March 2025

Carmen Chang (she/her)

General Manager

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment

Dear Neighborhood Council Leaders,

On  Tuesday, October 29, the Office of the City Clerk sent out  communications announcing that in response to concerns raised about the  Vote-By-Mail (VBM) only election model, Neighborhood Councils will have  an opportunity to change from an election to a selection process for the  2025 election cycle. 

This decision is entirely up to the Neighborhood Council. Neighborhood Councils are not required to  change from election to selection, or vice versa. If your Neighborhood  Council is not interested in making any changes to your voting process, no  action is needed – your Neighborhood Council does not need to hold a  vote to participate in the election process if elections are already in  your bylaws.

We  wanted to provide some additional information to help your Neighborhood  Council decide if selections are right for your community and share  steps to take if your Neighborhood Council would like to move forward  with the selection model for the 2025 election cycle.

What is a Selection?

Selection is  a town hall-style process that Neighborhood Councils can use to seat  their Governing Board or Board of Directors for a new term. Selections are not the same as appointments.  Community stakeholders vote in a selection process at an in-person town  hall-style event for the candidates they would like to serve on the  Neighborhood Council. The primary distinction between voting models for  elections and selections is that voters need to include their names when  casting their votes during the selection process.

How Does the Selection Process Work?

The  entire selection process happens over a 90-day period. To set the  framework for the selection process the Neighborhood Council will  complete a Selection Procedures Stipulation Worksheet form  to determine the stakeholder verification and vote count methods.  Additionally, the Neighborhood Council is responsible for composing a Selection Outreach Plan that  is reviewed and approved by EmpowerLA. The outreach plan is to be  executed for no less than 30 days before selection. Interested  candidates apply on a Neighborhood Council-developed application that  must be open to the public. Within 20 days of the selection, information  about the process and candidates must be shared at the Neighborhood  Council’s posting location(s). 

During  the selection, a Neutral Third Party (NTP) selected and vetted by the  Neighborhood Council will administer the selection process. The NTP must  not be a member of the board or its committees, nor a candidate, and  will not vote in the selection. The NTP will not be a staff member of  EmpowerLA. During the selection, they will make sure each candidate has  equal time to make a statement and respond to two minutes of questions  each, as well as conduct the vote for each candidate. Should all seats  up for election be uncontested and/or have no candidates running, the  NTP will hold a Board Affirmation town hall instead of a selection at  the Neighborhood Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting.

How Are Elections and Selections Different? While  there are a number of similarities between selections and elections,  there are also some critical differences. Please review the attached tool that explores these similarities and differences.

How To Adopt Selections 

If  your Neighborhood Council would like to discuss and possibly take  action on changing from elections to selections starting with the 2025  Neighborhood Council Election cycle, please agendize the item at a  regular or special board meeting. The motion will need to pass with a  simple majority. Be sure to fill out the attached 2025 Selection  Procedure Stipulation Worksheet and take a board vote. Board action must  be taken and the stipulation worksheet must be completed before the  following regional deadlines:

Region 11: Tuesday November 12, 2024

Region 12: Friday November 15, 2024

Region 9: Friday November 22, 2024

Region 10: Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Region 5: Friday December 6, 2024

Region 6: Friday December 13, 2024

Region 7: Friday December 20, 2024

Region 8: Friday, December 27, 2024

Region 1: Friday, January 3, 2025

Region 2: Friday, January 10, 2025

Region 3: Friday, January 24, 2025

Region 4: Friday, January 31, 2025

If  you are unsure which regional deadline applies to your Neighborhood  Council, can find your Neighborhood Council’s service region here. 

If  your Neighborhood Council does not have a regular board meeting  scheduled prior to your regional deadline and would like to take this  option under consideration, please plan to schedule a special board  meeting, 

The  Department will be supporting outreach efforts for both elections and  selections, as we want to ensure that as many stakeholders as possible  hear about the Neighborhood Council. We will do this in collaboration  with you.

We  value your dedication to engaging stakeholders and ensuring a smooth  election or selection process for your Neighborhood Council. Your  proactive approach in adapting to recent changes will foster  transparency and community participation. If you have any questions or  need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Neighborhood  Empowerment Advocate. 

[Reference to 10/29/24 City Clerk e-mail]

Subject

Important - Option to Change to Selection

Dear Neighborhood Council Board Members,

We  are writing to address concerns received from board members regarding  the use of the all Vote-By-Mail election model to conduct the upcoming  2025 Neighborhood Council (NC) Elections. As mentioned to NCs  previously, the Office of the City Clerk did not receive funding to  conduct at-poll elections. As such, there will be no at-poll elections  during the 2025 election cycle. However, in response to requests made to  use a different voting model, NCs will have an opportunity to change  from an election to a selection process for the 2025 election cycle.  Please note, this change will require board action. EmpowerLA will  provide additional information and steps for making the change from  election to selection. 

The  Office of the City Clerk will not be involved in the selection process.  If a NC votes to proceed with the change, it cannot revert back to an  election during the 2025 cycle. 

Since this change impacts candidate filing, any changes must be communicated to our office no later than (insert due date). 

If you have any questions or need further assistance, reach out to your NEA.  

Thank you.

Michael is the key City Clerk in charge of Neighborhood Council Elections across the City.  He will be joined by several Election Administrators.

At the recent VANC meeting, several important details regarding the 2025 Neighborhood Council (NC) elections were discussed:

1. Voting Method:
   
   • All NC elections will be conducted entirely by mail-in ballots.
   • Each election will take place on a Tuesday.

1. Election Schedule:
   
   • The Valley Neighborhood Councils will have their elections scheduled at the end of the election cycle.
   • Valley Vote By Mail will start in March.

1. Bylaw Amendments:
   
   • In July, the City Clerk will review and amend any bylaws related to candidate and voter requirements.
   • Revised copies of the bylaws will be provided to NCs in August or September.
   • All updated information will be available on the City Clerk's portal.

1. Handbook and Updates:
   
   • The election handbook is ready and will be made accessible.
   • All updates regarding Vote By Mail procedures will be posted on the website.

1. Communication:
   
   • Next week, each NC will receive an email from their assigned Election Administrator with further instructions.

1. NC Election Work Group:
   
   • The NC Election Work Group is set to reconvene.
   • Their focus will be on addressing Vote By Mail logistics for the unhoused and providing ballot boxes.

1. Candidate Application:
   
   • Candidate filing starts in January.
   • Candidates can apply either through the candidate filing portal or by submitting paper applications.
   • An instructional video is available to guide candidates through the application process.
   • There will be a 45-day period for candidate filing.

1. Vote By Mail Details:
   
   • Vote By Mail ballots will be received by voters 9 days prior to Election Day.
   • The ballot packet will include a pre-paid envelope and a QR code for candidate statements.

1. Outreach Efforts:
   
   • The City Clerk will conduct outreach to encourage candidates to run.
   • The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment will also have outreach efforts.

These key points should help ensure that everyone is informed and prepared for the upcoming elections.

Not sure yet if NC board and stakeholders can volunteer to help with elections.  Michael said he would check into it.

NC Election Workgroup will be meeting.

TBA

The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) is a process mandated by California state law that requires that cities and unincorporated areas of counties to plan for new housing to accommodate projected growth. RHNA operates on an eight-year cycle. 1. WHAT IS 2021-2029 Housing Element? • Identifies the City’s housing conditions and needs, establishes goals, objectives, and policies to guide future housing decisions, and provides an array of programs to meet Citywide Housing Priorities, including: addressing the housing shortage, advancing racial equity and access to opportunity, preventing displacement and promoting sustainability and resilience. California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) informed the City of Los Angeles that its 2021-2029 Housing Element was in full compliance with State law. • A9lrqglk_wz2pcy_8ys.tmp (lacity.org) (press control and left click to view) 2. The five goals that will guide the 2021-2029 Housing Elements are as follows: • Goal 1 – A City where housing production results in an amply supply of housing to create more equitable and affordable options that meet existing and projected needs. • Goal 2 - A City that preserves and enhances the quality of housing and provides greater housing stability for households of all income levels. • Goal 3 – A city in which housing creates healthy, livable, sustainable, and resilient communities that improve the lives of all Angelenos. • Goal 4 - A City that fosters racially and socially inclusive neighborhoods and corrects the harms of historic racial, ethnic, and social discrimination of the past and present. • Goal 5 – A City that is committed to preventing and ending homelessness. Please see the next page for a thoughtful explanation of the issues and what action NCs could take. Thank you Jeffrey Hartsough Sherman Oaks NC

LA City Housing Element –

An opportunity for NCs to collaborate, to speak for their communities, and to help maintain vibrant livable neighborhoods.

NCs often focus on immediate and short-term issues facing their communities. The Housing Element is something different – it will have a dramatic and forever lasting impact on our communities and Los Angeles. What will Los Angeles be like in the distant future? The Housing Element will define that future.

The Department of City Planning (DCP) is working on the LA City Housing Element and the rezoning of Los Angeles. NCs need to understand how the Housing Element and the impact of recent CA State laws will impact their single-family, multi-family, retail, and commercial areas. The proposed zoning, as is, could have long-term negative impacts on the quality of life of residents.

The opportunity to have input into the draft ordinance that is to be released late this fall is NOW. It is important and should be a focus of NCs to let their Council Member know how they would like their communities to grow and develop. NCs should collaborate with other NCs within their shared Council Member’s district to make sure their voices are heard.

Here are a few points to consider:

➢ The Department of City Planning (DCP) will be proposing the rezoning of single-family and multi-family neighborhoods by the Fall of this year.

➢ The rezoning will allow 4-5 story apartments in single-family neighborhoods and could eliminate some of the affordable existing multi-family housing.

➢ The State RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) target for the period 2021-2029 mandates that LA must zone for 486,379 housing units. Current zoning provides for 230,964 housing units. Rezoning must allow for an additional 255,000 housing units by 2029. The current Housing Element has provided for rezoning for 1,400,000 housing units – over 5 times the needed number.

➢ Rather than upzoning primarily residential parcels, the City can meet the necessary incremental RHNA housing unit target by focusing on development along major corridors. Such a focus would maintain single-family and multi-family residential neighborhoods while developing necessary housing along transportation corridors.

➢ Once parcels are “upzoned” they cannot be “downzoned” in the future.

➢ Other items that should be considered as part of the rezoning in the Housing Element are access to transportation, walkability, open spaces and parks, parking, and economic development and growth.

Again, as individuals or a single neighborhood council our Council Members can question the support of the community on this issue. The focus should not be on rezoning single-family and multi-family neighborhoods. We need to work together and let our Council Members know that we are in favor of thoughtful intelligent growth along corridors and other currently available spaces.

If interested in pursuing this, email Jeffrey Hartsough at jeffrey.hartsough.sonc@gmail.com

Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC) 

Has been compiling ideas for a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights and is asking for YOUR input. 

Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights 

The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is  soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of  all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders.  Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to  ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up -  what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important  issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but  for everyone. 

The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• • There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind  previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council  regarding its own bylaws. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC  appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification  by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an  appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 
• • The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 
• • Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder  status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced  to include other categories of stakeholder. 
• • Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power  over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum  of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding  one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 
• • The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent  one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against  neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an  equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a  conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of  government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an  equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 
• • The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are  not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council  status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the  equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council  participants. 
• • Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics  training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional  training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects  already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements  which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall  have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood  council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards  on a voluntary basis. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to  consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of  appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the  choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and  shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and  of BONC commissioners. 
• • There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood  council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her  district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of  those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the  governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on  the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats  against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a  crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council  system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules  which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive  absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a  year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced  unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those  rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood  councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be  enforceable. 
• • No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function,  governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood  council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so  choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate  payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city  government be willing. 
• • The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations  to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the  neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include  this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

1. CITY ATTORNEY ADVICE REPOSITORY: For the first decade of the Neighborhood Council system, decisions of the City Attorney on Neighborhood Council matters were posted on the website of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). Those determinations and advisory recommendations could be referenced by DONE staff, by NCs, and by the public. About ten years ago that historical repository was wiped out when a key computer server at DONE failed and there was no usable backup. Since that time, opinions from the City Attorney's Neighborhood Council Advice Division have become closely held secrets. Retired attorney Jeffrey Mausner (Tarzana NC) notes that the State Bar of California provides resources for attorneys to make ethical decisions, including ethics opinions and research tools for laws and rules relating to ethics. A similar resource would be invaluable for the Neighborhood Council system. The specifics of every case are obviously unique. However, like case law in the courts, having a repository of past advice and decisions could provide some guidance as to what might apply in similar circumstances. 

