As agreed with our featured speaker, questions will be taken by using the Raised Hand feature once she finishes her presentation. Chat will be turned on afterwards.

All Neighborhood Councils Board meetings and Board members with contact information are posted on www.EmpowerLA.org

Please email Chinyere Stoneham directly with any additional questions or comments: chinyere.stoneham@lacity.org

Chinyere was on this meeting by phone so not able to see Chat. Please email her directly. Thanks.

Chat is now open for everyone.....please use with discretion. Thanks.

It's wonderful to have GM Beltran here today. This is a classic case of "we are all in this together". Even though the GM has already been very clear about options, the Lee motion requesting a report-back is an opportunity for us, through the General Manager, to share our short and long term concerns and issues with the City Council (and the Mayor, who I am sure will read the report).

Even with the money, hybrid will not solve the BOARD attendance problem. You can only be remote @X per year.

2X

Maybe we should go to the General Manager and Len Shaffer to get some authoritative comments on the situation.

Streaming is NOT a "meeting". It is an "observation method". The only real MEETING will; take place in person. Streaming for many public agencies was happening long before the pandemic.

Tony has no doubt we will be live on Feb 1, with no other options.

Paul abd Bob actually helped us by EXTENDING the date one month beyond the Mayor's end of emergency.

AB 361 expires on Feb 28, I believe.

Steve Randall cannot get back into the meeting. Can you help him.

I think I'm wrong on AB 361. I saw that it would expire soon, but online Google results say expired end of 2023 UNLESS Governor takes action to end it earlier. The 2449 bill is *NOT* an answer to Board attendance (I think) because it limits board member remotes to 2X per year.

All NC’s need to contact County to maintain “State of Emergency” to allow Zoom meeting to continue for NCs.

ADA captions and signing are, I believe, only required for "broadcast television".

YouTube, for example, is NOT covered by that rule.

Rather, if it is (it may be), YouTuibe asks you to certify that your video has NEVER APPEARED ON BROADCAST TV.

I went through this with a Neighborhood Council a number of years ago under ADA. I had to work with the person that handles ADA compliance for health issues for the City of Los Angeles, and they got me accommodations with the Neighborhood Council. The Neighborhood Council had to live stream and make a phone available to me due to immune compromised issues under ADA.

We can’t wait for City Hall. NC’s also need to reach out to state reps to get brown act amended to allow virtual meeting to continue

The Brown Act predates Zoom. Times have changed. We suddenly have more members with small children participating.

There are “many” locations that are not or will not be ADA.

The think we MUST avoid, Heath, is the "waiting for permission" order that appeared at the START of the pandemic. We should be able to meet in person JUST AS WE DID BEFORE. Re ADA compliance, if we meet in a city facility, such as a recreation center, there should be no forbidding of our meeting, since the city facility should be ADA compliant without 'verification' needed.

We CANNOT WAIT. State law will drive us to meet in person or NOT MEET.

Tony, then we must change state law.

@Tony Wilkinson - Our city facility @ the recreation center has cemented shut restrooms due to the homeless and crime issues. So the ADA part will. Need some relaxation.

A more constructive thing would be to meet in person if we need to appoint kids off the street to fill vacancies and meet quorum ungtil the newly elected Boards Are seated.

@Heath - I agree. We must mobilize and influence the State Legislature on keeping Virtual Government Meetings permanent.For example: the advocacy group 'Streets For All' has a team that focuses on State Legislation and they work with state representatives.We should do the same if we want to keep Virtual Meetings.

@Cindy I think there must be an ADA restroom SOMEWHERE or they would need to close the park.

LOL Tony. NCs will fail in the next 6 months if in person meetings become mandatory

Meeting in person is happening all over. Restaurants, markets, stores, etc. People want to get out.

@Tony — yes mobile types. They’re a mess too and there’s no light to see them in the evenings.

NCs won't fail- the spots opened by Boardmembers who refuse mandates- will be filled with people more compliant to City mandates-

It could all change when the new Mayor and CMs are in place.

As to Heath's comment about NCs failing because of in-person meetings, I AGREE. My comment about appoint people off the street was NOT A JOKE. I'm trying to deal with the REALITY that we face with in-person meetings, which ARE MANDATORY.

I agree with Joanne D' Antonio -- The California 'Brown' Act is outdated and the State Legislature should consider updating it due to the advancement of Technology, Pandemic and Emergency order.

Joanne D’A speaks common sense

The whole NC system will shift. Less meetings. More independent participation and commenting on issues — which is all good. But, the times NCs meet will be like non profits.

