The Insider -- Volume 2 Issue 12

District of Columbia sent this bulletin at 06/08/2012 03:29 PM EDT
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  Volume 2 Issue 12                                                                                                     June 8, 2012

Five Year Economic Development Plan Announcement

Mayor Vincent C. Gray Focusing Resources on Economic Development

On June 6, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Deputy Mayor Victor L. Hoskins announced that they were delivering on one of the Mayor’s key promises: initiating the development of a broad Five-Year Economic Development Strategy for the District, to be completed by the fall.

The initiative will involve leaders of seven major industry sectors within the District and surrounding area, and area graduate students from American University, Georgetown University, Howard University and The George Washington University will collect data that will then be used in planning the strategy. The effort will provide a roadmap for the District’s economic-development efforts, particularly in the areas of business development and job creation.

“In my State of the District Address this year, I laid out my vision for a New Economy in the District of Columbia that is diversified and that prepares our residents to compete in the global marketplace, and this collaborative effort with the private sector and the academic community will create a roadmap for getting there,” said Mayor Gray. “The members of the Strategy Advisory Group are principal stakeholders in the District’s economy, and the business school students who will be involved in this work are some of the sharpest in the area. Together, they will help us survey our industry sector leaders and identify opportunities for the public sector and private sector — working in tandem — to catalyze economic development and generate jobs.”

The Five-Year Economic Development Strategy seeks to provide District leaders and residents with three deliverables: an economic-impact model, a public-sector strategy and private-sector commitments. The economic-impact model will provide a transparent, consistent framework for evaluating economic projects in the District, enabling officials to make better long-term economic decisions. The public-sector strategy will create a comprehensive, feasible list of initiatives – including regulatory reforms, incentives, and real estate investments – that the Gray Administration will undertake to foster job creation and business growth. Private-sector commitments will represent specific initiatives allowing sector leaders as a group to address needs and opportunities that are too broad for one business to manage alone.

“It is a thrilling day for me – a year and half into my work with the Gray Administration – to have our Five-Year Economic Development Strategy launch,” said Deputy Mayor Hoskins. “I stand with Mayor Gray and my team as we look forward to a more cohesive framework in which to work on economic development for this city. It is important that we as public-sector officials remain committed to the big picture of our work and its impact on the private sector and the residents we serve. This endeavor will help us as we always aim to tie the knot between the three.” Read more.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Chuck Brown Memorial

The Brown Family, City Officials and Fans Celebrates Chuck Brown’s Life

Last week, the Brown Family, Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Events DC and The Howard Theatre invited fans of the late Go-Go artist Chuck Brown to a series of events memorializing his life and contributions to the District’s and the nation’s musical and cultural heritage. Read more.

DC Public Library Seeks Residents’ Help Creating Chuck Brown Archive

On May 16, D.C. lost a music icon: Chuck Brown. As the city prepares to say goodbye to the Godfather of Go-Go, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and the D.C. Public Library are asking for the public’s help in creating an archive honoring the artist. Read more.
Corrections Information Council Swearing-In

Mayor Vincent C. Gray Swears in Members of the Newly Re-established Corrections Information Council

Yesterday, Mayor Vincent C. Gray swore in board members for the newly re-established Corrections Information Council (CIC), which serves to monitor and inspect the conditions of confinement of District of Columbia residents.
With the passage of the National Capital and Self-Government Act of 1997, the D.C. Department of Corrections (DOC) transferred their felon population previously housed in the Lorton Correctional Complex to U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities. As of March 31, 2012, roughly 6,000 D.C. inmates are housed in various BOP facilities across the nation. The states with the highest D.C. inmate population are North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
The CIC governing board members sworn in today are Michelle Bonner and Samuel Whittaker, nominated by the Mayor, and Katherine Huffman, nominated by the D.C. Council. The board’s task is to inspect the conditions of confinement and inmate access to rehabilitative services. To reach their goal, the board will visit facilities housing D.C. inmates under DOC and BOP jurisdiction, and in turn, produce yearly reports to inform the community of their findings. Thus far, DOC and BOP have both made commitments to help the CIC in accomplishing its mission.
With support from Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Councilmember Phil Mendelson, Mayor Gray took the lead in re-establishing the long dormant CIC.
Each member will serve a term of up to two years, with the possibility of being reappointed. Read more.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray Nominates Health Industry Experts to Panel That Will Implement President Obama’s Health Care Reform Law in the District

