Next meeting: May 3rd, 2007, 6:00 PM

This will be our 1st alliance meeting since DCWASA executed the task order. The contract execution represents a significant milestone and should clear the way for smooth sailing? We are looking forward to meeting the project design team Black and Veatch.

A second important agenda item follow: We look forward to a workable plan / agreement, before meeting time, with DC Department of Parks and Recreation, DC Department of the Environment and the Alliance to install rain gardens in Pope Branch Park this spring.

Usual location: The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, located at 3000 Pa. Ave., SE Washington, DC 20020.

Good News: the Task Order has been executed

DCWASA has executed the Pope Branch Park Project Task Order!! The stream restoration and sanitary sewer rehabilitation/replacement projects will be inititated and will be moving forward. Our scope of work and deliverables are drawn out. We are extremely excited about the execution. Thanks to all the PBPRA citizens for pushing the effort, for being persistence, and for taking the lead to get the Task Order underway. Whoo hoo!! Cheers to the power of the citizens!!

April Minutes

Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance
April 5, 2007 Meeting minutes

Action Items/Agenda:
(1) Execution of the Pope Branch Task Order – we need DC WASA to give us the updates.
(2) Outreach – recruitment for governance maintenance on Pope Branch Park.
(3) Trail construction partnership with DPR and REI.
(4) Anacostia Watershed Citizens’ Summit report.

Agency Status Reports
DDOE: (P. Hill and T. Doan)
• DDOE encourage Minnesota – Fairlawn residents to volunteer ~1.5 hr. to maintain governance, i.e. trash pick up, plant maintenance. Would like to put in action this Spring ’07 if we get recruitment.
• LID status in Pope Branch watershed: (1) M Place: the design system at the end of M Place/Fairlawn Ave is now day lighting, with rip-rap erosion protection into the floodplain on DPR property. The final processing from DC Permitting Office and DPR maintenance responsibility will kick off the project. (2) DC Therapeutic Center: the design was revised this fall. DC Permitting Office/Public Space will take the final processing with DPW assuming maintenance. DDOT will review the project after permitting is completed. (3) Penn. Ave First Baptist Church: Resurfacing parking lot using BaySavers in lieu of bioretention. DDOE suggest a construction of a rain garden to address storm water runoff near the Church Office. Construction is completed.

DCWASA: (e-mail correspondence to DCWASA general manager)
• J. Glover e-mailed a request on the status of the Execution of the Pope Branch Task Order to Mr. Jerry Johnson, WASA Finance General Manager.
• Pope Branch Alliance would like a written progress report on the execution of the Task Order, at least what the execution date is likely to be if the Task Force has not been executed.
• J. Glover waits for an e-reply or anything. T. Arrasmith and Commissioner P. Hammond express support for the Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance.
• Once Task Force order is executed, Black and Vetch, our contractor will join PBPRA monthly meeting.

DDPR: (Jesse Rounds’ email update)
• DPR is exploring to include Pope Branch into partnership with REI’s (outdoor retailer) trail construction program. The program involves youths from Ward 7 and 8 recreation centers working with experts from REI and DPR to construct the trails.
• An update of the planning stage and trail alignment will be presented next month’s meeting.
DDOT: (no updates)

Anacostia Citizens’ Summit Report: (J. Glover)
- Pope Branch Restoration Alliance attended the 1st Annual Anacostia Watershed Citizens’ Summit on Saturday March 24, 2007 the include nine (9) organizations expressing major concerns, restoration priorities, sharing greatest success to date, restoration recommendations and sharing organizational needs for the efforts in restoring the Anacostia Watershed.
- The goal is the have 30 organizational groups by 2010 so that we can better clean the People’s River.
- The common concern in all organizations is education and outreach. We need to educate the youths and have AWC take ownership for the park and improvements.
- Read report of the Summit at: http://popebranch.blogspot.com.

Next meeting: Thursday -- May 3, 2007. 6:30- 7:30 P.M.