Budget Day Summary - was held Oct. 5, 2002
New from DONE

December 3, 2002

SUMMARY OF EVALUATION COMMENTS ON BUDGET DAY
FROM NEIGHBORHOOD 44 COUNCIL LEADERS

On October 5, 2002, Budget Day was attended by an estimated 300 Neighborhood Council leaders and 200 city employees.

What would you add, change, or delete to improve Budget Day’s overall effectiveness? (Multiple responses were received regarding these suggestions. Listed in order of frequency.)

I’m not sure yet how much my contribution will really have on the overall budget process. I’ll have a better opinion after the next budget comes out. Not clear on how we have impacted the final budget.

It should be longer. Need more time to visit departments.

Hold classes on the budget and it’s process. Use small focus groups. Define problems first, discuss with departments afterwards.

Need brief introduction of the process overview before going into the event.

(Individual responses)

Need uniform presentation, material for selected information such as; purpose, budget and contact information.

Maybe have a region meeting on a quarter basis to discuss topic in our areas.

Need more networking, chance to share ideas.

The program seems to me to be adequate as it is. Some departments could have done a better job of explaining their role. Overall, I think it was well done.

We need action not words.

Should have directed the NC to Public Works room first, then to the other rooms.

Stay on the topic of Budget.

More practical application, knowledge, and experience.

Would like to have a specific date when our action items that have been submitted to the department will be responded to and by whom.

Give us a bag with material at end of the day so we don’t have to carry it with us all day long.

Allow us to mail in action item forms.

Summary of operations for each department distributed in advance of event.

Have each department prepare a budget form that they would use to submit their budget and provide it before the meeting.

There were really no negatives today. And I have been to a zillion meetings most of which were “dog and pony” shows. Thanks and congratulations on a good job.

The departments need to be more proactive to neighborhood councils instead of reactive (i.e. “We can do this for you”) rather than answering questions.

More specific instructions about what to do w/action sheets. Where to them, what to copy, what to keep.

Everything went very well and it was wonderful to have all the departments in one place. Let’s do it again.

What other training topics related to the city’s departments would you be interested in attending? (Multiple responses were received regarding these suggestions. Listed in order of frequency.)

Have a Budget Day with Council members and Council candidates. Meeting with the Mayor and Council maybe when you have a quarterly or bi-yearly event.

Grant writing workshops. Cultural Affairs.

Conflict mediation/City Attorney.

(Individual responses)

Budget-another meeting during January-March period to review where we are in the process, just prior to the mayor’s proposed budget being submitted to Council.

What is each department’s percentage of the Budget? Actual dollars were used in the materials.

How administration departments work and rate. How they add or eliminate jobs for administrative process. Why do we have so much bureaucracy and nothing getting done?

Some of the staff had no clue about what was about to take place. More staff training is needed.

More details and practical training on obtaining funds and dealing with budget issues.

Labor costing, material costing. What must be done by the City per law, and thus cannot be contracted.

Alternative forms of transportation planned for the city, DOT involvement.

Focus groups re: specific problems.

More info about the funding the city gets from the federal and state governments. Dept. that get money, programs that are funded etc.

Early Notification System training would be very important.

Sidewalk repair; City vs. property owner-Bureau of Street Services.

Ombudsman services.

Other Individual Comments (Some repeated their earlier comment)

We are giving a lot of time as volunteers. Our hands are tied, as we have no funds to start implementing our programs and ideas.

Where is the money?

Many issues require communication with more than one department. Take the issues presented by the NCs and bring those departments together. Communication between departments needed.

Department offerings could be more consistent in delivering information to assist the council process: some like the Clerk, CAO, for example were on point Others, LAPD, Animal Services were as they present in general community relations.

Thank you. I look forward to the next Budget Day.

I did get something out of the day. I appreciate the effort in putting this together.

I am glad I came. Catering was good.

The proof is in the follow-up. Will the interaction, cooperation continue?

Provide detailed budget information and how we are impacting it.

Today a good day! Have a Budget Day now with the City Council and staff at some time later in the budget process. I suggest the month of May.

Need a Budget Day with City Council later in the budget process. In districts where Councilperson is termed out, meet with candidates for office.

Clarify whether the elusive $50,000 is to cover the action items, or if action items are in addition.

All City people were informed and helpful in guiding me to others who might answer questions. Every person I spoke to was a high quality human being.

This should be held in a large convention floor in order to have more room with the departments. Get entertainment. It would liven it.

City departments need to define their territory relating to the property owners. Laws have been on the books for years without anyone notifying property owners (i.e. sidewalks on your property in regarding to sidewalk repair.)

Need general overview of City departments on areas of responsibility. Take home information was particularly helpful as there was so much to absorb.

Summary

The attendees who returned the evaluation forms expressed that the event was well planned, allowed direct interaction with departments, and in general an overall success. Staff experienced no complaints during the event. Many felt that more time with the departments would have been ideal, yet many participants left early and seemingly satisfied. It is possible, therefore, that many or most of the evaluations may have filled out by those who stayed until the end, and felt that they needed more time with the departments.

Greg Nelson

213 / 485-1360
866 / LA HELPS toll-free
213 / 485-4608 fax
done@mailbox.lacity.org email