An abundance of trash on your street? Cars driving too fast in your neighborhood? Looking for a way to get more involved in the community? Your Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner is here to help (and yes, he/she ran for the position knowing it was unpaid!) This week, Adam Healy (ANC 6A 01) tells us about the improvements he’d like to help implement in his neighborhood.
1 – Tell us a little about yourself and the reason(s) you sought a position on your neighborhood’s ANC.
I’ve always enjoyed public service–from serving on my hometown school board to working on Capitol Hill. I find it rewarding helping people solve problems they are having or bringing people together to discuss important public policy issues.
My partner and I bought our house near H Street just over four years ago. We immediately felt like part of the community as our neighbors were very warm and welcoming. This past fall I decided it was time to give back to the community by running for the ANC to try to make our neighborhood an even better place to live, work, and play.
2 – What is the number one issue facing your neighborhood and how do you plan to address it?
It’s impossible to name just one issue facing the neighborhood, because each block of my single member district is unique. However, crime is an issue that impacts almost everyone. If you don’t feel safe walking home at night or your home has been burglarized, it negatively impacts your entire quality of life. We all need to take an active role in working with MPD to help reduce crime. I plan to participate in an MPD ride along soon to get a better perspective of how residents can help make our neighborhood even safer.
3 – What will you do to increase resident participation in the ANC process? Do you have any plans to make meetings more appealing to residents in your neighborhood and/or solicit increased community involvement?
ANC6A already has a great reputation for community involvement and empowers residents to get involved with decision making through our committee system. Additionally, the ANC6A website and listserve provide residents with a great deal of timely, useful information about issues and upcoming meetings.
During my campaign I knocked on every door in my single member district at least once. I enjoyed getting direct input from residents about what issues were a priority to them. I will remain engaged with residents and will soon announce regular meetings where 6A01 residents may come to talk about community issues.
4- What do you need from residents in your neighborhood in order to be a good representative?
I don’t pretend to have all the answers to every problem, so I need continued input from residents on important community issues and help in finding creative solutions to problems.
5- Complete this sentence: “Capitol Hill is the best place to live in DC because __________.”
It really is a small community in which neighbors know and look out for each other. It’s that sense of community that makes the quality of life here so great.
Leave a comment or suggest an ANC rep to be featured in an upcoming post!