Yesterday, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced the nominations of prominent health-care professionals to the newly created Executive Board of the District’s Health Benefit Exchange Authority (HBX).  The nominees are Dr. Mohammed Akhter, who currently serves as the Director of the D.C. Department of Health; Henry J. Aaron, Ph.D., a senior fellow in health care at the Brookings Institution; Leighton Ku, Ph.D., professor of health policy and director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University; Khalid Pitts, Director of Strategic Campaigns at the Service Employees International Union; Kate Sullivan Hare, Director of Policy Outreach and Public Affairs at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Diane C. Lewis, health-care policy consultant; and Kevin Lucia, research professor and project director at the Health Policy Institute of Georgetown University. The nominees to the Executive Board of the HBX will be submitted to the D.C. Council for confirmation.
The District has moved swiftly to implement the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) which was signed into law on March 23, 2010. PPACA requires each state and the District to establish a benefit exchange to provide a health-insurance marketplace where residents can compare and purchase insurance. The District has chosen to establish a quasi-governmental entity to operate its exchange. Read more.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray Celebrates LGBT Pride Month with Reception, Conversation, and Appointment of GLBT Advisory Committee

Mayor Vincent C. Gray celebrated LGBT Pride month yesterday by hosting his One City Pride Reception and a town hall-style conversation at the Charles Sumner School Museum & Archives – the second Pride season in as many years that Mayor Gray has hosted such an event to celebrate LGBT Pride month. The event featured a one-on-one interview with the Washington Blade reporter Lou Chibbaro, the District’s oldest publication serving the GLBT community, and a question-and-answer session with members of the District’s LGBT community.
The talk was open to the public and broadcast on the Office of Cable Televisions’ Channel 16.  The interview covered such topics as hate crimes and public safety, the District’s response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and preparations for the International AIDS Conference, the national fight for marriage equality and much more. Read more.

City Officials Kick Off Opening of District Outdoor Swimming Pools at Newly Renovated Rosedale Community Center

Last Friday, Mayor Vincent C. Gray was joined by city officials, Rosedale community leaders, area residents and youth at the Rosedale Community Center Pool to kick off the summer pool season in the District of Columbia and for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newly renovated Rosedale Community Center at 1701 Gales Street NW. The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) opened all 19 outdoor pools, 5 children’s pools and 11 spray parks on Saturday, May 26. Read more.

Gray Administration Recognized for Work Addressing Chronic Unemployment of District Residents

From the US Builders Review: E Construction Group Inc. (ECG) is a construction company with strong beliefs. Robert Ehardt, President and Sharon Singh, CEO of ECG, founded the Virginia-based company in 2010 and relocated ECG to the District of Columbia. Since its relocation, ECG has become a Washington, D.C., Certified Business Enterprise (CBE), which has opened a number of possible opportunities. D.C.’s CBE program ensures that the city spends its tax revenues first on businesses based in D.C. that support and contribute to job creation and the city’s tax base, resulting in a stronger local economy.
Ehardt has exciting plans to help the city develop its most precious resources: its local residents. “Mayor Gray has a bold plan to help address D.C.’s chronic unemployment problem with his One City One Hire plan,” detailed Ehardt. “His plan sets the new standard for economic vision, patience and determination as it pertains to the District of Columbia. Through him and his policies, most workforce businesses located in the District are able to give back to the residents through workforce initiatives.” Read more.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray Proclaims May 25th Africa Day

Last week, Mayor Vincent C. Gray proclaimed Friday, May 25, 2012, as “Africa Day” in the District of Columbia. In commemoration of African Liberation Day, the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs partnered with the Office of Minority Health to host a roundtable discussion on Africans in D.C. and Access to Health Care at the John A. Wilson Building, Room G-9.
The roundtable highlighted key trends in the African community in D.C. as it relates to health and raise issues of access, research and data collection. The event also discussed strategies and opportunities for addressing the health disparities within immigrant and foreign-born communities in the District. Read more.
ZipCar-DCHA Partnership

