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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 8, 2006
CONTACT:
Gray Transition Team
Connie Chic Smith, 202-731-0529 Email: chicsmith@verizon.net
COUNCIL CHAIR-ELECT VINCENT GRAY ANNOUNCES "ONE CITY" TRANSITION PLANS
(WASHINGTON, DC) - Council Chair-elect Vincent C. Gray
will announce his transition plans at a press conference tomorrow,
Thursday, November 9, 2006, at 10 a.m., at the John A. Wilson Building,
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, in the Fourth Floor Hearing Room (# 412).
Gray will provide an overview of his transition plan, announce his
transition team, and the following transition committees:
- Organizational Structure, Staffing,
Budget and Administration
- Council Rules and Procedures
- One City Initiatives
- Council Orientation and Legislative
Agenda
- Logistics and Events
- Wilson Building Authority and Use
At the outset of his campaign for the Council Chair, Gray
created the theme of "One City" and set a goal of providing
leadership for the good of all District citizens. Gray won the September
Primary Election with 57% of the vote and yesterday's General Election
with 97.8% of the vote.
"Across the District we need to ensure that we work
as one city," said the Council Chair-elect. "With all the
changes and the challenges we face, it is important that we work
together if progress is to occur."
Gray's career in the area of social services for urban
communities spans over 30 years. Prior to his election to City Council,
Chairman-elect Gray served as the founding Executive Director of
Covenant House Washington. Vincent Gray, a native Washingtonian, is a
graduate of Dunbar High School. He holds a Bachelor degree in Psychology
and attended undergraduate and graduate school at George Washington
University. Gray has introduced or co-introduced more than 70 pieces of
legislation during his first two years in office.
For further information, please contact Connie Chic Smith
at 202-731-0529 or via email at chicsmith@verizon.net.
Back to top of page
COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
TRANSITION COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, STAFFING, BUDGET AND
ADMINISTRATION
This committee is responsible for reviewing each of the
Council offices, operations and administrative support services,
including communications and technology and making recommendations for
continued development. This includes all operations of the Chairman's
Office, Committee of the Whole, Office of the Secretary, Budget Office,
Office of the General Counsel, D.C. Auditor, Advisory Neighborhood
Commission and any other staffed units of the Council. The report on
each unit should include, at a minimum, functional description of the
organizational unit, budget allocation (including organization chart),
number of employees, job titles, job descriptions, staff evaluations and
recommendations, including recommendations for new entities or
functions.
COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES
This committee is responsible for reviewing the current
Council Rules and operating procedures and making recommendations on
changes. Efforts should focus on reviewing not only the existing rules
but also determining changes that were made following Council periods 14
and 15 in order to develop a historical perspective. It should review
the history of the Council's committee structure, identifying changes
that have occurred over time, and, to the extent such information is
available, setting forth the rationale underlying those changes. The
committee report should include recommendations for Council rules,
legislative and operating procedures, and committee structure and
jurisdiction. Where appropriate, the committee should include the
rationale to support each proposed change.
ONE CITY
This committee is responsible for translating the
"One City" campaign theme into a set of concrete initiatives
that can be implemented to work toward city unification, especially
since views of the most pressing issues affecting the District, for the
most part, are shared by residents irrespective of demographic factors
that often prove to be divisive. The role of the committee is to provide
a list of proposed initiatives from which several might be selected and
to propose a strategy for moving ahead on this effort. Examples of
initiatives might include: Organizing a unified effort to revitalize
Pennsylvania Avenue from Capitol Hill to Southern Avenue, thus involving
residents of both sides of the Anacostia River; or developing a
"Neighbor to Neighbor" program to facilitate partnerships
between Civic and Citizen Associations to help them work together on
projects or initiatives of mutual interest. The report of this committee
should include recommendations for the One City structure, staffing,
projects, database organization, financing and an operational plan for
the first 100 days of the Council session.
COUNCIL ORIENTATION AND LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
The responsibility of this committee is to design an
orientation program for new councilmembers, including those who take
their seats in January and the winners of the special elections to be
conducted in the Spring. In addition, this committee is responsible for
identifying potential legislative issues facing the Council in Council
Period 17. The committee also is responsible for developing a proposed
format for a Council retreat to be conducted soon after January 2nd. The
report of this committee should include recommendations for a
legislative agenda for the Chairman, as well as identification of key
Council legislative issues with a policy discussion of each issue and
suggested format for the staff and member orientations and retreats.
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, BOARDS AND SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS
This committee is responsible for identifying the Boards,
Commissions, membership organizations and other entities to which the
Chairman is authorized to make appointments, including but not limited
to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and WMATA Board.
