News and notes from Reston (tm).

Friday, May 31, 2013

Ch-ch-ch-changes Coming to RA: Board Member Resigns, CEO's Last Day

Cheryl_Beamer_Election_Photo.jpgReston Association Hunters Woods/Dogwood Director Cheryl Beamer resigned from the RA board this week, the RA announced today.

Beamer served as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District director since 2007.

RA will hold a special board meeting on June 10 to discuss filling the vacated seat. The Hunters Woods/Dogwood term runs until April 2014.
The RA credited Beamer for her advocacy of public art, trail maintenance and upkeep, and employee benefits and services. The release also singled her out for her work on the move of RA headquarters to its current location, calling her efforts "one of the key reasons RA was able to move its headquarters from Isaac Newton Square to the renovated, LEED Silver certified space on Sunrise Valley Drive."

Also, today was RA CEO Milton Matthews' last day on the job. Last year, the eight-year veteran of the association's top spot announced he was stepping down because his wife had taken a job as the city manager of Rockville, Md., which has a residency requirement. A new CEO has not yet been selected, but on the bright side, Matthews did get a groovy farewell plaque that we're sure will be the centerpiece of his rumpus room.

Plaque.jpg

We wish the best of luck to Beamer and Matthews. It's shaping up to be an interesting summer for the RA, that's for sure.

12 comments:

  1. Out with the old, in with the new! Finally!

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  2. When two worthless bureaucrats leave their worthless bureaucratic jobs, they get an article, but when Five Guys at Fox Mill Shopping Center announces that they will be Permanently Closing on June 16th, well, that doesn't even rate a mention.

    With the departure of these two, there are still far too many bureaucrats at RA. However, with the closing of Five Guys at Fox Mill, there will only be one store to serve all of Reston and Herndon. I ask you, which is the bigger injustice?

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    1. RA needs to reduce its staffing. It is too big and personnel costs are too high for its local mission. I certainly hope that the next CEO will be paid substantially less than Mr. Matthews. At $300,000 plus bennies, that position is grossly overpaid.

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    2. Java - You are 100% wrong. RA needs to actually increase its staffing. You want RA to be prompt and consistent despite ever-increasing volume of complaints and requests in all departments? It's too much. The RA Board needs to recognize the association's antiquated database systems, online services and overwhelmed staff and create job opportunities at RA. This would be a fantastic place to work if the staff weren't so under-appreciated. You have no clue the amount of threats and verbal abuse staff endures on a daily basis.

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  3. Convict, I do not mourn 5-Guys. I ate there once. That was enough. Lucia's, right next door wins, hands down.

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    1. Peasant From Less Sought After South RestonJune 3, 2013 at 6:19 PM

      Scuba, as someone of Eye-talian ancestry, I must respectfully disgaree with you about Lucia's. That restaurant would last about three months in a city like New York, Philadelpia, or Chicago that knows what good ethnic food is. Unless, that is, Lucia has drastically changed for the better in the past three years since we gave up on it after one too many culinary misadventures there. Somehow, the atmosphere in Lucia's reminds me of a Chucky Cheese for adults.

      Just my opinion, of course; others may disagree. If you're looking for really good Italian, try Zefferelli's in Herndon -- it gets The Peasant Seal of Approval.

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  4. Five Guys is sooo overrated! Last time I visited there, I got a greasy, burnt hockey puck instead of a medium well burger, and it took them three tries to prepare an edible burger. I no longer buy their burgers, talk about yer "Turn and Burn"!

    On a recent trip to Kaliforneea, I stopped in at an In-and-Out Burger...good lawd what a treat! What a tasty way to get my dose of cholesterol! (sigh)... I wish we had one of those here in Reston....

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  5. While I respect your opinions regarding 5G, Scuba and JM, I have to disagree. I ate at Lucia's twice, and wasn't pleased with the quality of the food either time. Even Macaroni Grill does better faux Italian than Lucia's.

    I've been to The Land of the Beautiful People several times. In-and-Out has a big following, but I can't understand why. I just didn't find their burgers to be anything remarkable.

    If you don't like your burgers done well, then you just aren't going to like 5G. I haven't found anyplace around here that's as good a value (combination of quality and price) as 5G, although I'm interested in trying the new place in Fairfax by FHS.

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  6. Try the Breeze in Herndon. Burger special Wednesday, half off.

    If you like bacon cooked crisp, ask for it. It isn't by default.

    About a block away from Zeffirelli, next to the caboose/municipal center. Speaking of that one, there was (is?) a sign on the door that screamed, "NO PEASANTS." Something about wearing proper attire before daring to set foot across their threshold. Never did.

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    1. Peasant From Less Sought After South RestonJune 4, 2013 at 12:50 PM

      Hmmm...a sign that screamed "NO PEASANTS"? I'll have to try setting foot in there along with my fellow serfs from The Peasant Anti-Defamation League.

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  7. I don't remember the precise wording, but it was very snooty/uppity. It wasn't at all like the more typical "no shoes, no service." This was probably 7-8yrs ago.

    If you look at the Yelp reviews of the restaurant, it appears to have gone downhill. I've never been to Russia House across the street, but IceHouse Cafe nearby definitely did (food quality, not preparation) as did Jimmy's (the Jimmy effect).

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  8. That's what you get when you leave the chain-friendly confines of Reston looking for dinner. There's a GREAT place in Spectrum that serves family-friendly pasta and fixin's, but the name escapes me for the moment.

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