ANC Commissioner Mary Beatty sent us announcement for a community meeting focusing on her single member district -- 6A05. Not sure what ANC district you live in, check out our map to find out.

Here's her meeting announcement: 

ANC 6A05 Neighborhood Meeting

You are invited to a meeting, hosted by Mary Beatty, your ANC Commissioner, to discuss issues of concern in our neighborhood on Thursday, June 7, 2007, 7-8:00PM at Options Charter School (14th and E).

In order to address concerns regarding drug related crime and recent robberies in our area, the meeting will feature an open discussion with 1st District MPD Commander Diane Groomes.

In addition, we will discuss the following topics:

- Construction of Lincoln Park Terrace (13th and D)
- Maintenance of Lovejoy Park
- Viggy’s & H Street Moratorium
- PEPCO Outages

Bring your questions and concerns!

The Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) has announced a series of Public Hearings on PEPCO’s Proposed Rate Increase Request. On December 12, 2006 PEPCO applied to the District, of Columbia Public Service, Commission for a rate increase (Formal Case No. 1053).  In response to this proposal, the OPC needs to hear from you the consumer.

The OPC is the consumer advocate for all of us as it relates to our rights as customers of utility companies including PEPCO and Washington Gas, telecommunications services such as Verizon and cable services such as Comcast.  The OPC wants to make sure that consumers have their say on the proposed rate increases.

PEPCO's proposal will increase distribution service rates and charges by a total of $50.5 million - a sum that PEPCO reports will stabilize consumer bills and provide for needed capital improvements such as constructing a new substation in Northeast D.C. Below outlines the proposed increases:

- Increase the residential customer reconnection fee from $35 to $100
- Obtain authority to impose a surcharge on consumers to collect money if pension and post-employment benefit expenses change
- Increase the minimum distribution service charge for residential consumers from $0.47 cents per month to $4.11 per month

PEPCO’s proposals will add 14.74% to residential consumers’ bills. Combined with the recent increase in generation service rates consumers will see a total bill increase of 34%. The average 12-month bill will increase from $74 to $99.

In a press release on May 31, 2007, Ms. Elizabeth A. Noël, People's Counsel for the District of Columbia, released a statement stating her opposition to the proposal by declaring "a long overdue day of reckoning for PEPCO" by calling for a $32.5 million rate reduction.

If you would like to voice your concerns about the PEPCO rate case, or to sign up for the public hearings on this issue, please contact the D.C. Public Service Commission through Dorothy Wideman, Commission Secretary - Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, 1333 H Street, N.W., Seventh Floor East, Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 626-5150, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   Agnes Yates Chairperson This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Richard E. Morgan Commissioner This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Betty Ann Kane Commissioner This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Commission will convene three (3) community hearings at the following locations on the specified dates:

- Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:00 am - Emery Recreation Center, Room 200 - 5701 Georgia Avenue, NW
- Thursday, June14, 2007, 6:00 pm - Kennedy Recreation Center- 1401 7th Street, NW
- Saturday, June 16, 2007, 11:00 am - Allen AME Church, Room 201, 2498 Alabama Avenue, SE
 
Those who wish to testify at the community hearings should contact the Commission Secretary by the close of three (3) business days prior to the date of the hearing. Representatives of organizations shall be permitted a maximum of five (5) minutes for oral presentations. Individuals shall be permitted a maximum of three (3) minutes for oral presentations. If an organization or an individual is unable to offer comments at the community hearings, written statements may be submitted to the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, 1333 H Street, NW, Suite 200, West Tower, Washington, DC 20005. 

Have thoughts or comments on the proposal? Feel free to leave them in our comments section. 

Over 75 Southwest residents showed up for Thursday night’s Community Walk Through with Councilmember Tommy Wells. Our biggest turnout yet! Residents met at the corner of 4th and O Streets, SW and ANC Commissioners Andy Litsky, Rhonda Hamilton and Roger Moffatt introduced Tommy (Commissioners Ron McBee and David Sobelsohn were also there). Given the recent assaults that have taken place on 4th Street, SW and other neighborhood concerns, Tommy first talked about how we use these walks to take action – members of his staff and the Mayor’s Core Team spread out throughout the walk and engage residents to point out and highlight areas of concern, and then in the days that follow, sit down to compare notes and assign items for follow-up. Tommy then introduced MPD 1st District Commander Diane Groomes who answered questions about recent crimes and MPD follow-up. Also joining the walk were representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Outreach, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works, and many more.

The walk first took us to the Titantic Memorial where poor lighting and graffiti was highlighted. A representative from the Park Service Police committed to getting the lights fixed and would follow-up on the graffiti. Next, we walked down O Street, SW to a cul-de-sac where residents complained about public drinking, possible drug sales and theft. MPD spoke about increasing lighting and patrols. The walk continued to the corner of Delaware and Canal near the ballfield and residents asked that the field lights be kept on at night to discourage illegal behavior around the recreation center. Ms. Lightfoot, DPR’s Ward 6 manager, committed to having the lights turned on during the summer months. Next, we walked around King-Greenleaf Recreation Center and representatives from DDOT pointed out where new speed humps will be put in place on Canal Street to slow traffic around the center. Our walk continued up 1st Street to M Street SW and turned west back to 4th Street.

Tommy’s Community Walk Throughs generate a lot of follow-up items. Some short-term fixes, some long-term problems… Additional items we heard about for follow-up include installation of a crime camera around the recreation center, church parking concerns on 1st Street, SW, turning the lights on in Landsburg Park, street conditions on South Capitol Street, buses idling on Maine Avenue, loitering around the Safeway and Metro station, crosswalks on 4th Street, SW, and much more.

Did you join us for the walk? Please use the comments section to let us know what you thought or leave items you want to make sure we follow-up with. Were you unable to join us? Use the comments section to make sure we know your issue and concern.

I’m very pleased to inform you that the Mayor has appointed Ms. Judith E. Heumann as the First Director of the District’s new Department on Disability Services, (DDS).  DDS was created by legislative action in December 2006 and is comprised of the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration (MRDDA) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) programs, formerly housed within the Department of Human Services.  

Ms. Heumann comes to District service with more than 30 years of experience promoting human and economic rights for those who have disabilities.  Among her many accomplishments she most recently she worked as a consultant for the Global Partnership for Disability and Development at the World Bank, and previously served as an Advisory on Disability and Development for the World Bank Group.  Prior to working at the World Bank she was appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the US Senate to be the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the US Department of Education.  

On July 14, 2007 at 10:00 am in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building the Committee on Human Services will conduct a confirmation hearing on Mayor Fenty’s appointment of Ms. Heumann as the new Director of the District’s Department on Disability Services.  Those who wish to testify should contact Ms. Michelle Chisolm of the Committee on Human Services by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by telephone at (202) 724-8191 by Tuesday, June 12, 2007.