Joan Floyd is a nutjob. If she's not complaining about something, she's probably not talking.

Despite the city's desperate need to attract residents, I think there are a good handful of people in North Baltimore whom the city would be better off without...

Meet 27 doesn't pay their employees fairly. At all.

Thanks for writing this. Just last Tuesday Joan tried blocking a tavern in a building that had been a bar since prohibition ended at 23rd and Hampden. I testified on behalf of the property owner, with whom the BMZA sided. Waiting on the lawsuit...

ps- you spelled Eric's name wrong, it's "Imhof" with one "f". The Sun spelled it wrong, I know.

And restaurants get around laws because the DLLR requires cheated employees to hire a lawyer if their case is taken seriously. Most poor restaurant employees cannot afford to, and most lawyers refuse to take restaurant employees' cases because the potential yield is too small for what the lawyers feel their time is worth.

Well said, Mike.

As a Remington Resident and GRIA member, I know GRIA is trying hard to make Remington a positive place for both residents and businesses. RNA is a joke and a pain in the butt. All they do is negative to my community and not appreciated. Meet27 is great and I would love to see some more new businesses. RNA basically shut down a possible sandwich shop that was renovated from an old used tire place on the corner of 28th and Huntingdon. It was renovated and because of Joan Floyd it has not been able to open for over 3 years now. What a waste. I hope Walmart will win their battle. I encourage people to come visit Remington and notice the positive things like our greening, the cleaning up that has been done and the pleasant folks that live here. We are not all Joan Floyd and many of us are proud of our community.

THOSE ROWDY GLUTEN FREE DINERS AND THEIR BOTTLES OF GRIGIO

GRIA is wonderful. GRIA helps the community with wonderful, inspired programs. Meet27 is not GRIA. They're a for-profit business . Though the two entities often appear tethered together it's important to realize they aren't one and the same. Remington needs community. Increasing the value of a real estate market doesn't implicitly improve a community. The members of the community improve it. What I'm gathering from this article is that you want property values to go up but how does increased property value help the people who actually live here? Renters are people , too.

It is what it is

What couldn't be said in the article is that this lady has a profit motive in all the suing she does in the name of her "community". She is a professional litigant, and it is sad that the city gives her channels through which she can harm businesses and make money in the process.

Thank you for writing about this situation. Sadly, because, as Sally points out, Joan derives part of her income from her destructive activities, she has plenty of time to get quoted in the Sun paper and other media. I wish they would understand that she doesn't represent the neighborhood. She represents her own personal interests, and "represents" the ~15 people she bullies around who comprise the RNA. Every time I see a story about Remington where she's quoted as if she was a legitimate community leader I want to scream.

I agree with Spockhammer.But maybe those art school kids with studios by the gas station are selling more than paintings!!!

Eh, come hang out on Miles ave. for awhile

Seriously. Miles avenue constantly smells like weed. They smoke on the porch. Often on my porch.

Weed is the least of Miles Avenue's drug problem.

Not to mention the fact that her and her husband basically trade off being President and Vice President. I went to a RNA meeting when I was new to the neighborhood and Joan and Doug took turns shouting me down.

Their latest nonsense is claiming that the community garden on Fox Street attracts rats and dealers. Nevermind that when it was founded it was a vacant lot filled with garbage, broken glass and of course, rats and dealers.

I mean seriously, they've fought every attempt by anyone to do anything positive in the community. Basically if it's not their idea, they're against it.

So lots of Remington community members can you figure out a way to get the RNA out of the picture? I know you can't stop them from suing, but is there a process for removing them as a community organization? A no-confidence vote? Flood the next election meeting with like minded members and oust the Floyds?

Also how does Ms Floyd profit from her litigation? I'm curious, if it is a good hustle maybe I'll give it a go! Just kidding about that last part, but seriously how do you make cash money from stopping business development?

Hey Doug, i hear your park at 29th and Fox has been quite the hot spot for drug dealers lately...

