LPCA Meeting Minutes – Sept. 27, 2016

Minutes for the Meeting on Tuesday, September 27, 2016

at the Florida Avenue Baptist Church, 623 Florida Avenue NW

Call to order at 7:03 pm

Introduction by Lt. Wayne Steinhild(?), MPD

1. Newly appointed for LeDroit Park, his contact information is coming soon.
2. Retired from Bank of American and EDS, but has been at MPD for 16 years.
3. 5^th District detectives recently arrested three juveniles for four robberies with in the 3^rd and 5^th
4. Police are closely investigating another trio of juvenile robbery suspects.
5. The lieutenant asked what residents would want to see from the PSA commander. Ms. Anita Norman would like to see statistics comparing this year year-to-date with last year year-to-date.
6. The lieutenant asked if residents are on the neighborhood listserv as a way to receive crime information from MPD.
7. The lieutenant mentioned the community bike rides and police meet-and-greets.
8. The lieutenant said he is a solid proponent of the police-community partnership; the lieutenant and his wife nearby on New York Avenue.

Presentation by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau

1. Nadeau apologized for being late.
2. Council just returned from recess, but councilmembers were still meeting with constituents during the recess.
3. Nadeau commended our block party and then joked about getting married this year.
4. Nadeau is now the subcommittee chair for consumer affairs and is tackling various issues:
   1. DCRA issues like vacant property
   2. Introducing legislation to make negligent landlords, not the city, pay for damages to tenants
   3. DISB regulatory issues on banking and insurance
   4. Ensuring there are enough resources for early childhood programs
5. Work for the Park at LeDroit
   1. The park is a persistent issue.
   2. It took a long time to get it classified officially as a DPR park.
   3. Drainage problem, rebar in the ground, insufficient light in some places and too much lighting in others, broken gates, etc.
   4. Nadeau has been involved with DC agencies, the civic association and the ANC.
   5. Nadeau asked if DGS has fixed the gate. Ms. Maria Fyodorova said they have not.
   6. Nadeau asked if DGS removed the bricks and rocks from the roof of the pavilion. Ms. Fyodorova confirmed they have.
   7. Nadeau asked if DGS trimmed the rain garden. Ms. Fyodorova said they trimmed another section of bushes that needed trimming.
   8. Nadeau said DGS says all the lights were fixed, but an audience member says one is out.
   9. Nadeau said DGS will seek a contract for Q1 FY 2017 Q1 to fix the rebar in the field.
   10. Nadeau said DGS says the cleaning schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Ms. Fyodorova confirmed seeing staff cleaning the park.
   11. DGS will do routine testing for lead once they finish testing schools
   12. DGS says the lights in the park now turn off during the daylight. Mr. Keenan Duncan confirmed.
   13. New signage will come in the new fiscal year. Ms. Nadeau joyously proclaimed, “The new fiscal year is upon us!”
   14. Nadeau has asked DGS or DPR how much lighting the pavilions will cost.
   15. Nadeau said she will follow up with a quote on field remediation and the Council can work it into the budget
   16. Fyodorova announced fall event on October 29.
   17. Nadeau promised to return with a progress report.

Howard University Homecoming – Victor Montgomery, Special events, and a Captain from H.U. Police Department

