the facility and supporters and opponents of the Maret-DPR agreement. They discussed if and how the field could scheduled for each user, the possible installation of lights for after-dark use, the timing of the renovations and the perceived lack by many of an opportunity to have input as to the use and management of the community facility.
Here is the statement issued by the Commission:
"ANC 2E expresses appreciation and sincere thanks to the Council of the District of Columbia, and in particular to Councilmember Jack Evans for his leadership role, and to Mayor Fenty and the Administration for purchasing the Jelleff Boys and Girls Club property in Georgetown. Preserving this important facility as a green space dedicated to recreational use is a very important event and it benefits our community greatly.
Following the acquisition of this facility, it was recently announced that the Department of Parks and Recreation entered into agreements with Maret Schoolwhich provide the School certain exclusive periods of use of the Jelleff field for 10 years, in exchange for the School providing a new artificial-turf field and a renovated swimming pool. These agreements, however, were entered into behind closed doors, without meaningful attempts by DPR to solicit community input or engage in a more competitive process. We cannot evaluate the merits of the DPR-Maret School agreements in these circumstances. But we strongly object to the lack of outreach from DPR and the absence of an opportunity for meaningful community involvement while these agreements were being considered.
Good government requires far more openness than what has occurred here. We urge as strongly as possible that the Maret School and the Department of Parks and Recreation negotiate to void the existing agreement and the Department of Parks and Recreation solicit and welcome genuine community input and involvement in reaching decisions about the use of Jelleff and other DPR facilities located within ANC 2E. In undertaking this open process, the Department of Parks and Recreation must address seriously how to accommodate fairly the recreational needs of all users of the Jelleff facility, including the general community, and DPR should know that it will be held responsible for the openness and the results of this process."
5 Comments For This Article
a one political party town has it's advantages
I was at the ANC meeting to discuss Maret and Jelleff last night. As a DC native who grew up playing on Jelleff's field and in its gym, a Stoddert soccer coach, mom of three kids, Georgetown resident and Maret alum and parent, I think some opponents to the Jelleff renovation are losing sight of the beneficiaries of the Maret-DPR partnership: THE KIDS OF DC! All kids who use Jelleff -- Maret kids, Hyde kids, British school kids, Hardy kids, neighborhood children, Stoddert soccer players, and rec center members who swim in the pool, shoot hoops, and play baseball at Jelleff all will benefit from the tremendous investment in Jelleff's field, pool and infrastructure. This investment will not cost the city of DC, Georgetown residents, or Jelleff a nickel. While Jelleff's gym is in pretty good shape, the field and pool are deplorable. Jelleff is getting up to $2.5 million in a state-of-the-art soccer field that will be the best all-weather field in all DC for the next decade or more. The pool, long neglected, will be completely redone -- in time for our kids to use this summer! There was a lot of talk last night about "the message the ANC is sending" to Mayor Fenty about transparency in politics. That's well and good. But only a few people talked about the message we send our children by so vociferously opposing a workable public-private partnership to improve this facility. Improving our kids' beloved rec center matters far more than scolding our mayor -- without whom, I think it should be noted, Jelleff may easily have fallen into the hands of a commercial developer. Then we wouldn't be having this discussion at all! It's time for all the people who love Jelleff to come together for the sake of our children.
I am friends with Leslie above, but not a Maret parent and have no beef with Maret, but still disagree on a few things. As I said last night, my issue is about HOW and WHAT. Not who.
First, DC just paid $20 million of my tax dollars to secure these properties for everyone, and at the same exact time, without any strategic consideration about renovating the building, including the gym (which is NOT in great shape), the city went ahead and made a behind closed doors deal with a willing private partner. This is not about slapping Mayor Fenty or Jack Evans (both of whom knew not to show up last night). No one is opposing a private public partnership, if that is indeed the best option.
Who knows if this is the best deal? Perhaps other bidders would have paid more. Perhaps other bidders might not have taken as much of the after school hours usage of the field. Perhaps others might have given money to renovate the building. Everyone loves the idea of a better field and better pool. But let's get an open process.
And there are some big unresolved issues -- the lights, the timing, the replacement of the carpet, the parking, the inability to build or renovate for 10 years, a one way recission agreement in the contract, the caop of $2.5 million and more.
By the way, Jelleff is not getting $2.5 million of anything. No money is going to Jelleff. The field is being hived off from the other programming. I understand Maret wants to be a good partner and be inclusive, and hope they bid again in an open and transparent process. But if this deal goes forward, there will be opposition given the lack of community input, the lack of any strategic consideration to what happens to the programming at Jelleff and why this deal had to be done so urgently.
Melinda Roth makes a very good point here -- one that was echoed last night at the ANC Meeting, but also sometimes got lost in all the anger and emotion. It is absolutely critical to separate the HOW this process unfolded from the WHO and WHAT going forward.
I'm all for sending politicians the message that we need transparency. But this has to be kept separate from the fact that this particular deal is very good for Jelleff, DC children, and Georgetown. It would be reckless and not in kids' best interest to sabotage the Maret-DPR Jelleff partnership at this stage.
Sure, it's easy to second guess the outcome and suggest that another private partner would have negotiated a deal even more favorable to the community. But in reality, no matter how the process unfolded, no matter who the partner became, some constituents would have to compromise. That's the nature of partnership. I think Maret should be given credit for working with Jelleff, BGCGW and DPR for the past two years to make it clear how flexible and open-minded and determined the school is to make this public-private partnership a success for everyone involved, even the groups that spoke out negatively last night. Maret is an experienced partner, having run the Horizons summer program for 10 years with founding partner H.D. Cooke Elementary School, and more recently adding Bancroft School, enrolling 150 pulbic school students this past summer to provide academic enrichment including reading, writing, math, science, music, field trips, an arts program, and daily swimming lessons.
Maret is a school with a big heart and soul. I've been one of Maret's beneficiaries since 1978, first as a kid and then as an alum and now as a parent. Maret is a small school, only 630 kids on one campus. The teachers and heads of school are renowned for their dedication to students -- all students -- and respect for community. I am confident that Jelleff, Georgetown and our greater community will benefit from Maret's partnership too.
I think the ANC shoud back off and let Maret construct a beautiful soccer field for DC children. I think the ANC should have Maret enter into an agreement whereby the school has no options for weekend soccer play. Let Maret play and practice during the week. They are a school. Weekends should be for other DC children's soccer groups. Remember, Fenty and his cronies could easily just sell the land to developers. Let's make the best of it.
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