January 2018 Minutes

Community Meeting – January 16, 2018, 7:00 PM

Officers:

• Dan Schramm – President
• Brian Stevens – Vice President
• Teresa Fleming – Membership Director
• Clyde Blassengale – Treasurer
• Lamont Bessicks – Recording Secretary
• Elise Scott – Corresponding Secretary
• Ian McFarlane – At-Large Member

Dan opened the meeting at approximately 7:05 PM.

Item 1: Councilmember Kenyon McDuffie

• Held a Roundtable about truck traffic.
• Bill: Drug Nuisance Abatement Act of 2017
  • Hearing on January 25, 2018.
  • Targeting the triangular green space at 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, NE.
  • Needs much more community support by testifying at the hearing.
• Question: What is major opposition?
• Answer: Not necessarily opposition, but not near the top of the food chain as far as bills
  present to the full council for passage.
• Question: New wine bar called, Primrose, has brought new parking issues with it. What can be done to protect parking for local residence?
• Answer: Will check to see whether ‘2 hour’ parking signs are in place. Could be an issue of enforcement. May ask DDOT to assist with thinking through corrective parking issues.
• Question: How is pet-clean-up’ enforced.
• Answer: Need to identify locations where …
• Question: Rhode Island Avenue corridor has gone through change. What is being done about retaining quality of life with the increased truck-traffic from new development? What is your Vision?
• Answer: KMD helped to reconstitute development area. Allocated monies for Great Streets, which brought new businesses. Try to work on improving conditions of pedestrians – increased lighting, tree trimming. Make avenues more walkable. Constantly asking how to help businesses become more successful – finding right balance to make local neighborhoods more walkable and increase density.
• Question: Bus-stop at Perry Street, NE, and Michigan Avenue, NE, not the most accessible
  for pedestrian and handicap.
• Answer: KMD will look into getting that stop repaired.

Item 2: Treasurer’s Report & Membership Report

• Beginning Balance: $3,744.43
• Revenue: $51.14
  • 5 new members: $50.00
  • 3 paypal: $ 1.14
• Expenses: $161.99
  • Paper Statement: $4.00
  • DC TV Membership: $150.00
  • Refreshments: $7.99
• Ending Balance: $3,633.58
• Treasurer’s Report accepted.

Item 3: President’s Speech

• Encouraged renewing membership. Please use paypal when paying dues
• Brooklandcivic.org
• Officer’s Elections are in February, 2018.

Item 4: Duane Miller – Founder and President of the Neighborhood Tutoring Program (NTP Inc.)

• Former teacher who has established a community neighborhood tutoring program.
• In need of more volunteers than can tutor students with basic English and Math skills, in local schools.
• Distributed handouts on his organization.
• Email: dmiller832@comcast.net; phone: (703) 743-1974.

Item 5: Jenny Light – Bluebird Sky Yoga Studio

• Yoga studio and art gallery.
• Wine tasting/art events every quarter.
• Self-defense workshop series.
• Next art event in March 11, 2018; additional details in website.
• Website: bluebirdskyyoga.com; Address: 3101 12th Street, NE

Item 6: Kareeba Gabriel & Jasmine Childs – Washington MedStar Hospital

• Speaking increased level of colorectal cancer in the Ward 5 neighborhood, where infection numbers are higher than other neighborhoods.
• This form of cancer is preventable with early detection.
• Detection methods:
  • One is free and can be obtained through the hospital
  • One is accessed through individual insurance.
• MedStar is planning more community engagement and innovative events/activities
  throughout the community.
• Event on March 4, 2018 (Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month).
• Literature was distributed.

Item 7: Kevin Mullone – Forces Across the Avenue on Air Quality and Traffic Control

• DDOT meeting on January 24, 2018, at 6:30 PM – focused on the over-sized truck issues.
• Potential solution would be to have DDOT set up restrictive ‘red and white’ signs in Brookland neighborhoods. These signs restrict parking to local residents. DDOT is not issuing any new restrictive signs.
• Protesting the Roger’s Brothers Facility over its recycling and disposal practices that effect
  the air quality surrounding the facility.
• Must document air quality issues in order to get DDOT to conduct and air quality test.
• As an aside:
  • Press the councilmember(s) to express their legislative priority(ies), with council elections approaching later this year.
  • Make sure the voice of the community is heard.

Item 8: BNCA Officers Election being held at the February Meeting

• Feel free to run for any occupied or vacant seat.

Item 9: Flyer Distribution

• One-pager that provides information about the BNCA.
• Specifically created for those residents who are not digitally connected to their fellow neighbors.

Item 10: Lionel

• Distributed the January, 2018, Letter from the Mayor.
• Provided other updates from the Mayor’s Office.

Meeting adjourned at 9:49 PM.

Next BNCA Meeting: Tuesday, February 13, 2018, 7:00 PM

SUMMARY FROM JANUARY 2018 MEETING

• Councilmember Kenyon McDuffie held a Roundtable about truck traffic; Introduced a Bill: Drug Nuisance Abatement Act of 2017
• President’s Speech: Encouraged renewing membership; Please use paypal when paying dues
• Duane Miller – Founder and President of the Neighborhood Tutoring Program (NTP Inc.); In need of more volunteers than can tutor students with basic English and Math skills, in local schools; Email: dmiller832@comcast.net
• Jenny Light – Bluebird Sky Yoga Studio; Art event on March 11, 2018; Website: bluebirdskyyoga.com
• Kareeba Gabriel & Jasmine Childs – Washington MedStar Hospital; Speaking increased level of colorectal cancer in the Ward 5 neighborhood, where infection numbers are higher than other neighborhoods; Event on March 4, 2018 (Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month).
• Kevin Mullone – Forces Across the Avenue on Air Quality and Traffic Control; DDOT meeting on January 24, 2018, at 6:30 PM – focused on the over-sized truck issues.