Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
Newsletter

May 10, 2005

Re: BUDGET DAY IS COMING! THE TOWN CRIERS ARE COMING! COOL IDEA #9 – BIFURCATE YOUR BOARD.

BUDGET DAY IS COMING!

The process through which Neighborhood Councils participate in the development of the mayor’s city budget proposal each year continues to be improved by the Neighborhood Councils and the Mayor’s office. One of the changes is to begin the process earlier than in the past. This will give Neighborhood Councils more time to discuss and weigh in on the shaping of the new budget. As a result, Budget Day for the development of the 2006-07 will begin before the 2005-06 budget takes effect. It’s a long and complex process.

So save the date: June 11, 2005 at the Convention Center.

Everyone is welcome. We will share information and updates on the City budget, and about the improved process through which Neighborhood Councils will be able to participate in this historic process.

Tentative schedule:

8:00 a.m.-- Registration begins

8:30 a.m. to noon -- Budget Day program

More information regarding registration, program, and schedule will follow.

THE TOWN CRIERS ARE COMING! THE TOWN CRIERS ARE COMING!

Only in Los Angeles! The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council has an official Town Crier. His name is Don Garza. Perhaps you have seen him at some past Congress of Neighborhoods events. His job is to promote his Neighborhood Council.

Don wanted the other Neighborhood Councils to know that Los Angeles will be hosting its first Town Crier competition. He has been to ones in other cities.

This will occur during the first weekend in June. On Friday, June 3, the competitors will meet at City Hall and exchange greetings. Don’t ask me how they do that.

For the genuinely curious, or for Town Crier wannabes, here is a place on the Internet to check out: http://latowncrier.blogspot.com.

Don says that if anyone wants to help host any of the Town Criers (lodging, food, transportation, etc.) as has been the tradition for over 500 years, please contact him at latowncrier@yahoo.com.

COOL IDEA #9 – BIFURCATE YOUR BOARD

In Portland, Oregon, one of their Neighborhood Councils noticed that there were many more people interested in being a board member in order to discuss and weigh in on neighborhood issues than there were people who wanted to sit through meetings at which they had to discuss matters involved with the business of running the organization.

What they set out to do was to create two boards – one that just dealt with neighborhood issues, and the other than just dealt with housekeeping materials. The proponents felt that this would increase public attendance at the issues meetings, especially when they moved the regular committee progress reports to the end and started with the juicy stuff.

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Greg Nelson
gnelson@mailbox.lacity.org

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