We will not get a change to the Brown Act for probably @ YEARS MINIMUM. We have a 2-year legislature. If a bill were introduced in the first year, I bet it will be low priority and not be considered until the 2nd year.

TWO YEARS

I will bring it up to my elected State officials.

I'll ask my elected officials, to express my concerns as an Individual.

Yes, need “leeway”.

The message is THERE IS NO ANGEL COMING FROM HEAVEN. We will be meeting in person for two years, like it or not.

As mentioned earlier in this meeting, yesterday the City Council voted 12-0 to approve forthwith a communication from Mayor Garcetti entitled "Notice of Status of Local Emergency" with one amendment. This is Council File 20-0291. It ends the local emergency on January 31, 2023, which is a month earlier than the February 28, 2023 end of the State of Emergency announced by Governor Newsom in October.

Link to Council File: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=20-0291

@ Mr. Bailey - Thank you for the reminder.

Link to the "Notice of Status of Local Emergency" https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2020/20-0291_misc_12-7-2022.pdf

What about Committee meetings? Back to in-person, no? Those meetings are usually held outside the normal Board meeting sites.

YES. Committees of the legislative body follow the SAME RULES.

Does DONE have a listing of approved meeting facilities they can share?

Not to my knowledge Pat. The process was for the local NC to submit THEIR list of sites, which would then be inspected.

The outside vendor setting up a hybrid meeting would be impractical if there are many active committees.

I know that - don't remember seeing the result. Will have to go on a hunt.

Then we must start taking action to push our elected State Representatives to push an Amendment to the Brown Act.

The City of LA is not a subdivision of the State of CA like counties are. It should be able to still meet in a hybrid fashion.

Do you still meet at the Rec Center? That should still be ok, I would think.

@Pat, re Encino & rec center.

Link to the amendment made in City Council yesterday: https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2020/20-0291_misc_amend_kre_blu_12-7-22.pdf

Again, Tony's personal take is THERE WILL BE NO ANGEL FROM HEAVEN. We are stuck with in person or cl,osing shop.

As taxpayers we pay their (government officials and employees) salaries. We are the bosses as taxpayers. They better heed to our demands and make the necessary amendments but each and everyone of us and as many neighbors need to demand that from Sacramento.

@ Tony W., yes we use the Encino Community Center, need to show vacc proof and be masked to enter

As a very real practical matter, we MUST meet in lerson once each quarter. IF WE DO NOT, Len and the BONC will be forced to REMOVE OUR CERTIFICATION and a new NC creation process would be required to get it back.

I can suggest State Representatives that the Advocacy Group 'Streets For All' has worked with, like Anthony Portatino, Laura Friedman, Luz Rivas, Scott Wiener, etc....

They tend to be Progressive

@ Tony W., besides that the whole thing was totally rehabbed to make it ADA compliant

I will reach out to the list of State Representatives on the Streets For All - Score Card List. about adding an Amendment to the CA Brown Act, about Virtual Meetings.

MER filing will be OK. We have automatic monthly payments if in the budget, and they can be filed online. NC Finance will simply need to extend the 'defund' rules from TWO missing MERs to three missing MERs.

See ! There are great ideas being shared already — meet quarterly — change MER voting policy to quarterly — NCs out and about at events face to face that are NOT NC. It will be great and boards will be “empowered!”

The hybrid fashion accommodates the requirement to meet once a quarter AND have and increase citizenry participation simultaneously.

Hooray Cindy! YES. WE CAN DO THIS!

City Departments will need to adapt. They will have more participation they will need to handle.

@Tony — Yes, we can do this!

Does the quarterly meeting have to have a quorum?

Yes. No quorum = no "meeting'.

I’m sure it would be required otherwise the NC board cannot move forward.

In the meantime, NCs should prepare for meeting in-person as of March 1, 2023 by reserving a facility for March meeting or for April at the latest

We should reach out to Progressive State Representatives

I know Caroline M. from CA State District 20 is a Progressive. She's my elected official.

Guess what. The other answer is to exempt NCs from the Brown Act. (I personally object to that route.)

The difference is COVID is an AIR BORN disease

What is needed is a way to grant the city the ability to modify the BA rules for NCs that would allow them to do virtual meetings

The City budget deficit will be a factor in the Covid 19 matter.

City employees either followed these rules or got fired. WE can protest all we want, but that is what it is. To repeat the title of an old book I recall, "Go fight City Hall". Re the 449 rules, it is NOT 3 remote meeting per year, it is TWO. The 3 meetings are all that is allowed IN SEQUENCE, say 2 in year 1 and one in year 2.

