Minutes for AHCA May 2010 Meeting

Minutes from the May AHCA Meeting:

Traffic: Miriam Balutis discussed the history of the efforts to reduce the speed limit on Pershing to 25 mph. Ashton Heights has attempted to pursue this in previous years without success. One key change from past efforts is our focus now on a joint effort with our neighboring civic association in Lyon Park. Miriam and others are working to document the support for the reduction in the speed limit

Speaker: Patrick Hope, District 47 delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates, discussed his freshman term in office and what had been accomplished. He warned that the decreasing revenue from a diminished tax base will not go away for a while. This means the need to reduce spending will be with us for some time. There were almost no bills introduced that required funding. Almost all legislation was of the type that was revenue free, such as the 21 bills liberalizing the carrying of guns (of which only one passed and which will make us all safer by allowing us to carry concealed weapons in restaurants so we can protect ourselves from surly waiters and those nasty insurgents that keep interrupting our meals.)

Patrick was pleased to be able to lend his leadership to transportation, education and health care issues.  He offered his help for the traffic calming issues we face in Arlington and the neighborhood and volunteered to speak to local officials on our behalf.

Police: Officer Phelan, Arlington County Police, encouraged all of us to contact him and his team with specific examples of traffic violations such as speeding by public vehicles and egregious violations of pedestrian right of way and promised to respond by placing police at the times indicated as the most common for violations. He urged us to get the numbers of busses and taxis that speed excessively through the neighborhood and call him or members of his team with the numbers.

He also reminded us to lock up our bikes even if they are in our yards.