Yesterday I got a call late that a higher-up from PEPCO would be meeting with an inspector from DPS, and Jeff from MCDOT on Sligo Avenue to look at what was going on with the final steps of the utility pole project started back in 2009.
We walked from Woodbury to Ritchie, looking at all the places I posted photos of the day before. I got assurances that someone would be out to fix things this week. OK. I'll believe it when I see it.
What was more important was a chance to talk one-to-one with Dane from PEPCO, Chris from DPS, and Dave, the contractor who did the finishing work. They got an earful about why this stuff is important. I hope just a little of it sank in.
there are still a lot of questions, and I am afraid that no one is going to like the answers. But, the moral of this story is that it is better to embrace this positive change than it is to try and avoid it. Do it because it is the right thing to do, and do it well because it is important.
Walking home on Sligo yesterday I noticed that at least some of the issues have been rectified/were in the process of being rectified (there was still 1 section of wet concrete). I immediately thought of your blog and the good work you're doing to bring these issues to light! Congrats on this victory and may there be many more to come!
ReplyDeleteMCDOT and PEPCO are hurrying to get things done before I file a complaint with USDOJ on Thursday March 1st (tomorrow). I have been saying that I was going to file on this date since December, a month after MCDOT Director Art Holmes - after a heated exchange with me - advised me to file a complaint if I thought they were wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt is the pressure of my first complaint that brought action to begin with, and the pressure of a further complaint that sparked the rush to finally finish the job after 26 months.
Thank you for the encouragement. It feels a little like a victory, but it also still feels like a loss. My problem now is that I think they will continue with business as usual after they are done with our street.