It is great to hear everyone’s thoughts.

Does anyone know how Karen Bass feels about neighborhood councils?

Nobody wants to get COVID. Testing is a business as we all saw. Indeed vaccination requirement is discriminatory in nature. Correct Sheryl…the average public person that attends in-person would also need to prove that he/she/other is COVID-free just as NC board members would also need to prove according to the policies mentioned by the DONE GM.

I don't believe being tested can be equated to HIV test. Way different ways of being infected. Also, meeting virtually has had other problems such as depression, people getting down right nasty because they did not have to face you in person, etc.

If our new Mayor does not 'like' Neighborhood Councils, too much angst might lead HER to suggest throwing out the system and replacing them with local groups that she appoints. It might be a 'gift' to her. Be careful what we ask for.

@Sharon — New Mayor has had a lot of support.

The new mayor would ignite her own recall if she considered tossing out DONE and NCs.

On the othyer hand, JR, if we fail to meet in person quarterly (and get quorums), BONC will be forced to decertify us. Not meetung in person would essentially be SAUICIDE.

SUICIDE

Why is that ? Why can’t COVID dollars continue to pay the base license ?

@Cindy, it's only ab out $200 per year per license. Even for us at $32,000 per year, that is 'budget dust'.

Mayor Bass will support NCs. Our current Mayor is tied into too many legal issues and has wanted to kill the NC System in LA.

Neighborhood Councils meetings will lose a lot of participation from the community if in-person is the only option.

Jr, the good people just elected a State Assembly person who wants to abolish NCs…and, she’s a “Progressive.”

@Tony — I know but COVID recovery will take over a decade. Those billions need to spread out.

NCs will be over if in person mtgs take hold.

Maybe that’s the plan

In a note to my own Panorama City NC, I said let's understand that the agency doing the inspections has not been very helpful in the process. That is not DONE's fault.

So is it a small group inside DONE deciding where $$ are going to help NCs ? Curious about the equity.

I am not even advocating meeting once quarterly Tony W. I would consider monthly in-person meetings still but the hybrid model should also be in effect as well to allow for more civic participation.

It may be Dora.

So is it a small group inside DONE deciding where $$ are going to help NCs ? Curious about the equity. — for Elections.

@Cindy, DONE will be conducting regional meetings to discuss how outreach will work within the NC region. These will be completed in January, so they can still be online meetings.

Dora: BINGO!

I totally agree with the hybrid meeting concept. It will settle the debate, as well as make everyone comfortable. Lets push for hybrid, and then work on funding the equipment.

Will the NC members have to check vaccination status from the community? That is not going to go over well

Curious why are the dates for Candidate Info Sessions in conflict with other NC meetings ? Schedule All Candidate Info Sessions listed below will take place on Zoom. Details to join online or by phone will be emailed before the session. Presentation materials will be mobile-friendly:Saturday December 10 (10am - 12pm)Weekday evening week of January 9 (date/time TBA) Saturday January 21 (10am - 12pm)Weekday evening week of January 31 (date/time TBA) Saturday February 4 (10am - 12pm)Saturday February 18 (10am - 12pm)Saturday March 4 (10am - 12pm) Saturday March 18 (10am - 12pm)

We can do anything we want with OUR FUNDS. That would include paying for the cith fees to install light pole banners. Would need to coordinate with DONE on the project.

Its so nice to see the interest in Light Pole Banners. Ours is at 6 months now waiting for the Councilmember to put in for our request. Why does the CM have to be stuck in the middle ? Our NEA tried to help but we still do not have it moving forward like all the other NCs do. The delay is political because we’re asking (we being STNC). Its so sad to have this all string out and delay for the NC and the vendor.

Our NC-DWP meeting is 8:30 am to 10:00 am on first Saturday, so you can come to that even if there is a 10 am election meeting! Best kept 'secret' (but public) meeting in the city. https://www.ladwpnews.com/dwp-nc-mou-and-advocacy-committee-meetings/

I see a problem with most of the meetings being on a Saturday morning. Some people may work mornings or have family obligations on a Saturday meeting. There should be more evening meetings in my opinion.

Well…the dates should be considered. Many like to attend all your programs. Who are the NC persons participating to help in those meetings ? Having boots on the ground NC board members in these meetings could be very productive.

Soooo. How does the voice and our participation matter ? Who’s deciding ? Seems like secret meetings !

Exactly Cindy C.