2. Investigation of the Volunteer Program of the Los Angeles Animal Services Department (LAAS)

On October 11, 2022, a Cease-and-Desist Letter was sent to LAAS and City officials, citing violations of volunteers’ constitutionally protected free speech rights and stating that a lawsuit would be commenced if it did not stop. The letter can be seen here: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2022/22-1176_PC_PM_10-20-2022.pdf

Despite progress, this issue has not been fully resolved. Please see: Animal Shelter Volunteers Win First Round In Fight For First Amendment Rights, https://citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/animal-watch/25845-animal-shelter-volunteers-win-first-round-in-fight-for-first-amendment-rights

LAAS is no longer explicitly stating that it is suspending or terminating volunteers for speaking to the press or posting on social media regarding conditions at the shelters. However, LAAS is now suspending or terminating volunteers who do these things, stating that they are purportedly being suspended or terminated on other grounds. Many people believe that these “other grounds” are merely pretexts to get rid of or silence the outspoken volunteers and cover up problems at the animal shelters.

A petition is circulating entitled PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF THE LOS ANGELES ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. The petition, which can be accessed here, has received more than 4,000 signatures and hundreds of comments in less than three weeks: https://www.change.org/p/please-investigate-the-volunteer-program-of-the-los-angeles-animal-services-department

The petition calls on the City Attorney, Controller, and/or Mayor to determine if these volunteers were suspended or terminated for legitimate reasons or for Constitutionally protected activities. The petition also asks that the investigation determine why there are so few volunteers being accepted and trained, while thousands of applicants are waiting. Lack of trained volunteers is causing animals to suffer and wasting millions of dollars of free volunteer time.

3. NEW BOARD SEATING POLICY: The past General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment decided, without significant Neighborhood Council input, to overturn the board seating policy that had been in effect from the inception of the system. Newly elected Board Members were always seated at the time their election was officially certified. The former GM decreed that all elected board members will be seated on July 1 of the new Fiscal Year, regardless of when their local election is certified. The rationale (which does not seem to make sense) was that because of limited staff, it would be easier for DONE to train 1,900 people all at once, rather than training them incrementally as their sequenced elections were completed. The new seating policy has potentially disastrous effects for the current 2023 NC elections. Many Neighborhood Council elections are turning into "board seatings" because there were no competitive seats. However, they are NOT SEATED because of the problematic new policy. Instead, the "lame duck" board members will continue in power through June. This period will include spending all of the council's current year funds AND appointments to fill seats that are still vacant after the election. This seems like a profoundly undemocratic result for a policy that has at its core a 'training convenience' argument of questionable logic. In particular, many of the newly elected people may become so disillusioned with being shut out that they drift away. This could leave many NCs unable to make a quorum which would also keep them from appointing new people to vacancies. DONE, which has the authority to do so (under its shared authority over elections with the City Clerk) should consider IMMEDIATELY ending this policy and returning to the historic policy of seating board members upon certification of the election. 

4. Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders. Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up - what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but for everyone. The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council regarding its own bylaws. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 

• The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 

• Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced to include other categories of stakeholder. 

• Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 

• Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 

• The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 

• The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council participants.

• Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards on a voluntary basis. 

• Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and of BONC commissioners. 

• There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be enforceable. 

• No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function, governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city government be willing. 

• The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

5. LA AQUEDUCT WATER: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) continues its fight to keep water affordable by using its historic water rights in the Eastern Sierra. Local interests in Mono and Inyo counties repeatedly hatch environmental crusades and lawsuits to prevent Los Angeles from using its water rights. This year was no exception. The consistently antagonistic Mono Lake Committee (MLC) tried to declare an "ecological crisis" to protect common seagulls in Mono Lake, even though the closest nesting islands are over 700 feet from coyotes on the shoreline. On February 15 the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) held a public information meeting about the claims and the MLC request that LADWP's rights to water from local streams, which have already been reduced by 90 percent, now be reduced to ZERO. Record recent snowfalls (nearly 300 percent of normal) have made the claimed crisis implausible. Meanwhile, in the Owens Lake area, the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) has filed a proposed budget with a 300 percent increase in its legal funds (paid for by LADWP) to support additional legal action against the City of Los Angeles. Great Basin uses dust from Owens Dry Lake as a way to force LA to use its water for dust control instead of sending it to LA for drinking water. At peak use, LADWP leaves enough water in Mono County to fill up the Rose Bowl to the brim, EVERY DAY. The San Fernando Valley has a special interest in protecting the city's water rights in the Eastern Sierras. Because of its elevation the Valley cannot use water from either the Colorado River or from the giant Diamond Lake reservoir maintained by Metropolitan Water District (MWD). It depends on imported water from the State Water Project (from the Bay Delta), which until recently was limited to tiny 'emergency' supplies, or from the LA Aqueduct. LA Aqueduct water built the Valley. It still is our lifeblood. What happens to Eastern Sierras water is a HUGE local issue.

1. CF20-0990 – Under the guise of LA Civil Rights, a vote for this council file gives DONE GM authority to remove elected board members and determine what mandatory training DONE requires and allows GM to change NC Bylaws. A vote against, implies NC is against LA Civil Rights. If your NC voted before 28Feb2023, you need to vote AGAIN. 

2. Do you want to help at our valley elections? How to become a poll worker 213-978-0444 https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Community_Poll_worker_flyer.pdf Department of Neighborhood Empowerment: 

3. Project Coordinator – aka NEA Job Description It’s good to know what the NEAs duties are. https://per.lacity.org/jobs/openings/index.cfm?job_id=5750 

4. Los Angeles City Charter Article IX Department of Neighborhood Empowerment https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0_0_0_372 

5. Los Angeles Administrative Code Chapter 28 – The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-53812#JD_D22c28

1. CANDIDATE FORUM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: contact Linda Gravani at VANC34.chair@gmail.com

✓ Greeters

✓ Time Keepers

✓ Crowd Control

✓ Review Questions

✓ Direct traffic

Timeline:

8a-9a NC booth/ pop-up Set-up - If raining, will be inside

9a-10a Meet and Greet

10a-1230p Candidate introductions and Q&A

1230p-130p Network with CD6 NC Board Members and CD6 Candidates

130p-2pm Clean-Up

2. How corrupt is our city of Angels? … NCs agendas get rejected if the wording isn’t right…..

✓ Have you ever checked out www.CITYWATCHLA.com interesting opinions concerning

i. Neighborhood Politics

ii. LA Watchdog

3. Has your NC file a CIS on:

✓ CF23-0002-S16 - By adoption of this resolution the Ralph M Brown Act permit the City of LA NC system to choose to operate remote meetings indefinitely

✓ CF23-0002-S17 – Support for legislative action that would amend the Ralph M. Brown Act to allow local legislative bodies, including appointed boards, commissions, advisory bodies, and NC, to continue to conduct most meetings virtually in the absence of any special circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards to ensure full and robust opportunities for public participation, including by persons who lack means of digital access.

4. How to find out all about BIG projects from the Bureau of Engineering (BOE)

Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committees (LVNOC) and Capital Improvement Projects 1) Go to https://eng.lacity.org/ 2) scroll to the bottom where it says project information and click it 3) https://eng2.lacity.org/iuprs/ scroll to link "search for project" 4) select CD or NC and click next (I suggest CD) 5) then select report all. 6) Each project has a little paper looking thing which is a link to project status. Once you identify project you can get more info from there. It will say status and LVNOC if applicable Thank You Lee Blumenfeld, Encino NC PLU Board Member

Page 3 of 3

LA Special Election for CD6 – April 4, 2023 with June 27, 2023 run off date if needed

Saturday 18FEB2023 10am

VANC MEET THE CANDIDATES EVENT at   

Osborne Neighborhood Church 13501 Osborne St Arleta 91331

See the Certified List of Candidates at this link:

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/CD6_Petition_Filing_Daily_report.pdf

City Clerk site: https://clerk.lacity.gov/clerk-services/elections/municipal-elections

Write-In Candidates will be introduced at the Feb. 18 VANC Meet the Candidates event

CD6 NCs: Arleta, Encino, Foothill Trails, Lake Balboa, North Hills East, North Hollywood North East, Panorama City, Sun Valley Area, Van Nuys

 (First mail out ballots will be sent on 6Mar2023)

1. AB-2449 Open Meetings: local agencies: teleconferences

• The legislative body must provide a way for the public to remotely hear, visually observe, and remotely address the legislative body, either by a two-way audiovisual platform or a two-way telephonic service and a live webcasting of the meeting. • The provisions of AB 2449 will remain in effect until January 1, 2026 • SEE Complete Bill https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2449

2. AB361 Open Meetings: state and local agencies: teleconferences

• Stop the meeting during any service disruption that either

I. Prevents the local agency from broadcasting the meeting to the public using the call-in or internet-based service option, or

II. Is within the local agency’s control and prevents the public from submitting public comments

• effective until January 1, 2024

• SEE Complete Bill

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB361

3. Where to find 2023 NC election information: 

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf • https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections • (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org.

4. CD6 Special Election information

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/General_Information_for_CD6_Special_Election_Candidates_Pamphlet_2023.pdf

HOT TOPICS For November 8, 2022

1. Where to find 2023 NC election information:

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf

• https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections

• (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org. 

Neighborhood Council Elections Presentation Contacts:

Michael Lektorich Election Administrator from City Clerk’s office

election candidate files, polling places, vote by mail, ADA compliance for voting

locations

213-978-0444 Michael.lektorich@lacity.org

Angie Aramayo, Director of Awareness & Engagement from DONE

Election outreach, CANVA accounts, regional meetings

213-357-8810 Angie.Aramayo@lacity.org

Candidates running for Local Office 

Mayor 

i. www.carusocan.com 

ii. www.karenbass.com 

City Attorney

 i. www.hydeeforcityattorney.com 

ii. www.gillforla.com 

LA Controller

 i. www.mejiaforcontroller.com 

ii. www.koretzforla.com 

LA County Sheriff 

i. www.alexvillanueva.org 

ii. www.lunaforsheriff.com 

HOT TOPICS For October 13, 2022 

#1 Missed the meeting tonight? Check out www.susanshelley.com for the November ballot measures. 

#2 Council File 22-1146 

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) to report back on 

• the length of time that the Community Impact Statements (CIS) did not reach their destination 
•  List the City Commissions that were impacted by not having correct email configurations 
•  The number of CIS that were not transmitted as intended by Neighborhood Councils 
•  The steps taken to remedy the issue and prevent from happening again. 
•  Technological upgrades needed to the CIS portal to ensure submission of CIS are seamless and streamlined as possible 

#3 Council File 22-1070 

DONE to report back on viable options for conducting future NC meetings 

• such as virtual/EVG system meetings, 
•  in-person meetings or 
•  a hybrid option 
•  include any legal implications 
•  NC flexibility to select an option that meets their needs. 

HOT TOPICS For September 14, 2022

A motion was introduced in City Council on September 14, 2022 regarding the future of NC meetings.  The City Clerk's summary title is:  Neighborhood Council Meetings / EmpowerLA Virtual Governance (EVG) System / In-Person / Emergency Declarations

The motion is Council File 22-1070 (linked below).

HOT TOPICS For September 8, 2022

MOU = Memorandum of Understanding (sometimes MoU)

DWP = Department of Water and Power (LADWP)

https://www.ladwpnews.com/dwp-nc-mou-and-advocacy-committee-meetings/

#1 The MOU between the DWP and the Neighborhood Councils (NC) is a formal agreement for advance notice and information sharing. This understanding was created after a firestorm of neighborhood oppositions to a DWP rate request that had Inadequate notice and little explanation. Meets 1st Sat of ODD Months 8:30am -10am

The MOU created an Oversight Committee that coordinates information sharing under the agreement. Meets 1st Sat of EVEN Months 830a – 10am

Each Neighborhood Council votes to participate in the MOU and names a stakeholder or board member to be their official representative to the Oversight Committee. The public is also welcome to attend.

LADWP’s budget is multi-billions. What is spends generates a ‘TAX’ on OUR bill for the cost of water and power.

#2 LADWP “LA100” Plan could TRIPLE power rates. How to green up the city’s power system, how fast, and at what cost should be a public discussion. After DWP spent millions over three years for a study on how to reach 100% renewable power by 2045, the current Mayor (Garcetti) and City Council have ordered the goal advanced to 2035. Should ratepayers bear cost of a first in nation political goal? Go to https://ladwp.com/sltrp Scroll to bottom, Click + next to “Public Outreach Meetings” And register

Possible Motion for your NC

TO: LADWP GM: Martin.Adams@ladwp.com

Board members: chante.mitchell@ladwp.com ask to forward to commissioners

DWP SLTRP team: PowerSLTRP@ladwp.com

LA100 study yielding possible tripling of rates by 2035 needs more analysis.

For 2 ½ years NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) studied complex plans for zero carbon emissions by 2045. However, after completion of the study, Mayor Garcetti abruptly forwarded the zero carbon emissions date by a decade to 2035.

The recently released LA100 study (Advisory Group Mtg. #10, 8/12/22) includes only PRELIMINARY rates and bill costs. Also, it does not include any cost comparisons between “zero carbon” dates of 2035 and 2045.

Additionally, the study’s preliminary analysis shows some residential rates TRIPLING by 2035 but states it has not done a detailed “rates analysis” (which will often yield higher rates than determined by a “broad brush” preliminary analysis).

