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Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
DONE Newsletters 2009
February 25, 2009
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To: |
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Neighborhood Council Leaders |
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From: |
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BongHwan Kim, General Manager
....Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) |
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E-mail: |
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done@lacity.org |
NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT NEWS
Community Budget Meeting Elicits Spirited Dialogue about the City's 2009-2010 Fiscal Year Budget
In a time of fiscal turbulence across the country, some 100 Neighborhood Council Budget Representatives, Mayor's Office and other City Officials met at City Hall on February 21st to discuss the City's fiscal year 2009-2010 Budget. An annual event, this year's budget meeting took on a new urgency because of the nation-wide recession that is impacting Los Angeles ' budget outlook. After an initial briefing by the Mayor's Budget Director, Budget Representatives broke into regional meetings to assess budget survey results from more than 800 Neighborhood Council board members and thousands of City stakeholders who prioritized budget expenditures under specific budget categories, such as Community Safety, Home and Community Environment, Transportation Infrastructure, Cultural, Educational and Recreational Services, Human Service, Economic Development and Employment. During these regional meetings, Budget Representatives were able to compare survey information from citywide and regional survey participation and prioritize their own recommendations on budget issues by consensus vote. Then, they elected 14 Regional Budget Advocates (2 per each of the City's 7 regional planning areas) by ballot to represent them in a face-to-face meeting with Mayor Villaraigosa in March of this year. Along with the 14 selected Budget Advocates, two young persons from the City's Youth Council will represent Los Angeles ' youth in the budget discussion with the Mayor. Citywide and regional budget survey results can be accessed on our website and the Mayor's Office website. Here are the elected Regional Budget Advocates:
CENTRAL AREA
Scott Bytol, Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
Vincent Autiero, Mid City West Neighborhood Council
EAST AREA
Loren Colin, Silver Lake Neighborhood Council
Dr. Stan Moore, Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council
HARBOR AREA
Nedros Bridgeforth, Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council
Susan Prichard, Wilmington Neighborhood Council
NORTH VALLEY
Mary Benson, Sun Valley Neighborhood Council
Edward Johnson, Pacoima Neighborhood Council
SOUTH AREA - final 2 to be decided later
Charles Zacharie, Empowerment Congress West Area Neighborhood Development Council
David Clark, Empowerment Congress Southeast Area Neighborhood Development Council
Tomiko Nakamoto, Voices of 90037
SOUTH VALLEY
Al Abrams, Tarzana Neighborhood Council
Dan Wiseman, West Hills Neighborhood Council
WEST AREA
Jay Handal, West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
Denny Schneider, Neighborhood Council of Westchester Playa Del Rey
First Focus Group Meeting for Valley Regional Congress Tomorrow Night!
The Regional Congress in South Los Angeles this past May showcased a regional collaboration of Neighborhood Councils within the area and a greater partnership with us and the various City organizations to address issues of importance in the region. Learning from that experience, we are thrilled to inform you that the next Regional Congress is scheduled for the San Fernando Valley in late Spring. This is a unique opportunity for the Valley Neighborhood Councils to enrich their collaboration in addressing regional priorities and concerns and perhaps even building from pre-established successes on issues of concern in the Valley.
The first focus group meeting for the Valley Regional Congress is scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2009, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center , 6262 Van Nuys Blvd. , Van Nuys in Conference Room 3B. Please respond to confirm your attendance with Diana Estrada at (213) 473-4529 or via email at diana.estrada@lacity.org. Light refreshments will be provided. Parking is available along Van Nuys Blvd. and Sylvan Street . This meeting is open to all interested stakeholders in the City. We look forward to seeing you on the 26th!
BOARD OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONERS NEWS
The Commission's Next Meeting Is on Wednesday, March 4th
The Board of Neighborhood Commissioners's (Commission) Special Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, beginning 6 p.m. at 135th Street Elementary School - Auditorium, 802 W. 135th Street, Gardena, CA 90247 in the Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council area to replace the cancellation of the Tuesday, March 3, 2009 Regular Meeting canceled due to City elections. Among the topics for discussion will be the Commission's correspondence asking the City Council to revisit its decision to adopt Financial Disclosure Form 54 in light of the recent City Ethics Commission analysis. The agenda for this meeting will be on our website this week.
The Commissions's next Regular Meeting is on Monday, March 16, 2009 at City Hall, 10th Floor Conference Center, Room 1060, 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. To obtain the future meeting schedule of the Commission directly, please visit the City's website at www.lacity.org and subscribe to the Commission's agendas through the Early Notification System (ENS).
