Saturday, May 29, 2010

DC Dem Profiles: At-Large Council Member

This Summer, Sum of Change will be bringing you extensive coverage of D.C. local elections. To kick it off, we've been invited by D.C. for Democracy to film their pre-endorsement candidate meet n' greet on Wednesday, June 2. In preparation, we put together some bios on all the candidates that will be attending. Bios for Republican candidates for these seats will be coming shortly. To find all our current DC candidate bios, please visit our 2010 DC Election Page.

These are the Democratic Candidates for At-Large Council Member


Councilmember At Large Phil Mendelson (incumbent)

Committees:
• Committee on Public Safety & the Judiciary – Chairperson
• Committee on Public Works and Transportation
• Committee on Human Services
• Committee on Housing and Workforce Development
• Committee on Libraries, Parks and Recreation

From Councilman Mendelson's official online bio:
Phil Mendelson was first elected to the City Council in November 1998. He is the Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary and is a member of four additional committees: Housing & Workforce Development, Human Services, Public Works & Transportation, and Libraries, Parks, and Recreation. Along with representing the Council at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, he's also President of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO).

Phil has been active with District issues since 1975 when he joined the McLean Gardens Residents Association in the fight to save that 43-acre housing complex from destruction. He ran for a seat on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in 1979 and continued to serve as an ANC Commissioner until he took office as an At-Large member of the Council.


Clark Ray

Clark Ray has served as Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation for DC, the Director of External Affairs for DC Sports and Entertainment Commission, a Neighborhood Services Officer, and in several offices in the Clinton/Gore administration. He is a strong supporter of education reform.

From Clark Ray's official online bio:
Clark’s leadership at the Department of Parks and Recreation resulted in some of the most dramatic improvements seen in the District’s neighborhoods in many years. Clark opened new and renovated recreations centers, installed new artificial turf and natural turf fields, renovated and maintained existing fields, constructed the first official city dog parks, expanded summer camp for city youth from 8,500 to over 12,500, and created partnerships with non-profit groups to help supplement recreational and educational programming.

Clark’s service to the people of the District has also included walking the beat as a Reserve Officer for the Metropolitan Police Department, working out of the Third District and the City’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit. Clark also served as the Founding President of Metropolitan Washington Gaymes Committee, the nonprofit entity tasked with bidding for the 2014 Gay Games. Clark and his partner, Aubrey Dubra, reside in Ward Four’s Crestwood neighborhood.



Kelvin Robinson

From Kelvin Robinson's official online bio:
Kelvin J. Robinson is a seasoned public servant with more than 15 years of service, having held various senior-level positions within state and local government in Florida. From 1994 to 2001, Mr. Robinson was the Director of Legislative and Public Affairs for the Florida League of Cities, where he served as chief lobbyist and spokesperson for Florida's more than 400 cities. In this capacity, he successfully represented the issues of Florida's cities to the members of Congress, the Florida Legislature, various agencies of state and federal government, as well as before business and civic organizations. During his tenure, Florida's cities experienced an increase in their home rule and fiscal authority, securing passage of a number of local organizational and revenue reforms. Florida's municipalities also enhanced their relations with federal and state policymakers as well as statewide business interests.

Before joining the Florida League of Cities, Mr. Robinson served as Director of the Division of Hotels and Restaurants where he was responsible for the licensing and regulation of Florida's public food service and lodging industry, as well as elevators. In that capacity he was recognized for having successfully consolidated food and lodging inspections under one agency, as well as for streamlining inspection processes, which resulted in less costly and more efficient operations.
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