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1365 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC  20007 | Phone: 202.337.7313 | Fax: 202.333.1088

President's Letter - April 2008

Denise Cunningham

Denise Cunningham

Much press is given to all the issues and initiatives our CAG committees take on. And rightfully so. But the behind the scenes advocacy work that reaps immeasurable benefits for the whole of Georgetown and indeed, the entire District, sometimes goes quietly unnoticed. It is a very important part of our association’s mission, and many people pour endless time and energy into supporting causes and righting wrongs.

Anyone who attended the public meetings for the Georgetown Transportation Study will understand why we have been actively seeking some drastic changes. A letter was sent to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) expressing our concerns that the study does not seem responsive to some real congestion problems in Georgetown, like the daily back-up of rushhour traffic on 33rd, 34th and 35th Streets. We have also expressed grave concerns over the format currently being used at these public meetings which does not allow for a public question and answer period. We’ve contacted the DC City Council airing our thoughts on the constantly deteriorating trash and recycling pickup service. We’ve thrown our support behind the upcoming new streetscape plans for Hyde School that will greatly enhance that area. And as this is being written, we are analyzing the impact of the planned discontinuation of the Circulator buses on Wisconsin Avenue and will forward our recommendations to Emeka Moneme, Director of DDOT.

Sometimes we win... sometimes the best we can do is put a stake in the sand for the next round. You may recall, CAG along with the ANC filed a formal protest against Morton’s adding outdoor seating to their restaurant on Prospect Street. We pleaded before the Alcohol Beverage Review Board that the area was over-saturated and was adversely impacting the quality of life for surrounding residents affecting peace, order, quiet and pedestrian and vehicular safety. The ABC board recently issued its ruling and granted Morton’s the 34-seat outdoor summer garden. They did suggest though that our testimony was credible and said the board would be willing to consider a moratorium request to limit any future outdoor or indoor seating increases in Georgetown Court. We will be following up on that suggestion.

Branding CAG
While our hardworking staff, board and committee members and all our volunteers are doing a monumental amount of heavy lifting on a broad spectrum of topics, we are also working harder to enlist new members and hopefully entice increased awareness and participation through better marketing of the organization. You will be seeing a growing number of CAG “reminders” very shortly. Past President and architect, Victoria Rixey, is working on new, more prominent signage for our office building. The current sign is tired and barely visible. The new one will better identify our location and reflect the stature of the organization. Executive Director, Betsy Cooley has developed a vivid, lively new membership brochure that will soon be out and our Merchant Priority Cards have taken on a whole new look.

Mark Your Calendars
The upcoming weeks are jammed packed with opportunities to support your favorite causes and attend some fabulous parties.

The Concerts in the Park Kick-off party will be held on April 17 at L2L, the cool, sleek, new lounge in Cady’s Alley. This spirited event helps produce the wonderful Sunday afternoon summer concerts that in a short five years have become a Georgetown tradition. This year’s concerts are scheduled for May 18, June 22 and July 13.

Trees for Georgetown will hold their annual fundraiser on May 8 at the beautiful home of Julie and Mike Connors. The funds raised on this one night pay for all the new tree box plantings in Georgetown and for tree maintenance, like watering during drought conditions. And this year there will be a new addition to every tree planted. Each new tree will have a sturdy iron border installed on three sides.

The April membership meeting will feature prominent pollster and president of the Pew Research Center, Andy Kohut, and at our May meeting, our 2008 awards for distinguished service to Georgetown will be presented by Councilman Jack Evans.

Quite a busy spring.

- Denise Cunningham