ANC1B Commissioners Attend Party, Skip Meeting

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 1B/U Street was unable to obtain a quorum at its monthly meeting on December 5, because only six of twelve Commissioners were present. ANCs cannot take binding votes unless there is a quorum, which requires more than half the Commissioners to be present.

At the December 5 ANC1B meeting

At least some of the missing Commissioners were attending the annual Christmas party for ANC Commissioners, ANC1B Chair Tony Norman told the meeting. Norman told the audience early in the evening he hoped enough of the Commissioners would depart the party early to achieve a quorum, but not enough did before the meeting was adjorned.

The meeting went ahead, with local citizens and business people speaking to the Commissioners present. Local business people came to discuss applications by restaurants and bars for liquor licenses and use of outdoor space.

Norman promised that the ANC would meet in "executive session" next Thursday (December 12). He implied that votes on the matters discussed at the meeting would be taken at that time. There was no indication that this meeting would be open to the public, nor did he say how the ANC's decisions would be communicated to the public.

Commissioners who were present when the meeting started at 7pm: ANC1B Chair Norman (district 10), Ricardo Reinoso (05), and Zahra Jilani (12).

Commissioners who arrived less than 15 minutes late: Juan Lopez (07) and Emily Washington (08).

Commissioner who arrived 90 minutes late: E. Gail Anderson Holness (11)

Commissioners who failed to attend the meeting: Marc Morgan Norman (01), Jeremy Leffler (02), Sedrick Muhammed (03), Deborah Thomas (04), Dyana Forester (06), and James Turner (09).

At one point, during a presentation by a liquor licensee, Norman took a cell phone call, apparently from an absent Commissioner.

Although Norman took his phone out in the corridor, he could be clearly heard asking the caller: "Are you coming?" No additional Commissioners came after Norman received the call.

It is impossible to determine how many of the missing Commissioners were at the Christmas party, which was held at the Wilson Building.

To be fair, there were other activites (apart from the party) taking place the same evening which might have drawn off Commissioners, including a local fundraiser to buy winter coats for children and a forum for mayoral candidates.