Great article! It's really a shame, Remington has attracted so many great people who are fixing up houses and working for a better community, yet are held hostage by the shameless nonsense of this couple. It hurts all of north baltimore, and makes things harder for other, forward looking community associations

If I didn't know any better (which i don't) I would say that BetterBaltimoreDev is Joan Floyd. You seem to be pushing Floyd (yourself) down everyone's throat. You criticize these people for having their own opinion but in the dame breath try to force yours upon them. Seems there are a lot of people in the Remington community that can't stand her, besides the business owners. This is coming from someone on the outside looking in.

BetterBaltimoreDev stated "Wasn't it Greater Homewood Corporation that created GRIA as a way to help JHU out. Isn't JHU the real problem. Using fake organizations to get around the neighborhood seems to be working."
As a founding member of GRIA, I would just like to take a minute to respond to BetterBaltimoreDev, who I believe to be Doug Armstrong, Joan's other half.

GRIA grew out out of a group of Remington residents that had grown frustrated with the practices of the RNA. Concerned residents had gone to the RNA with concerns and ideas for program initiatives, and were constantly being turned away, hearing things like "We don't see how youth programming reduces crime". Eventually, fed up with being told "No" again and again, my good friend and former GRIA President, Eric Imhof (with one "f"!) had attempted to run for office within the RNA. When he arrived at the meeting, he asked if could speak to the group before the members voted. He was told by Joan Floyd that he could not. After some discussion, she agreed to let him speak *after* the voting. Ballots were cast, Joan went to another room and counted the votes and came back and declared herself president again. Eric used his allotted time to denounce the election and processes of the RNA.

Eric, being a community organizer, did what he knew how to do and organized other frustrated Remington residents. Our first meetings were held upstairs at Dizzy's in the winter of 2007, over five years ago. They were just discussions by neighbors of areas of improvements, concerns, and what we could do to help the neighborhood.

We came up with our name, as a nod to "The Remington Improvement Association", a defunct organization that predated the RNA. And we came up with our mission, found here: http://www.griaonline.org/about/mission-statement/.

We did this as a group of residents, not a product of GHCC. And it is true that they helped us a bit, maybe a lot, but only insomuch as they guided us through the steps to legitimizing us, gave us support to obtain grants, and acted as a fiduciary. And we are grateful for that. But we have grown up a bit and are now our own 501c3, Although we have a good working relationship with GHCC, we are our own organization. Anyone that actually attends our meetings and events would know that.

But the RNA has refused to recognize us. It seems like they are the only ones.

If you read this all, thanks for indulging me.

Kelly Coleman
Secretary / Board of Directors, GRIA

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Good for you! Don't let JOAN an obstreperous bully, dominate an entire community any longer. This woman is a pure termagant and hater! Being a provincialism is one thing to be a saboteur is another. Anything to do with development is SHUT DOWN, JOAN GET A FREAKING LIFE! How about going back to WASHINGTON DC and leaving this community to live without your interference. Joan has been out of control, most of it is just plain pure EGO. Besides from her asinine behaviors, this community and the local officials need to usurp or take back their own power and rights, Joan thinks she has the final say. She should be counter sued then she would have to pay lawyers for what she is doing and would stop this nonsense of many years now! LEAVE BALTIMORE JOAN! Many of us HATE YOUR HORRIBLE CONTROLING INFINTILE SELF OBSORBED BEHAVIOR!
You only own a small lot of property. About 100 feet.
YOU DON'T OWN REMMINGTON. STOP YOUR RETCHED NONSENCE. WE'RE GETTING VERY SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR SELF DEFEATING COMMUNITY ACTIVISM WHICH COST REMMINGTON AND OTHER SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES A LOT! Both in Money and a better quality of life!

