Membership Meeting Minutes-November 14, 2020 | Del Ray Citizens Association

Agenda:

Welcome
Alexandria Police Report
Alexandria Sheriff’s Office Report
DRCA Committee Reports
1. Land Use
2. Parks
Special Guest, Congressman Don Beyer
Announcements
Adjourn

Welcome, Virginia Bush, DRCA President
Alexandria Police Department Report, Captain Dennis Andreas
1. Good news: Crime had been rising, but over last 30 days in right direction
  1. Larcenies from Auto down (big driver)
  2. Only 6 Part 1 offenses in DR, but down
2. Traffic:
  1. 2 DWI in DR
  2. 1 accident that was reportable
  3. Decreased to enforcement (Covid-related)
3. Question on early morning “drag racing” related to election?
  1. Racing has been going on longer (started on Eisenhower Ave)
Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Sean Casey
1. Priority: Keep Covid out of the jail. So far, so good
2. Successful drug take-back event. (Recurring opportunity
3. Call from citizen about ASO scam (DOn’t fall for “missed court appearance” phone call scam!)
4. Sheriff at upcoming Del Ray Farmers Market for “safe hot chocolate”
DRCA Committee Reports
1. Land Use, Kristine Hesse, Co-Chair
  1. ADU draft regulations available for comment
  2. City extended schedule till December
  3. Oakville Triangle still in play
2. Parks
  1. Send questions to [email protected]
  2. Announcement of award for Kettle Park
  3. New sign at park
Special Guest: Congresman Don Beyer
1. Noah Simon, aide, email: noah.simon @mail.house.gov
2. Thank you for re-electing him
3. Some thoughts on the Presidential election
4. How will Congress operate?
5. 2022 election impact on House majority
6. Priorities?
  1. Not many tax changes
  2. Expect Covid-19 5 vaccines by first quarter. Third wave will be much higher. Hospitals expected to be at capacity first week of December
  3. Covid economic relief:
  4. Restaurant relief act
7. Seek to understand deep cultural and political divide
8. Questions (from chat):
  1. Any relief in local flooding?
  2. Will Mitch McConnell survive as Majority leader given all that has been going on (and how close he came to losing the majority)?
  3. What is the prospect for getting more testing in Alexandria and elsewhere in the Commonwealth? Locally testing is limited to those with a doctor’s order or symptoms which doesn’t address asymptomatic spread. Spectrogram (AI)
  4. Would you like to say anything about the transition? Do us federal retirees need to help out planning the transition until the current administration allows the transition team access to the agencies?
  5. How do you feel about the National Popular Vote Interstate compact?
  6. Follow-up, do you think it would survive a supreme court challenge?
  7. DC statehood to start What about expanding the House of Representatives to give large states like California more representation?
  8. Right twist voting?
  9. How do you think your progressive tax plan will fare during this administration?
  10. Perry Pendley is one of several acting agency heads who have been found by a court to have been illegally placed in that acting capacity. Is there anything that Congress can do now or in the future to (1) ensure that decisions these acting officials made are undone and (2) strengthen the Vacancy Reform Act?
  11. Lindsey Graham is supporting an idea that Republican controlled state legislators might appoint electors to vote for Trump, overriding popular vote results and handing the presidency back to Trump. How viable is Graham’s idea / how safe are Biden’s electoral votes?
  12. I’m curious if we will see any increase in resources allocated towards HHS/CMS with the incoming administration?
  13. Democratic lost of Latino vote?
  14. Additional money for small business hurting from shut downs – when hanks – really good question and very interesting discussions.
  15. More questions? –> [email protected], noah.simon @mail.house.gov
Announcements
1. Del Ray Citizens Association
  1. Mask Fundraiser, Kristen Gratton, DRCA Membership Director and Rachel Lazarus, DRCA Activities Director
    1. Funds raised will be given to local groups providing assistance during the pandemic
    2. Black masks with white lettering and white masks with blue lettering available through CustomInk until 11/26 at $15 a piece.
    3. A limited number of Del Ray holiday masks will also be available at $20 a piece
  2. Best Decorated House Competition, Betsy Whalen, DRCA Vice President
    1. Details forthcoming. Check DRCA website.
2. Del Ray Business Association
  1. 1. Virtual Turkey Trot
      1. Run/walk anytime during Thanksgiving week
      2. Halving the sponsorship fees
      3. Finish line set up for photo ops
      4. Limited number of volunteers to distribute bibs in a safe manner.
    2. Del Ray Holiday Market
      1. To be held at the parking lots at Bellefonte on 11/28 and 11/29
      2. 20 Art on the Avenue artists invited for Saturday (11/28) on Salvation Army parking lot
      3. Smaller market on Sunday at Del Ray Psych & Wellness parking lot
      4. No Ladies Shopping Night this year
    3. Holiday Window Painting. Expect to see business windows on the Avenue decorated by Thanksgiving.
    4. Look for news on Holiday Scavenger Hunt
    5. Tree lighting
      1. Bill Blackburn/Mike Anderson of Pork Barrel/Holy Cow/Sushi Bar providing tree again this year for Pat Miller Neighborhood Square
      2. Event will be virtual.
      3. The Nancy Dunning Memorial Luminarias will only stretch three blocks this year.
      4. Online musical act
      5. Thanks to Windmill Hill for equipment to erect tree on square.
    6. Thanks to Virginia Bush for helping judge best Halloween house
    7. Look for new DRBA banners on the Avenue
    8. Try to support DR small business during this difficult time.
Meeting Adjourned: 8:32pm

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