January 2021 Minutes

BNCA Meeting
January 19, 2021

Present: Officers Dan Schramm (President), Kathy Jacquart (Vice President), Fred Jackson (At-large), Rene McCray (Membership); 20 participants

Welcome – Dan Schramm

• Overview of agenda:
  • Welcome
  • DC Statehood Update
  • Treasurer’s Report
  • US Attorney’s Office, DC
  • Announcements
• Feb/March BNCA meetings will address the comp plan, BNCA engaging with council member McDuffie on Reed St designation and protection for Brookland Green

DC Statehood – Anne Anderson

• Anne is chair of Full Rights Committee for League of Women Voters. They’re coordinating with DC Vote and Neighbors United (Josh Burch).
• Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced HR 51, which had 202 original co-sponsors and now has 206. Senator Tom Carper (DE) will introduce Senate companion bill. Last year it had 28 co-sponsors; now has 33. Mayor Bowser asked if Congress would consider the bill in 1st 100 days. (Last Congress passed DC Statehood bill in 2020, which was the first time such a bill has passed in the House.)
• HR 1 and S 1 are democratic reform bills that have language about Statehood. The Lincoln Project (anti-Trump organization) has come out in favor for HR 1 and S 1.
• If DC were a state, we’d be safer: The DC National Guard didn’t arrive at Capitol on January 6 for 3 hours relates to DC’s lack of Statehood. If the Mayor were a Governor, she wouldn’t have had to go to the President/Army to send National Guard or ask for more guards to come out. She would have been able to call out the National Guard and could have asked for help from any other state.
• What can DC residents do for statehood?
  • Signs: Coalition is working on distributing free DC Statehood yard signs and telephone pole signs all over DC. More info to come.
  • Postcard Campaign: League of Women Voters is developing postcards to send to friends and families in other states to ask them to help with advocating for DC Statehood. League will gather the postcards and give them to Eleanor Holmes Norton so she can show support from around the country. Anne is updating the postcards and will let Dan know when they’re available.

Q: Any images or other bite-sized things that can be used for social media?
A: Anne will send to Dan and Elise.

Q: Can DC afford to be a state?
A: Yes, it has a AAA or AA credit rating. Once DC is a state, would be able to tax people working in DC according to normal tax regulations.

Q: Would DC lose funding as a state?

• No, there’s no longer a federal payment to DC anymore; it went away with the Control Board.
• In the CARES Act, DC was treated like a territory and lost money. As a state, DC would get all of the resources that other states get.
• DC already has a state income tax so wouldn’t have to raise taxes on its residents as a state.

Ed Lazere: MD and VA politicians support DC statehood (didn’t used to) because they want to do the right thing.

Treasurer’s Report for Month ending 12/31/2020- Terrence Hardy

• Beginning Balance – $6032.32
• Income – $500 (ANC donation to Ward 5 Mutual Aid via BNCA)
• Expenses – $1380.04 (Donations to Brookland food pantries, holiday toy and meal giveaway, Mary House)
• Ending Balance – $5556.81
• 7 new, 31 renewing members
• GoFundMe Campaign – we have funds left to support local charities for pandemic relief effort

US Attorney’s Office DC

Magdalena Acevedo (magdalena.Acevedo[AT]usdoj[DOT]gov)

• US Attorney’s Office has resumed some grand juries; will resume some trials when it’s safe.
• In the past week, they’ve been focusing on prosecuting Jan 6 US Capitol rioters; 24 hour staffing, working with FBI; 100+ charged with crimes; USAO Capitol Breach Investigation Resource page: (https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-investigation-resource-page)

Christopher Wade, Community Outreach Specialist, (202) 815-1747 (Christopher.wade2[AT]usdoj[DOT]gov)

• Assigned to 1st district, but working temporarily with 5th district for Monica; has good relations with MPD
• Working with Bread Coin program – people in need receive Bread Coins that they can use with participating vendors.
• Chair of Violent Crime Working Group, which tries to address violence in the city. Partner with businesses, school, government. Working Group can help put people in contact with resources.

Q: Have you been in contact with public and private schools about food for kids during pandemic?
A: Yes, have relationships with schools, including two projects:

• Project Lead – presentations in schools
• Youth Court – Kids assume roles of judge, court reporter, etc; teaches conflict resolution and critical thinking. Kids love it.

Q: Could you give more info about Bread Coin?
A: Captain Cookie is one of the vendors in Brookland. Will send more info to Dan.

Q: Dan received an email from City Council member’s office about community impact statements regarding the Capitol insurgence. Could you explain that?

• Judges read Impact Statements before sentencing. They give the judge an impression of the impact of crimes.
• Magdalena can provide samples. People can write their own statements and send them Magdalena, who will forward them on. Statements should be as detailed as possible (e.g., I couldn’t get to work, my neighbor couldn’t get to doctor’s appointment).
• They help to emphasize that people live in DC; it’s not just the seat of Federal government.
• You have to send a separate letter for each defendant, but the content can be the same.
• A statement from the BNCA should indicate how many members are in the BNCA and that the letter reflects the sentiments of the group. Members are encouraged to send their own letters or the BNCA letter can indicate impact on individual members.

Q: What is the law about carrying firearms into DC?
A: It’s a felony to have a firearm outside of your home in DC and against the law for anyone coming from outside DC to carry a firearm in DC, including on federal lands.

Q: What about members of Congress (MOC)?
A: MOC cannot carry firearms in DC. The MOC who recently posted a video with a firearm in the Capitol is being investigated.

Q: An individual [involved in recent protests] was charged with crimes and banned from the city. Is that something that could be done in neighborhood?

• The individual who vandalized BLM posters was banned from DC, but that was specific to his case because he has no other business in city. It’s not a blanket policy.
• Call Christopher Wade if there’s a question about stay-away orders for a specific person being banned. Also look at court reports, which show prosecuted cases for previous month.

Announcements

• BNCA will hold officer elections at February meeting; 2 positions open: Recording Secretary and Treasurer
• The Greater Brookland Intergenerational Village (GBIV) will be hosting its annual fundraiser on Jan 28. It’s an online event with a chef. (Contact Director Emma Brownstein or Board member Ra Amin for more info.)
• ANC announcements: Commissioners Prita Kohli Piekara and Ra Amin
  • 5B meeting next Wednesday, Jan 27, 6:30pm (https://www.anc5b.com/) Agenda is pending. Will talk about plan for the year, forming committees where residents can get involved. People should reach out to SMD Commissioner and/or attend meeting to get more info.
  • Working on updating ANC website
  • 5B Meetings – 4th Wednesday of the month, except November; recess in summer; 9 meetings a year
  • Ward 5 Community Advisory Council Meetings
    • 4th Thursday, 7pm
    • Purpose is to build relationships with MPD, DOJ, US Attorney’s Office, etc.
    • Talk to SMD commissioner for more info.
  • Move DC/DDOT will have a series of meeting about future of transportation in DC:
    • Tues, Feb 9, 6:30-8:30 pm; Thurs, Feb 11 1:30-3:30 pm; each Thurs in Feb 10-1
    • Can call Move DC hotline to provide input.
    • Ra will send links to meetings and info will be on ANC 5B website.

Q: Could someone from behavioral health come out to talk about what’s going on in community?
A: Yes, Prita is talking to people and will invite Fred Jackson to conversations.