This committee report should identify the statutory basis for each
appointment, criteria associated with the appointments, incumbent
appointee, vacancies and term or timetable associated therewith. The
committee should recommend a process for vetting and advising the
Chairman on appointments.
LOGISTICS AND EVENTS
This committee is responsible for identifying logistical
changes that will be required during the transition such as allocation
of office space, Chairman's office and other office moves, seating order
on the Dais, changes to Council Chamber, use of Chamber. The committee
is also responsible for overseeing the planning of a Council Service
Recognition event, Council inauguration and associated events and any
events required to facilitate the transition of the Chairman. The
committee report t should also include a logistics plan and
recommendations for ensuring that implementation plans and timetables
are developed to address each recommendation.
WILSON BUILDING AUTHORITY AND USE
This committee is responsible for reviewing and
evaluating the Council's authority and responsibilities for the Wilson
Building and how those responsibilities are currently implemented. The
committee report should include current building authority,
responsibility, facility use policies, contracts, and any memoranda of
understanding or other agreements with the executive branch or any other
entity. The report should also propose ways to make the building more
aesthetically attractive and recommendations for expanded uses such as
ways to support the cause of D.C. Voting Rights or to increase public
access and utilization.
Back to top of page
TRANSITION
CHAIRMAN-ELECT VINCENT C. GRAY
OVERVIEW OF THE TRANSITION PROCESS
OBJECTIVES:
1. Assist the Chairman-elect in all aspects of planning,
organizing, staffing and resource allocation for the Council, offices of
Council officers, committees and support services
2. Develop framework for Council and committee
organizational structure and staffing
3. Make recommendations for rules and procedures
4. Develop blueprint for "One City" initiatives
5. Provide support for Chairman's recommendations on
appointments, budget and other issues under his jurisdiction.
OUTCOMES:
- Blueprint for organizing Chairman's office, the Committee
of the Whole, Council officers and supporting services.
- Proposed rules for
Council Period 17
- Proposed changes in committee jurisdiction and
structure
- Process for vetting appointments to boards and
commissions
- Framework for the One City initiative
- Plans for office moves, Inauguration and other events
- Outline for new Councilmember orientation
- Proposed budget changes
- Identify key legislative issues and recommend new Council
programs and services.
- Each Transition work group provides a report:
- scope of the committee's work
- description of function(s)
- budget, staffing & assessment of effectiveness
- recommendations for changes, with justification and
implementation requirements
KEY MILESTONES & TIMETABLE
General Election, November 7
Official Transition Kick-off, November 9th
Executive Committee Meetings, weekly
Preliminary Reports Due, December 8th
Final Reports Due, January 5, 2007
RESPONSIBILITIES & FUNCTIONS OF TRANSITION WORK GROUPS
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, STAFFING, BUDGET AND
ADMINISTRATION
- Review and provide recommendations on Council operations
and support services:
- Chairman's Office
- Committee of the Whole
- Office of the Secretary
- Budget Office
- Office of the General Counsel
- D.C. Auditor
- Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
- The report to include
- functional description of the unit
- budget allocation
- organization chart
- number of employees
- job titles & descriptions
- staff evaluations & recommendations
- recommendations for improvements
COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES
- Review Council Rules and operating procedures and
recommend changes.
- Review history of Council committee
structure, identify changes, and set forth the rationale underlying
those changes.
- Provide recommendations on committee structure
&jurisdiction.
ONE CITY
- Translate the "One City"
campaign theme into concrete initiatives and propose implementation
strategies.
- Report to include recommendations
for
- One City structure
- Staffing
- Projects
- Financing
- Operational plan
COUNCIL ORIENTATION & LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
- Design an orientation program for
new Council members (& their staff).
- Identify potential key legislative
issues facing the Council in Council Period 17 with a policy discussion of each issue.
- Make recommendations for a
legislative agenda for the Chairman.
- Develop the format of a Council retreat in January.
APPOINTMENTS
- Identify the Boards, Commissions & membership
organizations to which the Chairman makes appointments.
- Identify:
- statutory basis for each appointment
- criteria for
appointments
- incumbent appointee
- vacancies
- term
- recommend a process for vetting and advising the Chairman
on appointments.
LOGISTICS AND EVENTS
- Identify logistical changes required:
- allocation of office space
- Chairman's office and other office moves
- seating
order on the Dais
- changes to Council Chamber
- use of Chamber
- Facilitate planning of:
- Service Recognition ceremony
- Council inauguration
- Events required to facilitate the transition of the new Chairman
WILSON BUILDING
- Review and evaluate the Council's authority and
responsibilities for the Wilson Building and how those responsibilities
are currently implemented.
- Report to include current building authority,
responsibility, facility use policies, contracts, and MOU's or other
agreements.
- Propose ways to make the building more aesthetically
attractive & recommend expanded uses.
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