Joan floyd's hotmail username is "ma.president." So that gives you an idea of how she views herself. Also, I have a nice chain of e-mails with her from a year or so ago if anyone would like to know the RNA (i.e. her) position on Meet 27. There is a thin line between community activism and active obstructionism, and Ms. Floyd constantly crosses it. I think that she actually believes that what she is doing will help the neighborhood in the long term. She's just kind of stuck thinking that everything that happened before shall happen again. It's too bad she can't gain a little perspective on things, but hey, some people are just old and grumpy. Hopefully she'll eventually just get tired, old or senile.

Tired and senile, rather, and stop fighting. She is already old, obviously.

Joan. I'll tell you, you're exhausting and a waste to the community. Your attitude on here does not help your cause. There are many nut cases like you that love to stall positive developments for a little bit of attention. It's a shame because the last time I checked, Remington NEEDS help.

There is so much information in the news these days about trying to stop children from bullying other children and yet here is comment after comment attempting to destroy a person by extremely cruel and nasty personal statements. What is wrong with you people? Go about your business doing what you think is right without trying to harm a neighbor.

this is just ridiculous. read icculus.

How can these people do this? I am a homeowner in Remington and I would love for sweet sin to have a functioning bar. That place has been a bar for what 80 years, come on. Also, I didn't hear about the sandwich shop being shut down on Huntingdon and 28th until just reading these comments. This infuriates me. It infuriates everybody I talk to about it when I explain yeah well there is a bar right there but this RNA is fighting it.

Are you mental? Get the net.

I agree, name calling is low. But sometimes people are in the business of harming their neighbor. But, it is counter-productive if nothing else.

And so I like numbers. And because of that, I want to share these numbers about people posting comments here with you.

unique posters: 22
defending Joan Floyd: 2
disgruntled with Joan Floyd: 18
Unclear: 2

Also here is an example of some of the sentiments in Remington: http://i.imgur.com/mUDDQ.jpg

Semi-recent things that the Floyd-Armstrong Neighborhood Association has also opposed:
Outdoor seating at mainstay of the Remington community The Dizz (fortunately for Elaine and The Dizz they failed)
Outdoor seating at Long John's Pub (unfortunately for Long John's, they succeeded)

I'm not too sure how you all got the idea that the Meet 27 has been a tavern for 80 years, because in 1999 it was a "private social club for the Korean population" in Charles Village and Remington. I'm sure that many of the residents of these communities will know that. Joan Floyd and Doug Armstrong have been participating in the Baltimore Marathon since it started, participated on the Mayor's Parade for years, have had festivals and parties for the community and have worked very diligently for the Remington community for many years. Does GRIA have a MOU with GHCC?

I never voted for this anchor named Joan to represent my neighborhood. I propose exile and then new blood more in line with our demographic and modern mindset. I'm pretty sure we can accommodate outdoor seating at long johns and a sandwich shop here and there...

Lots of vile comments by people who do not identify themselves. Stand by your comments with your name!

I am Ed Hopkins, currently parliamentarian of the RNA. I have held this position for 8 years. I have lived in Remington since 1987.

The RNA is not and never has been anti growth. It IS anti zoning law violation. Doug and Joan and myself have all those zoning laws on our desks and in our computers and study them carefully when people/businesses want to make changes. The RNA takes special pains to make sure the "nearest neighbors" know about such pending changes. The RNA as such has no "standing" before the zoning board.

Zoning work is difficult. When someone is getting ready to do something near you, you have to get involved; you have to start studying the zoning laws and start learning about how to influence the decision the zoning board will make. Doug or Joan or myself can help you with learning this stuff. We can't do it for you. Only the property owner near the proposed change has standing at a hearing.

and there are the complicated liquor laws...

People who are curious about the RNA should come to our meetings and see what we are doing. Our member newsletter reports all "actions" that the RNA board takes. (Action: voted and and done according to Robert's Rules.) Study, learn, work, trust no one or no organization completely--least of all those who do not attach their names to their remarks. Being a good citizen is hard work.

Ed Hopkins, RNA

People reading this, please do not take Ed up his offer of help. The RNA is not qualified or competent to give legal advice, and the courts have repeated asked them to stop. When I asked for their help (before I knew better) they almost screwed everything up for me. The appropriate person to help you deal with the city government is your councilperson.