1. Most events this year are on campus.
2. October 16, 9 – noon: 5k Run is on the main campus mostly. No street closures in LeDroit Park.
3. October 22: Tailgating on 8^th Street on campus.
4. Montgomery announced there will be no parade this year; there was much commotion in the audience.
5. October 1, 8-10 or noon: Day of Service. Students will cleanup LeDroit Park (other community service locations in DC, too)
6. October 22: Pep rally at Greene Stadium.
7. October 20: Fashion show.
8. October 21, noon – 6 pm: Yardfest on campus with “5 A-list artists” who will be announced on October 5. Mr. Montgomery said to expect 8,000-9,000 people for Yardfest.
9. October 21: 8-11. Step show
10. Homecoming game Greene Stadium, 1pm-4pm, will sell out; tailgate at 2225 Georgia Ave at 10:30 am; 8^th Street will be closed.
11. Jeehye Kim asked if visitors will park on campus. Mr. Montgomery said 10,000-11,000 people total will attend and once parking lots on campus fill up, visitors will probably park in the neighborhood. Mr. Montgomery cannot guarantee people won’t park in the neighborhood.
12. Eric Fidler asked why there is no parade. Mr. Montgomery said it costs $500,000, which is too expensive, but the university is looking to bring it back next year with sponsors.
13. James Hill asked why 410 T Street, Mayor Washington’s home, is vacant and derelict. Mr. Montgomery did not know the answer and recommended contacting the university’s risk management office. Prof. Hill would like an explanation from a Howard official someone at the next meeting. Ms. Norman said she has talked with the mayor’s office about remediating the property or having agencies investigate code violations.

Public Safety Committee – Mechelle Baylor and Anita Norman

1. The last safety walk was canceled because the officer had to respond to a collision on 3^rd
2. Every third Tuesday at 7 pm at Anna Cooper Circle we have a safety walk.
3. Baylor said we are happy to walk through alleys to investigate any issues.
4. Norman asked residents to keep their exterior lights on at night.
5. Fyodorova asked if the walk includes Kelly Miller. Ms. Norman says it normally does not and the decision of where to walk is driven by resident input.
6. Fyodorova said there is always drug use in the park. Mr. Richard Myers said to call the police about that. Ms. Fyodorova said the park should be included in the walk too.
7. A resident encourage others to attend the walk.

Membership Committee – John Hillegass

1. You can pay your annual dues online.
2. A resident asked at what age a resident qualifies as a senior. Age for seniors is 62 said Ms. Norman.
3. Hillegass asked residents to tear down the meeting notice signs on their way home.
4. Fidler explained how to sign up for the listserv.

Community Announcements

1. Norman said her sorority is collecting eyeglass donations. Residents can donate glasses at the LeDroit Market.
2. Norman said there will be an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board status hearing tomorrow on the Elks Lodge protest. Ms. Norman and ANC Commissioner Brian Footer will attend.
3. Amir, owner of several buildings 635-7 Florida Ave NW, brought architectural plans for 647 Florida Ave, currently an incense shop.
   1. He intends to convert the upper floors to an American restaurant within two years.
   2. Amir accused the man who lives in the shack on U Street of robbing people.
      1. A resident said the shack is gone and the man has moved.
      2. Amir said the man lived under the funeral home.

• A representative of the funeral home denied the man lives there.

1. After back-and-forth, Amir clarified he spoke in the past tense.

4. Shinada Phillips, the mayor’s Ward 1 liason, asked for residents’ input on agencies issues.
   1. Second Thursday of October will be a walkthrough of the neighborhood.
   2. The mayor launched the ability to text 311 about streetlight repairs. Please include the location, your name, and your email.
   3. Phillips announced the mayor’s 18-month report and monthly newsletter.
   4. Phillips encourage residents to apply for the security camera rebate.
   5. Baylor reported a malfunctioning streetlight on the 300 block of T Stret.
5. Zeba Floyd spoke on the McMillan development. Her email address is efloyd007@earthlink.net
   1. City has issued RFP for community center and other public amenities
   2. The contractor is supposed to reach out to the community about construction issues.
6. Hillegass announced that the next LeDroit Park Civic Association happy hour will be on October 11. It is likely at Halfsmoke.
7. Associate Pastor of the Florida Aveanue Baptist Church announced the church’s community day on Saturday, October 1, from noon to 4 pm. The following Saturday is the rain date. He is praying for no rain.

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 pm

This memorandum represents our understanding of the events that transpired and the actions that were taken. If they do not conform to a recipient’s understand, prompt written notice must be communicated to the writer. If no corrections or objections are made, this memorandum will be relied upon as a factual interpretation of this meeting.

Submitted on Wednesday, October 25, 2016, by Eric Fidler.