It has been an honor to serve as a Commissioner on Advisory Neighborhood Commission ANC 3/4G, representing Single Member District 3/4G-05, since January 2021.
At the July 25, 2022 ANC 3/4G Public Meeting, I announced my decision not to seek re-election for a second term so that I can turn my attention back to high priority personal projects that deserve my full attention.
I became involved with Commission-related activities before my election in November 2020, helping the former Commission on building a rationale to secure funding and plans for the modernization of Chevy Chase Community Center and after a contractor was selected serving on the ANC 3/4G Design Task Force before work stopped when the Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library received funding for its modernization so these two important civic buildings could be modernized together. I later served as a community member on the ANC 3/4G Racism Task Force’s Housing Work Group for six months which culminated in a report of which I am very proud that was delivered to the Commission.
In my role as Commissioner during a pandemic, I have learned so much about our District agencies and services in responding to constituent requests for assistance on a wide variety of matters, from missing trash bins to stormwater drainage issues, from sidewalk repairs to traffic calming measures, from abandoned and vacant properties to electric vehicle chargers, from zoning variances to liquor license renewals to canopy structures on public property. I had to learn it all on the job plus other issues large and small that came our way. I am so grateful for the wisdom, experience, and advice of my fellow (and former) commissioners, support I received from ANC 3/4G residents, and help from Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh and Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George and their excellent staff, representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRs), Ward 3 Community Engagement Specialists and ANC liaison contacts from various District agencies, District agency directors, deputy directors, program managers, and other staff.
I have worked hard on several important issues before the Commission and found ways to contribute, including designing, organizing, and hosting an ANC 3/4G Information Exchange series to help illuminate and contribute to the Office of Planning (OP)’s development of the Chevy Chase Small Area Plan (CCSAP); serving on both OP’s Community Advisory Committee for the CCSAP and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT)’s Community Advisory Committee regarding the design and implementation of Concept C for Connecticut Avenue NW that includes the installation of protected bike lanes; and co-chairing and standing up the new ANC 3/4G Zoning, Design, and Development Standing Committee.
I also took on the job of ANC 3/4G Webmaster after the resignation of our Administrative Assistant to communicate and share important news on a timely basis with our constituents by creating and populating Meeting Information pages on our website for every public and special meeting we held where visitors can find registration links, agendas, video recordings, chat and Q&A logs, minutes, resolutions, and other relevant documents; making sure resolutions, testimonies, letters, and minutes can be easily located elsewhere on our website and on the ANC resolutions portal; and organizing electronic documents by project and issue area, including Lafayette pre-K/Military Road School, OP’s Chevy Chase Small Area Plan, Maret-ECC sports field, and DDOT’s Connecticut Avenue NW Reversible Lane Safety and Operations Study.
I intend to serve out the rest of my term through December 2022 with vigor, dedication, and integrity. The initial work on the Civic Core as expressed in the recent Council approved Chevy Chase Small Area Plan will begin in the Fall. I aim to be integrally involved in working with the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and District agencies to begin the process of developing a unified campus with a modernized Chevy Chase Community Center, Library, and affordable housing.
Serving in the role of commissioner, you will more fully appreciate how much our District offers and where more can be done, the complexity of issues that affect our community and why local government matters, and how passionate our neighbors are about Chevy Chase, DC and how you can help our community shape and manage change which will happen regardless of whether we like it or are ready to accept it.
I urge my constituents to consider making time in their lives to serve our community in this capacity. I am very happy to talk to anyone who would like to run. The nominating petition must be picked up at the offices of the DC Board of Election (BOE) which was made available starting on July 10th and a minimum of 25 signatures from registered voters in Single Member District ANC 3/4G-05 is required. You can declare your candidacy online and find the new redistricted map for this district by going to: www.boe.org. All forms and the nominating petition with required signatures are due to DC BOE by Wednesday, August 10th at 5 pm.
I wish you all a safe and fun summer.