Membership Meeting Minutes-December 8, 2021

Posted onAuthorDRCA Secretary

December 2021 DRCA Membership Meeting

  1. Call to Order and Welcome – President Tim Laderach
  2. Special Guest: Councilperson-Elect Alyia Gaskins
    1. Resident of Cameron Station with husband and son
    2. Background in public health and urban planning, specifically how to help children have access to healthy food
    3. Experience: D.C. Hunger Solutions,  National League of Cities, and managed an affordable housing investment program at the Center for Community Investment. She is currently a Senior Program Officer at a national philanthropic organization.
    4. Pandemic offered an opportunity to focus on health, not just pandemic response but health infrastructure in general.
    5. Member questions:
      1. What about West End? Inova at Landmark great opportunity
      2. What about development
      3. What about overdue update to Master Plan and Historic District in Del Ray?
      4. What about the Mount Vernon Avenue Business Plan?
      5. What about reaching out to renters and other more transient residents, not just home-owners
    6. Thank you for serving as judge for Holiday Home Decorating Contest (Rachel Lazarus)
  3. Alexandria Police Report-Captain Dennis Andreas
    1. Crime down 30 % over last year
    2. Del Ray auto larcenies down
    3. Seven Part 1 offenses (similar to last month)
      1. At GW Middle School. With return of SRO more reporting
    4. No crimes against persons
    5. High profile City cases
      1. West End: Home invasion in the news
      2. Homicide: Van Dorn
      3. Arrest made in vehicular death on Glebe at MVA
    6. Questions:
      1. What about chatter on NextDoor about gang-related activity
        1. There hasn’t been much violence. Mostly tagging
        2. APD part of NoVa Gang Task Force, where they seek emerging patterns by sharing information
  4. Alexandria Sheriff’s Office-Captain Sean Casey
    1. ASO Overview
    2. Holiday programs for prisoners and families: Operation Elf
    3. Residents can request Away-from-Home checks during business hours while out of town
    4. Please congratulate Sheriff Dana Lawhorne on his retirement
    5. Questions:
      1. Are Ring doorbells (and the like) any good? Yes
      2. How to report on “porch pirates”? Call APD non-emergency number
  5. Land Use Committee
    1. Nothing to report this month. Committee meets next week
  6. Parks Committee
      1. Message from Peter Thanks volunteers! Adopt-a-Park program has concluded for year.
  7. Announcements
    1. DRCA-Rachel Lazarus, Activities Director
      1. Holiday Home Decorating Contest
      2. So far: seven businesses nominated and 13 homes
      3. Judges: Councilperson-Elect Alyia Gaskins, Hizzoner Justin Wilson, the Knight Family and their dog Dasher (last year’s winners in the holiday interiors category)
    2. Del Ray Business Association
      1. Shops of Del Ray’s Holiday Sip & Shop, Thursday, Dec 9, 6pm-9pm
      2. Sixth Annual Candy Cane Bar Crawl , Saturday, Dec 11, 1pm-6pm. Ticket/raffle sales benefit Neighborhood Health
      3. December Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market , Saturday, Dec 11, 9am-2pm, at Bellefonte Ave
      4. Del Ray Holiday Pop-Up Market, Saturday, Dec 11, 2pm-6pm at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square
    3. Del Ray Artisans
      1. Del Ray Artisans 26th Annual Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday Market, DRA Gallery,
        Two more weekend (Dec 10-12, Dec 17-19): Fri 6pm-9pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
  8. Adjourned: 8:48pm