To the Editor:

For the past six years, I have served on the Washington Historic Preservation Commission. The last five years I have served as its chairman. There is a large learning curve associated with appointment to this commission. There is a detailed set of guidelines the HPC must follow in granting a certificate of appropriateness to a property owner in the historic district who wants to alter a structure in the district. Members of the commission must be very familiar with these guidelines and constantly educating themselves regarding historic preservation. Being a member can happen overnight, but being a knowledgeable and conscientious member comes with training and experience. I grew up in the Washington historic district and taught North Carolina and U.S. history here in Washington for 35 years. I am keenly interested in our history and preservation of our historic structures. I have taken my job on the commission very seriously.
My second term on the commission ends this month. I requested reappointment. It is my understanding that Councilwoman Virginia Finnerty has the sole power to make the nominations to this commission. She chose not to submit my name for reappointment. She has never communicated with me in any way. When the commission meets for its July meeting, there will not be a full commission as my position remains unfilled due to a lack of people seeking appointment to this board. In the six years I have served, I have missed two meetings out of 72. The commission does everything in its power to work with property owners to help them meet the guidelines for preservation and hold their personal costs to a minimum. Not everyone comes away without their requests being tweaked. If that were the case, there would be no need for this oversight board. I have enjoyed my tenure on the commission and working with the commission members and the property owners in the historic district. I have worked closely with John Rodman and Emily Rebert, who are outstanding in the work they do for the City of Washington. My only regret as I leave the commission is that it was not my desire but the decision of Ms. Finnerty that I not continue in this capacity.

Ed Hodges
Washington