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Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
Newsletter
March
16, 2004
Re: Congress of Neighborhoods Date Changed. Cutting the Bureaucracy
and Paperwork. MOU with Public Works.
CONGRESS OF NEIGHBORHOODS – DATE CHANGED
The new date for the next Congress of Neighborhoods is Saturday,
May 22. The change was requested by many Neighborhood Council leaders
who also wanted to attend the annual conference of the Community-Police
Advisory Boards (the C-PAB Summit). The starting time should be
the same: 8:30 a.m. The location will remain at the Convention Center.
CUTTING THE BUREAUCRACY AND PAPERWORK
Following past requests, you have sent examples of how state laws
or city bureaucracy has been a hindrance to your work as a Neighborhood
Council. That information has been very helpful. It’s one thing
for me to explain this to the decision-makers, but it’s another
thing to have specific examples from you to support the need for
change. Whether it’s the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act, the
Neighborhood Council Funding Program, whatever, please send it to
me. If you don’t want your communication to be part of the public
record, let me know.
IMPROVING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES
On February 20, 2004, the Department of Public Works and four Neighborhood
Councils signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
The MOU formalized and clarified the relationship between the city’s
third-largest department and the Greater Toluca Lake, Mid-Town North
Hollywood, Studio City, and Valley Village Neighborhood Councils.
A key component guarantees that each Neighborhood Council will have
vital information about public works projects in their communities
prior to the City’s budget process. The MOU will allow both parties
to advocate their position and to form a partnership with elected
officials.
The department, the Mayor’s Office, and the Neighborhood Councils
were brought together by USC’s Neighborhood Participation Project
for three meetings to formulate the plan.
Terry L. Cooper, Ph.D., of the USC School of Policy, Planning and
Development said, “At first there was a great deal of skepticism
on both sides that a plan could be adopted that would satisfy everyone.
Once everyone voiced their concerns and their goals, we started
making progress.”
Board of Public Works President Valerie Lynne Shaw described the
MOU as an example for other departments and Neighborhood Councils
to follow.
Paul Waters, secretary of the Studio City Neighborhood Council,
who participated in all three meetings and served as a facilitator
for the final phases of the MOU, said, “I believe our MOU will pass
the test of time. There is no doubt that Public Works is taking
Neighborhood Councils seriously, and we all look forward to a long
and productive relationship, working as partners to make our neighborhoods
a better place."
For more information, contact:
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Greg Nelson
866 / LA HELPS
213 / 485-1360
213 / 485-4608 fax
done@mailbox.lacity.org
email
www.lacityneighborhoods.com
website
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