ANC2E’s ‘Elevator Presentations’ Helps Keep to Agenda
By • May 8, 2023 0 1047
Faced with a huge agenda of important issues, news and announcements affecting Georgetown, Burleith and Hillandale, presented by dozens of officials, advocates and explainers, along with the memory of the last meeting running almost to midnight, ANC2E Chairperson Elizabeth Miller resorted to a simple solution: everyone on the agenda was to reduce their presentations to an “elevator speech” — the length it would take to explain your cause or pitch to someone in an elevator going between floors – max four minutes. For the most part, it worked.
Crime: The retirement of Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee was announced, effective June 3, along with some details of the new summer policing strategy: to concentrate police forces in the next few months on “hot crime spots” – neighborhoods, stores, public places and group gathering sites where data shows most trouble-making occurs.
New D.C. Budget: Public comments about priorities to be funded by the new 2023-24 city budget, could still be made in the next few weeks. The originally proposed 2024 budget had been greatly reduced due to the end of federal pandemic monies and a substantial decrease in city revenue from taxes and fees generated by thousands of federal workers not returning to city offices but working remotely.
In the Georgetown area, it seems budgets for renovations to Jelleff Recreation Center, Volta Park baseball field, the Duke Ellington track and field houses, Mt. Zion cemetery and the new high school on McArthur Blvd. appear confirmed. But demands for more renovations and remodeling of Hardy Middle School at 1819 35th St. NW were increasing as it became apparent the school would be at capacity enrollment next year. Of special concern, and not for the first time, is replacing the large apparently extremely noisy old HVAC system that starts up with the summer heat and about which neighbors have complained for years. But no one seemed to be able to get any numbers or even information from school and city officials from Mayor Bowser nor Council member Brooke Pinto’s offices about plans or budgeting for increased school safety protocols.
D.C.’s FEMA: Who knew? D.C. has an office that’s a combination of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Management (HSEMA). Its enthusiastic director, Chris Rodriguez, gave a slightly longer elevator speech to explain its close “wrap around” with other city agencies such as DDOT that would be involved in emergencies. All city health and first responder services would be coordinated out of a centralized emergency response center run by HSEMA.
Dr. Christopher Rodriguez is the Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA). Courtesy HSEMA.
University Students: The two Georgetown University ANC members Joe Massaua and John DiPierri announced/warned that most college students would still be around during the summer months despite the academic year ending near the end of May. Summer classes and sports activities will abound. There will be move-out weekend for graduating seniors and others by 10 a.m. on Monday, May 22. G.U.’s Office of Neighborhood Life will not only remove all furniture, books and other items students have left on sidewalks and in front of dorms but will also take care of similar items left by Georgetown residents who let them know. According to the university commissioners, students on campus are also organizing activism in favor of the controversial Transformers on Prospect Street.
Medical Marijuana: A short elevator discussion was held by several ANC members about the new D.C. law tightening restrictions on marijuana “gifting” shops and loosening those for officially designated medical marijuana outlets. Commissioner Topher Mathews advised those who wanted to take a deep dive into the details and history of the initiative to check his Georgetown Metropolitan newsletter.
Two longer ANC Topics: The new transit planning process including the most likely rerouting of the popular Georgetown busses G2, D2 and D6; and a major retail and condo construction project being planned on 29th and M Streets, are reported in separate Georgetowner stories.
In-Person Meetings (Virtual, Also): Maybe the elevator analogy caused a stir, but ANC2E announced it was planning two in-person meetings in 2023 — most likely one in the summer, perhaps in June. The June meeting will be on May 30. (ANC meetings usually take place at Georgetown Visitation Prep.)
