26
Tue, Nov

In NC Commission Crosshairs: What is a Stakeholder

ARCHIVE
BONC REPORT - The Board of Neighborhood Commissioners will be meeting this Tuesday at 6:00 pm in downtown LA.  (Yes, Election Day evening).  Each commissioner represents one of the seven planning districts and each month we hold one of our meetings in a commissioner’s area.  This month we’ll be meeting in the hearing room at the new LAPD Administrative Building, 100 W. 1st Street in downtown LA.
 
In the last few months we’ve approved our Rules, Standards and Best Practices, established our EmpowerLA Awards program for outstanding neighborhood council activities and held a board retreat to look back at things we’ve done and forward for things we’d like to do.  
 
This Tuesday we will be honoring the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council on the 10th anniversary of its certification.  At the same time we will be inviting members of Hollywood United Neighborhood Council and other NC members present at the meeting to share some of their best practices and present suggestions on how the Commission might support and advance them.
 
Tuesday’s agenda also includes consideration of items of current interest to many NCs and regional coalitions.  We are looking at ways to help NCs acquire information regarding important issues earlier so they have time to present those issues to their stakeholders and then respond in a meaningful manner.  We have heard from NC members how frustrated they are by having little or no time to react to proposals that seem to appear with little more than 72 hours notice.  We are also considering a motion asking city officials to give more time to NC members who are authorized to speak before boards, commissions, city council committees and the city council itself on behalf of their neighborhood council.    
 
As many of you know CM Huizar has introduced two motions before city council; one asking for input on a policy change to allow existing neighborhood councils to adjust their boundaries to increase or decrease their size; and another to address the issue of the factual basis stakeholder.  At its Tuesday meeting the Commission will be discussing those motions and considering how we might be part of the broader discussion on both of those issues.  
 
Finally we will be continuing our discussion on a proposal to have the Commission move forward, with input from neighborhood councils, the city council and the Mayor’s office on a revision of the Plan; a document that mainly concerned with the formation of the neighborhood council system that should be updated to addresses the needs of a system approaching maturity.  
 
The Commission agenda with links to all the supporting documents can be found here. If you want to keep up with the Commission go to www.lacity.org sign on to the ENS and get our agendas delivered directly to your in-box. 
 
We’d really like to hear from you on matters being considered by the Commission.  We generally meet each month on the first Tuesday in one of the seven planning areas from 6:00 to 9:00 pm and on the third Monday from 1:00 to 3:00 or 4:00 pm at City Hall downtown. (Future meeting dates and locations are listed near the bottom of the agenda)  If you want to comment on an agenda item but can’t make it to the meeting you can send us an email at [email protected] or via fax to DONE at (213) 978-1751.
 
(Len Shaffer is Vice President of the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners.)
-cw
 
 
 
 
 
 
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 89
Pub: Nov 6, 2012
 

Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays