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Friend --

Well folks, we made it to the end of 2022. The final Council legislative meeting of the year took place last Tuesday, and thus concluded Council Period 24. If you aren't familiar, the Council works in two-year cycles, during which all bills must make their way through the legislative process. This coming Monday, January 2, we'll begin again. The following day, the Council will set new committee assignments and begin a fresh two years to solve problems and get to work.

As we head toward the end of the year, I hope you and your family and friends have time to relax and recharge. It continues to be an honor to represent Ward 6 neighbors on the Council, and I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together so far. My team and I are taking a quick break before the new year kicks off - as a result, our office will be closed until Tuesday, January 3, 2023. We look forward to getting back to work with you in the new year.

I know many folks are still taking a breather, so I'm keeping this update brief with just a few items.

January Inauguration and Swearing In

On January 2, 2023, I'll be sworn-in to begin my third term representing Ward 6 on the DC Council. I'd love for you to join me. This will happen along with the Mayor, Council Chair, Attorney General, my colleagues on the Council, our State Board of Education representatives, and all of our Ward 6 ANC representatives. The Council swearing-in will take place on January 2, 2023 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at 9:30am and is open to the public. The swearing-in ceremony for SBOE, ANCs, and Statehood Representatives will be at 2 pm at the Convention Center and is also open to the public. You are welcome to attend! 

Time to Get Rid of Those Holiday Trees 

Now that the holidays have passed, remember to appropriately dispose of your trees and other live greenery decorations you may have put up. DPW will be collecting them curbside starting January 3 through March 3 for residences normally serviced by DPW for trash collection. Follow the guidance below: 

• Residents who receive collection service from DPW (single-family homes and apartment buildings containing three or fewer housing units) are eligible for Christmas tree and holiday greenery collection.
• Households not serviced by DPW (for example, larger apartment buildings) should consult with their landlord/property owner for collection procedures.
• DPW will collect trees and greenery from the front of the home. Residents should place those items in their tree box or at curbside.
• Remove decorations. When setting items out for collection, residents should remove all ornaments and lights. Do not put the trees and greenery in a bag.
• Residents can also drop their Christmas trees and/or holiday greenery at one of two locations from January 3, 2023, through March 3, 2023:
  • Benning Road Transfer Station (3200 Benning Road NE)
  • Guy Mason Recreation Center (3600 Calvert Street NW)

Related: Trash and recycling collection will take place on its regular days next week, since the holiday falls on the weekend. 

New Council Period, New Committee

Finally, I'm excited to share starting next week I will Chair the Council's Committee on Transportation and the Environment in the upcoming Council Period. If you've followed me for a while, you'll know I have a deep passion for making WMATA the public transit system the District deserves, ensuring our streets are safe for all users, and positioning the District of Columbia for the massive shift to electricity that's coming as a key part of our response to climate change. I'll have a lot more to say in the new year, but I can report now that my long-serving Legislative Director Chris Laskowski will be Committee Director - I couldn't ask for a better partner in this work. You can see the proposed committee's from Chairman Mendelson here, to be considered next Tuesday.

For the past three Council periods, I have had the honor to serve as the Council's Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, and I'm incredibly proud of all we accomplished in that time to make our city safer and more just moving forward, even as the District, along with much of the US, has seen a scary rise in the use of guns. That includes fully funding the city's response to violent crime by standing up robust violence prevention, strengthening policing and accountability, and ensuring those who have served their time and are coming home can be successful to avoid recidivism. It also includes revising the entire criminal code, a 16-year process we completed this month, and so much more than I can cover here. But if you'd like to revisit the work we accomplished across public safety, elections, criminal justice and police reform, and more, our end of year Committee annual report is incredibly thorough. I look forward to continuing this work, working closely with neighbors in every part of Ward 6 and the District, to ensure we are seeing long-term reductions and creating a safer city for everyone.

That’s all from me for now. I hope you have a restful New Year!

See you around the neighborhood,

Charles Allen