Officials mull purpose of Neighborhood Councils

By P.R. McDonald

In Los Angeles, the work of Neighborhood Councils remains something of a mystery. Some city officials think they should act as a facilitator to provide better public services, and others see them as a kind of citizens' lobbying force, allowing the public to compete with the professional lobbyists who work the backrooms of City Hall. Where the latter concept is bold and innovative, the former is welcomed but somewhat pedestrian. So far, officials with the most influence prefer the former.

As the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment starts its community outreach this week, two camps of thought are beginning to emerge in the development of a citywide plan for Neighborhood Councils.

The more mainstream approach -- providing better services -- is largely favored by the president of the Neighborhood Empowerment Commission, the Mayor's Office and several City Council members. The other concept -- giving citizens a true influence at City Hall -- is being pushed by 2nd District Councilman Joel Wachs and civic groups that are already organizing themselves for the implementation of Neighborhood Councils.

The differences between the two schools of thought were made even more clear last Thursday, when the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon to discuss the future of Neighborhood Councils.

Inside the chamber's first-floor meeting room, Neighborhood Empowerment Commission President Lee Kanon Alpert, Mayor Richard Riordan's Chief of Staff Kelly Martin, 3rd District Councilwoman Laura Chick and Department of Neighborhood Empowerment General Manager Rosalind Stewart shared their ideas on the implementation and focus of Neighborhood Councils. They represented the mainstream approach in both concept and status, and never did the hour-long discussion stray from their idea of providing better services.

"Neighborhood Councils should allow us to hear from the recipients of services and get them out there," said Martin, who added that Neighborhood Councils "will not be making land-use decisions."

Alpert, who maintained that "crime, potholes and tree trimming" should be the focus of the councils, shared Martin's viewpoint. And Chick, who chairs the Ad Hoc Committee on Charter Implementation, supported this line of thought, saying the councils should be a "facilitator" between city agencies and the public.

But Greg Nelson, chief deputy for Wachs, believed such a narrow focus would hinder the great promise of Neighborhood Councils, which could help citizens fight unwanted development projects in a community or reinstate popular city programs that have been abolished. Nelson thought it was important not to hamstring the councils, and instead allow them the opportunity to grow in influence.

One organization that agrees with Nelson's assessment is the Hollywood Neighborhood Councils Planning Committee, which is already creating guidelines for their councils. Fran Reichenbach, a member of the committee, commented, "When we need a little more strength or influence, the Neighborhood Councils will be only way to do it."

Reichenbach envisions a system that will unite Hollywood organizations on issues that affect the area, and she believed the councils will generate "more equal control with what happens in our community." Reichenbach seemed less interested in working with city agencies than creating a body that would put pressure on the City Council to follow through with the wishes of the citizens.

Reichenbach also appeared unconcerned with the current emphasis on city services that Alpert and other city officials are pushing. "It's not [Alpert's] focus that makes or breaks this," she said, "It's our focus."

Reichenbach, though, was worried that the City Council may undermine her concept of Neighborhood Councils by not providing the necessary resources to make it work. "We need more money for outreach," she said. Her belief was supported by Martin, who told members of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce that "we have limited resources," especially with the mounting liability costs caused by the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart scandal.

The City Council, in fact, will have the final say on the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment's budget, and Nelson described that reality as the "one loophole" in the implementation process. Even Chick concluded that the success of the Neighborhood Councils largely relied upon proper funding.

Starting this Thursday, the department and its commissioners will hold weekly community meetings to understand the wants and needs of the public.

In his remarks to the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Alpert said he expected to hear ideas he never contemplated before.

People like Reichenbach only hope he will act on what he's being told.