WANTED: River East ANC Commissioner Interviews

Congress Heights on the Rise is seeking  River East ANC Commissioner interviews for CHOTR Advisory Neighborhood Commission Awareness Week. Hopefully, by sharing information about specific ANC Commissioners and their ANCs more residents will be encouraged to attend and participate in their local ANC. Also, I think this is a great way for ANC Commissioners to introduce themselves to their constituents who may not be familiar with them.

Ward 7 and Ward 8 Commissioners who are interested in being featured on Congress Heights on the Rise need to complete the below questions and submit them along with a photo of themselves to congressheightsontherise@gmail.com.  All ANC Commissioners are being asked to answer the same questions and the full questionaire will be posted on the blog. For a Word version of the ANC Commissioner Questionaire send an email to congressheightsontherise@gmail.com. The Advoc8te hopes to recieve a lot of interest from ANC Commissioners who are looking to connect with their constituents and improve their ANCs.

BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
1. Name:
2. Age:
3. Occupation:

4. Educational Background:

5. What ANC and Single Member District do you represent?
6. Do you hold an officer position if so what and for how long?
7. How long have you been an ANC Commissioner?
8. Why did you choose to be an ANC Commissioner?
9. What are your qualifications to be an ANC Commissioner? Do you have any special skills?
10. Do you consider yourself to be a progressive, moderate or conservative person?

ANC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH
1. How can you be reached if someone has a community concern, an idea or a suggestion for the ANC or your Single Member District?
2. Is your ANC currently holding monthly meetings? Does it always hold monthly meetings?
3. When and where does your ANC have its monthly meetings? If your ANC has paid office space how much is the rent per month?
4. Below is posted the law on the notice and notification of ANC meetings. Is your ANC currently following the law regarding the length of notice (at least 7 days) and the type of notice (at least two from the list below)? How does your ANC notify residents of ANC meetings? Is it effective?

• a. Each Commission shall give notice of all meetings or convocations to each Commissioner, individuals with official business before the Commission and residents of the Commission area no less than 7 days prior to the date of such meeting. . . . Notice of regular and emergency meetings must include, but is not limited to, at least 2 of the following:  
• (1) Posting written notices in at least 4 conspicuous places in each single member district within the Commission area; 
• (2) Publication in a city or community newspaper; 
• (3) Transmitting or distributing notice to a list of residents and other stakeholders in the community; and 
• (4) In any other manner approved by the Commission.

 5. Do you have a Single Member District meeting for your residents and if so when and where?
 6. Do all of the commissioners for your ANC attend monthly meetings? If not why?
 7. ANCs are supposed to be a collaborative effort between the ANC Commissioners and the community they were elected to represent. The ANC should be listening to the concerns and needs of their community and use that knowledge to effect change and progress. Do you think your ANC currently encourages residents to ask questions and to be actively involved in the operations of the ANC? Please explain.
 8. Residents have long complained about the ineffectiveness and dysfunction of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions which is why they no longer attend meetings. What specific steps (if any) have you and/or the ANC taken to address this issue and to engage residents (old and new) to attend meetings and to be actively engaged in their ANC?

 ANC OPERATIONS

1. Does your ANC file their quarterly reports on time with the DC Auditor? If not why?
2. How much money is currently in the ANC bank account?
3. Do you feel that the ANC’s financial house is “in order”. Are ANC funds being used effectively and appropriately?
4. Does your ANC currently have an approved budget? Is your ANC currently participating in the ANC Security Fund?
5. Name two (2) specific things that your ANC has accomplished in this term.
6. Name at least two (2) challenges facing your ANC and what steps (if any) you and your fellow commissioners have made to solve them.
7. What are your hopes for your Single Member District and your ANC this term?
8. If you had to grade your ANC today what would be its grade and why? (Example of grades, A,B,C,D,F)

 For more Congress Heights and River East news visit The Congress Heights Examiner website, http://www.examiner.com/x-13507-Congress-Heights-Community-Examiner

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