November 2008 Meeting Minutes.

Minutes of the Ward 8 Business Council Meeting
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Ward 8 Constituent Services Office

PARTICIPANTS:

Robert James, Ward 8 Business Council
James Bunn, Ward 8 Business Council
Adam Richardson, Ward 8 Business Council
Derek Davis, Davis Barber & Beauty Services
Karen Cobble, GWUL-Aging Ward 8
Kelvin Brown, KB Enterprises
Roxanne Burroughs, Majestic Grounds
Lolita Lee, ARJ Enterprises
Virginia Major, Ward 8 Farmers Market
William Liggins, DMPED
Mike Durso, DMPED
Matthew Quarles, Matt & Sons
Jennifer Ross, National Collegiate Prep
Allie Bird, Ward 8 Workforce Development Council
Patsy Fletcher, THREAD
Diarra McKinney, Clark Realty Capital
Kalem Unfomi, Historian/Artist
Elinor Bacon, ER Bacon Development
Dr. Regina Rodriguez, National Collegiate Preparatory

DISCUSSION:

The meeting commenced at 6:30 p.m. Introductions were made. The Chairman’s Report was made by Robert James. James Bunn reported on his activity as the Executive Director.

William Liggins, DC Revenue Bonds Program

 The District of Columbia Revenue Bond Program provides below market interest rate loans to qualified private enterprises that are located in the Enterprise Zone as well as non-profit and manufacturing organizations citywide.
 Bonds can be issued to assist in financing a broad variety of capital projects, including commercial development, infrastructure improvements, and equipment and machinery used in business and other endeavors such as the retail trades, health care, education, housing, recreation, and solid waste recycling.
 Program funds are generated through the issuance and sale of tax-exempt and taxable municipal revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations.
 Proceeds from the sale of these securities are loaned to borrowers and may be used to finance, refinance and reimburse costs of acquiring, constructing, restoring, rehabilitating, expanding, improving, equipping and furnishing real property, and related and subordinate facilities.
 The Revenue Bond Program has helped attract to the District approximately $4 billion of private investment capital on behalf of dozens of small and large institutions located throughout the District.
 For further information on federal incentives or the Application for Revenue Bond Financing call or write:
District of Columbia Revenue Bond Program
Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 317
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 727-6365
Fax: (202) 727-6703

Michael Durso, Project Manager for Poplar Point
 Michael discussed Poplar Point being a part of a land transfer.
 He discussed the the D.C. Lands Act calls for the redevelopment of Poplar Point (the Site), by the District and, should the NPS and the District jointly determine that it is no longer appropriate for the NPS and U.S. Park Police (USPP), which is part of the NPS, to remain in their current Poplar Point facilities, new permanent replacement facilities will be provided by the District.
 The EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) will analyze alternatives for the District's redevelopment of the Site and for NPS and USPP replacement facilities which may be located elsewhere in Washington, D.C., and a no-action alternative. This EIS will be used in the decision-making processes for this relocation and redevelopment which are pursuant to the D.C. Lands Act.
 The District of Columbia currently doesn’t own the land.
 The EIS was started for Poplar Point in June.
 DMPED is trying to complete a 18 month EIS with the National Park Service, which is the company that owns the land.
 There will be a meeting at Birney Elementary on November 20, 2008, and DMPED needs input from Ward 8 residents.
 DMPED needs input from residents to incorporate into the draft for the EIS for Poplar Point.
 Dirt won’t be broken on the Poplar Point project until 2011 or 2012.
 For further information on Poplar Point call:
Michael Durso, Project Manager at (202) 727-8813
Diarra McKinney, Development Executive for Clark Realty Capital
 Diarra is responsible for the Poplar Point project.
 His team had put together world class engineers for Poplar Point.
 Designers are working hard on the design for Poplar Point. Community involvement is pivotal. The engineers incorporate the community’s ideas into the design.
 The budget is $1.5 million in planning dollars.
 Phinis Jones of Capitol Services Management, Inc. is a part of Clark Constructions team regarding Poplar Point.
 For further information on Poplar Point call:
Diarra McKinney, Development Executive at (703) 294-4512
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Kelvin Brown, KB Enterprises
 Kelvin discussed web site literacy.
 He went in to the importance of using one’s company website to market one’s business.
 For further information on Web literacy call or email:
Kelvin Brown, KB Enterprises at (202) 683-8866 or Kelvin@kelvinbrown.com

Jennifer Ross & Dr. Regina Rodriguez, National Collegiate Preparatory
 Classes will begin in Fall 2009, staring with 9th grade students only.
 The location of the school will be in Congress Heights.
 The school currently has 120 openings for 9th grade students.
 The curriculum will be Ivy and AP.
 The school is generating vendor list and looking for staff.
 The mission of the school is to provide a rigorous 9th-12th grade, standards based college preparatory curriculum to maximize there students academic achievement.
 To provide an interdisciplinary curriculum which integrates international studies themes across the academic curriculum leading to an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma; and to prepare there students to be self-directed, life-long learners equipped to be engaged 21st century citizens of their school, community, country, and world.
 For further information on the National Collegiate Preparatory School call or email:
Dr. Regina L. Rodriguez-Mitchell, Co-Founder & Head of School at (202) 832-7737 or rrodriguezmitchell@nationalprep-pchs.org , Or you can contact Jennifer Ross, Co-Founder & Head of School at (202) 906-9271 or jross@nationalprep-pchs.org