Charles Allen Launches Bid for Ward Six Council Seat from Hill East

Charles Allen Announces Candidacy for City Council, October 15, 2013

Host Francis Campbell Greets Allen at the Campaign Kick-off

Allen Confers with Campaign Finance Chairs Steve and Nicky Cymrot (left) and Donna Scheeder of EMCAC

More than 50 Supporters Join Allen to Launch His Campaign

Charles Allen Launches  Bid for Ward Six Council Seat from Hill East

by Larry Janezich

Charles Allen chose Hill East to launch his bid to succeed his boss, current Ward Six Councilmember Tommy Wells who is running for Mayor. More than fifty supporters turned out for the event which was hosted by ANC6B Commissioner Francis Campbell.  Allen was introduced by ANC6B Commissioner Nicole Opkins.  ANC6B Commissioners Dave Garrison and Kirsten Oldenburg also attended the event.

In announcing his candidacy, Allen cited his long service working in health care, the non-profit Bread for the City, Howard Dean, DC for Democracy, and his seven years as Chief of Staff for Wells.

His number one issue throughout the campaign, he said, would be schools and education.  Additional issues he will focus on include aging in place, with health care for seniors being a priority; infrastructure and the way we move around the city; affordable housing beyond the mushrooming stock of studio apartments; neighbor-based development – particularly Reservation 13 and Hill East – to make sure other neighborhoods are served by retail; and safety and security issues.

Allen announced that the well-connected Steve and Nicky Cymrot will head up his finance team.  The Cymrots have been active in the Capitol Hill real estate business and were founders of Riverby Books and the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.  They were also the prime movers behind the restoration of the Old Naval Hospital, now the Hill Center.

Also attending the event were Donna Scheeder, Chair of Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee, Wells’ Ward Six campaign coordinator, Chuck Burger, who is active in numerous Hill civic organizations,  ACN6A Chair David Holmes, and ANC6A Commissioners Nick Alberti and Omar Mahmud.