Steve Rynecki is running for Ward 5 City Council

[Luke_Wilbur]

Steve Rynecki is running for Ward 5 City Council.

 

First of all, I'm a senior program officer at the Academy for Educational Development, a non-profit based here in DC. I manage over $5 million worth of educational and workforce training investments for youth and unemployed worldwide. I’m the son of a labor lawyer and grew up in a solidly middle class neighborhood in Milwaukee. My economic development career brought me to DC in 2000. I’m 38 years old and have been living in Ward 5 for over five years with my wife Aine. We bought our first home here in Ward 5. We live in the Eckington neighborhood and love this place, but I also see big areas for improvement.

 

I became involved in neighborhood activism early on. I’m co-chairman of the Economic Development committee for the Eckington Civic Association (ECA) and the former director of the mayor’s North Capitol Main Street project. I ran for ANC 5C02 in 2004 and that’s where I got the motivation to run for City Council. I learned that City Council is where the big decisions are made. This is where the laws are decided that affect our quality of life. Working with other volunteers, I was able to help spearhead neighborhood clean-ups, a farmers market, small business outreach and learned a great deal about how an active and engaged councilmember can make a real difference.

 

I agree with his following statements

 

I'll fight to earmark Federal dollars in the District Department of Transportation budget for Ward 5 streetscape improvements especially on North Capitol Street, 12th Street NE and will do my best to return Truxton Circle to the intersection of Florida Avenue and North Capitol Street;

* Fight for improved access to area metro stations for pedestrians, bicyclists, seniors and children. I'll work closely with the Ward 6 council member to improve pedestrian access to the New York Avenue metro station;

 

That would be a good start. We really need to improve the quality of life in my neighborhood. It took me a year of calling just to get a recycling bin.

 

http://rynecki.blogspot.com/

[Guest Steve Rynecki]

Too bad I didn't win. You all got stuck with that crook Harry Tommy Junior instead.

[Luke_Wilbur]

Keep moving forward. What are you doing now Steve?

[Guest Steve Rynecki]

I'm taking a break from DC politics for now. I joined the federal government as an economic growth specialist in 2011. I work internationally to help developing countries improve their chances of attracting foreign investment and in competing in their regional markets. It's rewarding. I helped lead the $1.5 million Harry Thomas Sr. Recreation Center make-over, so I'm not completely out of the community improvement business. Will always be engaged to some extent. You have got to love the irony in that I helped renovate the park named after Harry Thomas Junior's father. It should have been the son and not me leading that effort. I think he'll get out of prison pretty soon.