President’s Message
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By Eric Langenbacher, president@burleith.org
The Covid-19 pandemic and all of the consequences are on-going. Some schools are open at least partially. The Washington International School reopened on October 5 with a cohort model with about half the students there on any given day. DC public elementary schools are supposed to reopen on November 9 with everyone still having remote learning options. Private schools are following a variety of models. Georgetown University will sustain remote learning until the end of the semester in December and will announce its plans for the spring 2021 semester in mid-November.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bowser has extended the state of emergency (initially imposed on March 11) until December 31. The District remains in phase 2 of its reopening plan. Gatherings are restricted to 50 or fewer people and residents are supposed to quarantine when traveling back from a rather long list of states. People should maintain a social-distance of at least 6 feet and masks should be worn when going outside your home (unless you are engaged in vigorous exercise). Compliance with the mask mandate seems quite good, but there is still room for improvement. On the more positive side, indoor pools should open and outside seating at restaurants is continuing. You can check out various metrics here. Although DC and the region were doing better in terms of the infection rate, many are fearing a spike in cases as the weather cools. I just dread another full shutdown and hope that a safe vaccine comes as soon as possible.
As for up-coming events, the Burleith Citizens Association will not be having our annual Halloween party for kids this year due to the pandemic. If you are considering any activities including trick-or-treating, please consult the DC guidelines. Traditional trick-or-treating is considered high risk, but individually wrapped treats offered in a “grab-and-go” manner is only medium risk. I am a little worried about private parties getting out of hand (particularly because the 31st is a Saturday this year), so we will have to be vigilant. FYI, Georgetown University has a limit of 10 people congregating. The university’s Office of Neighborhood Life is committed to enforcement and compliance. For problems at any time, please call the university’s SNAP help line at (202) 687-8413.
In lieu of our regular party, the BCA is sponsoring our very first Halloween decoration contest. Judging will take place on the 31st and there will be prizes: $100 for first, $50 for second, and $25 each for two third places. More details will follow via email. I have already seen quite a few houses decked out for the occasion, but this is an opportunity to take it to the next level.
The 2020 BCA Annual meeting will take place on Thursday, November 5th from 7–9 pm online, likely using Zoom. We will hear from the mayor, Councilmember Brooke Pinto, our ANC Commissioner, representatives from Georgetown University and the hospital, as well as the police and other local officials. In addition to learning about the on-going effects of the pandemic, including on the District’s finances, we will also have an opportunity to hear about local issues of great import such as the fate of Ellington Field, a new recreation center at Jelleff, issues with university students living in the neighborhood, and the progress with the hospital’s construction. Especially this year, we will have ample time to discuss any other issue our members would like to raise.
Eligible BCA members will also vote on the Board slate for 2021–22. Please note that after the modification of the bylaws last year, each board member will have a two-year term and half of the board is elected every year. Details on the board members and the election will be in the October Bell and distributed online. I am really happy with all the nominees, but would like to thank Melanie Gisler and Gail Juppenlatz in particular for agreeing to put their names forth for the first time. I would also like to thank our two outgoing board members, Alicia Amling especially for her work editing the Bell and Francine Steininger for her years of thoughtful service to the neighborhood, in particular for leading various green initiatives.
The BCA’s finances are doing very well because we have not had any of our regular expenses! We have also made a little money through a certificate of deposit—thanks to our creative treasurer, Linda Hall. Given our good financial situation, the BCA has donated $2,000 in total to worthy pandemic-related causes. The second set of donations were sent in early September: $500 each to Martha's Table and to Legal Counsel for the Elderly. Perhaps you have also noticed that the call boxes around the neighborhood have been re-painted with a few additional repairs forthcoming. Financing for this came from funds raised several years ago through the Burleith Community Fund for the initial restoration, so nothing additional was necessary. Big thanks go to Nan Bell and Linda Brooks for spear-heading and overseeing this initiative.
The leaves are already falling down and will all be gone by the end of the month. This year, the city is doing leaf collection differently. Each residence will get some paper bags starting on October 30 to put the leaves in. The bags should be placed in the tree boxes or the curb before scheduled pick-ups. Information is available here.
I hope that if you are not already a member you will consider joining the Burleith Citizens Association. With Burleith turning 100 in 2023, the BCA will be convening an ad hoc committee likely early in the new year to start brainstorming ways we can commemorate this illustrious milestone. Also, the BCA has been running its own listserv for a couple of decades. I understand that there are competing listservs, but please also post to ours because many neighbors get local information here. You can join by emailing burleith+subscribe@groups.io. To post, email burleith@groups.io.
Stay healthy!