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-require meetings to be held at night or on weekends.
-require each ANC to have a functioning website with webcast of meetings (but who will pay for it?)-
-give the ANCs a small budget to mail out a quarterly newsletter with their names, info about meetings, etc (like the Members of Congress do)
-public posting of times of upcomming meetings (at Metro stations, key intersections, etc)

The bulk of what you're suggesting is already occuring in one form or another. For example, by law an ANC's agenda must be posted in a minium of 2 spots in each SMD (single member district) a minimum of 7 days before a meeting. From what I've observed, that is occuring. Meetings occur at night. Etc. Most of the other stuff is already on their websites. (Though I guess not each ANC will have a website ... or at least one as extensive as Dupont's.)

One thing to keep in mind is that ALL of the 'labor' is volunteered labor. Although elected, the commissioners are not paid a cent. They're your neighbors and friends putting in maybe 20 or more hours per weeks for your benefit with no renumeration (or even thanks at times) coming to them. Also, while each ANC gets a budget, it is based on the number of people living in that ANC area. It used to be roughly $1 per person. With a large ANC, that can mean something like $20,000 with which to operate, but with a small one (like the one I used to be involved with) that can mean as little as $2,500 a year. The larger ANCs can afford a secretary and some of the stuff you mention ... the smaller ones can't ...

Overall, the ANCs do a great job. And the only thing keeping them from doing a better job is that despite all the notices and the like, too few people take enough of an interest in their neighborhoods to help these volunteer ANC commissioners to get things done.

by Lance on Jul 20, 2010 3:25 pm • link • report