Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association (PBCCA) Blog: PBCCA President's Message

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

PBCCA President's Message

Sept 2011

Years ago, when my wife, Marcia, and I started looking to move from our Rosedale neighborhood home, I stumbled on the Penn Branch neighborhood. We were enamored by the shear beauty of the wide, tree-lined, streets; the expansiveness and utility of the parks; the natural security of the cul-de-sac like character of the community; and its location in proximity to the city, Capitol Hill and National Airport. I was born and raised in Oakland, California and for me the similarity between our present home and the home I was raised in California was comforting. So, we bit, and it was a great decision to buy.

So, by extension, the logical next step is to protect the decisions of all of the folks who made similar decisions either 60 years ago or 60 minutes ago regarding investments in this idyllic community. So, what do I mean when I say, protect our investment? For Marcia and I it’s expressed in the context of our home and its upkeep; the maintenance of the roads and other infrastructure that surround our home, including the bucolic parks that dominated our enclave; our response to the potential imposition of policies that due to scarcity, weigh extraordinarily heavy on this community versus other neighborhoods; and the lack of both public and commercial services that require our neighbors to venture to other neighborhoods, wards, cities, and/or states to spend our hard earned dollars. It means that there is a premium charged, a quiet tax that is required each time we want to go to the store to get some eggs.

So, over the next 9 or 10 months at least, and potentially over the next three years, in this column, I will lift up numerous issues of importance to this community through my eyes. Hopefully, my treatment of issues in this space will spur debate that will ultimately form the basis for a range of solutions to many of the problems that this community faces.

By the way, are you aware of who represents Penn Branch on the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions[1] (ANC), our natural duly elected working partners at the neighborhood level? The answer is Robert Richards. The other answer is Phil Hammond. Now, in all due respect to Mr. Hammond, Mr. Richards lives in Penn Branch and that’s important. Mr. Hammond doesn’t. So, the question I pose is, why can’t or why doesn’t the Penn Branch neighborhood have one representative. Many of you know that we’re in the middle of redrawing the boundaries of the ANC’s in the aftermath of the census and decennial realignment (that occurs every ten years). And, as many of you know, the process is full of politics. But, we have an opportunity to address the issue of single representation for our contiguous neighborhood. Again, it only occurs every ten years! So, in an attempt to respond to the aforementioned question, I drafted a proposed ANC district with a Penn Branch focus. I dutifully submitted it to be addressed in advance of the next Ward 7 task force committee meeting that was scheduled for September 22, 2011. The Committee didn’t address it. So, the questions I pose is, why shouldn’t Penn Branch have one representative and what are the interests of those who oppose such a notion? Please let me know your thoughts.

And finally, I have a few thoughts regarding the recently past Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association elections and the need to regroup and move forward. We are all neighbors seeking in our own ways to lift up our beautiful community. We may not agree on how to address the issues that confront us, but we are in agreement that ultimately the people of the community are the last arbiters. They are the ones whose interest we serve. And, yes we volunteer for this punishment! However, those of us in leadership have a fiduciary responsibility to each neighbor, and by extension, each mill, cent, or dollar that we as neighbors invest in the Association activities.

So, the rough and tumble nature of the election is past. I am urging that we come together as a neighborhood, to pool our meager resources for the betterment of our constituents. I am counting on our leadership team, inclusive of the past members and present members, to come together to make the decisions that will promote the Penn Branch neighborhood.

James J. Ferguson

[1] The Advisory Neighborhood Commissions consider a wide range of policies and programs affecting their neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation and trash collection, and the District's annual budget.

In each of these areas, the intent of the ANC legislation is to ensure input from an advisory board that is made up of the residents of the neighborhoods that are directly affected by government action. The ANCs are the body of government with the closest official ties to the people in a neighborhood.

The ANCs present their positions and recommendations on issues to various District government agencies, the Executive Branch, and the Council. They also present testimony to independent agencies, boards, and commissions, usually under the rules of procedure specific to those entities. By law, the ANCs may also present their positions to Federal agencies.

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Penn Branch Citizens Civic Association: From the Beginning

The Penn-Branch Citizens / Civic Association was formed over 40 years ago by members in the community. The need for an association stemmed from specific neighborhood concerns such as water and sewer problems; the lack of sidewalks and curbs on some blocks; no posted traffic signs; and issues arising from the many District and Federal Parks that surround or are located within Penn-Branch.

The boundaries of the community served by the association extend from 38^th Street East to Branch Avenue West, and from Pennsylvania Avenue South to Pope Branch Park North. Within these boundaries are approximately 550 houses on tree lined streets covering rolling hills with easy access to the many wonderful features of the greater Washington metropolitan area. The Penn-Branch community is a touch of the suburbs in an urban setting providing the best of both worlds.

The Penn-Branch Citizens Association, as it was called until 1989, began through the formation of a number of committees, the responsibilities included working with the District and Federal Governments on varying problems. The most active committees over the years have been the Legislative and Public Works Committees, and the Neighborhood Security Patrol. Security Patrol members have contributed countless hours to assuring the security of the Penn-Branch residents. The work of the residents who have served on the PBC/CA’s many other committees have brought about many desirable improvements, and protected the community from unwanted change. The association maintains a pocket park at the corner of Carpenter and O streets, the gateway to Penn-Branch. A major project in recent year was the petitioning of the city to rebuild the crumbling O Street retaining wall. The association working with Dupont Park neighbors, defeated a proposal to erect a cellular monopole at the Penn-Branch shopping center that would have defeated our vistas. We host two major social events during the year, a Christmas Potluck and Carols on the second Tuesday in December (free – just bring a dish to serve at least four or more) and a Spring Dinner Dance, a proven fund-raiser and a reliable good time.

The Annual Membership drive runs from September to December. Through the year, the association welcomes the volunteer efforts of all Penn-Branch residents in carrying out its programs. While its leadership has changed hands many times over the years, the association continues as a stable, cohesive force owing to the time and services freely given by residents.

The PBC/CA is incorporated as a non-profit organization, and is a member of the D.C. Federation of Civic Associations. The By-laws of the association have changed from time-to-time; one significant change allows two votes per household if a two-member household exists.

In 1989, the membership voted unanimously to change the name from the Penn Branch Citizens Association to the Penn Branch Citizens/Civic Association to acknowledge a more diverse tradition of community organization.

The Penn-Branch Citizens / Civic Association, Inc. is “A Community Committed to Excellence” with the goal to create a safe and desirable community in which to live.

Officers- a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer- are elected to one-year terms. A nominating committee appointed by the president solicits a slate of candidates during April, which is presented to the membership and voted on at the May meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor. Newly elected officers are sworn in at the June meeting, and begin serving in September. The president appoints committee chairs. A grass-root network of block captains serves as conduit through which concerns and information are shared between the association and its members. The association also publishes a monthly newsletter.

Our success in accomplishing the association’s goals can only be achieved to the extent that all the neighbors in Penn-Branch participate to ensure that the community we chose to live in remains a community we want to live in.