Setting Goals for 2023

Happy New Year Ward 8!

Welcome to 2023, where opportunities and the impossible are possible. January is an opportunity to reflect on 2022. As we look over the past 12 months, we should reflect on the wins and losses, the ups and downs, and the mistakes and accomplishments we encountered. With these reflections in mind, many of us make new year’s resolutions. In addition to making news year’s resolutions, I especially you to set goals. Goals for your family, financial growth, your personal and professional life. I also encourage you to set goals for your community. Let us set our community goals together.

As we move into the oversight and budget seasons, I would like you to tell me what priorities we missed in 2022, and what we need to focus on in 2023. Tell me how great our agencies performed and where they fell short in meeting the needs of our community. I also need to hear from you on how well we allocated dollars in the FY23 budget and where we fell short.

On Monday, January 2nd, I had the privilege of witnessing the swearing-in ceremony of two newly elected Councilmembers. They are Zachary Parker, Ward 5 Representative, and Matthew Frumin, Ward 3 Representative. They joined Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmembers At-large Representatives Anita Bonds and Kenyan McDuffie who also performed the oath of office to serve the residents of the District of Columbia for another four years. I offer congratulations to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Shadow Representative Adeoye "Oye" Owolewa for their re-election to the United States House of Representatives. Lastly, congratulations to Brian Schwalb who was elected to serve as only the second Attorney General for the District of Columbia. During this historic day, I also had the distinct honor of offering the oath of office to the courageous and bold men and woman of Ward 8 who will serve as its Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners.

I also want to congratulate Mayor Muriel Bowser on being sworn in for a third term. On Tuesday, January 3rd, the Mayor announced new leadership in her cabinet. I am looking forward to working with Mayor Bowser, and her team, to ensure a more equitable Ward 8, which is safe for our residents, visitors, business owners, and all other stakeholders. In addition, I am looking forward to working and listening to our newly elected and returning Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs) and all who promised to serve our community to the best of his/her ability. We must work together with collective goals. I remain committed to doing just that.

Over the next few months, I plan to meet with the ANCs, homeowners, business owners, students, parents, clergy, educators, and all who wish to journey with us to ensure that all voices are heard as we plan and implement our collective community goals for 2023.

I am honored to serve as your Ward 8 Councilmember. And again, Happy New Year to you and yours!

Peace and love,
Trayon White, Sr.
Councilmember, Ward 8
Mayor Muriel Bowser and Amber Hewitt, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Racial Equity (ORE), released the District’s first-ever Racial Equity Action Plan ([link removed]) , a three-year roadmap outlining actions that the District will take to close racial equity gaps and measure progress toward a more equitable DC.

Residents can provide feedback on the plan by accessing the online submission form. Deadline has been extended. See below for a list of locations to obtain a copy of the plan.
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CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT COMMENT FORM ([link removed])
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Mayor Bowser Announces Key Appointments  
Tuesday, January 3, 2023
(Washington DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced transitions of executive leadership in the Cabinet and appointed positions.

Lindsey Appiah – Acting Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice
Lindsey Appiah is appointed Acting Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (DMPSJ).

Susana Castillo, Director of Communications – Executive Office of the Mayor. Susana Castillo is appointed Director of Communications in the Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM).

Colleen Green, Acting Director – Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Colleen Green is appointed Acting Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

Courtney Hill, Director – Mayor’s Office of Scheduling and Advance (MOSA). Courtney Hill is appointed Director of the Mayor’s Office of Scheduling and Advance (MOSA).

Richard Jackson, Interim Director – Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Richard Jackson is appointed Interim Director of the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE).

Timothy Spriggs, Acting Director – Department of Public Works (DPW). Timothy Spriggs is appointed Acting Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW).

Tommy Wells, Director – Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs (OPLA). Tommy Wells is appointed Director of the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs (OPLA).


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* Check out the 2021 Ward 8 Progress Report ([link removed])

Meet your new and returning Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners.
Council Period 25 Organizational Meeting

On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, the District of Columbia Council held their Council Period 25 Organizational Meeting. All members were present on the dais except for Councilmember Vincent Gray who participated via Zoom.

The Organizational Meeting is held at the beginning of each new council period for members to discuss and vote on the Council Rules and committees. In addition, members vote on committee and key staff appointments.

After a customary 2-minute moment of silence and determination of a quorum, the Chairman announced the first item on the agenda, the “Rules of Organization and Procedure for the Council of the District of Columbia, Council Period 25, Resolution of 2023”.