Based upon this information, the _______________ Neighborhood Council believes that the study is incomplete and requests that the LADWP Board of Commissioners NOT vote to select a final SLTRP (Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan) case until all the above cost and rates study information is provided to the Board AND the public for timely review. This information will assist in making decisions that adhere to the 3/31/21 City Council directive (CF21-0352) that states that the SLTRP “have minimal adverse impact on ratepayers.”

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter,

HOT TOPICS   For August 11, 2022 

STILL PENDING AND STILL HOT and needs your attention

Municipal Lobbying Ordinance, CF 22-0560:

Budget Advocates OPPOSE CF11-1020-S3.

Urge City Council to retain telephonic public commenting

1. VANC HOT TOPIC - North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project

The Metro North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project was initiated in 2017 and subsequently two options for a Bus Rapid Transit line were proposed on Nordhoff Street OR Roscoe Boulevard.  Last month Metro held three community meetings to announce a different "network approach" instead.  This "BRT Network Improvements" proposes an enhanced bus network that would increase connectivity and provide high-quality bus service and transit infrastructure in North San Fernando Valley communities from Northridge on the west to North Hollywood on the east. 

For a project overview, watch the video linked here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j35VTlXnXrY

If you were unable to attend the Metro community meetings, you can watch the virtual meeting, access meeting materials and visit the online interactive StoryMap on the project website, by visiting metro.net/nsfvbrt. Please share any additional comments via the online form.

Metro anticipates completing the Alternatives Screening Report (ASR) analyzing the new proposed BRT Network Improvements and comparison of the benefits and tradeoffs to the previously-analyzed BRT alternatives in Fall 2022. The proposed project is anticipated to be on the agenda for Metro Board review and consideration in Fall 2022.

2. HOW TO FORWARD PUBLIC COMMENTS ON Council Files 

Go to clerk.lacity.org 

move down under POPULAR SERVICES 

click on Council File Management System 

under SIMPLE SEARCH___________________ 

enter council file number or topic 

ex: 22-0600-S20 or goats 

click on SEARCH 

on RIGHT SIDE 

click on the File Number 

At top of page to the right of COUNCIL FILE # 

Click on NEW in RED 

PUBLIC COMMENT FORM will appear 

Complete information required and click on SUBMIT 

GO TO YOU YOUR EMAIL, you MUST reply to the city’s email to activate

3. Thank You to Los Angeles Fire Department and Police Department

Our guest speakers over the last two months (June, July) have included Deputy L.A. Fire Department Chief Trevor Richmond (Valley Bureau Commander), Assistant Chief John Drake (Command 42, Valley Operations), and Captain Ruben Lopez (I/CM42 Adjutant). 

The fire danger created by the inhabited RVs and homeless encampment next to the West Valley Animal Shelter was discussed with them. RVs and tents were very close to the Shelter, with one inhabited RV touching trees that also touched the roof of the Shelter where dogs are locked in their kennels. If there had been a fire, animals in the Shelter would have been burned to death. As well as creating a fire danger, belongings and trash from the RVs and tents blocked the route to take the Shelter Dogs for a walk. 

The situation was quickly handled and the fire danger mitigated. 

Thank you to our guest speakers, as well as LAFD Battalion Chief Karen Richter, Watch Commander Sergeant Nick Nemecek of LAPD, and all other personnel from LAFD and LAPD who participated in mitigating the fire danger and are continuing to assure the safety of the West Valley Animal Shelter. Thank you to VANC for conveying the information about this danger directly to the proper City officials.

4. Hot Topic re Northeast Valley Animal Shelter

At last month’s VANC (July) meeting, we passed the following resolution, 24 in favor, none against, one abstention:

The Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC) represents the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando Valley, including all of the Neighborhood Councils in the vicinity of the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter. This shelter is a City facility built with Proposition F funds to be a municipal animal shelter, open to the public. It was not meant to be a private facility to house rescue organizations. Nevertheless, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners has issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) to do just that, lease the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter to rescue organizations to operate. The Board of Animal Services Commissioners and Animal Services Department did not provide an opportunity for the affected Neighborhood Councils to provide input into this decision. 

Therefore, it is RESOLVED that VANC takes the position that the Department of Animals Services and City Council should receive input from the affected Neighborhood Councils before releasing the Request for Proposal for rescue organizations to operate the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter.

UPDATE: New Council file introduced 5AUG22 regarding: Article 2, Section 10.15 (3) of the Charter, the requirements for circulation of an RFP are as follows:

“Public notice of the RFP shall be given in writing or electronically to prospective contractors or suppliers of the appropriate commodity and to any other sources deemed appropriate. The RFP shall state the time and place at which the proposals will be received. Proposals received after the time and date specified may be returned and may not be considered.”

Council File does not yet have a number.

5. Hot Topic re Suspension or Termination of Animal Services Department Volunteers

In the last month, the Los Angeles Times, as well as other news outlets, have run

stories very critical of the Animal Services Department and conditions for animals

in the City Animal Shelters:

‘It’s Inhumane’: Dogs At L.A. Animal Shelters Go Weeks Or Months Without

Being Walked: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-14/la-city-

animal-shelters-dogs-sit-in-kennels-weeks-months-without-walks

‘Horrified’: L.A. City Council Members Call For Action On Overcrowded Animal

Shelters: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-16/l-a-city-council-

members-called-for-action-city-shelters

LA Animal Services Officials Blame Staff Shortage, Pandemic Challenges For

Issues At City Shelters: https://abc7.com/animal-shelters-la-city-council-concerns-

emergency-meeting/12061158/

Volunteers who spoke with the press and others about conditions at the City

Animal Shelters have been suspended or terminated. As well as likely being a

First Amendment violation subjecting the City to potential liability, this harms the

animals who are deprived of the essential care given by these Volunteers, making

the conditions exposed in these articles even worse.

This isn’t the first time that the Animal Services Department has tried to cover-up

conditions at the Shelters by suspending or terminating Volunteers. Please see:

Budget Advocates Call for Investigation of Animal Services Department Volunteer

Program: https://citywatchla.com/index.php/budget-advocates-2/19044-budget-

advocates-call-for-investigation-of-animal-services-department-volunteer-program

Therefore, I propose the following resolution, to be sent to City officials,

Neighborhood Councils, and others:

RESOLVED, that the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC),

representing the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando

Valley, strongly condemns the suspension or termination of Volunteers for

speaking with the press about conditions in the City Animal Shelters or

exercising their First Amendment rights.

Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC) 

Has been compiling ideas for a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights and is asking for YOUR input. 

Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights 

The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is  soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of  all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders.  Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to  ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up -  what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important  issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but  for everyone. 

The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• • There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind  previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council  regarding its own bylaws. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC  appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification  by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an  appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 
• • The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 
• • Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder  status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced  to include other categories of stakeholder. 
• • Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power  over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum  of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding  one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 
• • The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent  one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against  neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an  equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a  conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of  government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an  equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 
• • The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are  not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council  status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the  equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council  participants. 
• • Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics  training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional  training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects  already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements  which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall  have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood  council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards  on a voluntary basis. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to  consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of  appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the  choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and  shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and  of BONC commissioners. 
• • There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood  council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her  district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of  those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the  governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on  the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats  against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a  crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council  system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules  which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive  absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a  year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced  unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those  rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood  councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be  enforceable. 
• • No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function,  governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood  council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so  choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate  payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city  government be willing. 
• • The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations  to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the  neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include  this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

1. CITY ATTORNEY ADVICE REPOSITORY: For the first decade of the Neighborhood Council system, decisions of the City Attorney on Neighborhood Council matters were posted on the website of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). Those determinations and advisory recommendations could be referenced by DONE staff, by NCs, and by the public. About ten years ago that historical repository was wiped out when a key computer server at DONE failed and there was no usable backup. Since that time, opinions from the City Attorney's Neighborhood Council Advice Division have become closely held secrets. Retired attorney Jeffrey Mausner (Tarzana NC) notes that the State Bar of California provides resources for attorneys to make ethical decisions, including ethics opinions and research tools for laws and rules relating to ethics. A similar resource would be invaluable for the Neighborhood Council system. The specifics of every case are obviously unique. However, like case law in the courts, having a repository of past advice and decisions could provide some guidance as to what might apply in similar circumstances. 

2. Investigation of the Volunteer Program of the Los Angeles Animal Services Department (LAAS)

On October 11, 2022, a Cease-and-Desist Letter was sent to LAAS and City officials, citing violations of volunteers’ constitutionally protected free speech rights and stating that a lawsuit would be commenced if it did not stop. The letter can be seen here: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2022/22-1176_PC_PM_10-20-2022.pdf

Despite progress, this issue has not been fully resolved. Please see: Animal Shelter Volunteers Win First Round In Fight For First Amendment Rights, https://citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/animal-watch/25845-animal-shelter-volunteers-win-first-round-in-fight-for-first-amendment-rights

LAAS is no longer explicitly stating that it is suspending or terminating volunteers for speaking to the press or posting on social media regarding conditions at the shelters. However, LAAS is now suspending or terminating volunteers who do these things, stating that they are purportedly being suspended or terminated on other grounds. Many people believe that these “other grounds” are merely pretexts to get rid of or silence the outspoken volunteers and cover up problems at the animal shelters.

A petition is circulating entitled PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF THE LOS ANGELES ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. The petition, which can be accessed here, has received more than 4,000 signatures and hundreds of comments in less than three weeks: https://www.change.org/p/please-investigate-the-volunteer-program-of-the-los-angeles-animal-services-department

The petition calls on the City Attorney, Controller, and/or Mayor to determine if these volunteers were suspended or terminated for legitimate reasons or for Constitutionally protected activities. The petition also asks that the investigation determine why there are so few volunteers being accepted and trained, while thousands of applicants are waiting. Lack of trained volunteers is causing animals to suffer and wasting millions of dollars of free volunteer time.

3. NEW BOARD SEATING POLICY: The past General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment decided, without significant Neighborhood Council input, to overturn the board seating policy that had been in effect from the inception of the system. Newly elected Board Members were always seated at the time their election was officially certified. The former GM decreed that all elected board members will be seated on July 1 of the new Fiscal Year, regardless of when their local election is certified. The rationale (which does not seem to make sense) was that because of limited staff, it would be easier for DONE to train 1,900 people all at once, rather than training them incrementally as their sequenced elections were completed. The new seating policy has potentially disastrous effects for the current 2023 NC elections. Many Neighborhood Council elections are turning into "board seatings" because there were no competitive seats. However, they are NOT SEATED because of the problematic new policy. Instead, the "lame duck" board members will continue in power through June. This period will include spending all of the council's current year funds AND appointments to fill seats that are still vacant after the election. This seems like a profoundly undemocratic result for a policy that has at its core a 'training convenience' argument of questionable logic. In particular, many of the newly elected people may become so disillusioned with being shut out that they drift away. This could leave many NCs unable to make a quorum which would also keep them from appointing new people to vacancies. DONE, which has the authority to do so (under its shared authority over elections with the City Clerk) should consider IMMEDIATELY ending this policy and returning to the historic policy of seating board members upon certification of the election. 

4. Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders. Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up - what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but for everyone. The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council regarding its own bylaws. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 

• The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 

• Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced to include other categories of stakeholder. 

• Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 

• Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 

• The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 

• The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council participants.

• Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards on a voluntary basis. 

• Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and of BONC commissioners. 

• There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be enforceable. 

• No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function, governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city government be willing. 

• The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

5. LA AQUEDUCT WATER: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) continues its fight to keep water affordable by using its historic water rights in the Eastern Sierra. Local interests in Mono and Inyo counties repeatedly hatch environmental crusades and lawsuits to prevent Los Angeles from using its water rights. This year was no exception. The consistently antagonistic Mono Lake Committee (MLC) tried to declare an "ecological crisis" to protect common seagulls in Mono Lake, even though the closest nesting islands are over 700 feet from coyotes on the shoreline. On February 15 the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) held a public information meeting about the claims and the MLC request that LADWP's rights to water from local streams, which have already been reduced by 90 percent, now be reduced to ZERO. Record recent snowfalls (nearly 300 percent of normal) have made the claimed crisis implausible. Meanwhile, in the Owens Lake area, the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) has filed a proposed budget with a 300 percent increase in its legal funds (paid for by LADWP) to support additional legal action against the City of Los Angeles. Great Basin uses dust from Owens Dry Lake as a way to force LA to use its water for dust control instead of sending it to LA for drinking water. At peak use, LADWP leaves enough water in Mono County to fill up the Rose Bowl to the brim, EVERY DAY. The San Fernando Valley has a special interest in protecting the city's water rights in the Eastern Sierras. Because of its elevation the Valley cannot use water from either the Colorado River or from the giant Diamond Lake reservoir maintained by Metropolitan Water District (MWD). It depends on imported water from the State Water Project (from the Bay Delta), which until recently was limited to tiny 'emergency' supplies, or from the LA Aqueduct. LA Aqueduct water built the Valley. It still is our lifeblood. What happens to Eastern Sierras water is a HUGE local issue.