No one is impressed with you printing your name, Ed. The bullies always want more attention drawn to themselves.

I'm not printing mine here because I've spent enough time being bullied, shouted at, defamed, libeled, insulted, ignored, called on the phone and harassed, and otherwise abused by the "leadership" of the RNA. So I'm not terribly interested in having your respect, nor am I interested in doing anything in a way that y'all approve of.

Once, I asked Joan Floyd which neighbors she consulted when "fighting" against Meet 27 and she said the "near neighbors." I pressed further but she never truly identified who these people were. I didn't want names, but I did want the approximate location of these so-called neighbors. Instead, she encouraged me to examine some court documents regarding the case -- though she didn't give me case numbers or a hint as to how I could find them. One would think that such a community activist might have some copies on hand to show her "near neighbors." Nope. And I asked her about attending the next RNA meeting, she said that she might be holding one "soon." How can she or any other member of RNA be trustworthy when it's not even clear when they hold meetings, or if the public is invited to these meetings, or what their definition of "near neighbors" actually is, etc. etc. etc.

The "things are more complicated than you know" line of argument is often used by folks like Ed Hopkins and Joan Floyd to disguise their true intentions and who use their knowledge of the law and zoning codes to exploit the system to suit their own individual interests -- interests which aren't really clear to the public.

I am a homeowner in Remington, so if Joan or Ed assume I'm one of those people complaining that I don't have a place to drink, they can know that I actually care about the community and believe they are not acting in its best interest.

Joan, please tell, if you are so proud of all your "achievements," let us in on what they are. In your mind I guess that means how many places you've managed to put out of business under the guise of looking out for the best interests of the community. You and your lawyer have it down to quite a science, Appeal when things do not go your way thus keeping the issue at hand in Appeals Court for so long the struggling business owner cannot pay his bills and/or the time limit for a vacant building standing has passed. How many other truly vital court cases are never heard due to you and your lawyer's "tried and true" strategy of delay until death. I've heard from very reliable sources that one of your lawyer's specialties is teaching college law students how to best keep cases in court as long as possible. Got morals??? And yes, I did hear him boast, perhaps a little too loudly, that he has indeed made money from the City of Baltimore from court "victories!". And you two work together? How odd and how convenient!
Joan, listen, Montanna calls your name...you would be so appreciated there!!! glutenfreeforever

For those of you who are not attacking Joan and the RNA, but are honestly trying to form an oppinion about what is going on, consider that what you are reading here against her and the RNA is "character assassination", McCarthyism - which Webster II New Riverside University Dictionary calls "Use of unfair investigative and accusatory methods in order to surpess opposition".

When I bought my home and moved to Remington three years ago, I didn't have a history with either organization and attended meetings for both RNA and GRIA with an open mind, before deciding which one to join. The RNA meeting consisted of Joan and Doug standing at the front of the room shouting at each other; the GRIA meeting consisted of people sitting in a circle openly discussing the issues.

I spoke with several members of both organizations and asked them why what they were doing. Several RNA members expressed their dislike of Remington, that they thought it was a terrible place to live and therefore felt it necessary to convince others of their worldview, but only one person offered up a reason RNA was better: "we were here first." GRIA members, on the other hand, pointed out how much they loved their neighborhood, and how they had expressed this love in a variety of ways: planting trees, starting a community garden, activities for youth, mural projects, and supporting projects that create jobs for neighborhood residents.

Needless to say, I chose GRIA. Remington IS a great place to live and it's a shame that there's a whole community association devoted to tearing it down.

Part of Baltimore City's charm is it's many colorful and diverse neighborhoods. Thanks, Mike, for pointing out the struggle of caring individuals and small business entrepreneurs living and working in an area that is hopefully developing into an active, attractive, and safe community.

