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| | | Northeast Capitol Hill commission (ANC 6A) loses AppleTree issue; elects chair in close vote | | January 18, 2010 | | | | Voice Correspondent | | This report originally incorrectly stated that commissioner David Holmes said Robert Pittman had been involved with the commission's alcoholic beverage licensing and planning committees. The Voice regrets the error.
At its Jan. 14 meeting, the commission:
• heard commissioner David Holmes describe the commission’s “lost attempt” to prevent the establishment of an AppleTree Institute charter school in a row house on 12th Street NE despite protests by local organizations and several commission votes opposing the school’s location. Following the last vote, two commissioners sent the D.C. Public Charter School Board private letters supporting the school’s location, said Holmes, contradicting the commission’s decision. Holmes later said the commissioners who sent the letters were Kelvin Robinson and Mary Beatty, the commissioners who voted against the commission’s last resolution opposing the school’s location. Shortly after, the board approved the school’s plan to build the campus.
• heard acting chair David Holmes announce that following the resignation of commission chair Joe Fengler, the commission will hold an election from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the commission’s next meeting on Feb. 11 to fill the seat. The two candidates running for the vacancy in single-member district 6A02 are Drew Ronneberg, the current chair of the commission’s economic development and zoning committee, and Robert Pittman,
• voted 4-3 to elect commissioner Kelvin Robinson as the commission’s chair. Commissioner David Holmes was also nominated for the position. Commissioners Robinson, Raphael Marshall, Mary Beatty and Gladys Mack voted for Robinson. Commissioners Holmes, Bill Schultheiss, and Nick Alberti voted for Holmes.
• unanimously voted to re-elect commissioner Mary Beatty as vice chair.
• voted 6-0, with one abstention, to elect commissioner Raphael Marshall as secretary. Marshall abstained. Commissioner David Holmes was nominated but declined the position. Marshall had been nominated prior to the final vote and initially declined.
• unanimously voted to re-elect commissioner Nick Alberti as treasurer, Elizabeth Nelson as community outreach committee chair, Drew Ronneberg as economic development and zoning committee chair, commissioner Mary Beatty as alcoholic beverage licensing committee chair, Rebecca Sibilia as public safety committee chair and Omar Mahmud as transportation and public space committee chair.
• heard a representative of the mayor’s office thank the commission for its recommendation that the city conduct a “light survey” on the H Street corridor. The survey, which has been completed, sought to bring attention to any poorly lit areas of the corridor, and those areas have since been “filled” by either permanent or temporary light sources, the representative said.
• heard commissioner Mary Beatty discuss the meetings she has had with Ward 6 D.C. Council member Tommy Wells and local police officials, including police Chief Cathy Lanier, following a series of armed carjackings in her single-member district. In one instance, a mother holding her two children was held at gunpoint while the assailant stole her car, Beatty said. Beatty said she is satisfied with the response, which has included additional police patrols.
• heard commissioner Bill Schultheiss describe his recent effort to follow up with the D.C. Housing Authority on its promises to develop its vacant properties. “They need to commit to their promises,” he said.
• unanimously voted to grant $4,500 (the full funding) to the Eastern Senior High School PTA for the purchase of band uniforms.
• unanimously agreed to send back the public safety committee’s request to be allowed to collect “in-kind support” for a “neighborhood awareness” campaign. Several commissioners said they want the committee to specify exactly what products or services it would collect and how it would account for the collections.
• heard former chair Joe Fengler thank the commission after his seven years in office. He singled out commissioner Nick Alberti as a particularly supportive associate and friend. Commissioners Alberti, David Holmes and Raphael Marshall also said they appreciated Fengler for his service.
• unanimously voted to reestablish the transportation and public space committee until January 2011. | | | | | Log in to comment on this article |
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