Note: There is a special election to fill the recently vacated 4C07 Commissioner position. Two candidates are running, and the election will be on June 14th. Voting will open at 3:30pm and close at 7:30pm in a conference room down the hall from the usual ANC meeting room in the Petworth Library basement. The winner of the election will be announced at the ANC meeting that night.

Name: Will Barr

What is your ANC and SMD that you’re running for election?
4C07. Check out this map for the boundaries.

What is the best way for constituents to contact you?
Campaign website: willforanc.com/ email: WillFor4C07@gmail.com

Introduction
I’m a proud Washingtonian who loves living in 4C07 and wants to help make our little slice of the city the best it can be. My wife and I live on 5th Street and love sitting on our porch and chatting with the neighbors. I work for Capital One.

What's a hobby or something fun that you are interested in?
I love gardening and nature. When my wife and I moved into our house, I spent the first few weeks digging up the entire front yard. I removed dead rose bush stumps, a chain link fence and clumps of sad grass and weeds, all with the dream of filling it with flowers and plants. My neighbors must have thought I was crazy. After a few seasons and experimenting with what grows and doesn’t in our soil, I’m getting closer to fully filling the front yard with flowers.

I also built garden beds in my back yard, and love spending the summers watching the squirrels steal my cherry tomatoes and stare mockingly at me as they sit on my windowsills eating them. I love watching the song birds, hawks, squirrels, and occasional fox go about their lives in our back alley.

What are your qualifications?
I want to be your Commissioner to be an advocate for my community. My parents were both elementary school teachers, and instilled in me from an early age that public service is important, and being an active member of your community is essential for making the world a better place.

Being an ANC Commissioner isn’t glamorous, but it’s important, serious work and I’m eager to roll up my sleeves and do it. Whether that’s ensuring litter bins are placed in the right spots and picked up on time, rodent controls requests are responded to, making people feel safe on their streets, or making sure the city hears residents concerns about changes to parking - I look forward to working with the other ANC Commissioners and the city to make sure our community’s voices are heard.

What are the ANC meetings?
ANC 4C meets second Wednesday of every month at the Petworth Library (4200 Kansas Ave NW) from 6:30-8:30.

Are you going to hold SMD meetings?
Hearing from my district’s residents is incredibly important, and one of the most important things a Commissioner can do. I plan to hold SMD meetings the first Wednesday of every month. That’s a week before the 4C ANC meeting, which I encourage everyone to attend.

Do you attend other meetings?
I regularly communicate with my neighbors and stay informed about what's happening in our community, and taking part in ad hoc neighborhood meetings about issues. If there are any specific groups or meetings where my presence would be helpful, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm always willing to help in any way that I can.

Will’s Priorities
My priority is making sure our voices are heard. Living at the intersection of Wards 4 and 1, our district can often be forgotten or lost in the margins. I want to make sure that residents are informed about city plans, permitting requests, and capital projects before they happen. Previously, interested residents received regular email updates from our Commissioner, and I hope to continue and expand upon that effort.

I also want to focus on preserving our neighborhood's beauty and tree-lined streets. As our neighborhood becomes denser with the conversion of historic row houses into condos, we are losing old trees in our alleys to construction. This impacts our environment and must be considered when addressing zoning variance requests. Let's work together to keep our neighborhood green and thriving.

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to each and every one of you reading this for your commitment to our community. Your engagement in the civic process is a testament to your dedication to making our community a better place to live.

Talking with people throughout this process, it's been inspiring to see so many people taking an active interest in the issues that affect our shared home. Whether it's attending community meetings, volunteering for local events, or simply talking with your neighbors, your involvement is what makes our community thrive.

As we continue to work together to build a stronger, more vibrant community, I want you to know that your contributions are valued and appreciated. It's an honor to share this community with such thoughtful, caring individuals. Thank you for all that you do to make our community a great place to live.

Editor’s Note: All content is directly from the candidates with only minor edits for simple typographical issues. All photos are from the candidates. No endorsement is implied by these articles — hopefully you learn more about the people who want to represent you. Please vote!