Minutes – Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A

January 3, 2017 Regular Public Meeting



The meeting was held in the Community Meeting Room, Metropolitan Police 4th District Headquarters, 6001 Georgia Avenue N.W. Commissioner Gale Black, Chair (and ANC 4A08) called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM. Also present were Commissioners 4A01 Phyllis Green, 4A02 Stacey Lincoln, 4A03 Stephen Whatley, 4A04 Patience Singleton, 4A05 Deborah Pope, and 4A07 Dave Wilson. Commissioner 4A06 Karrye Braxton was absent. A quorum was present for all votes.



1) Approval of the Agenda



Commissioner Whatley moved to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Singleton seconded the motion. The motion was approved, 7 yes, 0 no.



2) Approval of Meeting Minutes



Commissioner Green moved to approve the October 4, 2016 meeting minutes. Commissioner Wilson seconded the motion. Commissioner Whatley noted several corrections to punctuation, spelling and grammar. The corrections were accepted without objection. The minutes of the October 4, 2016 public meeting as corrected were approved, 7 yes, 0 no.



Commissioner Whatley moved to approve the November 1, 2016 meeting minutes. Commissioner Black seconded the motion. The minutes of the November 1, 2017 meeting were approved, 7 yes, 0 no.



Commissioner Whatley moved to approve the December 6, 2016 meeting minutes. Commissioner Lincoln seconded the motion. Commissioner Whatley noted a correction to be made: he (Commissioner Whatley) called the attention of the Commission to the provision in the DC Code that specifies that a quorum of commissioners at a public meeting is calculated on the number of occupied commission seats, not on the total number of commission seats on the commission. He therefore suggested that a quorum was present. The correction was agreed to. The minutes of the December 6, 2016 public meeting were adopted as corrected.



3) Recommendations Regarding a Development Concept Plan/Environmental Assessment for the Rock Creek Park Nature Center



Commissioner Wilson moved that the Commission adopt a resolution making recommendations regarding a development concept plan/environmental assessment for the Rock Creek Park Nature Center. Commissioner Whatley seconded the motion. The motion was adopted, 7 yes, 0 no.







The adopted resolution:



Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A (the Commission) takes note of the following:



· The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing a Development Concept Plan/Environmental Assessment for the Rock Creek Park Nature Center, which includes the Nature Center, Horse Center, Maintenance Area and their surroundings.



· The plan will identify needed improvements to buildings, picnic areas and trails. In addition, the plan will provide the NPS and its stakeholders with direction to renovate buildings, further protect park resources and create more opportunities to explore and learn in the park. It will also address how to support ongoing operations and maintenance.



· The plan offers four alternative concepts from which to choose:

o Concept #1: No Action

o Concept #2: Fix it

o Concept #3: Escape from the City

o Concept #4: Green Campus



· The NPS has invited public comment on this plan and has extended the public comment deadline to January 13, 2017.



· This matter is time-sensitive and the Commission is an interested party, inasmuch as the area encompassed by the Commission is bordered by Rock Creek Park. The Commission therefore offers its comments and recommendations.



RESOLVED:

That Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A recommends that the NPS adopt and implement Concept #4, Green Campus.



Ø This concept incorporates both support for health and education of the community and showcases sustainability in a walkable campus reached by multiple forms of transportation.



Ø This concept best enhances the benefits of Rock Creek Park being a local treasure for the community in the heart of our bustling capital city with showcasing to our nation and the world how nature and technology can work in harmony with one another.



4) Election of Officers



Mr. Gottlieb Simon, Executive Director, Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, conducted the election of officers for 2017.



Commissioner Black nominated herself for Chair.



Commissioner Whatley nominated himself for Chair.

There were no other nominations..



Commissioner Green moved that each candidate be allowed one minute to make a statement on their positions and plans if elected Chair. Commissioner Lincoln seconded the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously, 7 yes, 0 no.



Both candidates addressed the Commission for one minute.



Commissioner Singleton moved that Commissioners be allowed to ask the candidates questions. Commissioner Lincoln seconded the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously, 7 yes, 0 no.



Commissioners asked questions of each candidate, which were answered.



Commissioner Lincoln moved that questions and answers be closed. Commissioner Whatley seconded the motion. There was no objection.



Mr. Simon called for a vote for the office of Chairperson by single-member district. Commissioners voted as follows:



4A01 Green Abstain

4A02 Lincoln Whatley

4A03 Whatley Whatley

4A04 Singleton Black

4A05 Pope Whatley

4A06 Braxton Absent

4A07 Wilson Whatley

4A08 Black Black



Mr. Simon declared that Commissioner Whatley was elected Chairperson, 4 yes, 2 no, 1 abstain.



Commissioner Whatley nominated Commissioner Wilson for Vice-Chairperson.



There were no other nominations.



Commissioner Wilson was elected Vice Chairperson by acclamation.



Commissioner Whatley nominated Commissioner Pope for Secretary.



There were no other nominations.



Commissioner Braxton was elected Secretary by acclamation.



Commissioner Green nominated Commissioner Lincoln for Treasurer.



There were no other nominations.



Commissioner Lincoln was elected Treasurer by acclamation.



Commissioner Whatley assumed the Chair.



5) Establishing a Meeting Schedule for 2017



Commissioner Whatley moved that the Commission adopt a resolution setting a meeting schedule for 2017. Commissioner Lincoln seconded the motion. The motion was adopted, 7 yes, 0 no.