Is Pacoima Beautiful even a 501(c)3 organization??? -- they seem like they use a lot of their resources doing advocacy which is restricted by the IRS

Every Council District sems to have a 'favored non-profit'. This is NOT just about CD7. Thatr 'favored' non-profit' is used for things like 'sanitizing' donation from businesses for things like Thanksgiving turkey give-aways, because Council Members, as well as us, cannot give funds directly to individuals. Favored non-profits are not always a bad thing.

seem to have

That’s a fair assessment. But the closure of Whiteman Airport will direct all of the Whiteman Airport traffic to Van Nuys Airport. Wouldn’t that increase the air traffic there in Van Nuys and the flight paths there?

When a councilperson uses a non-profit for lobbying it IS a HUGE problem.

are delinquent with CA AG https://rct.doj.ca.gov/Verification/Web/Details.aspx?result=2af82c69-7072-41d4-8824-3b6baa82a8ab

To Cindy’s question re: using COVID dollars to pay for Zoom licenses, that never happened. EmpowerLA did not receive COVID dollars to cover its costs.

The reference was Pacoima Beautiful https://rct.doj.ca.gov/Verification/Web/Details.aspx?result=2af82c69-7072-41d4-8824-3b6baa82a8ab

I thought that we were going to discuss the future of the VANC meetings as well. Where will they be held in person? Will they be hybrid? Do the people at this meeting have venues that they can recommend besides meeting in a hospital dining room?

YES Jesse. It doesn't make any sense. There had been no complaints about Whiteman until the current elected official attacked it out of the blue. Like you, it looks to me to be an attempt to get land for private housing developers. The city as already priced rental space at Van Nuys airport out of reach of the small aircraft owners. Since Santa Monica airport will be closing, closing Whiteman will essentially kill most private aviation in the LA City neighborhood. Will also end its use by fire, emergency, and civil air patrol which are a public asset.

Thank you GM Beltran — Maybe something to research — how COVID $ were spent in the City. I would have thought DONE would have received $$ during COVID.

The CAO has provided regular reports to the Budget and Finance Committee on COVID funds. Those reports are public.

@Tony — great idea!

11pm in Austin, signing off, thank you for hosting

@Lydia — Its the plan.

$4 million in improvements, including wi-fi — screens — etc for community meetings. STNC won’t be getting in on any of that….unless her supporters are elected to the board.

The NCs don't administer the elections either- yet the STNC was accused of voter suppression-

Let's be fair. The voter issue is the responsibility of the City Clerk. We can't force any Department head to get into a needless fight with an elected official. The report-back that was requested did not ask about voter issues. It only asked about board composition and voter verification.

@GM Beltran — if you are experienced with voter suppression then can you please explain it ?

What do we have DONE for if they don't help or fight for the NCs?

I believe Sunland-Tujunga had 6th highest voter turnout out of 99 neighborhood councils! And our councilwoman wanted to use us as an example of voter suppression.

So is the DONE report an opinion ?

So all NCs who require documentation are suppressing voters? Why isn't the city Clerk addressing this?

an electedc

Luz Rivas is my new Assemblymember.

@Joanne - Me, too!

We have more than 10 candidates. The City Clerk has released the latest update today.

I hope we have reliable candidates who are willing to work well with Neighborhood Councils and with the Council District.

A candidate running for CD6 is a member of Pacoima Beautiful.

That would be Osborne's main meeting facility room, (with over-flow capability in the Fellowship Hall).

I think Panorama City wants to. Needs to be an agenda item next Thursday. Vice Chair Mike Hasz (present here) is the contact, since our Board Chair is a CD6 candidate.

Just sharing the guidance on administering candidate forums: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qm2ykydaPE9NmxY6UgNnfv10mBdlRqxB/view

Great news about the forum for CD6 candidates !

To Dt….the candidate running for CD6 is the sister of Tacoma beautiful president….

Thank You, Ms. Beltran.

That is a useful document.

@Tony - Lanira is a nice person.

Thank You, Glenn B.

That is the kind of thing where I do hope that DONE can influence the Clerk's funding unit to back off on its sometimes unreasonable requests that DISempower NCs. Problem is the NC funding section is not headed by an executive level supervisor like our GM, and is often most concerned with "not making a mistake".

Sometimes they are not posted. Still waiting on one from a week ago that was confirmed by the Clerk but not posted.

About is about "re-agendize idf date changes"

It is 9:28 pm

Reminder to all NC presidents and influencers, you can always make new Budget Rep appointments. The budget Rep is whoever the NC board or president appoints.

I want to THANK everyone for your support

Happy Holidays all!

Thank you to everyone. Wishing you all happy holidays. Thank you for all you do!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year.

Happy Holidays everyone. Thank you GM Beltran for being here.