Elected Members

David Winston, Chair

Denise Stansell, Co-Chair
Yvonne Ellett, Rec. Secretary
Wilson Washensky, Area 1 Rep.
Mary Jones-Darks, Area 1 Rep.
Carl Morgan, Area 2 Rep.
Wendell Conn, Area 2 Rep.
Lark Galloway-Gilliam, Area 3
Rep.
Jackie Ryan, Area 3 Rep.
Appointed Members
Madeleine Renee Walters,
Treasurer Danielle Lafayette,
Corr. Secretary
Misty Wilks, At-Large Rep.
Johnnie Raines III, At-Large Rep.
Nick Hill , At-Large Rep.
Jason Lombard, At-Large Rep.

EMPOWERMENT CONGRESS WEST AREA

NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

A Certified City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Council

Serving the communities of: Arlington Park, Baldwin Hills,
Baldwin Village, Baldwin Vista, Cameo Woods,
Crenshaw Manor, Leimert Park & Village Green

Stakeholders Town Hall

Meetings
1st Saturday of the Month
Crenshaw United Methodist
3740 Don Felipe Drive
9:30 11:30 am
Board Meetings
3rd Monday of the Month
DWP Crenshaw Community
Room
4030 Crenshaw Blvd
6:30 8:30 pm
Contact Information
3701 Stocker Street 106
Los Angeles, California
90008
Telephone/Fax: (323) 295-5766
Email: office@ecwandc.org
Website: www.ecwandc.org
Facebook.com/empowerment
congress west

December 10, 2013

Karen Mack, Chair
Board of Neighborhood Councils
200 North Spring Street 20th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Via Email: EmpowerLA@lacity.org
Dear Ms. Mack:
Starting in 2012 - the City of Los Angeles Board of Neighborhood Councils
began a review of the Plan for a Citywide system of Neighborhood Councils
through the formation of three regional committees. The review resulted in a
series of policy recommendations by the Committee which have been
presented to the Neighborhood Councils for feedback. At our regularly held
public meeting on December 7, 2013, the Empowerment Congress West Area
Neighborhood Development Council (ECWANDC) voted and adopted the
following positions for the eight proposed motions:
1. Elections: The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment is to be
permanently placed in charge of administering elections.
a. Board Action: Support/Yes
b. Comments/Recommendation: as established in the city chapter, the
neighborhood councils are an integral part of the citys civic
process. Therefore the city must adequately fund the elections and
the cost of the elections should not be borne by the individual
neighborhood councils.
ECWANDC NC 8 Motions

2. Training and Leadership Development ( 2 motions):

Motion: Neighborhood Council board members be required to complete
Ethics, Financial Policy, Sexual Harassment and ADA Compliance training
and that the Department offer classes including but not limited to
leadership, City government basics, parliamentary procedures, land use
and candidate training.
a. Board Action: Oppose/No
b. Comments/Recommendation: Mandatory training should be limited
to the Ethics and Funding Training. Stakeholders serve in a
voluntary capacity with many devoting in excess of 20 hours per
week fulfilling the various duties and activities of membership. The
current on-line mandatory training program takes several hours and
many members struggle to complete the training in a timely
manner due to other demands. We therefore recommend the Sexual
Harassment, ADA Compliance and other proposed trainings be
optional and made available both on line and/or offered at the
regional level. In addition the department should create a board
manual containing the basic information on the other related topics
and the ethics and funding training be conducted within the council
regular meeting or offered frequently at a regional level.
Motion: There be a citywide standard period of time from date of seating not to
exceed 90 days that a Board member will have to pass the required training and
that this be enforced by the NC bylaws, which shall prohibit v oting on any

