Thank you for letting me be your Commissioner!
I have some bittersweet news to share. As some of you may have noticed, I will not be running for ANC this year. After four years as your Commissioner, I always knew that once I found someone who shares our ideals and is eager to represent us, I would pass the baton to them. In a year marked by the Olympics and a presidential election, I’m excited to step down and introduce you to the person I am endorsing to take my place.
We are fortunate that Zach Shaben, who resides on Porter St. NW, has agreed to represent 3C05 for the next term. Zach shares our commitment to making Cleveland Park more vibrant, walkable, and safe for everyone who lives here. He looks forward to meeting you all, and if you would like to say hello, you can reach him at zshaben@icloud.com.
Please Support NW Comminity Food if you were planning on supporting me this year
I know many of you were looking forward to supporting me through donations. Instead, I encourage you all to give money to NW Community Food, the organization responsible for running the Ward 3 food pantry and reducing food insecurity in our neighborhood. If you volunteered to help me in previous years, they are also in need of volunteers. Rather than postcards and yard signs, I encourage you to donate reusable bags with handles for groceries, soap bars, peanut butter, pet food for cats or dogs, incontinence briefs (sizes M and L) and shampoo bottles. You can drop these items off on Saturdays or Sundays between 11 am and 3 pm at 4225 Connecticut Avenue NW.
Being an ANC Commissioner is a labor of love, often challenged by a dysfunctional DC Government and an ineffective Council. Despite these obstacles, my time on the commission has been wonderful.
Why I love being an ANC Commissioner
The best part of being an ANC Commissioner has been getting to know the people in our neighborhood. I’m incredibly grateful not only to have met so many of you but to have become friends over time. Our cozy neighborhood attracts the best people, and we are lucky to live in a place that fosters community while being welcoming to all. We all want to see our neighborhood thrive, and while we may have healthy disagreements about how to achieve that, we keep moving forward and doing our part. This is best exemplified by the dedication and hardwork of my colleagues on the commission, and I’ve included their emails so you can thank them:
Hayden Gise (3C01@anc.dc.gov) has always put people first and worked tirelessly to connect local actions with broader issues. Her CONDEMN Resolution was so well-written that it was circulated all over the city.
Roric McCorristin (3C04@anc.dc.gov) started the ANC’s first-ever Environmental Justice Committee. The quality guest speakers he has brought in and the discussions they have sparked have greatly benefited our community, particularly in advocating for composting in multifamily buildings.
Tammy Gordon (3C06@anc.dc.gov) has led the effort to create our Connecticut Avenue corridor’s largest public space for people. Thanks to her and Commissioner Pagats’ efforts, the Cleveland Park Promenade is springing to life with lots more to look forward to.
Gawain Kripke (3C07@anc.dc.gov) has shepherded more grants through our Community Engagement & Grants Committee this session than possibly in the commission's history. He has also been a steadfast advocate for better bus service and played a leading role in saving the 96 bus route.
Rick Nash (3C08@anc.dc.gov) has co-chaired committees on Historic Preservation and Public Safety. But he has also advocated for many other issues, and the letter he wrote for traffic calming on Reno Road/34th Street, NW is comprehensive and compelling.
A commission is only bigger than the sum of its individual commissioners if there are officers who put in the extra hard work to keep it functioning. Adam Prinzo and Janell Pagats, as Secretary and Chair respectively, have not only attended each of our 70 public meetings over the past year and a half, but have ensured we comply with the law and operate efficiently.
Adam Prinzo (3C02@anc.dc.gov) launched our Public Safety Committee and also chaired our Transparency and Public Processes Committee, where he led the update to our bylaws and creation of Rules and Code of Conduct. He’s also been a staunch advocate for a grocery store in Woodley Park, our pets, and the expedited construction of the Wardman property.
Janell Pagats (3C03@anc.dc.gov) is the reason our ANC meetings have run so efficiently. The average meeting time is well under two hours, and our commission has passed 97 letters and resolutions so far in a year and a half. For comparison, the previous commission passed 68 over two years and the one before that passed 39 over two years. Pretty much every action the commission has taken would not have happened without Janell. She recently coordinated sidewalk cafe permits with multiple government agencies, advocated for life-saving barriers on the Taft Bridge, and chaired our Planning, Zoning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee, leading our community through the Connecticut Avenue Development Guidelines, bringing more housing, restaurants, and public space to our neighborhood.
These are just a few highlights; our community has accomplished so much more, thanks to these amazing individuals who have dedicated their time. But none of this would have been possible without your engagement and support. These efforts are your efforts, and we have been so fortunate to guide them with you.
We are still your commissioners until the end of the year. There’s lots more to do, and we look forward to working with all of you to do it!
Sauleh Siddiqui, Commissioner, ANC 3C05
Email: 3C05@anc.dc.gov