Council Certification

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment Update

May 9, 2001

Central Los Angeles Region
Betty Wong Oyma, Project Coordinator
L.A. City Dept. of Neighborhood Empowerment
305 East First Street, L. A., CA 90012
(213) 485-4438, (213) 485-4608-Fax
boyama@mailbox.lacity.org.

Legislative Process:
The City Council reviewed and approved the Plan for a Citywide System of Neighborhood Councils on May 8, 2001. The Plan will now go to the Mayor for changes, approval, or veto. By the City Charter, a Plan must be approved by June 15. The latest version of the Plan can be found on the DONE website, www.lacityneighborhoods.com, under "related links," then "updated plan."

Mayor's Proposed Budget:
The Mayor's Budget was released on Friday, April 20. The budget can be found at http://www.lacity.org/bgONLINE/budget.cfm. Highlights for DONE and neighborhood councils include: funding for 25 Neighborhood Access Centers, $1.5 million for a Neighborhood Matching Grant with up to $100,000 a year per Neighborhood Council, $142,000 to launch the first phase of the Early Notification System, and funding for 11 new Project Coordinators. The Mayor's Budget will be reviewed and modified in the City Council Ad Hoc Committee on the City Budget. A detailed schedule of committee meetings and agenda items can be found at www.cityofla.org under "Council: calendar and agendas."

The City Council Approved Plan:
In the approved Plan, the start date for the certification process is October 1, 2001.

Certification Process
· Boundaries
· Outreach
· By-laws

Funding
· A Neighborhood Council Matching Fund will be established to fund projects or address problems that Neighborhood Councils have identified within their boundaries.
· Neighborhood Councils may be funded directly, through the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, or provided resources at access centers.

Staffing
· Councilmember Mike Feuer made a verbal motion, which was approved, to mandate the staffing of Neighborhood Councils.

Each Neighborhood Council seeking official certification from the City shall submit:

An organizational plan of their Neighborhood Council
By-laws of their Neighborhood Council
Method by which their officers are chosen
Assurances that membership is open to everyone who lives, works or owns property in the area (Stakeholders)
Assurances that the members of the Neighborhood Council will reflect the diverse interests within their area
Show a system through which the Neighborhood Council will communicate with stakeholders on a regular basis
Show a system for financial accountability of its funds
Guarantees that all meetings will be open, public, and permit, to the extent feasible, every stakeholder to participate in the conduct of business" deliberation and decision-making.