Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D Minutes
St. Augustine’s Church
Monday, September 8, 2008
Roger Moffatt, Chair

Present: Commissioners Hamilton, Litsky, McBee, Moffatt, Siegel, Skolnik, Sobelsohn

The meeting was convened at 7:05 p.m.

1. Agenda

Motion: Commissioner McBee moved that a discussion of the National Geographic's filming in Southwest be added to New Business.  Without objection, the item was added to the proposed agenda.  Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner McBee seconded a motion adding to the agenda a discussion of the June minutes.  The motion failed 3-4, with Commissioners McBee, Siegel, and Sobelsohn in favor.  Motion: Commissioner Skolnik moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to approve the agenda as amended.  The motion passed 5-1-1, with Commissioner Sobelsohn in opposition and Commissioner Siegel abstaining.

2.   Community Comment

Jefferson Junior High School PTA President Ahmad Nurriddin introduced the new principal at Jefferson, Stephanie Patton.  She announced a public back-to-school night on September 23, as well as plans to make Jefferson a model high tech school.

3.   New Business

1200 Half Street SE Public Space Permit

This is a request for support of public space permit by Monument Realty for the streetscape of Half Street SE between M Street and the ballpark. They presented information that the sidewalk, previously planned to be pavers, will be asphalt because of the cost of maintenance of the pavers. Motion: Commissioner Siegel moved/Commissioner Sobelsohn seconded a motion that the ANC support the request for support of the public space permit for 1200 Half Street SE. Motion: Commissioner McBee moved/Commissioner Sobelsohn seconded a motion to amend Commissioner Siegel’s motion to ask
that the use of the original pavers be mandated, and a solution be found for the maintenance problem; and that a good faith effort, including a Job Fair, be made to encourage the employment of local residents in the project.  The amendment passed 5-0-2, with Commissioners Skolnik and Litsky abstaining. The original motion, as amended, passed 3-2-1, with Commissioners Skolnik and Litsky in opposition, and Commissioner Sobelsohn abstaining. Commissioner Hamilton was not present.

AIDS Walk Washington

Kevin Reynolds, of the Whitman Walker Clinic, presented the details of AIDs Walk Washington, to be held on October 4th, and asked for a letter of support for the event. Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Sobelsohn seconded a motion to send a letter of support to Emergency Management for the AIDs Walk on October 4th.  The motion passed 7-0.

National Geographic Request to Film in Southwest

Commissioner Hamilton raised the issue of National Geographic and the DC Office of Film had requested permission of the ANC to film a drive-by shooting in her SMD, where there had recently been a drive-by shooting, and where violence has only recently decreased. Motion: Commissioner
Litsky moved/Commissioner Hamilton seconded a motion to send a letter to the Office of Film and Television, the Mayor and Councilmember Wells’ office, to express ANC opposition to the filming of a simulated drive-by shooting in ANC 6D06.  The motion passed 4-2-1, with Commissioners Skolnik
and Sobelsohn in opposition, and Commissioner Siegel abstaining.

4.      Old Business

Modifications to Ward 6 Single Sales Moratorium

Commissioner Sobelsohn announced that several of the suggestions made by the ANC have been incorporated into the Ward 6 Single Sales Moratorium Amendment Act of 2008 (Bill 17-0797), but that the bill now completely changes the role of the ANCs, giving ABRA authority to grant waivers, and
giving ANCs only great weight.  Motion: Mr. Sobelsohn moved/Mr. Siegel seconded the following resolution: Regarding the Engrossed Original of Bill 17-0797, the Ward 6 Single Sales Moratorium Amendment Act of 2008, ANC 6D advises the City Council to amend the bill as follows: We advise
you to add, as part of new § 25-344(c)(2)(C), between the word "meetings" and the semicolon on page 2, line 19, a comma and the phrase "and other community participation deemed relevant by the ANC
in which the licensee is located," so that § 25-344(c)(2)(C) reads "(C) Evidence of licensee participation in the community, such as attendance at Advisory Neighborhood Commission and Police Service Area
community meetings, and other community participation deemed relevant by the ANC in which the licensee is located; and…."

