Monday, April 28, 2025
By Tom Turco
When the Citizens Association of Georgetown kicks off its annual meeting Tuesday evening at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, CAG’s President Amy Titus will emphasize the significant opportunities that exist amid some thorny challenges, as Washington’s longest running civic group seeks “common ground for its businesses and citizens” and aims to build on recent successes.
Acknowledging there are major concerns, the former Deloitte executive underscores the key is to “build and strengthen” the vibrant community—emphasizing that “crime is down significantly over the past year and cleanup efforts are gaining momentum.”
“Georgetown is such a very special place, and we want to provide further education, bolster relations with BID [Business Improvement District], Georgetown Ministries and all of our other community and business groups as we seek common ground,” Titus said. “I want to thank the board and the volunteers who gone above and beyond. We are advocating, educating and prioritizing safety.”
Featured speakers at one of the most important events of the year for Georgetown residents will be Mayor Muriel Bowser, ANC Commissioner Brooke Pinto, and BID CEO Deborah Kerson Bilek.
CAG Executive Director Brittany Sawyer noted the room can hold up to 800 people, and more than 230 residents have already registered to attend.
Titus said people and organizations will be honored who “have done outstanding work to support the community and further historic preservation.”
The Charles Atherton Award for Exceptional Service in the Public Sector will be given to MPD Second District Commander Tatjana Savoy; the Berlin Award for Distinguished Service to the Community to the Georgetown Community goes to ANC 2E Chair Commissioner Gwendolyn Lohse; the William A. Cochran Community Service Award for Exceptional Efforts to Protect & Enhance the Community’s Architectural Resources will be bestowed upon The Georgetown Club; the Martin-Davidson Award for Significant Contributions to the Business Community will go to Georgetown Main Street; and Special Awards are designated for Franklin Babb Randolph and Ronald Lewis.
Powering many of the improvements in the neighborhood are so-called block captains who all communicate with one another and within their neighborhoods to lead education, safety and socialization efforts. This has been a game-changer, according to Titus, who said the block captains work with their residents to identify issues, follow arrests, make effective use of the many cameras that have been installed and network efficiently with law enforcement.
“The block captains work together to increase safety and help residents understand where there are vulnerabilities, such as insufficient lighting, that needs to be corrected.” She indicated their efforts and those of volunteers and resident have had a major impact. “CAG advocates for sound policies and practices to guide the evolution of historic Georgetown and ensure we have the services to support our residents,” she added.
One area that will be front and center in coming months is working with the D.C. Department of Transportation to permanently remove the rush-hour parking restrictions on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, and improve the use of electric scooters that have become ubiquitous.
Titus remains confident that by “coming together, the residents, hard-working volunteers and generous community donors can further enhance the quality of life.”