ANC6b Executive Committee Breaks New Ground to Engage Issues
by Larry Janezich
AnC6b held a controversial – perhaps unprecedented – Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday night, a meeting that, in addition to setting the agenda for the next ANC meeting, included an informal wide-ranging discussion regarding priorities and objectives. Some commissioners had reservations about the expanded Tuesday meeting since it had been called by the Chair and was not an emergency.
The consensus of a majority of the commission was that since the public had been invited to attend and that at least one member of the public – who also represented a news blog – was present, the meeting was legitimate. Despite the objections, all commissioners participated in the meeting and appeared to fully engage the issues brought up beyond the normal agenda items. Also present to facilitate the discussion was Gottlieb Simon, Executive Director of the District’s ANC office
The meeting was nearly four and a half hours long. In addition to priorities and objectives – which centered on constituent services, economic development, and improved use of technology to improve the work of the commission, the commission discussed the dire situation regarding the ANC’s finances. The reserve fund will likely be exhausted over the next two years, leaving ANC6b with a significant annual deficit. ANC Chairman Glick has appointed himself and Commissioner Brian Pate to find ways to address the issue.
The agenda for the next ANC meeting on February 8 is likely to include a new voluntary operating agreement for Nooshi and Moby Dick. Agreements have been worked out between representatives of the restaurants and the ANC. It was unclear as of this writing whether Barracks Row neighbors would approve of the new agreement. The ANC seemed to be prepared to act on the new agreements, regardless of the position of the neighbors.
It emerged during the meeting that Xavier Cervera is pursuing the details of a Voluntary Agreement for the proposed Pacificos Restaurant with the ANC, and will ask them to act on it.
In related news, the ANC Retail Mix Report will now be put off until the March meeting, owing to technical and logistical difficulties in getting materials in front of Taskforce members for their final approval. An indication of ANC sentiment on the moratorium issue could still emerge in the February meeting in connection with consideration of new Voluntary Agreements with the afore-mentioned restaurants.
Other business will include the election of Committee chairs. Carol Green is the likely new Chair of the ABC Committee, and Brian Pate the likely new representative to EMCAC. Francis Campbell looks good to continue as Chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee.
New ANC6b Chair Neil Glick seems determined to see that ANC6b has representation on the new Eastern Market governing structure to be proposed in legislation coming out of Tommy Wells’ office – probably in February. The Eastern Market Taskforce appointed by Councilmember Tommy Wells has scheduled a meeting for Thursday, January 27, to finalize the report of the Taskforce which they expect to deliver to Wells’ office by February 1.
Also on the schedule is Xavier Cervera’s public space request for a clock for Barracks Row in front of the soon-to-be-reopened Senart’s Oyster House. Design features of the clock are unknown at present. It seems likely that the old-fashioned stand alone street clock familiar to Main Streets across America in the early 20th century would be an appropriate model for this venue.
The next ANC meeting will be on February 8, at the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS at 522 7th Street, SE at 7:00pm.
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 