Brian Ready Elected Chair of ANC6B

Commissioner Brian Ready, left, was elected Chair of ANC6B at the January meeting of the commission last night. Outgoing chair Chander Jayaraman is at right.

ANC6B elected other officers for the 2020 term on the commission.  Vice Chair, Chander Jayaraman, fourth from left, Secretary, Jerry Sroufe, (not shown), Treasurer, Corey Holman, second from right; Parliamentarian, Kelly Waud, third from right.

Brian Ready Elected Chair of ANC6B

by Larry Janezich

Last night, ANC6B elected Commissioner Brian Ready to Chair the Commission for the year-long term ending in January of 2021.  Outgoing Chair Chander Jayaraman nominated Ready, saying “It’s not often you get a chance to nominate someone like Brian, who, he noted is apparently* (see below) the first African American chair of ANC6B.  He characterized Ready as kind and thoughtful and expressed confidence that he will be a great chair adding that he was gratified to be able to nominate him.  Ready was approved by acclamation.

Ready, who is in his first term as Commissioner, represents single member district 6B03 which includes Southeast Library and Marion Park.  He has received considerable attention for his efforts to revitalize Barracks Row, chairing the ANC’s Barracks Row Working Group, comprised of ANC Commissioners and business owners.

Jayaraman decided not to run for a second term as Chair after he announced his candidacy for a Member-at-Large seat on the DC City Council.  He will serve out the remainder of his ANC term and continue to chair the Alcohol Beverage Committee, but is prohibited from running for reelection while running for City Council.

The ANC installed remaining officers, also by acclamation:  Chander Jayaraman, Vice Chair, Jerry Sroufe, Secretary; Corey Holman, Treasurer; and Kelly Waud, Parliamentarian.

*Former ANC6B Commissioner Peter Waldron notes that in 1994, Evelyn Washington was elected Chair of ANC6B succeeding Jamie Platt and followed by Peter Waldron for two terms.  Ms. Washington was African American.  There were 13 commissioners in 6B at that time plus a permanently unfilled Single Member District (SMD) that represented those housed in the DC jail.  We kicked around ideas on how to represent those who were incarcerated but the long and short of it was whoever was elected would not be able to attend meetings.  Ms. Washington was an able commissioner and chair.