1. CF20-0990 – Under the guise of LA Civil Rights, a vote for this council file gives DONE GM authority to remove elected board members and determine what mandatory training DONE requires and allows GM to change NC Bylaws. A vote against, implies NC is against LA Civil Rights. If your NC voted before 28Feb2023, you need to vote AGAIN. 

2. Do you want to help at our valley elections? How to become a poll worker 213-978-0444 https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Community_Poll_worker_flyer.pdf Department of Neighborhood Empowerment: 

3. Project Coordinator – aka NEA Job Description It’s good to know what the NEAs duties are. https://per.lacity.org/jobs/openings/index.cfm?job_id=5750 

4. Los Angeles City Charter Article IX Department of Neighborhood Empowerment https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0_0_0_372 

5. Los Angeles Administrative Code Chapter 28 – The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-53812#JD_D22c28

1. CANDIDATE FORUM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: contact Linda Gravani at VANC34.chair@gmail.com

✓ Greeters

✓ Time Keepers

✓ Crowd Control

✓ Review Questions

✓ Direct traffic

Timeline:

8a-9a NC booth/ pop-up Set-up - If raining, will be inside

9a-10a Meet and Greet

10a-1230p Candidate introductions and Q&A

1230p-130p Network with CD6 NC Board Members and CD6 Candidates

130p-2pm Clean-Up

2. How corrupt is our city of Angels? … NCs agendas get rejected if the wording isn’t right…..

✓ Have you ever checked out www.CITYWATCHLA.com interesting opinions concerning

i. Neighborhood Politics

ii. LA Watchdog

3. Has your NC file a CIS on:

✓ CF23-0002-S16 - By adoption of this resolution the Ralph M Brown Act permit the City of LA NC system to choose to operate remote meetings indefinitely

✓ CF23-0002-S17 – Support for legislative action that would amend the Ralph M. Brown Act to allow local legislative bodies, including appointed boards, commissions, advisory bodies, and NC, to continue to conduct most meetings virtually in the absence of any special circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards to ensure full and robust opportunities for public participation, including by persons who lack means of digital access.

4. How to find out all about BIG projects from the Bureau of Engineering (BOE)

Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committees (LVNOC) and Capital Improvement Projects 1) Go to https://eng.lacity.org/ 2) scroll to the bottom where it says project information and click it 3) https://eng2.lacity.org/iuprs/ scroll to link "search for project" 4) select CD or NC and click next (I suggest CD) 5) then select report all. 6) Each project has a little paper looking thing which is a link to project status. Once you identify project you can get more info from there. It will say status and LVNOC if applicable Thank You Lee Blumenfeld, Encino NC PLU Board Member

Page 3 of 3

LA Special Election for CD6 – April 4, 2023 with June 27, 2023 run off date if needed

Saturday 18FEB2023 10am

VANC MEET THE CANDIDATES EVENT at   

Osborne Neighborhood Church 13501 Osborne St Arleta 91331

See the Certified List of Candidates at this link:

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/CD6_Petition_Filing_Daily_report.pdf

City Clerk site: https://clerk.lacity.gov/clerk-services/elections/municipal-elections

Write-In Candidates will be introduced at the Feb. 18 VANC Meet the Candidates event

CD6 NCs: Arleta, Encino, Foothill Trails, Lake Balboa, North Hills East, North Hollywood North East, Panorama City, Sun Valley Area, Van Nuys

 (First mail out ballots will be sent on 6Mar2023)

1. AB-2449 Open Meetings: local agencies: teleconferences

• The legislative body must provide a way for the public to remotely hear, visually observe, and remotely address the legislative body, either by a two-way audiovisual platform or a two-way telephonic service and a live webcasting of the meeting. • The provisions of AB 2449 will remain in effect until January 1, 2026 • SEE Complete Bill https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2449

2. AB361 Open Meetings: state and local agencies: teleconferences

• Stop the meeting during any service disruption that either

I. Prevents the local agency from broadcasting the meeting to the public using the call-in or internet-based service option, or

II. Is within the local agency’s control and prevents the public from submitting public comments

• effective until January 1, 2024

• SEE Complete Bill

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB361

3. Where to find 2023 NC election information: 

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf • https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections • (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org.

4. CD6 Special Election information

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/General_Information_for_CD6_Special_Election_Candidates_Pamphlet_2023.pdf

HOT TOPICS For November 8, 2022

1. Where to find 2023 NC election information:

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf

• https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections

• (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org. 

Neighborhood Council Elections Presentation Contacts:

Michael Lektorich Election Administrator from City Clerk’s office

election candidate files, polling places, vote by mail, ADA compliance for voting

locations

213-978-0444 Michael.lektorich@lacity.org

Angie Aramayo, Director of Awareness & Engagement from DONE

Election outreach, CANVA accounts, regional meetings

213-357-8810 Angie.Aramayo@lacity.org

Candidates running for Local Office 

Mayor 

i. www.carusocan.com 

ii. www.karenbass.com 

City Attorney

 i. www.hydeeforcityattorney.com 

ii. www.gillforla.com 

LA Controller

 i. www.mejiaforcontroller.com 

ii. www.koretzforla.com 

LA County Sheriff 

i. www.alexvillanueva.org 

ii. www.lunaforsheriff.com 

HOT TOPICS For October 13, 2022 

#1 Missed the meeting tonight? Check out www.susanshelley.com for the November ballot measures. 

#2 Council File 22-1146 

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) to report back on 

• the length of time that the Community Impact Statements (CIS) did not reach their destination 
•  List the City Commissions that were impacted by not having correct email configurations 
•  The number of CIS that were not transmitted as intended by Neighborhood Councils 
•  The steps taken to remedy the issue and prevent from happening again. 
•  Technological upgrades needed to the CIS portal to ensure submission of CIS are seamless and streamlined as possible 

#3 Council File 22-1070 

DONE to report back on viable options for conducting future NC meetings 

• such as virtual/EVG system meetings, 
•  in-person meetings or 
•  a hybrid option 
•  include any legal implications 
•  NC flexibility to select an option that meets their needs. 

HOT TOPICS For September 14, 2022

A motion was introduced in City Council on September 14, 2022 regarding the future of NC meetings.  The City Clerk's summary title is:  Neighborhood Council Meetings / EmpowerLA Virtual Governance (EVG) System / In-Person / Emergency Declarations

The motion is Council File 22-1070 (linked below).

HOT TOPICS For September 8, 2022

MOU = Memorandum of Understanding (sometimes MoU)

DWP = Department of Water and Power (LADWP)

https://www.ladwpnews.com/dwp-nc-mou-and-advocacy-committee-meetings/

#1 The MOU between the DWP and the Neighborhood Councils (NC) is a formal agreement for advance notice and information sharing. This understanding was created after a firestorm of neighborhood oppositions to a DWP rate request that had Inadequate notice and little explanation. Meets 1st Sat of ODD Months 8:30am -10am

The MOU created an Oversight Committee that coordinates information sharing under the agreement. Meets 1st Sat of EVEN Months 830a – 10am

Each Neighborhood Council votes to participate in the MOU and names a stakeholder or board member to be their official representative to the Oversight Committee. The public is also welcome to attend.

LADWP’s budget is multi-billions. What is spends generates a ‘TAX’ on OUR bill for the cost of water and power.

#2 LADWP “LA100” Plan could TRIPLE power rates. How to green up the city’s power system, how fast, and at what cost should be a public discussion. After DWP spent millions over three years for a study on how to reach 100% renewable power by 2045, the current Mayor (Garcetti) and City Council have ordered the goal advanced to 2035. Should ratepayers bear cost of a first in nation political goal? Go to https://ladwp.com/sltrp Scroll to bottom, Click + next to “Public Outreach Meetings” And register

Possible Motion for your NC

TO: LADWP GM: Martin.Adams@ladwp.com

Board members: chante.mitchell@ladwp.com ask to forward to commissioners

DWP SLTRP team: PowerSLTRP@ladwp.com

LA100 study yielding possible tripling of rates by 2035 needs more analysis.

For 2 ½ years NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) studied complex plans for zero carbon emissions by 2045. However, after completion of the study, Mayor Garcetti abruptly forwarded the zero carbon emissions date by a decade to 2035.

The recently released LA100 study (Advisory Group Mtg. #10, 8/12/22) includes only PRELIMINARY rates and bill costs. Also, it does not include any cost comparisons between “zero carbon” dates of 2035 and 2045.

Additionally, the study’s preliminary analysis shows some residential rates TRIPLING by 2035 but states it has not done a detailed “rates analysis” (which will often yield higher rates than determined by a “broad brush” preliminary analysis).

Based upon this information, the _______________ Neighborhood Council believes that the study is incomplete and requests that the LADWP Board of Commissioners NOT vote to select a final SLTRP (Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan) case until all the above cost and rates study information is provided to the Board AND the public for timely review. This information will assist in making decisions that adhere to the 3/31/21 City Council directive (CF21-0352) that states that the SLTRP “have minimal adverse impact on ratepayers.”

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter,

HOT TOPICS   For August 11, 2022 

STILL PENDING AND STILL HOT and needs your attention

Municipal Lobbying Ordinance, CF 22-0560:

Budget Advocates OPPOSE CF11-1020-S3.

Urge City Council to retain telephonic public commenting

1. VANC HOT TOPIC - North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project

The Metro North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project was initiated in 2017 and subsequently two options for a Bus Rapid Transit line were proposed on Nordhoff Street OR Roscoe Boulevard.  Last month Metro held three community meetings to announce a different "network approach" instead.  This "BRT Network Improvements" proposes an enhanced bus network that would increase connectivity and provide high-quality bus service and transit infrastructure in North San Fernando Valley communities from Northridge on the west to North Hollywood on the east. 

For a project overview, watch the video linked here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j35VTlXnXrY

If you were unable to attend the Metro community meetings, you can watch the virtual meeting, access meeting materials and visit the online interactive StoryMap on the project website, by visiting metro.net/nsfvbrt. Please share any additional comments via the online form.

Metro anticipates completing the Alternatives Screening Report (ASR) analyzing the new proposed BRT Network Improvements and comparison of the benefits and tradeoffs to the previously-analyzed BRT alternatives in Fall 2022. The proposed project is anticipated to be on the agenda for Metro Board review and consideration in Fall 2022.

2. HOW TO FORWARD PUBLIC COMMENTS ON Council Files 

Go to clerk.lacity.org 

move down under POPULAR SERVICES 

click on Council File Management System 

under SIMPLE SEARCH___________________ 

enter council file number or topic 

ex: 22-0600-S20 or goats 

click on SEARCH 

on RIGHT SIDE 

click on the File Number 

At top of page to the right of COUNCIL FILE # 

Click on NEW in RED 

PUBLIC COMMENT FORM will appear 

Complete information required and click on SUBMIT 

GO TO YOU YOUR EMAIL, you MUST reply to the city’s email to activate

3. Thank You to Los Angeles Fire Department and Police Department

Our guest speakers over the last two months (June, July) have included Deputy L.A. Fire Department Chief Trevor Richmond (Valley Bureau Commander), Assistant Chief John Drake (Command 42, Valley Operations), and Captain Ruben Lopez (I/CM42 Adjutant). 

The fire danger created by the inhabited RVs and homeless encampment next to the West Valley Animal Shelter was discussed with them. RVs and tents were very close to the Shelter, with one inhabited RV touching trees that also touched the roof of the Shelter where dogs are locked in their kennels. If there had been a fire, animals in the Shelter would have been burned to death. As well as creating a fire danger, belongings and trash from the RVs and tents blocked the route to take the Shelter Dogs for a walk. 

The situation was quickly handled and the fire danger mitigated. 

Thank you to our guest speakers, as well as LAFD Battalion Chief Karen Richter, Watch Commander Sergeant Nick Nemecek of LAPD, and all other personnel from LAFD and LAPD who participated in mitigating the fire danger and are continuing to assure the safety of the West Valley Animal Shelter. Thank you to VANC for conveying the information about this danger directly to the proper City officials.

4. Hot Topic re Northeast Valley Animal Shelter

At last month’s VANC (July) meeting, we passed the following resolution, 24 in favor, none against, one abstention:

The Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC) represents the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando Valley, including all of the Neighborhood Councils in the vicinity of the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter. This shelter is a City facility built with Proposition F funds to be a municipal animal shelter, open to the public. It was not meant to be a private facility to house rescue organizations. Nevertheless, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners has issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) to do just that, lease the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter to rescue organizations to operate. The Board of Animal Services Commissioners and Animal Services Department did not provide an opportunity for the affected Neighborhood Councils to provide input into this decision. 

Therefore, it is RESOLVED that VANC takes the position that the Department of Animals Services and City Council should receive input from the affected Neighborhood Councils before releasing the Request for Proposal for rescue organizations to operate the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter.