The new Ward 5 Councilmember, Zachary Parker proposed 2 amendments to the Rules of Organization and Procedure for the Council of the District of Columbia, Council Period 25, Resolution of 2023 the first would require the secretary to create a form on the Council website for public witnesses to sign up to testify at a committee hearing or roundtable. His second amendment required that the Mayor and all agency witnesses testify under oath instead of leaving that decision to the committee receiving testimony. Both amendments passed unanimously.

The next item on the agenda was the “Council Period 25 Appointment of Chairperson Pro Tempore, Committee Chairpersons, and Committee Membership Resolution of 2023”. The Chairman has restructured and reassigned some of the committees, including the Health Committee which had long been chaired by Councilmember Gray. The Chairman had declared the reassignment was a result of consensus concern from members about his recent health challenges. Councilmember Gray opposed this rationale as an act of discrimination. Subsequently, he introduced 3 amendments that would serve to address his concerns.

Councilmember Gray’s first amendment would add a subsection that would explicitly declare the Council’s stance against discrimination in the District of Columbia Code. The Chairman stated that this language already existed in the Code.

Councilmember Gray’s other two amendments were to PR25-0002, the “Council Period 25 Appointment of Chairperson Pro Tempore, Committee Chairpersons, and Committee Membership Resolution of 2023” to keep him as Chair of the Committee on Health and would appoint Councilmember Henderson as Chair of the newly reconstituted Committee on Education.

Each of Councilmember Gray’s amendments failed. Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. and Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George were the only members who showed support.

The final items on the meeting agenda were the reappointments of the General Counsel, Budget Director, and the Secretary to the Council of the District of Columbia.


Legislative Meeting

Tuesday, January 3rd, legislative meeting was the first of Council Period 25. Because it was the first, no new matters were ripe for consideration, and all the items on the agenda were extensions of previously approved measures to avoid any gaps in the law.

The Attorney General Civil Rights Enforcement Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 and corresponding Emergency Declaration Resolution were approved, which will fill a gap while the permanent version of the bill is under review by Congress. This will clarify the available remedies for the Attorney General in the prosecution of certain civil rights violations.

The Tourism Recovery Tax Temporary Amendment Act of 2022 was approved. This legislation will increase the tax rate and revenue dedicated to Destination DC from the District’s hotels from 0.3% to 1.3% from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2027, with compliance requirements on Destination DC to expend this revenue.

The District of Columbia Housing Authority Stabilization and Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2022 was approved, extending legislation passed at the previous legislative meeting to establish a temporary stabilization and reform board to govern DCHA. The temporary board will consist of 9 members and remain in place for 2 years.

Finally, the Law Enforcement Career Opportunities for District Residents Expansion Emergency Declaration Resolution, Emergency Amendment Act, and Temporary Amendment Act of 2023 were all approved. These bills will extend previous legislation to remove the requirement that applicants to the Metropolitan Police Department’s cadet program must graduate from District high schools.
Council Period 25 Committee Assignment

Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. will remain Chairman of the Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs Committee. He will also serve on the following three committees:

Executive Administration & Labor
Hospital & Health Equity
Public Works & Operations

Council Period 25 Committees

Committee Chair Members
Business & Economic Development McDuffie Allen, Bonds, Gray, Pinto
Executive Administration & Labor Bonds Frumin, Lewis George, McDuffie, T. White
Facilities & Family Services Lewis George Frumin, Nadeau, Parker, R. White
Health Henderson Allen, Frumin, Gray, Parker
Hospital & Health Equity Gray Henderson, Nadeau, Parker, T. White
Housing

R. White
Frumin, McDuffie, Parker, Pinto
Judiciary Pinto Allen, Bonds, Gray, Henderson
Public Works & Operations Nadeau Lewis George, Pinto, R. White, T. White
Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs T. White Bonds, McDuffie, Nadeau, R. White
Transportation & Environment Allen Frumin, Henderson, Lewis George, Parker
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Hours of operation:
Monday - Friday from 9:00am - 5:30pm
CLOSED Saturday, Sunday & Holidays

Louise Thorne: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Constituent Services Specialist
DC Public Schools
DC Housing Authority
Department of Human Services
Utilities: PEPCO, DC Water, Washington Gas
Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Eric Cleckley: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Constituent Services Specialist
District Department of Transportation
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Department of Energy and Environment

For all other constituent services concerns, please contact Wanda Lockridge, Chief of Staff at [email protected].

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