Community Sends Very Profound Message to Ward 5 ANC Commissioner\’s Ahead of Scheduled Liquor Store Protest

It was certainly cold enough for Coors Lite, Budweiser, or Heineken to all chill outside while you cook dinner before a community meeting if that were your choice.  Especially, considering the fact that liquor store application was back on the Ward 5 ANC Monthly Meeting Agenda. Most residents disapproved of the liquor store in their community at the last meeting (Ward 5 Residents Do Not Want 4 Seasons Selling Liquor on Sundays).

The community continues to be opposed to liquor being sold on Sundays. Furthermore there has been a Rescheduled Protest Status Hearing regarding Pax Spirits to be held on December 5, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.  The hearing will take place at 2000 14th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20009.  Constituents who have any concerns shouldn’t hesitate to contact Assistant General Counsel April Randall at (202) 442-4353. Mr. Lockett was at the Special meeting and brought along a few flyers to denounce Pax Spirits. He stood during the meeting and restated his prior opinions that while the city is closing a hospital, bringing 10,000 more people in this neighborhood, a proposed new supermarket, it’s five years and we still have nothing.  He went one to describe how he used to walk right across the street and get a haircut emphasizing that amenities that complement our neighborhood from beauty salons for the ladies, and haircuts for our kids and for us, in favor of a liquor store.

\”Don\’t sell our f—–g community out. Excuse my language, excuse my language.  I apologize, I\’m wrong for that, I\’m wrong for that, I\’ll stand,\” was a statement directed to Commissioner Lewis coming from a constituent who grew up in the community 44 years.  All he really wanted to say was \”please understand that we don\’t need that by our church. We\’re known to be a progressive neighborhood and that is not progressive, that\’s all I\’m saying.\” 

With the motion being seconded, the Commission voted on the motion.  After some confusion on some of the voting procedures, the Commission along with the community agreed to change the direction, not to settle, and proceed with a protest to which some residents clapped with cheer.  Commissioner Fletcher expressed that since everyone agreed to protest as a community, they need to stay as a community and see it through.

Other ANC topics included:

• Concern for communication barriers by not knowing a Special meeting was called to discuss the 4 Season Liquor Application.  One resident asked whether it was possible to include future meetings on Next Door, to which Commissioner Burroughs agreed. Dr. Miles-Maloney stood up and gave Commissioner Gordon Fletcher her cell phone number, home phone number, email, and she even offered to give her Facebook and Twitter as ways to break the barriers of communication for a larger turn out during Special meetings. 
• Mr. Albino, a DDOT representative presented an update on the Metropolitan Branch Trail.  This trail connects from Union Station, all the way to Brookland.  Once completed, it will connect all the way to Silver Spring, Maryland.  Sections of the trail have been built over the past few years and started construction in Ward 5 community over the summer working along Brookland and Catholic University and Ft. Totten.  Commissioner Fletcher raised a concern about the lighting and the trail having a stigma and stench associated with it known as the rape trail.
• Office of Mayor and Malik Miller presented \”Deck the Paws,\”
• Commissioner Fletcher passed a resolution recognizing residents celebrating 100 years of life.  The resolution was moved and then approved in time for Saturday\’s celebration to honor Gabriel E. Coy