CHCA Meeting, Monday, February 10th, 2020, 7 pm – 9 pm
Location: Walter Reed Community Center
7:00 PM President’s Update and the goals for tonight – (Ron Haddox)
7:05 PM Approval of the Meetings tonight agenda and the January 13th meeting minutes. (Marian and Ron)
7:10 PM Treasury Report – Dues for this year (Josh)
7:15 PM CHCA Partners with the Census (Sarah)
Census partners are vital to ensuring a complete and accurate count. As trusted voices in your communities, you play a key role in raising awareness that the 2020 Census is easy, safe, and important.
7:20 PM Update from the PPG Feb 1th Meeting (Sarah, Reggie and ALL)
Email From CPRO:
1.) Possibly developing a MOU/MOA between BM Smith, Pike Park (Walgreens/Riteaid), County, & CHCA? Attached is a discussion document that I used when I was LOCA’s president, which resulted in the following MOA: http://arlington.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=689&meta_id=119950. CPRO will be working to set up a meeting between the appropriate parties, so they can determine how best to proceed.
2.) Reggie’s Draft letter: Where does this fit in with what is CPRO is doing?
3.) Discussion – Answer to our questions. (Sarah)
Question from Ron: Students from the north side of the county are being permitted to transfer into schools south of Route 50. Unfortunately, this means that the Title 1 schools are receiving more students, which artificially inflates the number of students per class. This places additional burdens on high poverty schools. Has the school board considered this dynamic in addressing the transfer policy? Why or why not?
Answer: The school system has to balance many competing concerns. One issue that has been debated for years is an income disparity between the schools. We don’t want a few targeted schools to have all the economically disadvantaged students, while other schools have all the affluence. There has been a quiet discussion going on about how to minimize this disparity without resorting to forced busing, which nobody wants. Transfers between schools (and this goes both ways, with some South Arlington kids transferred to north Arlington schools and vice versa) helps to achieve this. The transfers help to minimize the income disparities in these communities and doing so on a voluntary basis
Question from Marian: What discussions have the school board or staff had regarding the type of options program is likely to occupy the additional 800 seats at the Career Center. What type of program does she personally believe would be the best fit for that location—performing arts, for example, because of the addition of the theater? Meredith added—is the board planning to adopt an option program for the planned seats within the current IPP process?
Answer: I can’t tell you much. Tannia didn’t commit to anything, but she did acknowledge that adopting a performing arts option might require more parking for performances.
Please review – Much has been going on since the last PPG Meeting in January. (Kim’s report out) (Sarah)
Here are some of the highlights:
1.) Possibly developing a MOU/MOA between BM Smith, Pike Park (Walgreens/Riteaid), County, & CHCA? Attached is a discussion document that I used when I was LOCA’s president, which resulted in the following MOA: http://arlington.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=689&meta_id=119950. CPRO will be working to set up a meeting between the appropriate parties, so they can determine how best to proceed.
2.) CPRO has been partnering with AED Biz Launch, SCORE, LEDC, Property Owners, and others to develop short-term and long-term resources, etc. to help support Columbia West End Businesses that have been impacted by construction. Learn more about past and upcoming events, resources, etc. here: https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/start-and-grow-your-small-business/businesses-affected-by-columbia-pike-transportation-project/. Depending on what is approved in the FY2021 budget, we may be able to utilize some of these preliminary efforts to develop and begin to execute a (more proactive) small business engagement plan/program for Columbia Pike. As we learn from this effort, the plan/program could be utilized by other partnerships, alliances, etc.
3.) CPRO has been partnering with DES, Transit, AED, County Ombudsman, etc. regarding West End Construction to 1.) Ensure expectations are set and communications go out to the public bi-weekly 2.) Asking the right questions to assist in expediting and/or lessening the disruption caused by the construction. Latest update: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/VAARLINGTON/bulletins/2794300. We have regularly scheduled status meetings with the parties listed above. Our next meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 7, 2020.
4.) CPRO will need to relocate in most likely less than 1 year. After 8+ months of analysis, discussions, research, LOIs, etc., in order for us to stay on the Pike and find an ADA compliant space, we will need to reallocate, find, and/or raise an additional $10k to $20k per year. We only need 1,200 square feet, with the possibility of storage space and are willing to share and/or bring in a sub-tenant. Please let us know if you know any individuals, businesses, etc. that might be interested.
5.) CPRO is currently in the process of refreshing our Strategic Plan. As we do so, we are revisiting the Columbia Pike Revitalization Plan https://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2014/04/Columbia-Pike_Revitalization-Plan_Update-2005.pdf, aligning, and redefining our priorities in order to best support the implementation of the plan.
6.) Upcoming Events – Main Events Also Attached Here –
CPRO 2020 Events – Discussion Document
7:50 PM Resolution to APS and the County Board regarding our position on its proposed renovations of the Library (concerns about cutting study space/going mostly digital, etc.). Discussion and a formal vote are requested by Juliet Hiznay. (ALL)
8:10 PM Career Center BLPC/PFRC update from the last public meeting. (Takis and Marian)
8:20 PM Discussion on FBC – (Takis)
Meeting materials for the upcoming FBC AWG meeting on 2/5/20 have been posted on the FBC AWG website and include:
- Staff Memorandum
- Staff Presentation
Reminder CHCA is no longer using yahoo.com. Columbia Height’s new list server is groups.io FYI. ColumibaHeightsCA is still our group name. Please pass the word about our new listserve.
