For Immediate Release
Contact: Robin Diener
202/387-8030; cell 431-9254
Rescinding
of West End Emergency Resolution Possible
WASHINGTON, D.C. – September
12, 2007 – Robert Miller, Legislative Counsel in Chairman Vincent Gray's
office, yesterday left open the possibility of rescinding the West End
Emergency Resolution in the new Council legislative session which begins on Tuesday
September 18.
In an hour-long meeting with
community advocates from Empower DC, Foggy Bottom Association, and DC Library Renaissance
Project, Miller said that rescission could be introduced if the emergency
resolution had not yet been "implemented." Miller also cautioned that the
Council was bound not to take action that could be harmful to the city's contractual
obligations.
Miller was also informed
that, last week, tenants of the Tiverton Apartments—the building is currently
up for sale -- located adjacent to West End Library, ended negotiations with
Eastbanc, the developer named in the emergency resolution. While the Tiverton
situation was not included in the resolution, it was leveraged by the Council to
create the appearance of an emergency. http://www.librarydynamo.org/read.php/dynamos/westend/video/cow_july_10_2007
For the resolution to take
effect, Mayor Fenty must submit a Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) to the
Council within 90 days, which he has not yet done. The Council has 45 days to "disapprove" an
LDA -- a requirement Kwame Brown's office has cited as adequate public
protection -- but the LDA passes automatically if not acted upon by Council.
Opponents are not willing to
wait for an LDA to come to Council for "possible disapproval." They want the
deal rescinded first. Their mantra, "Fix the Broken Process" was echoed by Phil
Mendelson, the lone dissenting vote against the emergency, who said at the
time, "This might be a great deal, but I don't like the process."
Advocates also let Miller know
that Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, co-sponsor of the emergency resolution
with Brown, had acknowledged a mistake in not getting community approval.
At a July 18 meeting of Foggy Bottom ANC2A, attended
by more than 100 citizens, Evans promised to abide by the community's wishes.
(See video of the meeting at http://beltwayimc.org/en/node/196
).
Since then, calls for
rescinding the West End emergency resolution have come from numerous civic
groups including: Federation of Citizens' Associations; Foggy Bottom Association;
Dupont Circle Citizens Association; Kalorama Citizens Association; ANC2B; ANC1C;
and TENAC.
Read the documents in the
case at the Library Dynamo Project website:
http://www.librarydynamo.org/read.php/dynamos/westend/timeline
Sign the public petition to
rescind the West End emergency resolution:
http://www.librarydynamo.org/read.php/dynamos/westend/petition
TWO IMPORTANT EVENTS:
ONE: Rally
Tuesday Sept 18 at 9 am, at the WilsonBuilding(13th and Penn) to call for the Council to:
- Rescind the West
End Emergency Resolution -- send it back to square one and follow normal
legislative processes including public hearings, etc. It's not about the
specifics of the deal, which should be up to the community. It's
about the process. This unfortunate resolution should not be allowed to
stand. It sets a precedent that will only result in more political
discord and upheaval. And that's no way to rebuild a library system. Jack
Evans has said he will abide by the community's request.
- Follow the Law -- by
completing a Public Property Inventory (and putting it online), completing
the Master Facilities Plan for all of DC -- not just the schools, and
implementing ways for the Mayor to consider "continuous community
input" -- all the above are required under current law.
- Fix the Law -- to
Prohibit the "disposal" of Public Property through emergency
legislation, and amend the Library LEAD Act to mandate public input into
the development of any public/private partnership (ppp) as the first step.
Chairman Gray, Carol Schwartz and Harry Thomas have "expressed interest"
in these reforms.
The rally will last less than
an hour. And, it's Car Free day in DC so you can use the crowded metro as an
excuse for being a little late to work.
TWO: Monday September 24, at
10 am, in room 500 of the Wilson Bldg,
1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW. Oversight hearing by Kwame Brownconcerning
projects managed by the Office of the
Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
Many are expected to testify
about the West End Emergency and the lack of public inclusion in plans for
other libraries including the Tenley and Benning branches which are under
pressure for sale and development. Any project under the management by the
Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development may be the
subject of testimony by citizens
Those who wish to testify
should contact John Adams at the Committee on Economic Development by email at Jadams@DCCouncil.us or by
telephone (202) 727-6683. E-mail contacts should include the full name, title,
and affiliation – if applicable – of the person(s) wishing to testify. Witnesses should bring 10 copies of their
written testimony to the roundtable.
Representatives of organizations will be allowed a maximum of five (5)
minutes for oral presentation and individuals will be allowed a maximum of
three (3) minutes for oral presentation.
If you are unable to attend
the Hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the
official record. Copies of written
statements should be submitted to the Secretary to the Council, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 5, Washington, DC 20004 no later than 5:00pm
Friday
September 28, 2007.
LIBRARY
DYNAMOS