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DLCP faces worker-safety complaints and pressure to enforce vending rules in Columbia Heights
Summary
Union leaders and ANC representatives told the committee DLCP staff face workplace safety and classification issues while neighborhoods urged clearer vending rules and consistent enforcement; DLCP said it has stepped up outreach and enforcement but seeks additional authority for more rapid sanctions.
Arthur Slade, vice president of AFSCME Local 2743, told the committee that DLCP staff face health-and-safety issues while working in agency offices and in the field, including a reported rodent infestation in agency workstations and exposure to an "active shooter environment" while enforcing vending rules. He asked the Council to require a workforce alignment report within 60 days to reconcile duties, classifications and compensation.
Jeremy Sherman, chair of ANC1A, urged streamlined permitting, designated vending spaces and consistent enforcement in Columbia Heights; he said signs and warnings have not been backed by enforcement and called for rotational access and infrastructure improvements. Director Tiffany Crowe said DLCP has increased enforcement activity, launched corp-online improvements to licensing, and deployed a vending-zone manager and outreach work; the agency also told the committee it is pursuing legislation (CPPA amendments) to add enforcement tools that would allow summary closure or suspension for egregious violations. "We have been using the teams that we have to take together solutions to make sure that we're responsive," she said, while asking the Council for the legislative and budget authorities to broaden enforcement options.