I’ve been thinking about all the comments about the Moran story and I have to the following :
1) The story was an opinion piece, not necessarily filled with accurate facts;
2) Mr. Moran was stating his opinion although he did not try to balance it with any statements from Ms. Floyd;
3) The comments from most of the people did not add to the discussion but were rather Rush Limbaughish : shout down anyone with a different opinion and don’t worry about the facts;
4) I now understand more about the residents or people associated with GRIA;
5) With the type of GRIA associated statements, I think I see a group of people who cry when they don’t get their way and use character assassination as a means to defend their points of view;
6) I saw no discussion on the liquor laws or zoning laws the restaurant needs to adhere but rather voices more interested in getting an establishment with a liquor license where they can drink;
7) The GRIA people did what they did: they created an organization representing their interests and those interests and how they plan to attain those issues was clear in the manner in which they voiced their opinions.
Communities have different factions, interests and views. This article was more of a character assassination , full of “cherry-picked” views and facts. I have less of an opinion of GRIA and its members after reading the comments.

The thing is, many people have left GRIA events over the years frustrated. Frustrated b/c it was and is not a forum for complaining about and fighting Joan and the RNA. This thread has not been a GRIA meeting. Honestly, Joan and her posse rarely come up in GRIA discussions, and GRIA events are nothing like this.

Sorry Mike, Remingtonian as a resident description has been around a lot longer than you think....there is a poster waaaay up top calling themselves that.
I did appreciate the article and the info that has come of light since then. Betterbaltimoredev seems intent on twisting some views and it is interesting. Mike, can you come visit a couple GRIA meetings and feel free to join.

I bought my house in Remington 3.5 years ago but, we are seriously thinking about moving. I see a neighborhood of older and newer residents at war over their vision of Remington. We are tired of the trash strewn streets and worrying about drugs. I can deal with a restaurant serving alcohol but can't stand seeing a drug deal happening right in front of my children. When the owner of The Dizz told us about outdoor seating I was ecstatic and my 4 yr old loves sitting at their outdoor tables and eating chicken fingers. We moved here from the county with many restaurants serving alcohol and outdoor seating where we feel much safer and the areas are much cleaner. Why was this an issue? What was the real problem? I feel like the people that represent the RNA here in their comments are saying that as a new resident I have no say in where Remington is going and if I don't like it too bad. I have been to a few GRIA meetings and I felt like I had a voice and my opinion counted, even if not everyone in the group agreed with me. (I was against big box stores). I think that more effort for everyone to work together is needed for Remington to grow. I would also like to see less vacant buildings and homes which will require some zoning laws to be changed to accommodate the changes needed. Perhaps instead of trying to enforce the old laws we could plan for new positive changes that is desperately needed for families like mine to want to live here in Remington.

why dont you all move to Hampden where folks give a fuck about folks who give a fuck and leave those shitbirds to roost in their shithole.

Joan has argued that the reason she is fighting the liquor license of Meet27 is that she is worried the owner of the building, once the liquor license is obtained, will then sell the restaurant and or building to an unsavory character. If there is another argument, Or does Ms. Floyd represent the tea totalers of the 1920s. Her privilege. She and her followers claim a position of a community interest group, she should state her reasons for trying to impose her will via the court on a neighborhood business that the majority of supports.
Addressing an unsavory person taking over the building and restaurant once the liquor license is obtained, Ms Floyd knows that GRIA and the CVCA signed an agreement with the building owner and Richard D'sousa the owner of the restaurant the liquor license permit. In that agreement, GRIA and the CVCA must be advised and provide written consent over the future owners of the license. In additions, the restaurant is restricted to hours of operation that were agreeable to all parties.
Ms. Floyd can argue that she does not trust GRIA or CVCA based on past experiences whatever they may be, but surely she cannot believe these two organizations combined harbor the community ill will or that they would make a joint decision detrimental to the community in this specific case.
A good leader has her or his ear to the community and tries to work with that community to the betterment of all. I hope she takes that position and listens.

