January 26, 2013 -- Neighborhood Councils: Where Did They Come From And Where Are They Going?

On Saturday, January 26, at 9:30 am, Commissioners Douglas Epperhart, Leonard Shaffer, and Daniel Gatica will commence the NC Plan Review and Reform Initiative with a Town Hall meeting that features three of the NC pioneers who had a hands-on role in the formation of the Neighborhood Council system.

 

"Looking Back: A History of the Neighborhood Council Movement in Los Angeles"

A discussion of L.A.'s Neighborhood Council system and its history

Open to ALL who are interest in the Neighborhood Council system

 

Ron Deaton Auditorium

100 West 1st Street (map)

Los Angeles, CA 90012

 

9:30 Meet & Greet

10:00 – Noon Panel Discussion

 

The panel members are Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs as CSU Los Angeles, who served as executive director of the city's appointed charter commission and the Neighborhood Council Review Commission; Greg Nelson, who was instrumental in the Neighborhood Council movement first working for Councilmember Joel Wachs and then as general manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment; and Jerry Gaines, who was an early supporter of Neighborhood Councils as a member of the appointed charter commission and later served as an area planning commissioner and, most recently, on the city's redistricting commission.

 

The Neighborhood Council Plan Review and Reform Initiative is a grassroots, Neighborhood Council-driven, review of the rules an regulations that govern the Neighborhood Council system. The purpose is to consider the current state of affairs and recommend to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners and City Council amendments necessary to facilitate the work of Neighborhood Councils, recognizing the independent status of Neighborhood Councils and strengthening their ability to perform their key missions of increasing stakeholder participation and influencing the municipal decision making process.

 

Saturday's Town Hall meeting is open to everybody! Register for the event at NCPlan registration.

 

Saturday's Town Hall meeting is also the first session for the three working groups, one each for the Valley regions, for the Harbor/South/West regions, and for the Central/North/East regions.

 

NC Presidents can nominate representatives for the working groups by emailing NCPlan@EmpowerLA.org with the person's name, Neighborhood Council affiliation, and contact information. Also, Neighborhood Council leaders can self-nominate themselves. 

 

The three working groups will work over the next few months to review topics such as:

 

The definition of Stakeholders

 

The Brown Act & Posting Policy

 

Neighborhood Council Elections

 

Boundary Adjustments

 

NC Funding – Grants & Donations

 

Duties and Powers of the Commission

 

Early Notification

 

Monitoring the Delivery of City Services

 

Education & Leadership Development

 

The three working groups will be made up of 15 Neighborhood Council members or stakeholders and one Commissioner.

 

ACTION ITEM: If you have an interest in any of the topics that are up for review, now is the time to submit nominations for the working group that represents your community. NC Presidents can nominate Boardmembers and stakeholders, members of the community can also self-nominate. Email NCPlan@EmpowerLA.org with your nomination.

 

ACTION ITEM: Register now for Saturday's Town Hall meeting "Looking Back: A History of the Neighborhood Council Movement in Los Angeles" at NCPlan registration.