Wards 6 & 7 Task Forces Wrap ANC Redistricting Final Maps and Reports – Hill East Fights On
by Larry Janezich
Posted April2, 2022
Ward 6’s Task Force on Redistricting completed its work Wednesday night, agreeing on a final map to submit to the City Council’s Subcommittee on Redistricting. The vote was 12 – 0. The report accompanying the final map was forwarded to the Subcommittee without a vote. Prior to the vote, final adjustments were made in ANCs A and D. CM Charles Allen joined the meeting, thanking the Task Force for its work, citing the difficulty of the redistricting process after Ward 6 experienced the single largest shift of population in DC history.
On Thursday night, the Ward 7 Task Force on Redistricting finished its work, agreeing to a report explaining its rational for the ANC and SMD Redistricting recommendations embodied in the map it agreed to earlier in the week. The vote was 13 – 4 with 2 absent.
Two areas of contention arose during consideration of the report. The first was the listing of public comments on the process which seemed to be weighted in favor of those who supported creation of a standalone ANC west of the river. After some Task Force members raised concerns these comments did not reflect the final action of the Task Force, Co-chair Tamara Blair and Task Force member Ashley Ruff agreed to revisit the public comment section to achieve a more balanced content.
The other divisive issue concerned the minority report, representing the views of Task Force members Tamera Blair, Francis Campbell and Brian Alcorn – all of whom supported a standalone ANC on the west side of the river. After a discussion about the Task Force’s ability to amend the minority report and whether the majority could include a rebuttal, and then a rebuttal to the rebuttal, the group voted to attach the minority report as an addendum without additional explanations.
Alcorn, who is currently an ANC6A commissioner and other west of the river residents, gave no indication they were ready to give up on the issue of a standalone ANC. Alcorn distributed an email to his constituents and neighbors urging them to testify at upcoming Subcommittee Redistricting hearings in support of a standalone ANC west of the river, as well as contact individual council members. ANC6B Commissioner Denise Krepp joined Alcorn in a similar appeal to Hill East residents.
The schedule for rest of the ANC/SMD redistricting process is as follows:
April 7, 2022: First Council Subcommittee hearing on ANC and SMD boundaries. Residents can sign up to testify for 3 minutes.
April 28, 2022: Second Council Subcommittee hearing on ANC and SMD boundaries. Another opportunity for residents to testify.
May/June 2022: Subcommittee votes on ANC and SMD boundaries bill.
June 2022: full Council votes on ANC and SMD boundaries bill.
For more information, go here: https://www.elissasilverman.com/redistricting
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 