matter coming before the NC board. Inability of any board member(s) to

vote for failure to timely complete training will not affect quorum.
a. Board Action: Support/Yes
3. Early Notification System: an Early Notification System be established
by each city department commission and the city council and its
committees to provide Neighborhood Council with a minimum of 60 days
notice of an y proposed action. For any proposed ballot measures or
ordinance Neighborhood Council must receive at least 60 days notice.
a. Board Action: Support/Yes
b. Comments/Recommendation: The NC system was established to
strengthen civic engagement and stakeholder input into public
policy. Unlike the City Council and city agencies the frequency of
NC meetings often prevents their ability to respond to major policies
being considered by the city council given the lack of adequate
notice and short timeline. Providing this notice will allow NCs to
obtain stakeholder input and respond in a more effective manner.
4. Initiation of Council Files: Neighborhood Councils should have the
right to open Council Files. No Neighborhood Council Board member shall
ECWANDC NC 8 Motions

be required to file a financial disclosure from for a NC to open a council

file. There shall be no limit on the number of Council Files that a NC may
open each year.
a. Board Action: Oppose/No
b. Comment/Recommendation: While the ECWANDC supports the
policy allowing NCs to open a council file members of the board
and public expressdc concern that there be no conflict of interest
reporting requirement. We therefore recommend the City Attorney
develop an abbreviated version of the financial disclosure system
requirement to reduce the burden on NCs will ensuring that the NC
board members are free of any potential financial conflict of
interest.
5. Review of Delivery of City Services: The BONC with the aid and
advice of citywide NCs will adopt policies establishing best practices for
monitoring the delivery of City Services.
a. Board Action: Oppose/No
b. Recommendations/Comments: While the NC understands the need
for greater accountability, stakeholders and members of the board
expressed concern that the centralization of any of the NC roles and
responsibilities would impede our ability to address local concerns in
the manner and fashion appropriate to the issue and community.
The city should develop a set of metrics for every department
delineated by region that are publically reported and set the
expectation that all departments respond to NC request include
attending meetings, in a reasonable period of time.
6. Community Impact Statements: City agendas should once again
include the full test of the brief CIS from each NC submitting one with
links to any background materials that were provided as support. Any
time a CIS is removed from a subsequent agenda, the City Clerk will send
a notice to the NC.
a. Board Action: Support/Yes
b. Recommendation/Comment: It is important that the positions of the
NCs submitting CIS be readily visible via included on the actual
printed agenda at the time the city council or committee takes
action to increase the likelihood the information will receive full
consideration.
7. Neighborhood Councils Presenting at Public Meetings: Official NC
or NC Alliance representatives addressing the City Council, its
committees, commissions and boards be granted 5 minutes of
presentation time separate from general public comment .. and should
be called before comment before general public comment.
a. Board Action: Support/Yes
ECWANDC NC 8 Motions

8. Funding Grants (3 motions):

Motion: Unexpended NC funds should be kept in the NC system, received
and administered by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment
a. Board Action:
Support/Yes see comment
b. Comment/Recommendation: Support for this proposal is
predicated upon the expectation that the funds will be used for
the direct benefit of the NCs by providing additional resources to
continue to build the capacity of the individual NC as the needs
are identified.
Motion: NCs should be allowed to provide funds to City departments
provided that the equipment benefits stakeholders, that in addition to
the initial requestor there is documentation of the need from a higher
level of the department and that the transfer is accompanied by an
MOU, agreement or a form similar to a neighborhood purposes grant.
a. Board Action:
Support/Yes
b. Comment/Recommendation: Stakeholders expressed concern
that the use of funds for expenses that should be provided
through the city budget and a deviation from the role of the NCs
per the charter. Such support should demonstrate a strategy for
greater civic participation.
Motion: Overriding principles should be that in the absence of
conflicts of interest, the DONE should be empowered to seek and
receive funds appropriate to their mission and support their operation
a. Board Action:
Support/Yes see comment
b. Comment/Recommendation: Receipt of such funds should not
diminish the citys commitment and maintenance of effort for the
DONE or NCs.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this additional input. We trust our
positions will receive your full consideration.
Sincerely,

David Winston
David Winston
Chair
Cc:

Council President Herb Wesson

Councilmember Bernard Parks
Commissioner Joy Atkins
Grayce Liu

ECWANDC NC 8 Motions