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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
21-52
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
May 5, 2015
To recognize, honor, and express overwhelming gratitude to the members of the Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee for 20 years of dedicated voluntary service and professionalism.
WHEREAS, since the origin of the Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee (“WCCAC”) in 1995, Carmencita Kinsey (Chair), Elizabeth Blakeslee (First Vice-Chair and Secretary), Anthony Giancola (Second Vice-Chair), Joseph Hairston (Parliamentarian), Winifred Abdul-Rahim, Doris Brooks, Stephen Cochran, Third District MPD Commander Jacob Kishter, Linda Lee, Gregory Melcher, Daniel Nadeau, Denise Tolliver, and ANC 6E01 Commissioner Alexander Padro have all made valuable contributions to the work of the Washington Convention and Sports Authority and the Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee;
WHEREAS, since long before the opening of the Washington Convention Center in 2003, the valuable recommendations of the WCCAC to the Washington Convention and Sports Authority Board of Directors, staff and contractors proved to be successful;
WHEREAS, the WCCAC provided updates to the community and received input from the community by holding regularly scheduled meetings of the entire advisory committee and subcommittee meetings as deemed necessary to discuss issues relating to transportation, public safety, economic development, community relations, and urban planning;
WHEREAS, in accordance with Bill 17-80, the Washington Convention Center Authority Advisory Committee Act of 2008, the WCCAC served as the liaison to the community on matters pertaining to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Headquarters Hotel, the Marriott Marquis Washington DC;
WHEREAS, in this capacity, the WCCAC created a Convention Center Headquarters Hotel Ad Hoc Subcommittee consisting of the Headquarters Hotel Development Team, members of the WCCAC, and 23 community representatives (stakeholders from the immediate impacted area);
WHEREAS, the Headquarters Hotel Ad Hoc Subcommittee provided community input via regularly scheduled meetings to the Headquarters Hotel Development Team during its approvals, groundbreaking, pre-construction, construction, and opening phases of the hotel in the following areas: Community Impact; Landscape Preparation for Approval Hearings, such as the Zoning Commission and Historic Preservation Review Board; Retail Space (space to serve both the community and hotel guests); Traffic Control Plan (TCP); Citywide Transportation Management Plan (TMP); and Transportation Operation Plan (TOP) to include Truck/Bus/Taxi Staging, Pedestrian Access/Movement, Parking, Mass Transit Connection and Traffic Flow around the Headquarters Hotel and the Convention Center; Street Furnishings; Training (in accordance with Bill 18-0310, the New Convention Center Hotel Amendment Act of 2009), and any other issues deemed necessary by the Headquarters Hotel Development Team, Washington Convention and Sports Authority Board of Directors, Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee, and Convention Center staff or contractors;
WHEREAS, the WCCAC participated in numerous community meetings and made valuable recommendations to the Washington Convention and Sports Authority Board of Directors and staff or contractors regarding, but not limited to, urban planning, streetscape improvements, public safety, transportation issues, retail development, utilization of local, small, and disadvantaged businesses and affirmative action;
WHEREAS, the District of Columbia would not have a world-class convention center without the tireless efforts of the members of the Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee for the past 20 years; and
WHEREAS, the model of the WCCAC is an example for other major projects throughout the city as a new way of operating resulting in significantly simplifying communication of problems, issues, and ideas.
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that the Council of the District of Columbia applauds the efforts of Carmencita Kinsey (Chair), Elizabeth Blakeslee (First Vice-Chair and Secretary), Anthony Giancola (Second Vice-Chair), Joseph Hairston (Parliamentarian), Winifred Abdul-Rahim, Doris Brooks, Stephen Cochran, Third District MPD Commander, Jacob Kishter, Linda Lee, Gregory Melcher, Daniel Nadeau, Denise Tolliver, and ANC 6E01 Commissioner Alexander Padro, in their commitment over the past 20 years of working with the Washington Convention and Sports Authority and the Marriott Marquis Washington DC to build and operate these exceptional facilities that continue to respect the surrounding community and serve as a catalyst for economic development throughout the District of Columbia.
Sec. 2. This resolution may be cited as the “Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee Recognition Resolution of 2015".
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