UPDATE: New Council file introduced 5AUG22 regarding: Article 2, Section 10.15 (3) of the Charter, the requirements for circulation of an RFP are as follows:

“Public notice of the RFP shall be given in writing or electronically to prospective contractors or suppliers of the appropriate commodity and to any other sources deemed appropriate. The RFP shall state the time and place at which the proposals will be received. Proposals received after the time and date specified may be returned and may not be considered.”

Council File does not yet have a number.

5. Hot Topic re Suspension or Termination of Animal Services Department Volunteers

In the last month, the Los Angeles Times, as well as other news outlets, have run

stories very critical of the Animal Services Department and conditions for animals

in the City Animal Shelters:

‘It’s Inhumane’: Dogs At L.A. Animal Shelters Go Weeks Or Months Without

Being Walked: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-14/la-city-

animal-shelters-dogs-sit-in-kennels-weeks-months-without-walks

‘Horrified’: L.A. City Council Members Call For Action On Overcrowded Animal

Shelters: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-16/l-a-city-council-

members-called-for-action-city-shelters

LA Animal Services Officials Blame Staff Shortage, Pandemic Challenges For

Issues At City Shelters: https://abc7.com/animal-shelters-la-city-council-concerns-

emergency-meeting/12061158/

Volunteers who spoke with the press and others about conditions at the City

Animal Shelters have been suspended or terminated. As well as likely being a

First Amendment violation subjecting the City to potential liability, this harms the

animals who are deprived of the essential care given by these Volunteers, making

the conditions exposed in these articles even worse.

This isn’t the first time that the Animal Services Department has tried to cover-up

conditions at the Shelters by suspending or terminating Volunteers. Please see:

Budget Advocates Call for Investigation of Animal Services Department Volunteer

Program: https://citywatchla.com/index.php/budget-advocates-2/19044-budget-

advocates-call-for-investigation-of-animal-services-department-volunteer-program

Therefore, I propose the following resolution, to be sent to City officials,

Neighborhood Councils, and others:

RESOLVED, that the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC),

representing the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando

Valley, strongly condemns the suspension or termination of Volunteers for

speaking with the press about conditions in the City Animal Shelters or

exercising their First Amendment rights.

The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) is a process mandated by California state law that requires that cities and unincorporated areas of counties to plan for new housing to accommodate projected growth. RHNA operates on an eight-year cycle. 1. WHAT IS 2021-2029 Housing Element? • Identifies the City’s housing conditions and needs, establishes goals, objectives, and policies to guide future housing decisions, and provides an array of programs to meet Citywide Housing Priorities, including: addressing the housing shortage, advancing racial equity and access to opportunity, preventing displacement and promoting sustainability and resilience. California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) informed the City of Los Angeles that its 2021-2029 Housing Element was in full compliance with State law. • A9lrqglk_wz2pcy_8ys.tmp (lacity.org) (press control and left click to view) 2. The five goals that will guide the 2021-2029 Housing Elements are as follows: • Goal 1 – A City where housing production results in an amply supply of housing to create more equitable and affordable options that meet existing and projected needs. • Goal 2 - A City that preserves and enhances the quality of housing and provides greater housing stability for households of all income levels. • Goal 3 – A city in which housing creates healthy, livable, sustainable, and resilient communities that improve the lives of all Angelenos. • Goal 4 - A City that fosters racially and socially inclusive neighborhoods and corrects the harms of historic racial, ethnic, and social discrimination of the past and present. • Goal 5 – A City that is committed to preventing and ending homelessness. Please see the next page for a thoughtful explanation of the issues and what action NCs could take. Thank you Jeffrey Hartsough Sherman Oaks NC

LA City Housing Element –

An opportunity for NCs to collaborate, to speak for their communities, and to help maintain vibrant livable neighborhoods.

NCs often focus on immediate and short-term issues facing their communities. The Housing Element is something different – it will have a dramatic and forever lasting impact on our communities and Los Angeles. What will Los Angeles be like in the distant future? The Housing Element will define that future.

The Department of City Planning (DCP) is working on the LA City Housing Element and the rezoning of Los Angeles. NCs need to understand how the Housing Element and the impact of recent CA State laws will impact their single-family, multi-family, retail, and commercial areas. The proposed zoning, as is, could have long-term negative impacts on the quality of life of residents.

The opportunity to have input into the draft ordinance that is to be released late this fall is NOW. It is important and should be a focus of NCs to let their Council Member know how they would like their communities to grow and develop. NCs should collaborate with other NCs within their shared Council Member’s district to make sure their voices are heard.

Here are a few points to consider:

➢ The Department of City Planning (DCP) will be proposing the rezoning of single-family and multi-family neighborhoods by the Fall of this year.

➢ The rezoning will allow 4-5 story apartments in single-family neighborhoods and could eliminate some of the affordable existing multi-family housing.

➢ The State RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) target for the period 2021-2029 mandates that LA must zone for 486,379 housing units. Current zoning provides for 230,964 housing units. Rezoning must allow for an additional 255,000 housing units by 2029. The current Housing Element has provided for rezoning for 1,400,000 housing units – over 5 times the needed number.

➢ Rather than upzoning primarily residential parcels, the City can meet the necessary incremental RHNA housing unit target by focusing on development along major corridors. Such a focus would maintain single-family and multi-family residential neighborhoods while developing necessary housing along transportation corridors.

➢ Once parcels are “upzoned” they cannot be “downzoned” in the future.

➢ Other items that should be considered as part of the rezoning in the Housing Element are access to transportation, walkability, open spaces and parks, parking, and economic development and growth.

Again, as individuals or a single neighborhood council our Council Members can question the support of the community on this issue. The focus should not be on rezoning single-family and multi-family neighborhoods. We need to work together and let our Council Members know that we are in favor of thoughtful intelligent growth along corridors and other currently available spaces.

If interested in pursuing this, email Jeffrey Hartsough at jeffrey.hartsough.sonc@gmail.com

Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC) 

Has been compiling ideas for a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights and is asking for YOUR input. 

Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights 

The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is  soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of  all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders.  Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to  ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up -  what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important  issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but  for everyone. 

The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• • There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind  previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council  regarding its own bylaws. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC  appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification  by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an  appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 
• • The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 
• • Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder  status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced  to include other categories of stakeholder. 
• • Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power  over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum  of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding  one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 
• • The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent  one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against  neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an  equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a  conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of  government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an  equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 
• • The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are  not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council  status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the  equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council  participants. 
• • Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics  training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional  training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects  already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements  which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall  have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood  council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards  on a voluntary basis. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to  consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of  appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the  choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and  shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and  of BONC commissioners. 
• • There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood  council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her  district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of  those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the  governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on  the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats  against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a  crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council  system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules  which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive  absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a  year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced  unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those  rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood  councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be  enforceable. 
• • No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function,  governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood  council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so  choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate  payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city  government be willing. 
• • The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations  to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the  neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include  this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

1. CITY ATTORNEY ADVICE REPOSITORY: For the first decade of the Neighborhood Council system, decisions of the City Attorney on Neighborhood Council matters were posted on the website of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). Those determinations and advisory recommendations could be referenced by DONE staff, by NCs, and by the public. About ten years ago that historical repository was wiped out when a key computer server at DONE failed and there was no usable backup. Since that time, opinions from the City Attorney's Neighborhood Council Advice Division have become closely held secrets. Retired attorney Jeffrey Mausner (Tarzana NC) notes that the State Bar of California provides resources for attorneys to make ethical decisions, including ethics opinions and research tools for laws and rules relating to ethics. A similar resource would be invaluable for the Neighborhood Council system. The specifics of every case are obviously unique. However, like case law in the courts, having a repository of past advice and decisions could provide some guidance as to what might apply in similar circumstances. 

2. Investigation of the Volunteer Program of the Los Angeles Animal Services Department (LAAS)

On October 11, 2022, a Cease-and-Desist Letter was sent to LAAS and City officials, citing violations of volunteers’ constitutionally protected free speech rights and stating that a lawsuit would be commenced if it did not stop. The letter can be seen here: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2022/22-1176_PC_PM_10-20-2022.pdf

Despite progress, this issue has not been fully resolved. Please see: Animal Shelter Volunteers Win First Round In Fight For First Amendment Rights, https://citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/animal-watch/25845-animal-shelter-volunteers-win-first-round-in-fight-for-first-amendment-rights

LAAS is no longer explicitly stating that it is suspending or terminating volunteers for speaking to the press or posting on social media regarding conditions at the shelters. However, LAAS is now suspending or terminating volunteers who do these things, stating that they are purportedly being suspended or terminated on other grounds. Many people believe that these “other grounds” are merely pretexts to get rid of or silence the outspoken volunteers and cover up problems at the animal shelters.

A petition is circulating entitled PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF THE LOS ANGELES ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. The petition, which can be accessed here, has received more than 4,000 signatures and hundreds of comments in less than three weeks: https://www.change.org/p/please-investigate-the-volunteer-program-of-the-los-angeles-animal-services-department

The petition calls on the City Attorney, Controller, and/or Mayor to determine if these volunteers were suspended or terminated for legitimate reasons or for Constitutionally protected activities. The petition also asks that the investigation determine why there are so few volunteers being accepted and trained, while thousands of applicants are waiting. Lack of trained volunteers is causing animals to suffer and wasting millions of dollars of free volunteer time.

3. NEW BOARD SEATING POLICY: The past General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment decided, without significant Neighborhood Council input, to overturn the board seating policy that had been in effect from the inception of the system. Newly elected Board Members were always seated at the time their election was officially certified. The former GM decreed that all elected board members will be seated on July 1 of the new Fiscal Year, regardless of when their local election is certified. The rationale (which does not seem to make sense) was that because of limited staff, it would be easier for DONE to train 1,900 people all at once, rather than training them incrementally as their sequenced elections were completed. The new seating policy has potentially disastrous effects for the current 2023 NC elections. Many Neighborhood Council elections are turning into "board seatings" because there were no competitive seats. However, they are NOT SEATED because of the problematic new policy. Instead, the "lame duck" board members will continue in power through June. This period will include spending all of the council's current year funds AND appointments to fill seats that are still vacant after the election. This seems like a profoundly undemocratic result for a policy that has at its core a 'training convenience' argument of questionable logic. In particular, many of the newly elected people may become so disillusioned with being shut out that they drift away. This could leave many NCs unable to make a quorum which would also keep them from appointing new people to vacancies. DONE, which has the authority to do so (under its shared authority over elections with the City Clerk) should consider IMMEDIATELY ending this policy and returning to the historic policy of seating board members upon certification of the election. 

4. Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders. Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up - what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but for everyone. The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council regarding its own bylaws. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 

• The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 

• Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced to include other categories of stakeholder. 

• Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 

• Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 

• The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 

• The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council participants.

• Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards on a voluntary basis. 

• Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and of BONC commissioners. 

• There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be enforceable. 

• No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function, governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city government be willing. 

• The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

5. LA AQUEDUCT WATER: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) continues its fight to keep water affordable by using its historic water rights in the Eastern Sierra. Local interests in Mono and Inyo counties repeatedly hatch environmental crusades and lawsuits to prevent Los Angeles from using its water rights. This year was no exception. The consistently antagonistic Mono Lake Committee (MLC) tried to declare an "ecological crisis" to protect common seagulls in Mono Lake, even though the closest nesting islands are over 700 feet from coyotes on the shoreline. On February 15 the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) held a public information meeting about the claims and the MLC request that LADWP's rights to water from local streams, which have already been reduced by 90 percent, now be reduced to ZERO. Record recent snowfalls (nearly 300 percent of normal) have made the claimed crisis implausible. Meanwhile, in the Owens Lake area, the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) has filed a proposed budget with a 300 percent increase in its legal funds (paid for by LADWP) to support additional legal action against the City of Los Angeles. Great Basin uses dust from Owens Dry Lake as a way to force LA to use its water for dust control instead of sending it to LA for drinking water. At peak use, LADWP leaves enough water in Mono County to fill up the Rose Bowl to the brim, EVERY DAY. The San Fernando Valley has a special interest in protecting the city's water rights in the Eastern Sierras. Because of its elevation the Valley cannot use water from either the Colorado River or from the giant Diamond Lake reservoir maintained by Metropolitan Water District (MWD). It depends on imported water from the State Water Project (from the Bay Delta), which until recently was limited to tiny 'emergency' supplies, or from the LA Aqueduct. LA Aqueduct water built the Valley. It still is our lifeblood. What happens to Eastern Sierras water is a HUGE local issue.

1. CF20-0990 – Under the guise of LA Civil Rights, a vote for this council file gives DONE GM authority to remove elected board members and determine what mandatory training DONE requires and allows GM to change NC Bylaws. A vote against, implies NC is against LA Civil Rights. If your NC voted before 28Feb2023, you need to vote AGAIN. 

