We have offered to post brief statements from all of the ANC candidates running for seats on Capitol Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods that we cover here on The Hill is Home. These statements are not endorsements and have been posted exactly as submitted by the candidates.
William Mohring ANC 6A 05
Hello neighbors, I am William Mohring, and I am a candidate for ANC6A05 Commissioner. I am a Chicago native, who earned a degree from the Jesuit University of San Francisco in political science. While in San Francisco, I was able to hone my organizing ability to work for social and economic justice at the local level. A staunch believer in government’s ability to work for its people, I went on to work in the Office of Neighborhood Services in San Francisco government.
I found myself drawn to Washington after the 2008 elections, when I worked for candidates in Denver and Orlando. I have lived in Washington for two years now, and I have dedicated my time in the Office of Community Relations and Services in DC government to continue focusing on results at the local level.
As your commissioner, I would advocate for:
A Stronger Community – Our neighborhood is primarily residential, and we should take advantage of this fact. We can increase involvement to create a stronger community via more neighborhood block parties, holding additional meetings for our neighborhood to compliment the monthly ANC meetings, assuming a greater role in our schools whether or not we have children that attend them.
Public Safety – Our sidewalks are dilapidated and some of our blocks are dark at night. I pledge to push DDOT to both make repairing our sidewalks and surveying our lighting for improvements a priority here in our historic neighborhood. I will also strengthen the relationship we have with MPD to address crimes such as car robberies, home burglaries, and youth violence. Your safety is a high priority to me.
Economic Development – Our ANC is often called upon to provide community input on the development of the H Street Corridor, and I will ensure the ethic of inclusion is sustained as a fierce representative of your views on the project. Smart development includes much more than opening bars and restaurants. We have to keep an eye to the future and realize that we need to add more mixed use development to the area. We live in a diverse neighborhood, and other businesses to serve basic shopping needs should be encouraged to make H Street their home as well.
Better Budgets – An important function of the ANC is to provide input on the City’s annual budget. Our neighborhood is primarily residential, but this fact does not change that we depend on the larger community to meet certain needs. I pledge to enhance the annual budget to include increases for Historic District upgrades, recreation and after school funding, and incentive packages for lure businesses to our area.
Traffic Calming – Many of our residential streets have become well-documented convenient shortcuts through our neighborhood that present a series of safety concerns. Our family-oriented neighborhood deserves a strong advocate to ensure our neighborhood is a safe place for bicyclists, pedestrians, and our family and friends that come to visit. I pledge to fight for traffic calming measures to protect all of us.
Get Involved!
Organizing Meetings are held every week – contact me for details! I am active in the community, organizing monthly community service events, while serving as a weekly mentor to 8th graders from public schools. I look forward to the opportunity to deliver results for you as your next ANC Commissioner.
Questions?
You should always feel comfortable in communicating with me, and I would enjoy hearing how we can incorporate your ideas to make a great neighborhood even better. I can be reached at william.mohring@gmail.com.
William Mohring single handedly made it possible to get city approval for a volunteer project to replace the 20 benches in the residential park across Pennsylvania Ave SE from Eastern Market Metro Plaza.
It would have been easy for him to say “No,” but he said “Yes” and helped make it happen (along with Kathy Zarate, Partnerships manager at Department of Parks and Recreation).
As a result, what used to be a dump is now a place dozens of people are using as a park to enjoy the great weather…just because there are 20 benches there now where people can sit.
That’s all you need to know. Will Mohring makes things happen. Consider voting for him for ANC-6A, so he can make more things happen in the neighborhood.
I wish I was in ANC 6A05 to vote for Will! He has helped me with city services numerous times and always comes back with a resolution. When graffiti was appearing on our streets, he made sure that it was removed within 24 hours. When the tax office wasn’t responding, he had the Tax Chief personally contact me to address the issue.
I really appreciate everything he has done for our neighborhood and hope that you will consider voting for him.
I concur with Trulee and Jessica, Will has helped my area near H Street continuously. He has addressed many trash and bulk collection issues. He also worked with DCRA on our behalf to get a vacant house that is falling apart blighted, helping improve the appearance and safety of the neighborhood.
Will never says “I cant help with that”. He is a go-getter and takes on any issue until his constituents are satisfied. He is by far the most responsive person to help us in years.
Thanks Will and good luck.
Russ
I echo the sentiments here. I’m in ANC 6B, but would vote for Will in a heartbeat if I could. This guy totally gets constituent service, and has been very helpful since I’ve moved to the neighborhood.
Since the ANC is a volunteer position, every candidate brings baggage from their day job, work history, education, and affiliations. This can be a positive in terms of connections and breadth of experience.
However, I’m wondering if a day job in the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (or other DC executive branch) would ever create a conflict of interest for an ANC commissioner. I don’t mean in the Hatch Act or other legal sense, but in terms of representing residents on issues and projects that may be political priorities of the Mayor.
