A tale of two councilmembers...

Today's Examiner reports that the recall effort against Ward 6 Councilmember Sharon Ambrose is not likely to be successful. In "Ward 6 recall nearing wrap: More signatures needed to oust council member," Michael Neibauer reports:

"The effort to recall Ward 6 City Council Member Sharon Ambrose is in its final hours, but the committee to remove the Democrat is still more than a thousand registered voters shy of its needed mark. "We are in the last few days of wrapping it up," Mary C. Williams, who has led the recall effort since January, said Monday. "I still have about, I think, six or seven people who haven't reported in yet. If the seven people turn in their numbers, we could be there." Williams said she has about 3,200 valid signatures in the bag, but needs at least another 1,500 by 5 p.m. today.
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Now this is something I've diligently tried to stay away from. I like Sharon Ambrose, and she's smart and articulate. But her constituency services are weak, to say it nicely. For example, it's only been since January 2005 that I've seen one of her staff attending ANC6C meetings. That's one year into her second full term...

Now I want to counter this to Councilmember Vincent Orange of Ward 5 (I am involved in a couple projects in that Ward, although I live in Ward 6). I may not always agree with him, but his staffers are out attending most community meetings across Ward 5.

Councilmember Orange with the President of Trinity College, Pat McGuire.

Councilmember Orange at the dedication of the new McKinley Technology High School.

He also does a couple things that qualify as best practices constituency service that I don't think other councilmembers do.

First, every year he has a constituency services summit that features presentations and even tough Q&A from agency heads such as Police, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Transportation, Health, etc.

Second, every year he has an "Economic Development Summit" that updates Ward residents about various projects going on throughout the Ward.

Third, he has a summer youth internship-employment program that places DC resident students (high school and college age) as interns assisting Ward 5-based community organizations. Further, Councilmember Orange lines up financial support to pay the interns.

Now, Councilmember Orange has done some things that have angered his constituents, comparable in tenor to the kinds of things that riled up people living in ANC6D, but you don't see any recall efforts, not a word.

It comes down to responsiveness and being out there.

Councilmember Ambrose.