Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
It has been a tumultuous start to the new year. Abroad, the federal administration’s military operations in Venezeula skirt international law and break with decades of precedent. Closer to home, neighbors are grieving and organizing in response to the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE officers in Minneapolis, MN. In DC, staff of the Washington Informer are grieving alongside the loved ones of photojournalist Aaron Marckell Williams, who was tragically killed as a pedestrian in a hit-and-run during a police pursuit that is now under internal investigation. We are also mourning and honoring the memory of MPD Officer Terry Bennett, who sadly succumbed to his injuries this week after being struck by a driver while aiding a stranded motorist on I-695 in December.
District residents are no strangers to difficult and uncertain times, and it is my sincere hope that people of good will—in Ward 5 and beyond—will come together to fight for a brighter future.
Here at the Council, one of our most powerful tools for building that brighter future is oversight. Performance oversight season takes place every year from January-March, and it is an opportunity for the public to weigh in on both the good and the bad as it pertains to the performance of District government agencies. Each year, I ask neighbors to ensure we perform robust oversight by participating in two ways:
- Share your thoughts with my office. Performance oversight is a busy time as councilmembers attend back-to-back hearings over the course of several weeks. We count on you to let us know what is and isn’t working to ensure the questions I bring to various hearings reflect the concerns and interests of Ward 5 neighbors. Click here to weigh in. Feel free to submit multiple entries for different agencies.
- Testify or submit written testimony. Have you had particularly frustrating interactions with a District agency? Alternatively, is there a District agency you feel always gets it right? Your testimony is essential to a successful oversight season. When the performance oversight schedule becomes available here, you will be able to easily sign up to testify (virtually or in-person), or submit written testimony.
I remain clear-eyed about the work before me—to continue to fight for the interests of Ward 5 neighbors and deliver for everyday Washingtonians.