Specifically, I am thinking of scenarios like placement of DYRS group homes; steering RFPs for surplus properties to politically favored, but inexperienced developers; charter school placement, etc. etc.
I have known Will for a few years now and all i can say is that any community is lucky to have him. This is a guy that believes in the community and wants to make sure they flourish. Lets be sure to elect him as ANC Commissioner.
Best of luck Will!
Thank you everyone for the kind words! It truly has been a pleasure to serve the residents of Ward 6, and my constituents in 6A05 can expect nothing less than a trustworthy advocate for their concerns if chosen to represent my SMD. My ANC campaign is about doing what I have been doing for years and what I do on a daily basis now: Ensuring government serves its people.
CR, you raise legitimate concerns about conflicts of interest. However, my current position ends when a new mayor is sworn into office.
I have been a dedicated public servant for five years, and my ANC campaign is a path to continue my chosen profession.
William, thanks for responding to CRs concerns, but that raises another. You have lived in DC for less than 2 years, and worked for the mayor for about 5 months (according to your linkedin page). Your previous jobs have been in various parts of the country for equally short stints. With your job ending, how can you assure the people you are asking to vote for you that you will be in DC for the next 2 years and able to represent them. I would think if it came down to you having a job and you representing our neighborhood, you having a job would win.
You know my current ANC6A commish is a private consultant with contracts with DDOT, and he hasn’t been around much for the past year, yet no one raised all of these concerns. In fact, he is rightfully praised for all of the traffic calming ideas that he gives to the community. He has been a terrific commissioner. My next commish has lived here less than a year, yet other ANC 6A commissioners tell me what a great commissioner he will be. I think that the same is true for Will. He is very knowledgeable about the city.
@ William Mohring
Thanks for responding. Knowing that you won’t be working directly for Fenty anymore makes me more comfortable that there wouldn’t be a conflict of interest. You’re not staying on for Gray, are you?
@sebastian
I’m not saying that a connection to the city or relevant experience is a bad thing. Will seems to be touting the connections he has (had?) in city government from working for Fenty for a few months.
It might be a good thing to have a commissioner with some additional access to another elected official, but it’s worth considering which way it breaks. It doesn’t sound like it’s a factor for Will.
@ TG – It is true that I held 3 jobs in 2008. It is a common practice for campaign operatives, especially during presidential election years. A thorough reading of my LinkedIn profile also shows I went to school in San Francisco and held jobs there before leaving to be apart of a historic election cycle that brought me to Washington in December 2008. Let me be clear here: I have no intention of leaving Washington at any point in the near future.
@ CR – I mention the municipal government experience I have not as a way to tout my connections to DC government or other DC elected officials, of which I have worked with, but to showcase that I am dedicated to public service at the local level. Mayor Fenty provided me an opportunity to contribute to my community in Ward 6, and my campaign is another way for me to continue contributing to the community I serve on a daily basis.
Thank you both for the dialogue. Part of what makes public service enjoyable for me is the free flowing exchange of ideas and information. I am energized every time I come across engaged citizens such as yourselves.
ELECTION DAY!! VOTE WILLIAM MOHRING FOR ANC COMMISSIONER 6A05!
Last night was an exciting night for ANC races! With a total of 565 votes cast in this contest, I earned 247 votes, just 49 votes less than my opponent who has lived here for 9 years. The campaign was an amazing experience with many life lessons that I will never forget.
Though I am disappointed by last night’s outcome, I am grateful for the neighbors I befriended in my SMD who helped talk to other neighbors as well as all of you outside the SMD who contributed to this campaign in various ways. We made this a competitive race without several of my opponent’s factors: going negative; establishment endorsements; and two fewer months to campaign.
I was unknown to the vast majority of my community before joining Mayor Fenty’s staff and embarking upon this campaign, but I now have fond memories of discussing solutions to local issues with my neighbors to build upon for the future. My belief in the importance of public service remains unchanged, and I look forward to continuing to give back to my community as I have for much of my adult life.
Thank you for everything!
Kinda looks like you just went negative, William.
Thank you , William (and Sharee), for having the courage to put yourselves in front of the voters.
Tim, I don’t think William was being negative there. He ran a good, positive campaign with the odds stacked against him, and made it a closer than probably expected race. There’s no way that Sharee and William spoke to every single person that voted for them, and it speaks to his character to offer a public thank you. Notice that not many other candidates, including Sharee, did this.
I hope Sharee represents our SMD well.
“We made this a competitive race without several of my opponent’s factors: going negative; establishment endorsements; and two fewer months to campaign.”
I was referring to this line, which is fairly negative.
Also, I always find the use of the term “my opponent” faintly condescending during an election. After the election, win or loose, it’s not even faint.
Tim we will have to agree to disagree.