Edward Rhodes, ANC Commissioner for 7A-06, and his redoubtable crew of library patrons have gathered more than 1,000 signatures on their petition against building affordable housing atop a new Benning Library. The feasibility of such development is now under study by the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, for the plum fee of $625,000, I might add.

Eddie (everyone calls him that) said he had surveyed many residents of Ward 7 who were opposed. "Out of a thousand, I could only find five people who were in favor," he announced at the last of a series of three design sessions held by Marshall Heights about the proposed library-with-housing.

Attendees in favor of the proposal at the session were skeptical about the Commissioner’s findings, but Mr. Rhodes is a standup guy. I was with his signature collectors at the Benning area Safeway last Saturday. They are well versed in the formalities. I observed one woman remind a gray-haired gentleman that he’d already signed last week. She gently chided that she couldn’t allow him to get her in trouble for signing twice. Very neighborly and very correct.

The District’s new Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper had told residents at an earlier ANC meeting of Mr. Rhodes’ that if they organized, they would probably stop the proposal from going forward. Trouble is, the Benning Library is already down for the count, and has been for almost two years, with no action towards resuscitation by DCPL.

This proposal has come at the community from out of left field. Housing was never mentioned during public planning sessions that were held in 2004 prior to closing Benning for rebuilding. But will rejecting it now mean Benning residents won’t get the library they were promised two years ago?

Commissioner Eddie’s troops say they won’t stop until they get 4,000 signatures. I don’t doubt they’ll get what they want.