Just because a group claims to represent the entire community does not make it so. Especially in a community as diverse as Remington, there are many sectors with distinct and sometimes intersecting interests. This is especially true now, but was also true decades ago. Each group of people has legitimacy and a right to some voice but at some point it has to do more than hide behind and use the law and instead produce the people that it claims to speak for and have the voice of the organization amplified by its base. i have always admired groups that have vision and values and the ability to reach and inspire people to get things done. An agenda of "no" hiding behind the intricacies of the law as opposed to the evidenced will of people is a negative force in the community.

This message is directed to Austin Graves and while I believe in what you stated, I would like to inform you of a few things. We lived accross the street from Rootie Kazooties, the Loyola University underage bar similarily located on 27th Street in Charles Village. This bar moved in after a few good restaurants couldn't make it in the community and finally was rented to the bar known as Rootie Kazooties. Each evening was a horror when the bar closed down and the students came flowing out into the street and caused pure hell for the neighbors on the block. We signed petitions, noted the problems, advised the Liquor Board, had meetings in our house, wrote letters after letters in an effort to close down the bar. A student was thrown through the plate glass window and still the bar retained its license to operate. We went to hearings year after year and pleaded with the Liquor Board and it was only after the owners of the bar threatened a student whose father was an attorney and an important government official that the bar was shut down. During the owner's departure from the bar he threatened me with bodily harm and I can assure you I was quite concerned. It is not easy to close down a bar with a liquor license as the city makes good money from these establishments. No one can forcase the future, but please consider what we had to accept on a nightly basis.

To "lifein remington" - I live on 27th street, and know that Meet27 is located on 27th street and Howard Street. I walk by Meet27 several times a week as I have for a number of years. A MOU signed by GRIA and the CVCA holds no legal binding between the two and is something that cannot be used as a legal instrument. A MOU is similar to a PUD, it is a fluff and stuff thing that is agreed upon between parties but has no legal mechanisms to bind the two parties to the agreements entered into. So despite the existence of such a document a future owner of the restaurant is not legally bound by that agreement. The two associations may report that they will have "input on any new operations in the future" but the MOU is not a document that can be used to force the new owner to abide by those agreements. You are correct, I cannot forecast the future, but neither can you and therefore, if and when the restaurant is sold to whomever, there is no guarantee that the owners will abide by the MOU entered into between the current owner and the two associations.

Just to set the record straight here, you cannot enforce MOU's if they are not legally binding on the parties, just as you cannot enforce PUD's. They both represent agreements made with communities that are not legally binding on the parties involved. Several members of our community have attempted to get the city to enforce a PUD on 32nd Street without success as there is nothing behind these agreements which would allow the city to take action and therefore despite all of the agreements with the community the city has not been able to enforce these agreements. Unless the liquor board has dramatically changed, they will always side with the operator over the community to such an extent where they will grant a license to a place that hasn't had one for years. I am only attempting to caution you since we fought for three years to have a bar closed and learned a great deal during that period of time.

Christian, can you really, honestly, tell yourself that you'd rather have an open drug market than a new store, restaurant or bar?

A couple of months ago a dealer was yelling, YELLING in front of my house his price for his drugs he had with him. I walked over to him and screamed at him to leave my block and never to come back. He did. Never saw him again. I believe that the store owners and restaurant owners will not put up with it, especially if they have out door seating and these dealers will move on. Sorry if you are worried about down the road, but I'm more worried about the now. I'd used to take my kids on walks on a daily bases until two times in a row a drug deal went down right in front of my stroller. Yeah. You aren't going to convince me that your what-if attitude is the best thing for this community.

