Draft Minutes ANC mtg 10-2-08

[Elise Bernard]

Public Meeting
Trinidad Recreation Center
1310 Childress Street, NE

Minutes October 2, 2008

I. CALL TO ORDER…………………………………..Chairperson William C. Shelton

II. DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM………………………Recording Secretary
Elise Bernard
Commissioners Present: Shelton [01], Lawson [06], Bernard [08],
Manning [9], Henderson [10], Myers [11].

Commissioners Absent: Brown-Daniels [02], Chandler [03], Woodland
[04], Davis [05], Hooper [07], Ababio [12].


6/12 commissioners present at roll call.
Finding of no Quorum made by Secretary Bernard

III. GUEST SPEAKERS / TOPICS
A. Center City Public Charter Schools- Trinidad Campus
i. former Catholic charter school
ii. the school features 90 minute math blocks and math workshops
iii. commitment to community service
iv. about 200 kids attend
v. some teachers are still going through the certification process
vi. Q and A:
a. Resident- If it does not work out and the child returns to DCPS,
do the dollars stay with the charter school? Answer- Yes, but it also
works the other way when a child comes to us mid-year from DCPS.
b. Com. Manning- Why can’t you tell us what percentage of your
teachers are certified? Answer- We’re still going through the process.
The teachers were working for us before we became a charter school,
but now we have to comply with different requirements.
c. Resident- K-8? Answer- Yes.
d. Resident- What about in school suspension? Answer- We try to focus
on developing positive behaviors. We have in and out of school
suspension. We haven’t seen a lot of discipline programs.
e. Resident- Uniforms? Answer- Yes.
f. Com. Henderson- What is the difference between a charter school and
a traditional public school? Answer- Charter schools are like
independent franchises. You make it or break it on your own.
g. Com. Lawson- What is AYP? Answer- Adequate Yearly Progress.
B. Trinidad Market and Deli [Corner of Trinidad and Florida]
i. The owner has purchases a class B [beer and wine] license that is
currently being held in safekeeping. He has not yet applied to have
the license transferred to the Market location. The owner stated that
more than 50 percent of his customers have asked him if planned sell
beer and wine. The seller of the class B license is out of business.
The Market’s current hours of operation are 8am-12pm, but the owner
would be willing to cut back on those hours if he received a license.
Com. Bernard provided to the applicant and Commissioners copies of a
draft voluntary agreement for talking points purposes only. Some of
the discussion below relates to points raised after reviewing the
document.
ii. Q and A:
a. Resident- I’m concerned. Why do you [the owner of the Market]
object to a ban on the sale of EZ Roll Flavor Tubes? [Explanation of
the product’s nature and suggestion by Com. Bernard that the product
is market entirely as drug paraphernalia. The applicant had earlier
objected that such tubes are innocent non-paraphrenalia because the
can be filled with tobacco. EZ Roll Flavor Tubes are essentially pre-
hollowed out blunts].
b. Resident- Does the owner need to ANC’s consent to use the
license? [ABRA makes that determination, but if the ANC protests it
will be given great weight. Groups of residents can also protest the
license].
c. Resident- There’s a liquor store just down the street. Why would
we need another place to buy wine and beer? Answer- That store is
closed on Sundays. What if people want to buy beer or wine on Sundays?
[Comments from the audience that the Safeway and two close by stores
on H Street sell beer and wine on Sundays].
d. Resident- I didn’t yet hear [the Market owner] say what he has
done to better the community. We have lots of liquor stores around
here. The owner answered that he is offering a useful service by
selling things at this location. He also said he wants to introduce
Western Union and other services, but he really needs to money from
this license to make all that possible. He also mentioned that he
recently acquired the Laundromat across the street [The laundromat has
since been burglarized and vandalized and is likely closed for an
extended period].
e. Resident- I own a small business myself. How long have you been
open? Answer- 1 year.
f. Resident- If you don’t get this license, will you go out of
business? Answer- Probably. My customers want beer.
g. Resident- You have a deli license, and the word deli is even in
your name. Why not sell sandwiches? Answer- That is something we’d
like to do later.
h. Resident- I agree with the previous comment. There are other ways
to compete. Why didn’t you present a business plan?

IV. COMMUNITY MINUTE
A. Carver Terrace Kathy Henderson asks everyone to support the bill
banning
fireworks.

VI. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
A. No officer was present to deliver the public safety report.

VIII. MEETING ADJOURNED AROUND 9:15pm
A. Motion to adjourn by Comm. Shelton
B. Seconded by Comm. Lawson
i. Motion passed [unanimous].