Last month’s article announced the date of the annual Legislative Review meeting as being on April 26, but circumstances have resulted in the meeting being rescheduled for Wednesday, 17 May at 7 p.m. in Braddock Hall. The list of lawmakers attending has not been finalized at this time. Once we do have commitments, we will let you know who to expect. Due to redistricting, Virginia General Assembly districts have been redrawn so many Braddock District residents will have a new delegate and senator on their ballot for the November, 2023 elections. This meeting provides an excellent opportunity to meet your elected representatives in an informal setting to discuss issues important to you.
Also, please mark your calendars for Wednesday, 21 June, 7 p.m., for the annual Braddock District Council election meeting. Two of the current officers who volunteered to help re-establish the Council after the pandemic are stepping down. I would like to publicly acknowledge everything that Vice-chair Sarah Lennon and Treasurer Kevin Morse have contributed to the success of the first year of the “new” Braddock District Council. Despite their busy schedules as presidents of their respective associations and their involvement in other civic duties, they willingly spent the time necessary to work hard behind the scenes to establish the processes and procedures that ensured that the Council was administered in accordance with its By-laws. They richly deserve the thanks of all Council members for getting the Council up and running so quickly. Their departure from the board means that we need others to step forward to build on what they have started. If you are interested in taking a leadership role in the Council, please contact me at bdcfxchair@gmail.com. We will announce the slate of candidates prior to the June meeting.
Another volunteer position that needs to be filled is that of the Braddock District Aging in Place Coordinator. This program was initiated by Bruce Wallachy (Kings Park West Civic Association) over 10 years ago and is supported financially by the Council. Bruce will be stepping down after June, so we need someone to step up and take his place. The AIP program provides not only important information to older district residents, but also has an important social component provided by the monthly meetings, which can now resume now that the pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Please contact me if you are interested and I can put you in touch with Bruce to discuss what the job entails.
I would like to bring your attention to the presentation made at the February meeting by Mike Perel (Oak Hill Citizens Association) on the topic of the VDOT Braddock Road Multi-modal Improvements Project, which has been under study for several years. Mike did considerable research into the announced VDOT plan and developed a list of concerns. Since Braddock Road is, in essence, the “main street” of Braddock District and one of the busiest non-arterial roads in the County, the final design of the VDOT plan is of great importance to all district residents. You can find Mike’s presentation on the BDC website under the “Pulse of the Community” tab. If you were unable to attend the February meeting, please take the time to view the presentation and share it with your members.
I hope everyone will have a chance to get out and about in our district parks and neighborhood streets to enjoy the springtime beauty of Braddock District. I hope to see you at the May meeting.
Bob Cosgriff
Chair