Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
The DONE Pledge. DONE Decision-making Priorities.

May 5, 2004

Subject: The DONE Pledge. DONE Decision-making Priorities.

THE DONE PLEDGE

1. We will treat the public as our friends, with courtesy and respect.

2. When explaining a restriction, making a suggestion, or reporting a delay, we will always explain the reason why. (We believe that if you know the reason why, you will understand.)

3. We will ensure that people who call during working hours always have an opportunity to speak to someone. We will not hide behind our Voice Mail systems.

4. We will avoid using insider or bureaucratic language.

5. We will be good listeners. (It may be interesting to note that the word "listen" contains the same letters as the word "silent.")

6. We will honor the MAYOR's "NO WRONG DOOR" POLICY, and never use the words, "It's not my job!" Instead, we will find out whose job it is.

7. You will never hear us say, "Because that's the way we've always done it," or "We tried it that way once but it didn't work." We will constantly question that way we do things, and the way the City does things in order to improve the system.

8. We will never make promises we can't keep. We will keep the ones we do make.

OUR DECISION-MAKING PRIORITIES (In order)

Whenever we make a decision, we use these priorities to guide us:

1. What is best for the stakeholders.
2. What works best for the Neighborhood Council governing board.
3. What works best for City Hall.

In the best of all worlds, there is no conflict between these three.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greg Nelson

866 / LA HELPS
213 / 485-1360
213 / 485-4608 fax
done@mailbox.lacity.org email
www.lacityneighborhoods.com website