Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Lippert Bids for ANC Spot in Next Election

William Lippert, a graduate student in the School of Foreign Service (’99), is running unopposed for Eduardo Burkhart’s Advisory Neighborhood Committee (ANC) position in District 3B03, which is located along Glover Park north of Burleith. With a 1995 undergraduate degree in international studies and psychology from American University, Lippert is a six-year resident of Ward 3 who said he has “an appreciation for the district, but I also remember very well being an undergraduate student.” Lippert said that if elected he would focus on resident-student relations as part of his platform, as well as the safety, cleanliness and the well-being of the neighborhood in general. “I know the big issue [for residents] is having students who the residents think are too noisy and who throw their garbage out on the streets, and just having too high a population in the area,” Lippert said. “And my goal is to bridge the differences by being a part of both the 9-5 and the student world.” Lippert emphasized that although he is still a student himself, he also can empathize with some of the sentiments of his non-student neighbors. While he said he realizes that the crowded living conditions common to student houses can lead to more garbage and higher noise levels, especially on the weekends, he said he also respects peace and quiet. “I also like to go to bed at a decent hour,” he said. Presently working full-time as a defense analyst for TRW Systems and Information Technology Group in McLean, Va., Lippert also has experience as the Executive Director of the Young Democrats of Washington, D.C., and as a campaign volunteer for D.C. Mayoral candidate Councilman Harold Brazil. “So I get a lot of exposure to the city issues here, and obviously I am very familiar with them,” he said. Though noise is one of the most commonly heard complaints from residents about students, Lippert said he believed that in many cases there are just a few loud houses which are the perpetual “bad apples” of the group. “I want to look at the ways in which the students don’t disrupt the neighborhood,” Lippert said, shifting the focus to a more positive point of view. Instead of simple, broad-sweeping legislation by the ANC, Lippert said he “would like to see more community discussion and more counseling of the trouble-making houses. I would like to avoid legislating because it’s very damaging,” to the relationships within a neighborhood, Lippert said. “There is a way to work together towards a peaceful, cooperative existence.” In his broader vision, Lippert said he wanted to spread the message that “there’s a lot of people who resist change and evolution and I think that college students contribute a lot to city life. I would like to legislate the landlords to keep up the houses because Washington is a nice city, but it needs some work.” Lippert said he wanted to contribute to the greater status of the District, so that it would be comparable to other cities such as Paris and Rome. “Just worrying about potholes and streetlights is important, but there are much more, bigger issues to target,” he said. Along with as his career and governmental interests, Lippert is also an independent researcher and activist for the Wolf Preservation and Advocacy, a non-profit organization he is helping to start, and he is a cellist with the Georgetown Orchestra.

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