CITY NEWS
Department of Transportation to Relax Parking Restrictions on Election Day
The Department of Transportation (DOT) will relax parking restrictions within one block of all City polling places on Election Day, Tuesday, March 3, 2009. This initiative is in cooperation with the City Clerks Election Division and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in an effort to encourage every registered voter to participate in the upcoming elections. DOT and LAPD will observe the following parking rules within one block of designated polling places:
1. Motorists seeking to park their vehicles will NOT be required to deposit money in parking meters.
2. Time limits at the parking meters will NOT be enforced.
3. Street cleaning parking restrictions will NOT be enforced.
4. Preferential parking restrictions (i.e. permit parking) will NOT be enforced.
For more information, please visit the DOT website.
Office of Finance Reminder of Business Tax Filing Deadline
The Office of Finance wants to remind stakeholders that this is the last week for the City's 2009 business tax renewal, which ends on March 2, 2009. For more information, please go to the Office of Finance's website.
Commission on the Status of Women Co-Hosting a Women's Resource Fair on March 7th
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Councilmember Herb Wesson Jr., Department of Recreation & Parks and the Hungry Hog are hosting the "Women's Fesitival: A Celebration of Resilience" on March 7, 2009 at Jim Gilliam Park & Recreation Center, 4000 S. La Brea Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 9008, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The even will feature motivational speaker, Jewel Diamond Taylor, and a job and resource fair, including health and dental screenings, health resources, and information on emergency preparedness. Free lunch and raffles throughout the day. For more information, please contact (213) 978-0300 or email cswinfo@lacity.org.
Planning Department Is Hosting Hillside Kick-Off Meetings
The Department of City Planning invites you to attend the Hillside Kick-Off Meetings. Department staff will be conducting a series of public meetings throughout the City in order to hear your comments and discuss issues related to development in Los Angeles hillside neighborhoods. Your input will help staff identify concerns as well as influence the scope of the citywide hillside project. These efforts will ultimately result in proposed code amendments affecting single-family development in the City's hillside areas. The meetings will start with a presentation from staff and will move on to general comments. Please see the flyer for meeting dates.
Bureau of Sanitation Is Reminding Stakeholders to Inspect Their Sewer Lines
The Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation (BOS) requests that stakeholders inspect their lateral sewer and take corrective action as necessary to avoid emergency and costly repair. Aging laterals are susceptible to damage. Tree roots and debris can enter a lateral through cracks or loose joints and restrict sewage flow. Roots can ultimately cause collapse of the lateral over time. For more information, the BOS provides brochures in English and Spanish. Please e mail questions to sewer.root@lacity.org.
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Korean Resource Center & Community Health Promoters Hold a Town Hall on Language Rights
The Korean Resource Center & Community Health Promoters will be holding a town hall meeting on Language Rights Los Angeles on Friday, February 27, 2009, beginning at 10 a.m. at Immanuel Church, 3300 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010. The meeting will address the critical issue of language rights for various audiences (DPSS, LA County Supervisors and community groups) and develop a comprehensive strategy that speaks to the linguistic barriers preventing all LEP (Limited English Proficient) persons from fully understanding important information regarding their health care. For more information, please see the flyer.
Recognize a Hero in Your Neighborhood!
Each year, Neighborhoods, USA (NUSA) recognizes the contributions of the unsung hero whose work makes a significant and positive impact to the neighborhood movement with the NUSA Notable Award. The 2009 NUSA Notable Award nomination form is available from the NUSA website. Entries for this year must be postmarked by March 1, 2009. Nominations can only be submitted by a current NUSA member.
Foreclosure Trainings Are Being Offered Across the City
On Tuesday, March 5, 2009 at 6 p.m., the Barrio Action Youth & Family Center is offering a "Foreclosure - Know Your Rights" presentation. For more information, please visit their website or call (323) 221-0779. In addition, WorkSource Centers throughout the City are offering Foreclosure trainings to the public. For the training closest to you, please go to their website.
Los Angeles Police Foundation Is Hosting a St. Patrick's Day Hike and Beach Party
Come and share an unforgettable afternoon with community leaders, members of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and local residents while benefitting the LAPD's Juvenile Impact Program (JIP). The JIP is a 12 week boot camp style program for at risk youth between the ages of 12 and 16 that's designed to instill discipline, pride, and respect while coaching their parents on effective communication and anger management skills. For more information, please go to the Los Angeles Police Foundation website.
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BongHwan Kim, General Manager
done@lacity.org
Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
334-B E. 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
866 / LA HELPS
213 / 485-1360
213 / 485-4608 fax
done@mailbox.lacity.org
email
www.lacityneighborhoods.com
website
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