October 19, 2012
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Interim General Manager's Update 


I hope this newsletter finds you well.  Last Saturday, grass roots democracy took on a new meaning with the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council elections where marijuana dispensaries and factual basis stakeholders took center stage. Check out the news coverage here. Nearly 800 very passionate voters turned out, and many thanks to our election staff and volunteers for running a great election! I especially want to acknowledge the efforts of Poll Manager, Jay Handal, Election Coordinator Stephen Box and Independent Election Administrator, Terrence Gomes, for keeping such cool heads in a highly volatile situation. In our post election report, we will be asking City Council to look into the factual basis stakeholder definition again to provide more guidance because of our experiences during these elections. The rest of the elections on Saturday went well, too, and kudos to Terrence for motivating his region to a 70% increase in candidates and voters from 2010! Elections move to South LA and the Harbor area tomorrow where we'll be running 9 elections with the help of volunteers around the City! 

 


This week has been filled with new Board seatings, the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners Board retreat and ongoing Neighborhood Council funding and operational matters, including the proposed budget cuts. I was pleased and honored to swear in the new Boards for Hollywood United Neighborhood Council, Mid-Town North Hollywood Neighborhood Council and Studio City Neighborhood Council, where both City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and Assemblymember Mike Feuer showed up to say hello to the new Board. After chatting with the South Los Angeles Alliance of Neighborhood Councils last night where they are working on reviewing planning issues, I also stopped by to visit with new and old friends at North Hollywood North East Neighborhood Council, one of my first assignments as a new Project Coordinator for the Department.
 

Lastly, I've asked my management team to write some more detailed news below on what is going on in the Department so you can see how your Department staff is hustling and bustling to make the Neighborhood Council system great. We're here for you so please don't hesitate to contact us if you need support!      

 

If I don't see you at the Board Member Development training or the elections tomorrow, have a great weekend! 

 

Best,

                                  

Grayce Liu, 

Interim General Manager

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment  

 

Empower Yourself.   

Empower Your Community. 

Empower LA.

    



Funding Report 10.19.12  

   

Greetings Neighborhood Councils! As the newly appointed Funding Program Director, I've been going around to several meetings and events introducing myself and listening eagerly to your concerns, observations, and recommendations...

 

>>> continue reading 



EmpowerLA Award Recipient Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council 

   

EmpowerLA Award winner Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council (HGNNC) took on a proposed zone change for a former Cal-Trans property next to a R1 neighborhood. This zone change would have allowed 24 small-lot homes to be built nearly under the 91 Freeway overpass to the 110 Harbor Freeway with a narrow roadway to access the homes. The air quality and health issue of having homes so close to the freeway was a key concern...

 

>>> continue reading 


 Commission Happenings 10.19.12  

   

On October 2nd, the Commission met at the Colfax Elementary School auditorium in North Hollywood in the South Valley area.  In addition to everything else on the agenda, there were 11 Valley neighborhood councils that were being honored on their 10 year anniversary.  We had a lot of fun taking photos and listening to the best practices related by the Neighborhood Council members who came to the meeting...

>>> continue reading 



Join us for the
Mayor's Community Budget Day! 

   

Become informed. Become involved. Become empowered. Join Mayor Villaraigosa, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, other City Officials and the current year's Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates for the Mayor's Community Budget Day on Saturday, November...

 

>>> continue reading 



Update on Temporary Staff and Education Contracts for Neighborhood Councils
 

   

Greetings and a quick update from the Administration Section of the Department. We have completed the City's contracting process for both the new Temporary Staffing Services contracts and the Education and Training Contracts. Both contracts were executed on October 1, 2012 but, are retroactive to July 1, 2012 and will expire...

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News from Field Operations 10.19.12 

 

Hello, Neighborhood Council leaders! The Department's Field Division, comprised of Thomas Soong, Taneda Larios, Melvin Canas, Lisette Covarrubias and Amelia Herrera-Robles, has been diligently working to address the needs of our Neighborhood Councils throughout the City. We are currently focused on...

>>> continue reading 



Protect Yourself Online
and Be Safe Offline 

   

We Angelenos value our privacy but when it comes to socializing online we often forget about our privacy and make everything public, from address, age, and home phone numbers, to listing family members and offering details about our children. This leaves the virtual front door open for everybody, without asking who it is, without looking through the peep-hole to check if that person is welcome, and without considering who has been invited inside...  

>>> continue reading 


 
UPCOMING 
 EVENTS 

  

  New Board Member Development Series

Sat, Oct 20th
8am-12:30pm

Glassell Park Community Center
Room #1
3750 N Verdugo Rd
LA, 90065

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Sat, Oct 20th all day

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Region 11 Poll Worker Workshop

Mon, Oct 22nd
7-9pm

West Los Angeles Municipal Building
1645 Corinth Ave
LA, 9002
5

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NC Treasurer Training

Thur, Oct 25th
6-9pm

LA City Hall
Neighborhood Empowerment Office
20th Floor
200 S. Spring St
LA, 90012
 

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New Board Member Development Series

Sat, Oct 27th
8am-12:30pm

Location TBD

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Contact Us
Phone: (213) 978-1551
Fax: (213) 978-1751

Our New Address:
200 North Spring Street
20th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90012
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2012 Election Info
 
Independent Election Administrators (IEA)
 
Region 1- Sat, Aug 4th
Region 2- Sat, Sept 8th
Region 3- Sat, Sept 29th
Region 4-Thurs, Sept 20th

Kevin Taylor 

Region 5- Sun, Sept 16th
Region 6- Thurs, Nov 15th
Region 7- Sat, Oct 6th
Region 8- Sat, Oct 13th
Region 9- Sat, Oct 20th
Region 10- Sat, Oct 27th
Region 11- Sun, Oct 28th
Region 12

 

How to Reach Us

 

Visit Us:

EmpowerLA 

Elections Division

Van Nuys City Hall  

14410 Sylvan St. 4th Fl 

Van Nuys, CA 91401  

 

Email Us: 

[email protected]

 

Call Us:

Election Hotline

(818) 293-VOTE  

(818.293.8683)