2. Do you want to help at our valley elections? How to become a poll worker 213-978-0444 https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Community_Poll_worker_flyer.pdf Department of Neighborhood Empowerment: 

3. Project Coordinator – aka NEA Job Description It’s good to know what the NEAs duties are. https://per.lacity.org/jobs/openings/index.cfm?job_id=5750 

4. Los Angeles City Charter Article IX Department of Neighborhood Empowerment https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0_0_0_372 

5. Los Angeles Administrative Code Chapter 28 – The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-53812#JD_D22c28

1. CANDIDATE FORUM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: contact Linda Gravani at VANC34.chair@gmail.com

✓ Greeters

✓ Time Keepers

✓ Crowd Control

✓ Review Questions

✓ Direct traffic

Timeline:

8a-9a NC booth/ pop-up Set-up - If raining, will be inside

9a-10a Meet and Greet

10a-1230p Candidate introductions and Q&A

1230p-130p Network with CD6 NC Board Members and CD6 Candidates

130p-2pm Clean-Up

2. How corrupt is our city of Angels? … NCs agendas get rejected if the wording isn’t right…..

✓ Have you ever checked out www.CITYWATCHLA.com interesting opinions concerning

i. Neighborhood Politics

ii. LA Watchdog

3. Has your NC file a CIS on:

✓ CF23-0002-S16 - By adoption of this resolution the Ralph M Brown Act permit the City of LA NC system to choose to operate remote meetings indefinitely

✓ CF23-0002-S17 – Support for legislative action that would amend the Ralph M. Brown Act to allow local legislative bodies, including appointed boards, commissions, advisory bodies, and NC, to continue to conduct most meetings virtually in the absence of any special circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards to ensure full and robust opportunities for public participation, including by persons who lack means of digital access.

4. How to find out all about BIG projects from the Bureau of Engineering (BOE)

Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committees (LVNOC) and Capital Improvement Projects 1) Go to https://eng.lacity.org/ 2) scroll to the bottom where it says project information and click it 3) https://eng2.lacity.org/iuprs/ scroll to link "search for project" 4) select CD or NC and click next (I suggest CD) 5) then select report all. 6) Each project has a little paper looking thing which is a link to project status. Once you identify project you can get more info from there. It will say status and LVNOC if applicable Thank You Lee Blumenfeld, Encino NC PLU Board Member

Page 3 of 3

LA Special Election for CD6 – April 4, 2023 with June 27, 2023 run off date if needed

Saturday 18FEB2023 10am

VANC MEET THE CANDIDATES EVENT at   

Osborne Neighborhood Church 13501 Osborne St Arleta 91331

See the Certified List of Candidates at this link:

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/CD6_Petition_Filing_Daily_report.pdf

City Clerk site: https://clerk.lacity.gov/clerk-services/elections/municipal-elections

Write-In Candidates will be introduced at the Feb. 18 VANC Meet the Candidates event

CD6 NCs: Arleta, Encino, Foothill Trails, Lake Balboa, North Hills East, North Hollywood North East, Panorama City, Sun Valley Area, Van Nuys

 (First mail out ballots will be sent on 6Mar2023)

1. AB-2449 Open Meetings: local agencies: teleconferences

• The legislative body must provide a way for the public to remotely hear, visually observe, and remotely address the legislative body, either by a two-way audiovisual platform or a two-way telephonic service and a live webcasting of the meeting. • The provisions of AB 2449 will remain in effect until January 1, 2026 • SEE Complete Bill https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2449

2. AB361 Open Meetings: state and local agencies: teleconferences

• Stop the meeting during any service disruption that either

I. Prevents the local agency from broadcasting the meeting to the public using the call-in or internet-based service option, or

II. Is within the local agency’s control and prevents the public from submitting public comments

• effective until January 1, 2024

• SEE Complete Bill

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB361

3. Where to find 2023 NC election information: 

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf • https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections • (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org.

4. CD6 Special Election information

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/General_Information_for_CD6_Special_Election_Candidates_Pamphlet_2023.pdf

HOT TOPICS For November 8, 2022

1. Where to find 2023 NC election information:

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf

• https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections

• (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org. 

Neighborhood Council Elections Presentation Contacts:

Michael Lektorich Election Administrator from City Clerk’s office

election candidate files, polling places, vote by mail, ADA compliance for voting

locations

213-978-0444 Michael.lektorich@lacity.org

Angie Aramayo, Director of Awareness & Engagement from DONE

Election outreach, CANVA accounts, regional meetings

213-357-8810 Angie.Aramayo@lacity.org

Candidates running for Local Office 

Mayor 

i. www.carusocan.com 

ii. www.karenbass.com 

City Attorney

 i. www.hydeeforcityattorney.com 

ii. www.gillforla.com 

LA Controller

 i. www.mejiaforcontroller.com 

ii. www.koretzforla.com 

LA County Sheriff 

i. www.alexvillanueva.org 

ii. www.lunaforsheriff.com 

HOT TOPICS For October 13, 2022 

#1 Missed the meeting tonight? Check out www.susanshelley.com for the November ballot measures. 

#2 Council File 22-1146 

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) to report back on 

• the length of time that the Community Impact Statements (CIS) did not reach their destination 
•  List the City Commissions that were impacted by not having correct email configurations 
•  The number of CIS that were not transmitted as intended by Neighborhood Councils 
•  The steps taken to remedy the issue and prevent from happening again. 
•  Technological upgrades needed to the CIS portal to ensure submission of CIS are seamless and streamlined as possible 

#3 Council File 22-1070 

DONE to report back on viable options for conducting future NC meetings 

• such as virtual/EVG system meetings, 
•  in-person meetings or 
•  a hybrid option 
•  include any legal implications 
•  NC flexibility to select an option that meets their needs. 

HOT TOPICS For September 14, 2022

A motion was introduced in City Council on September 14, 2022 regarding the future of NC meetings.  The City Clerk's summary title is:  Neighborhood Council Meetings / EmpowerLA Virtual Governance (EVG) System / In-Person / Emergency Declarations

The motion is Council File 22-1070 (linked below).

HOT TOPICS For September 8, 2022

MOU = Memorandum of Understanding (sometimes MoU)

DWP = Department of Water and Power (LADWP)

https://www.ladwpnews.com/dwp-nc-mou-and-advocacy-committee-meetings/

#1 The MOU between the DWP and the Neighborhood Councils (NC) is a formal agreement for advance notice and information sharing. This understanding was created after a firestorm of neighborhood oppositions to a DWP rate request that had Inadequate notice and little explanation. Meets 1st Sat of ODD Months 8:30am -10am

The MOU created an Oversight Committee that coordinates information sharing under the agreement. Meets 1st Sat of EVEN Months 830a – 10am

Each Neighborhood Council votes to participate in the MOU and names a stakeholder or board member to be their official representative to the Oversight Committee. The public is also welcome to attend.

LADWP’s budget is multi-billions. What is spends generates a ‘TAX’ on OUR bill for the cost of water and power.

#2 LADWP “LA100” Plan could TRIPLE power rates. How to green up the city’s power system, how fast, and at what cost should be a public discussion. After DWP spent millions over three years for a study on how to reach 100% renewable power by 2045, the current Mayor (Garcetti) and City Council have ordered the goal advanced to 2035. Should ratepayers bear cost of a first in nation political goal? Go to https://ladwp.com/sltrp Scroll to bottom, Click + next to “Public Outreach Meetings” And register

Possible Motion for your NC

TO: LADWP GM: Martin.Adams@ladwp.com

Board members: chante.mitchell@ladwp.com ask to forward to commissioners

DWP SLTRP team: PowerSLTRP@ladwp.com

LA100 study yielding possible tripling of rates by 2035 needs more analysis.

For 2 ½ years NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) studied complex plans for zero carbon emissions by 2045. However, after completion of the study, Mayor Garcetti abruptly forwarded the zero carbon emissions date by a decade to 2035.

The recently released LA100 study (Advisory Group Mtg. #10, 8/12/22) includes only PRELIMINARY rates and bill costs. Also, it does not include any cost comparisons between “zero carbon” dates of 2035 and 2045.

Additionally, the study’s preliminary analysis shows some residential rates TRIPLING by 2035 but states it has not done a detailed “rates analysis” (which will often yield higher rates than determined by a “broad brush” preliminary analysis).

Based upon this information, the _______________ Neighborhood Council believes that the study is incomplete and requests that the LADWP Board of Commissioners NOT vote to select a final SLTRP (Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan) case until all the above cost and rates study information is provided to the Board AND the public for timely review. This information will assist in making decisions that adhere to the 3/31/21 City Council directive (CF21-0352) that states that the SLTRP “have minimal adverse impact on ratepayers.”

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter,

HOT TOPICS   For August 11, 2022 

STILL PENDING AND STILL HOT and needs your attention

Municipal Lobbying Ordinance, CF 22-0560:

Budget Advocates OPPOSE CF11-1020-S3.

Urge City Council to retain telephonic public commenting

1. VANC HOT TOPIC - North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project

The Metro North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project was initiated in 2017 and subsequently two options for a Bus Rapid Transit line were proposed on Nordhoff Street OR Roscoe Boulevard.  Last month Metro held three community meetings to announce a different "network approach" instead.  This "BRT Network Improvements" proposes an enhanced bus network that would increase connectivity and provide high-quality bus service and transit infrastructure in North San Fernando Valley communities from Northridge on the west to North Hollywood on the east. 

For a project overview, watch the video linked here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j35VTlXnXrY

If you were unable to attend the Metro community meetings, you can watch the virtual meeting, access meeting materials and visit the online interactive StoryMap on the project website, by visiting metro.net/nsfvbrt. Please share any additional comments via the online form.

Metro anticipates completing the Alternatives Screening Report (ASR) analyzing the new proposed BRT Network Improvements and comparison of the benefits and tradeoffs to the previously-analyzed BRT alternatives in Fall 2022. The proposed project is anticipated to be on the agenda for Metro Board review and consideration in Fall 2022.

2. HOW TO FORWARD PUBLIC COMMENTS ON Council Files 

Go to clerk.lacity.org 

move down under POPULAR SERVICES 

click on Council File Management System 

under SIMPLE SEARCH___________________ 

enter council file number or topic 

ex: 22-0600-S20 or goats 

click on SEARCH 

on RIGHT SIDE 

click on the File Number 

At top of page to the right of COUNCIL FILE # 

Click on NEW in RED 

PUBLIC COMMENT FORM will appear 

Complete information required and click on SUBMIT 

GO TO YOU YOUR EMAIL, you MUST reply to the city’s email to activate

3. Thank You to Los Angeles Fire Department and Police Department

Our guest speakers over the last two months (June, July) have included Deputy L.A. Fire Department Chief Trevor Richmond (Valley Bureau Commander), Assistant Chief John Drake (Command 42, Valley Operations), and Captain Ruben Lopez (I/CM42 Adjutant). 

The fire danger created by the inhabited RVs and homeless encampment next to the West Valley Animal Shelter was discussed with them. RVs and tents were very close to the Shelter, with one inhabited RV touching trees that also touched the roof of the Shelter where dogs are locked in their kennels. If there had been a fire, animals in the Shelter would have been burned to death. As well as creating a fire danger, belongings and trash from the RVs and tents blocked the route to take the Shelter Dogs for a walk. 

The situation was quickly handled and the fire danger mitigated. 

Thank you to our guest speakers, as well as LAFD Battalion Chief Karen Richter, Watch Commander Sergeant Nick Nemecek of LAPD, and all other personnel from LAFD and LAPD who participated in mitigating the fire danger and are continuing to assure the safety of the West Valley Animal Shelter. Thank you to VANC for conveying the information about this danger directly to the proper City officials.

4. Hot Topic re Northeast Valley Animal Shelter

At last month’s VANC (July) meeting, we passed the following resolution, 24 in favor, none against, one abstention:

The Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC) represents the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando Valley, including all of the Neighborhood Councils in the vicinity of the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter. This shelter is a City facility built with Proposition F funds to be a municipal animal shelter, open to the public. It was not meant to be a private facility to house rescue organizations. Nevertheless, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners has issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) to do just that, lease the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter to rescue organizations to operate. The Board of Animal Services Commissioners and Animal Services Department did not provide an opportunity for the affected Neighborhood Councils to provide input into this decision. 

Therefore, it is RESOLVED that VANC takes the position that the Department of Animals Services and City Council should receive input from the affected Neighborhood Councils before releasing the Request for Proposal for rescue organizations to operate the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter.

UPDATE: New Council file introduced 5AUG22 regarding: Article 2, Section 10.15 (3) of the Charter, the requirements for circulation of an RFP are as follows:

“Public notice of the RFP shall be given in writing or electronically to prospective contractors or suppliers of the appropriate commodity and to any other sources deemed appropriate. The RFP shall state the time and place at which the proposals will be received. Proposals received after the time and date specified may be returned and may not be considered.”

Council File does not yet have a number.

