On February 1, Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee announced the final plan to direct school resources. The modified plan took into account two months of public input, community meetings, and feedback from Councilmember Muriel Bowser and the Ward 4 Education Compact. The Education Compact insisted that academic performance matters in evaluating the closing and receiving of schools as well as stressing the importance of safety for students walking to school in addition to the overall safety of the school environment. The Compact also maintained that timelines for staffing and physical infrastructure improvements be strictly adhered to for opening day 2008.

Clark and Rudolph Elementary schools are still on the closure list, with Clark students being received by Powell Elementary, Raymond Elementary, and MacFarland Middle schools. Rudolph Elementary students will be received by Whittier and Truesdell Elementary Schools. To alleviate and smooth the transition of students, all schools will utilize enhanced staffing models and Pre-K through 8th grade configuration.

Councilmember Bowser also requested a detailed plan be made for Sharpe Health School, the school system’s most physically vulnerable school and one that is no longer slated for closure. Ward 5 students from Backus Middle School will be attending located LaSalle Elementary located in Ward 4, beginning with the 2008-2009 school year. “While LaSalle Elementary School will have an enhanced staffing model, a Pre-K through 8th grade format and a facility blitz, the recommendation to move all of the nearby middle school students to LaSalle was not initially envisioned nor fully vetted with the community,” says Councilmember Bowser.

The Councilmember said she has assurances from Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee that the promised enhancements to the receiving schools will be completed before the relocation of students. The Councilmember promised to carefully monitor the progress of the enhancements, stating that the student’s safety and ability to perform academically remain her biggest priorities.

Ward Four Notes
Great Streets Streetscape Funding Available
On Tuesday, January 29 two announcements for development on Georgia Avenue were made in conjunction with the Great Streets Neighborhood Retail Resolution approved in July 2007. The Petworth area of Georgia Avenue is slated to receive $10 million, and property owners in the Great Street Corridors, including the 3600 block of Georgia Avenue will have access to $500,000 in grants. The Petworth funds will be initially available competitively through bonds that will be repaid using a portion of the new property and sales tax generated by the projects. On their applications, developers must demonstrate true financial gaps in development projects containing no less than 10,000 square feet of retail. Requests are due to the District by April 18, 2008 and can be downloaded at www.dcbiz.dc.gov or by emailing derrick.woody@dc.gov. The Great Street Corridors grants are intended for improvements to the building’s façades and streetscape. The hope is to help make neighborhood shopping districts more appealing to both new and existing customers and residents. Each reimbursable grant can add up to $20,000 until the funds are exhausted.

Conflict Resolution Workshops in Takoma
Safe Takoma Inc. is sponsoring two conflict resolution workshops on February 29 to March 2 and March 7 to March 9. The cross-jurisdictional organization works to reduce violence and prevent crime in the commercial and residential areas around the Takoma Metro Station. The workshops, entitled “Help Increase the Peace Program”, are intended to teach residents ways to build their communities and resolve conflicts peacefully. The program provides information for adults who work closely with children as well as children over the age of 13 interested in helping to reduce tensions and conflicts. For more information, contact Faith Wheeler at fewdcc@gmail.com or (202)882-7565.

Engine Company #22 May be Relocated to Improve Response Time
On February 21, Councilmember Muriel Bowser and the DC Office of Planning hosted a meeting to update the Ward 4 community about the relocation of Engine Company #22 and the Upper Georgia Avenue Land Development Plan. Currently, the Company is located at 5760 Georgia Avenue NW and is staffed with 11 firefighters and paramedics to respond to calls for service from the Petworth, Brightwood, Brightwood Park, Shepherd Park, Takoma, North Portal Estates, and Colonial Village communities. Councilmember Bowser, the Office of Planning, DC Fire/EMS, and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development are all working closely with the Department of the Army and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to explore the possible relocation of the Company to the corner of Fern Street and Georgia Avenue NW, a WRAMC property one mile north of its current location. The hope is that this change will improve response times to the northern section of Ward 4. The Federal agencies have agreed “in concept” to a commitment to work with DC government to move the fire house by the summer of 2011 but details of the agreement are not finalized. For more information, contact Malaika Abernathy at malaika.abernathy@dc.gov or (202)442-7617

Ward 4 ANC News

ANC 4A
Only two of the five planned speakers were present to share information on their specific issues. John Lee, a representative of the Fire and EMS Department, gave an update on the department which included information related to the recent Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Program Amendment Act of 2008, the relocation of an EMS station on Georgia Avenue, and the DC Water and Sewer Authority’s (WASA) replacement of fire hydrants around the city.

Residents in attendance showed extreme interest and concern for WASA’s actions regarding the repairs and replacement of over 10,000 hydrants around the District. Lee alleviated the community’s concerns, outlining WASA’s plans to replace those hydrants that have been deemed “out of service” first, and eventually replace all of the hydrants within a 7-10 year time frame. All of the city’s out-of-service hydrants are expected to be replaced by April and will be reinspected by their respective local fire companies once work has been completed.

Lisa Adams from Councilmember Muriel Bowser’s staff reported on the upper Northwest traffic study. Adams spoke about issues regarding a trend of cars driving on Georgia Avenue at speeds well above the legal limit. Adams is currently working to increase the safety of drivers and pedestrians on Georgia Avenue by drafting proposals for new lights and stop signs at intersections with major foot and auto traffic. Community members and residents are encouraged to email Adams with any questions or concerns at ladams@dccouncil.us. The next ANC 4A meeting will be held on March 4 at the same time and location.

ANC 4C
This month’s ANC 4C meeting was non-official as half of its sitting commissioners were not in attendance. The meeting took place on February 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Metropolitan Police Department’s Northern Regional Operation Command Center. No official ANC business was conducted and all pending items will be on the March agenda.