Gentlemen: If in fact neighborhood agreements are attached to liquor license's and have some weight in a court of law and also in deciding what will be considered by the Liquor Board, then that is indeed a good thing and something that should be considered. I think that statement will be decided at some later date and until now I still believe my statement is valid. Now with respect to the drug dealing in the neighborhood, I believe that continual calls to the Police Authorities and to your elected governmental officials may be a vehicle you might want to explore. I would not favor your physical approach as a resolution to the problem because the drug dealer may have a gun and why put your child and yourself in a position of being physically hurt? Drug activity takes place all over the city and Remington has the same problem as other communities do. For example if you shop at CVS and Safeway you will have experienced some drug activity and they are not located in Remington. You might want to call the BCPD and have them do a survey of activity in Remington, or alternatively use your cell phone and take pictures from a distance of the activity and send it to your counsel representative. Don't confront these dealers and in particular don't confront these dealers with your children in tow.

To "betterbaltimoredev" - I'm not sure who you are, what the root of your anger and bitterness is, or why you choose to direct it at me with lies and uninformed opinions. I did serve as President of both GHCC and JFCC Boards many years ago and was never asked to leave, but rather left to continue to focus on the education work that has been the focus of my life. The school that you claim is a joke has honorably served students for over 3 decades. All of our students are better for the experience of being a part of our school and a large number have gone on to college and career with success. One of our students, who came to us as a drug user and drop-out, just a few weeks ago earned his Master in Library Science degree from the University of Maryland. We owe our success to the large numbers of volunteers and supporters from the community who both created and sustain our program. Our program has been visited and observed by educators both locally and nationally, all of whom have left with strong words of support. The best endorsement of our program, however, comes from our students and their families who appreciate the success that they find at The Community School. I'm not surprised at the negativity or vitriol thrown our way. This has too often been a pattern among some. Our response is to keep our eyes, energy, and hearts on our mission to "serve young people in the Remington area who wish to advance their education, improve their lives and better their community."

I'm pretty sure it's Doug Armstrong.

Joan and Doug...no one likes you and you should move to a nice gated community in the suburbs where you can ensure that you will never have commercial growth/change encroach on your neighborhood...

Truth is you don't because you get too much power from making a stink over everything. You have proven that if you want to start a business in Remington you will have to spend half of your savings, just to fight in court, to open. All you want is... POWER... you don't make concessions, you don't make suggestions, you just mobilize one thing and one thing only and that is NO!

Truth being told, I like Joan and Doug. I believe that they are attempting to do something necessary to protect the neighborhood, but a group of people don't understand and/or respect this fact, so they have decided to launch this campaign in which they created a forum of intolerance. I happen to know a lot of people who also like Joan and Doug who respect the fact that they have accomplished a great deal for the neighborhood. Joan and Doug support business and change, provided that change and business doesn't destroy the neighborhood. I have personally had meetings with Joan and Doug, been in meetings with Joan and Doug on issues involving our communities and have never heard them say that they were against change and commercial business operations unless it was contrary to the organic development of a neighborhood. So I don't understand why all this pent up hate has been created or why it has suddenly festered and exploaded, unless it is being directed by someone or some organization. Joan and Doug have worked in the community for years to its benefit and you should really begin considering what the neighborhood might have been like without their work.

99% of the time gentrification is progress in the right direction... except for the people who live there, but it is inevitable anyway as you can't stop progress. SO DEAL WITH IT!

Doug and Joan do this to obtain POWER.They gain their POWER by saying
NO.They gain no power by saying yes.They do little or nothing for this
community.The seldom,if ever, pickup trash,they don't maintain a park that Mary
Pat created for them(28 th street) and have always refused to confront
the drug dealing issues that Remington continues to have.They obstruct to have
POWER.The RNA will forever be called by me the REMINGTON NEGATIVE
ASSOCIATION.

WOW! I'm glad this thread has finally died, though I love the smell of vitriol in the morning. There's a RNA meeting on August 14 at 7pm at the Wyman Park Center and a GRIA meeting August 20 at 7pm at Kromer Hall. I expect everyone of you to attend. ,

GSP
The RNA newsletter, which most Remington residents should receive, lists meeting times and places. The meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm, usually at the Wyman Park Center. I told Joan I would administrate the RNA website, but she never responded