Naylor Stables LLC: “…the Community is going to freak out when they hear about this.”

That was the statement by Charlie Bengel (District 06) at ANC 2F's September 2nd meeting when a discussion about Naylor Stables LLC’s proposal for a new Class-C Tavern revealed its seating capacity.

Kate Gordon ANC 2F District 01 Video Clip:

Though representatives for Naylor Stables LLC were not present and may not have been aware of their spot on the night’s agenda, Gordon made a motion to protest Naylor Stables LLC’s request on the basis of “the effect of the establishment on peace order and quiet, including the noise and litter provisions, the effect of the establishment on real property values, and the effect of the establishment upon residential parking needs and vehicular pedestrian safety.”

All were in favor, none opposed. 

A hearing on the project with Naylor Stables LLC will take place at 5 Thomas Circle NW on September 16th at 7PM. 

Short Articles about Long Meetings Ceases Publication

This is the last post on the blog Short Articles about Long Meetings.

I am moving out of the DC area because my wife, an American diplomat, will take up an assignment this summer at the US Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Thanks to the people and publications who have complemented and linked to my writing.

I have mentioned to a few people that I will be winding up the blog. Some have suggested that I find someone else to continue it. I have not conducted an organized search for a successor, and no one has stepped forward and indicated a desire to write about Advisory Neighborhood Commissions in the way that I do.

I enjoyed doing this, but unsurprisingly found there is no money in it.

If anyone wishes to take ANCs up as a topic, I have no intellectual property claim on the style and method of this blog. All you have to do is to go to the long meetings and write down what people say.

Merry Christmas from SALM

Due to family obligations, SALM must start its Christmas break early.

I look forward to posting again in the New Year.

Best wishes for a joyous Christmas, a happy holiday season, and a safe and prosperous New Year to all readers.

Happy Thanksgiving from SALM

Will resume posting next week.

SALM to Moderate 14th and U Candidates' Forum Tonight

There will be a candidates' forum tonight for contested Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) seats in the vicinity of 14th and U Streets NW.  The forum will start at 7pm at the Thurgood Marshall Center (1816 12th Street). It is sponsored by the Shaw Dupont Citizens Alliance and the Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association, and will include candidates vying for district 09 of ANC 2B/Dupont Circle and district 12 of ANC 1B/U Street. I will moderate.

Katherine Gordon, a uncontested candidate for a seat in ANC 2F/Logan Circle, was invited but cannot attend. She is out of town.

For more information, see SALM blog post of October 8.

SALM to Moderate ANC Candidates' Forum on October 16

An advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) Candidates' Forum for districts in the U Street area will take place next week on Thursday, October 16. It is free and open to the public. I will moderate.

The October 16 Forum will start at 7pm at the Thurgood Marshall Center (1816 12th Street). It is sponsored by the Shaw Dupont Citizens Alliance and the Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association, and will include candidates from three separate ANCs.

Both candidates for the district 12 seat of ANC 1B/U Street, Matt Abbruzzese and John Green, have accepted invitations to participate. Incumbent Noah Smith (district 09) of ANC 2B/Dupont Circle has also accepted. His challenger, Edward Hanlon, was invited but has not accepted the invitation as of this writing. Katherine Gordon, running unopposed for the district 01 seat of ANC 2F/Logan Circle, has also been invited but has not yet accepted.

The event will be divided into three parts. In the first part, the candidates will briefly introduce themselves. In the second part, candidates will be asked to answer prepared questions. In the third part, questions will be taken from the audience.

Washington City Paper Names SALM Best New Local Blog

Thank you, Washington City Paper, for naming Short Articles About Long Meetings as a Staff Pick for Best New Local Blog in D.C.

I would have been at your party last night, but I had an ANC meeting to attend.

Publication Suspended While Visiting Far-flung Family

Hope to resume activity before the end of January.

I am Asked to Leave a Meeting of the Dupont Circle Conservancy for Blogging

Minutes after I arrived last night, January 14, I was denied permission to observe a meeting of the Dupont Circle Conservancy (DCC). The reason given was that I am a blogger. I left the meeting as requested, without argument.

A representative of the DCC approached me a short time after I arrived and told me the meeting was not open to me. I protested that I was an interested member of the public. The representative told me I was a blogger and I could not attend the meeting. It seemed clear that further objecting would not do any good, so I left.

I have previously attended two meetings of the DCC. The first meeting I attended was on October 8, 2013. I openly took notes. Based on these notes, I published the SALM blog post of October 15 about the proposed development of the single-family home at 1618 Q Street NW.

In November, I again attended a meeting of the DCC. At that time, the same representative as above approached me and asked me what my interest was. I told him that I wrote a blog. The representative said interested members of the public were welcome but he did not want me to write about meeting. I agreed to make no notes and write nothing about the meeting. I was allowed to observe the entire meeting. There is no blog post about the November meeting.

On its web site, the DCC describes itself as "an all volunteer membership-based non-profit 501c(3) educational organization". I am not a lawyer and I don't know what rights and obligations this status gives them. Particularly, I do not know if they have an obligation to have open meetings and/or are allowed to limit the purpose or behavior of people who attend.

This is the first community organization that I have been asked me to leave. I have previously attended meetings of two other local community organizations (the Dupont Circle Citizens Association and the Shaw Dupont Citizens Alliance), and even published articles based on what I saw and heard at these meetings, without interference.

I was at the last night's meeting long enough to notice that it was also attended Commissioner Abigail Nichols, representative for district 05 on Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 2B/Dupont. Nichols was just winding up a short presentation to the DCC when I arrived.

I also saw other presenters waiting at last night's meeting to appear before the DCC. These presenters have previously appeared before ANC2B and its committees, and I have written about their projects on this blog. The properties in question are 1618 Q Street and 1528 Church Street.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from SALM

Publication will resume in January.

Long Meetings Will Resume after Thanksgiving

... and so will SALM.

Thanks to All Who Encouraged Me During the First Week of SALM

I am overwhelmed with the positive response to Short Articles about Long Meetings in its first week of operation, especially by

Washington City Paper

Michael DeBonis at The Washington Post's District of Debonis

Matty Rhodes, Luis Gomez, and former colleagues at Borderstan

Commissioners of ANC2B

U Street Neighborhood Association

IMBYdc's Michael Hamilton

Sarah Anne Hughes of the DCist

Other writers of encouraging tweets

New followers on Twitter

Senders of encouraging emails

Commenters on the blog, especially those who corrected my errors of fact.

Thank you everybody.