Amendment: Commissioner McBee moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to amend the original motion to say that ANC 6D will support the Ward 6 Single Sales Moratorium Amendment Act of 2008 only if the bill is amended to add the phrase “and other community participation deemed relevant by
the ANC in which the licensee is located."  The amendment failed 2-2-2.  The original motion passed 6-1, with Commissioner Litsky in opposition.

Expanding the Safeway Task Force

Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/ Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to establish an ANC 6D Southwest Safeway Task Force, to address the multiple problems with our only neighborhood supermarket, the task force to consist of Robert Sockwell, Ron Collins, Commissioners McBee, Siegel,
and Sobelsohn, and members appointed by Commissioners Hamilton, Litsky, Moffatt, Siegel, and Skolnik.  The motion passed 7-0. Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to appoint Robert Sockwell co-chair of the Safeway task force.  The motion passed 6-0-1, with Commissioner McBee abstaining.

5.      Committee Reports

Alcoholic Beverage and Licensing

Coralie Farlee reported that:
-       H2O’s license has been suspended until at least October 22nd, when there will be a hearing
-       Zanzibar was granted the change in license that will enable it to operate as a nightclub.  There are twelve conditions attached to the change, and Ms. Farlee has developed a form so that the community can monitor the club.
-       ANC 6A has suggested changes to the DC law increasing the number of property owners needed to bring a protest; and the rights of ANCs before ABRA.
-       There is now a wine “doggie bag” bill pending

6.     July Minutes

Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to accept the July minutes as presented.  The motion passed 5-2, with Commissioners Sobelsohn and McBee in opposition.

7.      Treasurers Report

Commissioner Skolnik presented the Treasurer’s Report.  The opening balance in the checking account was $43,046.83.  The opening balance in the savings account was $5,159.90.  There were two interest payments of $1.20 and $1.10, for a closing balance of $5,162.25.  Checks were written in the amount of $831.15 to Roberta Weiner for salary (Check #395); $90 to St. Augustine’s Church for meeting space rental (Check #396); $289.90 to U-Haul for storage space rental (Check #397); $42.30 to DOES for tax
payment (Check #399); $431.45 to U.S. Treasury (Check #400); $325 to Roberta Weiner for moving expenses (Check #401); $285.65 to Robert Siegel for office supplies (Check #402); $366 to DC Access for Internet services; (Check #403); $81.68 to Roberta Weiner (Check #404); $21.15 to the US
Treasury (Check #405); and $100.58 to DOES (Check #406).  The closing balance of the checking account was $45,881.91.  Motion:  Mr. Skolnik moved/Mr. Litsky seconded a motion to approve the September Treasurer’s Report.  The motion passed 6-0-1, with Commissioner Sobelsohn abstaining.

Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner Hamilton seconded a motion to reimburse Commissioner McBee the sum of $2,685.17 for the purchase of school supplies representing a total of 234 book bags plus school supplies including erasers, colored pencils, crayons, ball point pens, notebook paper, duo tang folders, and lined paper as discussed at the August 20, 2008 ANC Administrative meeting, in support of the 2008 SW/SE school supply give-away co-sponsored by ANC 6D, the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly School Drive; the Fourth Street Neighborhood Group; the South Washington/West of the River Community Strengthening Collaborative; Councilmember Tommy Wells office; and the DCHA Resident Councils, and distributed to children residing in public housing within ANC 6D at the King Greenleaf Recreation Center on Saturday, August 23, 2008.  The motion
passed 4-1-2, with Commissioner Sobelsohn in opposition, and Commissioners Skolnik and McBee abstaining.

8.      Audience Comment

Southwest Callbox Project Grant

Lyda Churchville of the Southwest Callbox Project detailed a request for a grant for $800 for a callbox honoring Justice Thurgood Marshall at a place near his Southwest residence.  The grant was previously sent to the Grants Committee.  Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Litsky
seconded a motion to approve the grant for a Thurgood Marshall call box. The motion passed 7-0.

9.      Adjournment

Commissioner Siegel moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting.  The motion passed 7-0, and the meeting was adjourned at 9:58 p.m.