Zipcar-D.C. Housing Authority Partnership Kick-Off

On June 7, Mayor Gray kicked off a new partnership between Zipcar and the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) which will provide Zipcars at four public housing sites. This is the first public housing partnership of this kind in the nation and DCHA is proud to offer residents access to another form of transportation.
As part of the new program, Zipcar will place nine new car-sharing vehicles at DCHA locations in Wards three, six, seven and eight for use by local residents. DCHA and Zipcar collaborated to determine the best locations for the new vehicles in areas with high foot traffic and access to public transportation. The new Zipcars can be found at:
• Ward 3: Regency House on 5201 Connecticut Avenue NW
• Ward 6: Greenleaf Gardens on 1200 Delaware Avenue SW and Potomac Gardens Senior on 1225 G Street SE
• Ward 7: Stoddert Terrace on 155 Ridge Road SE
• Ward 8: Elvans Road at 2440 Elvans Road SE and Knox Hill on 2700 Jasper Street SE
Produced by the Executive Office of the Mayor, Office of Communications |1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.| (202) 727-5011 | Email: Vincent.Gray@dc.gov

Mayor On The Move



DDOT 10 Year Anniversary

Mayor Vincent C. Gray and DDOT Celebrate 10 Years of Accomplishments

Yesterday, Mayor Vincent C. Gray, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy, former DDOT Directors, federal transportation officials and DDOT employees celebrated DDOT’s 10th anniversary at the department’s headquarters. During the event, Mayor Gray issued a proclamation declaring June 7, 2012 “DDOT Day” in the District of Columbia, toured DDOT’s state-of-the-art offices at 55 M Street SE and congratulated staff for a decade of success and significant milestones. Read more.


Mayor Vincent C. Gray Celebrates General Services Administration’s Decision to Expand District’s Central Employment Area

Last Friday, Mayor Vincent C. Gray received word that the entire Capitol Riverfront area and St. Elizabeths East Campus have been designated part of the District’s Central Employment Area (CEA) by the federal government, making it easier for federal agencies to locate there. The recent decision by the General Services Administration (GSA) is a sign that the District’s ongoing efforts to nurture relationships with the federal government are bearing fruit. Read more.


Mayor Vincent C. Gray Announces District’s Call for Proposals for Vendors at St. Elizabeths East Gateway Food Pavilion

In a move that begins the transformation of the historic St. Elizabeths East Campus into a center for new commerce and amenities, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced last week that the DC Department of General Services (DGS), on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the design and construction of a food pavilion and multi-use facility on the campus.

The facility will be an innovative, flexible and aesthetically unique structure that will serve a wide range of interim uses and allow visitors to experience the site before redevelopment is complete. Envisioned as a destination for casual dining as well as a venue for hosting a farmers’ market and other weekend and after-hours, community, cultural and arts events, the Gateway Pavilion will set the stage for a once-in-a-generation development that will cultivate significant economic opportunities for the District. Read more.


DC Statewide Athletic Association Announcement

Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Education Officials and Student-Athletes Launch D.C. Statewide Athletic Association, First-Ever State Championship Games

The District’s public, private, parochial, independent and charter school sports teams will have the opportunity to compete against each other in the first-ever D.C. state championship games starting this fall as a result of the newly formed D.C. State Athletic Association (DCSAA) announced last Thursday by Mayor Vincent C. Gray and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).

Consisting of member schools from the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association (DCIAA), the Washington Charter School Athletic Association (WCSAA) and area independent/non-public schools, DCSAA will award D.C. State Championship titles in boys’ and girls’ cross-country, boys’ and girls’ soccer, and boys’ football in Division I and II, beginning in fall 2012. Read more.

District Awarded More Than $2.9 Million from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to Remove Lead-Based Paint Hazards

On May 31, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced that the District has been awarded more than $2.9 million from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct a wide range of activities to protect children and families from potentially dangerous lead-based paint and other home and safety hazards.

The funds will be administered through the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development’s Lead Safe Washington Program (LSW), which provides grants for the identification and control of lead-based paint hazards. Deteriorated lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust presents significant health hazards to individuals of all ages, and children younger than six years of age in particular. Read more.


DCRA Small Business Resource Center One Year Anniversary

DCRA Small Business Resource Center Celebrates its One-Year Anniversary

On June 6, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and DCRA Director Nicholas Majett commemorated the first anniversary of the launch of the DCRA Small Business Resource Center (SBRC).

The SBRC’s mission is to help small business owners and entrepreneurs successfully and easily navigate the District's regulatory environment. In the past year, the SBRC has provided 450+ one-on-one business educational sessions to current and future business owners, looking to conduct business in the District of Columbia. For more information, go to www.dcra.dc.gov.