The adopted resolution:



RESOLVED:



That Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A hereby adopts the following meeting schedule for the year 2017:



The first Tuesday of the month, at the Ft. Stevens Recreation Center, 1300 Van Buren Street N.W., beginning at 7:00 PM.



February 7 (alternate severe weather date: February 14)

March 7 (alternate severe weather date: March 14)

April 4 (alternate severe weather date: April 11)

May 2

June 6

July – No meeting

August – No meeting

September 5

October 3

November 7

December 5



6) Participation in the ANC Security Fund



ANC Security Fund



Commissioner Lincoln moved that the Commission approve participation in the 2017 ANC Security Fund, approve the Security Fund agreement, and approve the payment of a $25.00 participation fee. Commissioner Wilson seconded the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously, 7 yes, 0 no.



7) Activation of Committees



Following discussion, this matter was deferred to a later meeting of the Commission.

8) Grant application: East Rock Creek Village ($4,000)



Ms. Sharon Flynn, East Rock Creek Senior Village, presented their application for $4,000 to produce a recruitment video directed to seniors to increase membership. Following questions and discussion, the Commission asked Ms. Flynn to resubmit the grant application with a detailed itemized budget for consideration at the February 7, 2017 public meeting.



9) Grant Application: Star Achievers-Shepherd Elementary after-school program ($1,000)



Ms. Jasmine Riley and Mr. Byron Green, Shepherd Elementary School Star Achievers, presented a grant application for $1,000.00. They said that their organization is a non-profit, 501C3 organization that receives no funding from the DC Public Schools and is not affiliated with Shepherd Elementary School. They provide supplemental after-school education for students through robotics classes that are not part of the D.C. Schools curriculum.



Following discussion and questions from commissioners, the Commission deferred consideration of the grant application to the February 7, 2017 meeting and asked the applicant to present a more detailed budget with specific line items to be covered by the grant funds.



10) Comments - ANC Omnibus Act



Following discussion, the consensus of the Commission was that more information is needed and this item was deferred to a future public meeting.



Community Comments and Concerns



1) Mr. David Krucoff, representing Douglass County Maryland, a non-profit advocacy organization, spoke in favor of retroceding the District of Columbia to the state of Maryland as Douglass County, Maryland.



2) Ms. Sharon Flynn, East Rock Creek Senior Village, asked the Commission for a letter of support addressed to the D.C. Office on Aging. Commissioner Green moved that the Commission approve the requested letter of support. Commissioner Wilson seconded the motion. The motion was adopted, 6 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain.



The approved letter of support:



January 4, 2017



Ms. Laura Newland

Executive Director

Office on Aging

Government of the District of Columbia

Washington, DC



Dear Ms. Newland:



At its regularly scheduled meeting on January 3, 2017 (notice of which was properly given, and at which a quorum of seven of eight members was present) Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A (the Commission) voted (7 yes, 0 no) to approve the following statement:



The Commission supports East Rock Creek Village in its application for a grant from the DC office on Aging (DCOA) through the FYI 2017 Senior Villages Competitive Grant Process.



The Commission gave a grant to East Rock Creek Village at its very inception to support the volunteer training and background checks. We have watched East Rock Creek Village grow and serve the senior members of Ward 4. We believe East Rock Creek Village will continue to be a vital part of the community as we have a large percentage of seniors in our area. As they are applying for a grant to launch their subsidized membership program, this will help our senior citizens even further.



If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me.



Sincerely,







Commissioner Stephen Whatley, ANC 4A03

Chairperson



cc: Hon. Brandon Todd, Councilmember, Ward 4

Commissioners, ANC 4A

Mr. Gottlieb Simon, Executive Director, Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions



3) Ms. Caroline Cragin said that the District of Columbia, unlike Maryland, has no community mediation service. She asked the Commission to support establishing such a service. The Commission agreed to hear a more detailed presentation from her at the March 7, 2017 public meeting.



4) Mr. Michael Bethea said that it would be helpful to have more information and explanation about proposed resolutions.



5) Mr. Byron Green, Star Achievers, said he would like to have parking around Shepherd Elementary School increased from two hours to four hours to accommodate staff for their after-school program. Commissioner Whatley asked Commissioner Lincoln to work with Mr. Green on this request.



6) Ms. ______ Whatley asked about an update on the Walter Reed project.



7) Mr. Michael Sindram asked for a correction in the September 2016 meeting minutes regarding comments he made about George Stewart, who was incorrectly identified as the head of the Office of Veterans Affairs; the correct agency is the Office of Human Rights. Mr. Sindram also thanked the Commission for adopting a resolution supporting Veterans Court and urged the Commission to follow up on the resolution.



Presentations and Reports



1) Mr. Philipp McCauley, Executive Office of the Mayor, gave a report on current issues and projects of concern to the Mayor’s office.



2) Ms. Sheryl Newman, Chief of Staff, Ward Four Councilmember Brandon Todd, reported on current issues and projects of concern to the Councilmember.



3) Mr. Earl Eusler, Urban Forester, gave a presentation on the care, management and removal of public trees (streets, parks, schools, etc.) in DC, especially in ANC 4A.

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4) Judah Gluckman, DC Office of Public-Private Partnerships, gave a presentation on the services and programs of his office.



5) Commissioner Whatley gave an update regarding the application to downzone four addresses on Fern Street N.W., including 1101 Fern Street N.W.





The meeting was adjourned at 9:24 PM.