5. Hot Topic re Suspension or Termination of Animal Services Department Volunteers

In the last month, the Los Angeles Times, as well as other news outlets, have run

stories very critical of the Animal Services Department and conditions for animals

in the City Animal Shelters:

‘It’s Inhumane’: Dogs At L.A. Animal Shelters Go Weeks Or Months Without

Being Walked: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-14/la-city-

animal-shelters-dogs-sit-in-kennels-weeks-months-without-walks

‘Horrified’: L.A. City Council Members Call For Action On Overcrowded Animal

Shelters: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-16/l-a-city-council-

members-called-for-action-city-shelters

LA Animal Services Officials Blame Staff Shortage, Pandemic Challenges For

Issues At City Shelters: https://abc7.com/animal-shelters-la-city-council-concerns-

emergency-meeting/12061158/

Volunteers who spoke with the press and others about conditions at the City

Animal Shelters have been suspended or terminated. As well as likely being a

First Amendment violation subjecting the City to potential liability, this harms the

animals who are deprived of the essential care given by these Volunteers, making

the conditions exposed in these articles even worse.

This isn’t the first time that the Animal Services Department has tried to cover-up

conditions at the Shelters by suspending or terminating Volunteers. Please see:

Budget Advocates Call for Investigation of Animal Services Department Volunteer

Program: https://citywatchla.com/index.php/budget-advocates-2/19044-budget-

advocates-call-for-investigation-of-animal-services-department-volunteer-program

Therefore, I propose the following resolution, to be sent to City officials,

Neighborhood Councils, and others:

RESOLVED, that the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC),

representing the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando

Valley, strongly condemns the suspension or termination of Volunteers for

speaking with the press about conditions in the City Animal Shelters or

exercising their First Amendment rights.

Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (LANCC) 

Has been compiling ideas for a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights and is asking for YOUR input. 

Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights 

The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders. Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up - what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but for everyone. 

The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• • There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council regarding its own bylaws. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 
• • The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 
• • Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced to include other categories of stakeholder. 
• • Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 
• • The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 
• • The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council participants. 
• • Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards on a voluntary basis. 
• • Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and of BONC commissioners. 
• • There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be enforceable. 
• • No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function, governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city government be willing. 
• • The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

1. CITY ATTORNEY ADVICE REPOSITORY: For the first decade of the Neighborhood Council system, decisions of the City Attorney on Neighborhood Council matters were posted on the website of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). Those determinations and advisory recommendations could be referenced by DONE staff, by NCs, and by the public. About ten years ago that historical repository was wiped out when a key computer server at DONE failed and there was no usable backup. Since that time, opinions from the City Attorney's Neighborhood Council Advice Division have become closely held secrets. Retired attorney Jeffrey Mausner (Tarzana NC) notes that the State Bar of California provides resources for attorneys to make ethical decisions, including ethics opinions and research tools for laws and rules relating to ethics. A similar resource would be invaluable for the Neighborhood Council system. The specifics of every case are obviously unique. However, like case law in the courts, having a repository of past advice and decisions could provide some guidance as to what might apply in similar circumstances. 

2. Investigation of the Volunteer Program of the Los Angeles Animal Services Department (LAAS)

On October 11, 2022, a Cease-and-Desist Letter was sent to LAAS and City officials, citing violations of volunteers’ constitutionally protected free speech rights and stating that a lawsuit would be commenced if it did not stop. The letter can be seen here: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2022/22-1176_PC_PM_10-20-2022.pdf

Despite progress, this issue has not been fully resolved. Please see: Animal Shelter Volunteers Win First Round In Fight For First Amendment Rights, https://citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/animal-watch/25845-animal-shelter-volunteers-win-first-round-in-fight-for-first-amendment-rights

LAAS is no longer explicitly stating that it is suspending or terminating volunteers for speaking to the press or posting on social media regarding conditions at the shelters. However, LAAS is now suspending or terminating volunteers who do these things, stating that they are purportedly being suspended or terminated on other grounds. Many people believe that these “other grounds” are merely pretexts to get rid of or silence the outspoken volunteers and cover up problems at the animal shelters.

A petition is circulating entitled PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF THE LOS ANGELES ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. The petition, which can be accessed here, has received more than 4,000 signatures and hundreds of comments in less than three weeks: https://www.change.org/p/please-investigate-the-volunteer-program-of-the-los-angeles-animal-services-department

The petition calls on the City Attorney, Controller, and/or Mayor to determine if these volunteers were suspended or terminated for legitimate reasons or for Constitutionally protected activities. The petition also asks that the investigation determine why there are so few volunteers being accepted and trained, while thousands of applicants are waiting. Lack of trained volunteers is causing animals to suffer and wasting millions of dollars of free volunteer time.

3. NEW BOARD SEATING POLICY: The past General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment decided, without significant Neighborhood Council input, to overturn the board seating policy that had been in effect from the inception of the system. Newly elected Board Members were always seated at the time their election was officially certified. The former GM decreed that all elected board members will be seated on July 1 of the new Fiscal Year, regardless of when their local election is certified. The rationale (which does not seem to make sense) was that because of limited staff, it would be easier for DONE to train 1,900 people all at once, rather than training them incrementally as their sequenced elections were completed. The new seating policy has potentially disastrous effects for the current 2023 NC elections. Many Neighborhood Council elections are turning into "board seatings" because there were no competitive seats. However, they are NOT SEATED because of the problematic new policy. Instead, the "lame duck" board members will continue in power through June. This period will include spending all of the council's current year funds AND appointments to fill seats that are still vacant after the election. This seems like a profoundly undemocratic result for a policy that has at its core a 'training convenience' argument of questionable logic. In particular, many of the newly elected people may become so disillusioned with being shut out that they drift away. This could leave many NCs unable to make a quorum which would also keep them from appointing new people to vacancies. DONE, which has the authority to do so (under its shared authority over elections with the City Clerk) should consider IMMEDIATELY ending this policy and returning to the historic policy of seating board members upon certification of the election. 

4. Neighborhood Council Bill Of Rights The Working Group for Constructive Change, a committee for LANCC, is soliciting input to create a Bill of Rights addressing the concerns of all Neighborhood Councils, their board members and stakeholders. Attached are some ideas people have submitted so far but we want to ensure that everyone feels included and that means you need to speak up - what you like and don't like, what you feel are the most important issues, and help us make this a Bill of Rights, not just for some but for everyone. The Working Group is waiting to hear from you at lanccWG4CC@gmail.com 

Proposed items to go into a Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights 

• There shall be No imposed bylaws and the city shall rescind previously imposed bylaws at the request of any neighborhood council regarding its own bylaws. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have a role in the choice of BONC appointees by one of the following: appointment subject to ratification by majority of nc's in the region or nc's have veto power over an appointee, or requirement for 60% nc approval 

• The right to freedom of speech exists in neighborhood council deliberations and participation. 

• Neighborhood councils have the right to petition and communicate with all levels of government. 

• Neighborhood councils shall have the right to limit stakeholder status to the minimum described in the Charter and shall not be forced to include other categories of stakeholder. 

• Neighborhood councils are government bodies and hold equal status with other such bodies. 

• Neighborhood councils shall in the aggregate hold veto power over BONC decisions, by majority vote of those voting, out of a quorum of at least 10 neighborhood councils, each neighborhood council holding one vote to be cast by majority vote of its governing board. 

• The office of the City Attorney shall take care not to represent one part of city government against any neighborhood council or against neighborhood councils in general, as the neighborhood councils are an equal branch of city government as defined by the Charter. It shall be a conflict of interest for the City Attorney to represent any branch of government against the neighborhood councils without providing for an equal level of representation for neighborhood councils. 

• The city recognizes that neighborhood council participants are not employees of the city simply due to their neighborhood council status, and the city has no right of ownership, control, or the equivalent over the persons, thoughts, or time of neighborhood council participants.

• Neighborhood councils recognize state law calling for ethics training each two years and accept a minimal amount of additional training not to exceed 30 minutes every two years on the subjects already defined by city rules; Other than these training requirements which already exist, the city and its agencies and departments shall have no right to impose training of any kind or duration on neighborhood council participants; training may be offered to individuals or boards on a voluntary basis. 

• Neighborhood councils shall collectively have the right to consult with the city government and the mayor over the choice of appointees to the position of General Manager of DONE and over the choice of appointees to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, and shall have the right to call for the removal of the General Manager and of BONC commissioners. 

• There shall be a strong presumption that any neighborhood council board member who has been elected by the voters of his/her district holds the board seat lawfully and rightfully by decision of those voters. Removal of a board member by anybody other than the governing board of that member's district shall only be carried out on the basis of extreme circumstances which shall include violence, threats against a board member or a member of the public, or conviction of a crime which affects the neighborhood council or the neighborhood council system as a whole. This shall not be construed to limit bylaws rules which remove a board member due to a certain number of consecutive absences or due to a certain number of absences over the course of a year. Bylaws rules regarding "censure and removal" shall not be enforced unless the neighborhood council itself has intentionally included those rules in its own bylaws; the imposition of these bylaws on neighborhood councils which do not intentionally include them shall not be enforceable. 

• No training, work requirement, or attendance at any function, governmentally related or not, shall be required of any neighborhood council participant. Neighborhood council individuals or, if they so choose, their bargaining units, shall have the right to negotiate payments or salaries for such work or attendance, should the city government be willing. 

• The city government shall enter in good faith into negotiations to develop and accept a Memorandum of Understanding between the neighborhood councils and city government, and the MOU shall include this Neighborhood Council Bill of Rights. 

5. LA AQUEDUCT WATER: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) continues its fight to keep water affordable by using its historic water rights in the Eastern Sierra. Local interests in Mono and Inyo counties repeatedly hatch environmental crusades and lawsuits to prevent Los Angeles from using its water rights. This year was no exception. The consistently antagonistic Mono Lake Committee (MLC) tried to declare an "ecological crisis" to protect common seagulls in Mono Lake, even though the closest nesting islands are over 700 feet from coyotes on the shoreline. On February 15 the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) held a public information meeting about the claims and the MLC request that LADWP's rights to water from local streams, which have already been reduced by 90 percent, now be reduced to ZERO. Record recent snowfalls (nearly 300 percent of normal) have made the claimed crisis implausible. Meanwhile, in the Owens Lake area, the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) has filed a proposed budget with a 300 percent increase in its legal funds (paid for by LADWP) to support additional legal action against the City of Los Angeles. Great Basin uses dust from Owens Dry Lake as a way to force LA to use its water for dust control instead of sending it to LA for drinking water. At peak use, LADWP leaves enough water in Mono County to fill up the Rose Bowl to the brim, EVERY DAY. The San Fernando Valley has a special interest in protecting the city's water rights in the Eastern Sierras. Because of its elevation the Valley cannot use water from either the Colorado River or from the giant Diamond Lake reservoir maintained by Metropolitan Water District (MWD). It depends on imported water from the State Water Project (from the Bay Delta), which until recently was limited to tiny 'emergency' supplies, or from the LA Aqueduct. LA Aqueduct water built the Valley. It still is our lifeblood. What happens to Eastern Sierras water is a HUGE local issue.

1. CF20-0990 – Under the guise of LA Civil Rights, a vote for this council file gives DONE GM authority to remove elected board members and determine what mandatory training DONE requires and allows GM to change NC Bylaws. A vote against, implies NC is against LA Civil Rights. If your NC voted before 28Feb2023, you need to vote AGAIN. 

2. Do you want to help at our valley elections? How to become a poll worker 213-978-0444 https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Community_Poll_worker_flyer.pdf Department of Neighborhood Empowerment: 

3. Project Coordinator – aka NEA Job Description It’s good to know what the NEAs duties are. https://per.lacity.org/jobs/openings/index.cfm?job_id=5750 

4. Los Angeles City Charter Article IX Department of Neighborhood Empowerment https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0_0_0_372 

5. Los Angeles Administrative Code Chapter 28 – The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/los_angeles/latest/laac/0-0-0-53812#JD_D22c28

1. CANDIDATE FORUM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: contact Linda Gravani at VANC34.chair@gmail.com

✓ Greeters

✓ Time Keepers

✓ Crowd Control

✓ Review Questions

✓ Direct traffic

Timeline:

8a-9a NC booth/ pop-up Set-up - If raining, will be inside

9a-10a Meet and Greet

10a-1230p Candidate introductions and Q&A

1230p-130p Network with CD6 NC Board Members and CD6 Candidates

130p-2pm Clean-Up

2. How corrupt is our city of Angels? … NCs agendas get rejected if the wording isn’t right…..

✓ Have you ever checked out www.CITYWATCHLA.com interesting opinions concerning

i. Neighborhood Politics

ii. LA Watchdog

3. Has your NC file a CIS on:

✓ CF23-0002-S16 - By adoption of this resolution the Ralph M Brown Act permit the City of LA NC system to choose to operate remote meetings indefinitely

✓ CF23-0002-S17 – Support for legislative action that would amend the Ralph M. Brown Act to allow local legislative bodies, including appointed boards, commissions, advisory bodies, and NC, to continue to conduct most meetings virtually in the absence of any special circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards to ensure full and robust opportunities for public participation, including by persons who lack means of digital access.

4. How to find out all about BIG projects from the Bureau of Engineering (BOE)

Local Volunteer Neighborhood Oversight Committees (LVNOC) and Capital Improvement Projects 1) Go to https://eng.lacity.org/ 2) scroll to the bottom where it says project information and click it 3) https://eng2.lacity.org/iuprs/ scroll to link "search for project" 4) select CD or NC and click next (I suggest CD) 5) then select report all. 6) Each project has a little paper looking thing which is a link to project status. Once you identify project you can get more info from there. It will say status and LVNOC if applicable Thank You Lee Blumenfeld, Encino NC PLU Board Member

Page 3 of 3

LA Special Election for CD6 – April 4, 2023 with June 27, 2023 run off date if needed

Saturday 18FEB2023 10am

VANC MEET THE CANDIDATES EVENT at   

Osborne Neighborhood Church 13501 Osborne St Arleta 91331

See the Certified List of Candidates at this link:

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/CD6_Petition_Filing_Daily_report.pdf

City Clerk site: https://clerk.lacity.gov/clerk-services/elections/municipal-elections

Write-In Candidates will be introduced at the Feb. 18 VANC Meet the Candidates event

CD6 NCs: Arleta, Encino, Foothill Trails, Lake Balboa, North Hills East, North Hollywood North East, Panorama City, Sun Valley Area, Van Nuys

 (First mail out ballots will be sent on 6Mar2023)

1. AB-2449 Open Meetings: local agencies: teleconferences

• The legislative body must provide a way for the public to remotely hear, visually observe, and remotely address the legislative body, either by a two-way audiovisual platform or a two-way telephonic service and a live webcasting of the meeting. • The provisions of AB 2449 will remain in effect until January 1, 2026 • SEE Complete Bill https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2449

2. AB361 Open Meetings: state and local agencies: teleconferences

• Stop the meeting during any service disruption that either

I. Prevents the local agency from broadcasting the meeting to the public using the call-in or internet-based service option, or

II. Is within the local agency’s control and prevents the public from submitting public comments

• effective until January 1, 2024

• SEE Complete Bill

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB361

3. Where to find 2023 NC election information: 

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf • https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf • https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections • (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org.

4. CD6 Special Election information

https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/General_Information_for_CD6_Special_Election_Candidates_Pamphlet_2023.pdf

HOT TOPICS For November 8, 2022

1. Where to find 2023 NC election information:

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Election_Handbook.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_List_of_Election_Administrator.pdf

• https://clkrep.lacity.org/election/2023_NC_Regional_Election_Schedule.pdf

• https://clerk.lacity.org/clerk-services/elections/nc-elections

• (213) 978-0444 or email us at Clerk.ElectionsNC@lacity.org. 

Neighborhood Council Elections Presentation Contacts:

Michael Lektorich Election Administrator from City Clerk’s office

election candidate files, polling places, vote by mail, ADA compliance for voting

locations

213-978-0444 Michael.lektorich@lacity.org

Angie Aramayo, Director of Awareness & Engagement from DONE

Election outreach, CANVA accounts, regional meetings

213-357-8810 Angie.Aramayo@lacity.org

Candidates running for Local Office 

Mayor 

i. www.carusocan.com 

ii. www.karenbass.com 

City Attorney

 i. www.hydeeforcityattorney.com 

ii. www.gillforla.com 

LA Controller

 i. www.mejiaforcontroller.com 

ii. www.koretzforla.com 

LA County Sheriff 

i. www.alexvillanueva.org 

ii. www.lunaforsheriff.com 

HOT TOPICS For October 13, 2022 

#1 Missed the meeting tonight? Check out www.susanshelley.com for the November ballot measures. 

#2 Council File 22-1146 

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE) to report back on 

• the length of time that the Community Impact Statements (CIS) did not reach their destination 
•  List the City Commissions that were impacted by not having correct email configurations 
•  The number of CIS that were not transmitted as intended by Neighborhood Councils 
•  The steps taken to remedy the issue and prevent from happening again. 
•  Technological upgrades needed to the CIS portal to ensure submission of CIS are seamless and streamlined as possible 

#3 Council File 22-1070 

DONE to report back on viable options for conducting future NC meetings 

• such as virtual/EVG system meetings, 
•  in-person meetings or 
•  a hybrid option 
•  include any legal implications 
•  NC flexibility to select an option that meets their needs. 

HOT TOPICS For September 14, 2022

A motion was introduced in City Council on September 14, 2022 regarding the future of NC meetings.  The City Clerk's summary title is:  Neighborhood Council Meetings / EmpowerLA Virtual Governance (EVG) System / In-Person / Emergency Declarations

The motion is Council File 22-1070 (linked below).

HOT TOPICS For September 8, 2022

MOU = Memorandum of Understanding (sometimes MoU)

DWP = Department of Water and Power (LADWP)

https://www.ladwpnews.com/dwp-nc-mou-and-advocacy-committee-meetings/

#1 The MOU between the DWP and the Neighborhood Councils (NC) is a formal agreement for advance notice and information sharing. This understanding was created after a firestorm of neighborhood oppositions to a DWP rate request that had Inadequate notice and little explanation. Meets 1st Sat of ODD Months 8:30am -10am

The MOU created an Oversight Committee that coordinates information sharing under the agreement. Meets 1st Sat of EVEN Months 830a – 10am

Each Neighborhood Council votes to participate in the MOU and names a stakeholder or board member to be their official representative to the Oversight Committee. The public is also welcome to attend.

LADWP’s budget is multi-billions. What is spends generates a ‘TAX’ on OUR bill for the cost of water and power.

#2 LADWP “LA100” Plan could TRIPLE power rates. How to green up the city’s power system, how fast, and at what cost should be a public discussion. After DWP spent millions over three years for a study on how to reach 100% renewable power by 2045, the current Mayor (Garcetti) and City Council have ordered the goal advanced to 2035. Should ratepayers bear cost of a first in nation political goal? Go to https://ladwp.com/sltrp Scroll to bottom, Click + next to “Public Outreach Meetings” And register

Possible Motion for your NC

TO: LADWP GM: Martin.Adams@ladwp.com

Board members: chante.mitchell@ladwp.com ask to forward to commissioners

DWP SLTRP team: PowerSLTRP@ladwp.com

LA100 study yielding possible tripling of rates by 2035 needs more analysis.

For 2 ½ years NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) studied complex plans for zero carbon emissions by 2045. However, after completion of the study, Mayor Garcetti abruptly forwarded the zero carbon emissions date by a decade to 2035.

The recently released LA100 study (Advisory Group Mtg. #10, 8/12/22) includes only PRELIMINARY rates and bill costs. Also, it does not include any cost comparisons between “zero carbon” dates of 2035 and 2045.

Additionally, the study’s preliminary analysis shows some residential rates TRIPLING by 2035 but states it has not done a detailed “rates analysis” (which will often yield higher rates than determined by a “broad brush” preliminary analysis).

Based upon this information, the _______________ Neighborhood Council believes that the study is incomplete and requests that the LADWP Board of Commissioners NOT vote to select a final SLTRP (Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan) case until all the above cost and rates study information is provided to the Board AND the public for timely review. This information will assist in making decisions that adhere to the 3/31/21 City Council directive (CF21-0352) that states that the SLTRP “have minimal adverse impact on ratepayers.”

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter,

HOT TOPICS   For August 11, 2022 

STILL PENDING AND STILL HOT and needs your attention

Municipal Lobbying Ordinance, CF 22-0560:

Budget Advocates OPPOSE CF11-1020-S3.

Urge City Council to retain telephonic public commenting

1. VANC HOT TOPIC - North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project

The Metro North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project was initiated in 2017 and subsequently two options for a Bus Rapid Transit line were proposed on Nordhoff Street OR Roscoe Boulevard.  Last month Metro held three community meetings to announce a different "network approach" instead.  This "BRT Network Improvements" proposes an enhanced bus network that would increase connectivity and provide high-quality bus service and transit infrastructure in North San Fernando Valley communities from Northridge on the west to North Hollywood on the east. 

For a project overview, watch the video linked here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j35VTlXnXrY

If you were unable to attend the Metro community meetings, you can watch the virtual meeting, access meeting materials and visit the online interactive StoryMap on the project website, by visiting metro.net/nsfvbrt. Please share any additional comments via the online form.

Metro anticipates completing the Alternatives Screening Report (ASR) analyzing the new proposed BRT Network Improvements and comparison of the benefits and tradeoffs to the previously-analyzed BRT alternatives in Fall 2022. The proposed project is anticipated to be on the agenda for Metro Board review and consideration in Fall 2022.

2. HOW TO FORWARD PUBLIC COMMENTS ON Council Files 

Go to clerk.lacity.org 

move down under POPULAR SERVICES 

click on Council File Management System 

under SIMPLE SEARCH___________________ 

enter council file number or topic 

ex: 22-0600-S20 or goats 

click on SEARCH 

on RIGHT SIDE 

click on the File Number 

At top of page to the right of COUNCIL FILE # 

Click on NEW in RED 

PUBLIC COMMENT FORM will appear 

Complete information required and click on SUBMIT 

GO TO YOU YOUR EMAIL, you MUST reply to the city’s email to activate

3. Thank You to Los Angeles Fire Department and Police Department

Our guest speakers over the last two months (June, July) have included Deputy L.A. Fire Department Chief Trevor Richmond (Valley Bureau Commander), Assistant Chief John Drake (Command 42, Valley Operations), and Captain Ruben Lopez (I/CM42 Adjutant). 

The fire danger created by the inhabited RVs and homeless encampment next to the West Valley Animal Shelter was discussed with them. RVs and tents were very close to the Shelter, with one inhabited RV touching trees that also touched the roof of the Shelter where dogs are locked in their kennels. If there had been a fire, animals in the Shelter would have been burned to death. As well as creating a fire danger, belongings and trash from the RVs and tents blocked the route to take the Shelter Dogs for a walk. 

The situation was quickly handled and the fire danger mitigated. 

Thank you to our guest speakers, as well as LAFD Battalion Chief Karen Richter, Watch Commander Sergeant Nick Nemecek of LAPD, and all other personnel from LAFD and LAPD who participated in mitigating the fire danger and are continuing to assure the safety of the West Valley Animal Shelter. Thank you to VANC for conveying the information about this danger directly to the proper City officials.

4. Hot Topic re Northeast Valley Animal Shelter

At last month’s VANC (July) meeting, we passed the following resolution, 24 in favor, none against, one abstention:

The Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC) represents the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando Valley, including all of the Neighborhood Councils in the vicinity of the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter. This shelter is a City facility built with Proposition F funds to be a municipal animal shelter, open to the public. It was not meant to be a private facility to house rescue organizations. Nevertheless, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners has issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) to do just that, lease the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter to rescue organizations to operate. The Board of Animal Services Commissioners and Animal Services Department did not provide an opportunity for the affected Neighborhood Councils to provide input into this decision. 

Therefore, it is RESOLVED that VANC takes the position that the Department of Animals Services and City Council should receive input from the affected Neighborhood Councils before releasing the Request for Proposal for rescue organizations to operate the Northeast Valley Animal Shelter.

UPDATE: New Council file introduced 5AUG22 regarding: Article 2, Section 10.15 (3) of the Charter, the requirements for circulation of an RFP are as follows:

“Public notice of the RFP shall be given in writing or electronically to prospective contractors or suppliers of the appropriate commodity and to any other sources deemed appropriate. The RFP shall state the time and place at which the proposals will be received. Proposals received after the time and date specified may be returned and may not be considered.”

Council File does not yet have a number.

5. Hot Topic re Suspension or Termination of Animal Services Department Volunteers

In the last month, the Los Angeles Times, as well as other news outlets, have run

stories very critical of the Animal Services Department and conditions for animals

in the City Animal Shelters:

‘It’s Inhumane’: Dogs At L.A. Animal Shelters Go Weeks Or Months Without

Being Walked: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-14/la-city-

animal-shelters-dogs-sit-in-kennels-weeks-months-without-walks

‘Horrified’: L.A. City Council Members Call For Action On Overcrowded Animal

Shelters: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-07-16/l-a-city-council-

members-called-for-action-city-shelters

LA Animal Services Officials Blame Staff Shortage, Pandemic Challenges For

Issues At City Shelters: https://abc7.com/animal-shelters-la-city-council-concerns-

emergency-meeting/12061158/

Volunteers who spoke with the press and others about conditions at the City

Animal Shelters have been suspended or terminated. As well as likely being a

First Amendment violation subjecting the City to potential liability, this harms the

animals who are deprived of the essential care given by these Volunteers, making

the conditions exposed in these articles even worse.

This isn’t the first time that the Animal Services Department has tried to cover-up

conditions at the Shelters by suspending or terminating Volunteers. Please see:

Budget Advocates Call for Investigation of Animal Services Department Volunteer

Program: https://citywatchla.com/index.php/budget-advocates-2/19044-budget-

advocates-call-for-investigation-of-animal-services-department-volunteer-program

Therefore, I propose the following resolution, to be sent to City officials,

Neighborhood Councils, and others:

RESOLVED, that the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils (VANC),

representing the 34 Neighborhood Councils throughout the San Fernando

Valley, strongly condemns the suspension or termination of Volunteers for

speaking with the press about conditions in the City Animal Shelters or

exercising their First Amendment rights.