June 20, 2014
Empower LA Newsletter header

General Manager's Update 

 

I hope this newsletter finds you well. I've been busy this week helping staff wrap up end of fiscal year matters and signing off on paperwork to open each of the Neighborhood Council checking accounts. We now have over half of the accounts open and will finish opening the remaining ones next week. With the City fiscal systems shutting down on Monday, June 23rd, we'll only be able to fund a handful of checking accounts this fiscal year to test the end of year close outs, but we aim to have all of the accounts funded the first week of July for the new fiscal year. Please make sure your new Treasurers and Second Signatories sign the Union Bank paperwork as soon as possible so we can get them access to the accounts.

 

We're still paying out the remaining demand warrants, and I have to give a shout out to the rest of the funding team that have been working on this: Man-Qin He, Kathleen Quinn and Tom Harvey. They, in conjunction with the purchase card team I acknowledged last week, are bending over backwards to get everything paid in time. Many thanks to them for the long hours they are putting in to meet the City deadline.

 

I was happy to stop by the South Los Angeles Alliance of Neighborhood Councils last night to talk about the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners draft harassment/bullying policy, funding and elections. There was a lot of interest in seeing how online voting will work for Neighborhood Councils in 2016. We are getting ready to release our Request for Proposals to find a company to perform this service, and we will be convening a working group with Neighborhood Councils later this year to discuss possible implementation strategies. Speaking of elections, the Municipal Elections Reform Commission has released their final report and are seeking feedback from Neighborhood Councils and their stakeholders so please weigh in (more info below).

 

With our successful TUX (Technology and User eXperience) workshop last night in the Valley, we're all getting on the technology bandwagon in terms of engaging our stakeholders. As you may know, the City is looking at providing a high speed gigabit network for all residences, businesses, non-profits and government facilities along with a WiFi component, too, through the LA Community Broadband Network initiative. They need Neighborhood Councils and stakeholder feedback on what you'd like to see and the time for feedback is closing on June 30th. So if you haven't already given your feedback on their Request for Information (Click Here), you can send it to [email protected].

 

I'll be teaching at the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council's retreat tomorrow and then will go on vacation until July 15th. You will be in the very capable hands of my managers with Funding Program Director, Armando Ruiz, as Acting General Manager. I have also asked some special Neighborhood Council leaders to step in and write for the GM Message spot while I am gone.

 

As always, thanks for all the great work that you do to Empower LA! Have a relaxing weekend!

 

 

Best,

 

Grayce Liu,

General Manager

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment 

 

Empower Yourself.

Empower Your Community.

Empower LA.

    



Mayor Garcetti Announces
L.A. Earns Highest Ratings
from S&P, Fitch, and Moody's

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that each of the "Big Three" credit rating agencies - Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investors Service, and Standard & Poor's Rating Services - have assigned the highest possible ratings to the next issue of the City's Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes due to strong financial management practices and an improving large and diverse economy...

  

 >>> continue reading 



Feuer Rolls Out New Campaign 
to Promote Senior Cyber Safety

 

Take Off Your Rose Colored Glasses: Things Are Not Always What They Seem To Be  - City Attorney Mike Feuer has launched a public awareness campaign designed to empower and protect seniors from scams perpetrated in cyber space. "We're launching a multi-pronged effort to give seniors the tools to thwart scam artists, surf the web safely and feel empowered to use cyber technology without fear," said Feuer...

 

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Election Reform Commission Recommendations 

 

LA's Election Reform Commission released its final report to the City Council's Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee and now it is up to LA's 95 Neighborhood Councils to offer feedback on the five recommendations for increasing voter turnout in LA's municipal elections...

  

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Last Call for Citywide Wifi

Your feedback on Citywide Wifi is requested. The LA Community Broadband Network (LACBN) initiative (follow on Twitter @LACBN #LAWantsGbFiber #LAWantsWiFi) is a project that is seeking an industry business model that will enable a high speed gigabit network to be implemented in Los Angeles to all residences, businesses, nonprofits and government facilities. It is also seeking WiFi for visitors, students...

  

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Garcetti picks Danielle Brazell
to lead L.A.'s culture department

Danielle Brazell, whose job over the past eight years has included regularly prodding City Hall to spend more money and pay more attention to L.A.'s nonprofit arts scene, has been nominated by Mayor Eric Garcetti to take charge of the Department of Cultural Affairs, the agency that receives the relatively limited financial support the city does allocate... 

  

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Mayor Garcetti Nominates
Seleta Reynolds as General Manager of the Department of Transportation

Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated Seleta Reynolds of the San Francisco Department of Transportation as the next General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT). "Los Angeles is changing the way it looks at transportation,"  said Mayor Garcetti. "Seleta is the ideal field marshal in our war against traffic who will bring to bear all the tools at our disposal, from better road design to transit to technology to bicycle and pedestrian improvements...

  

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Commission Updates 6.20.14
 

On Monday, June 16th the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners held their regular meeting at City Hall. We had the pleasure of meeting LAFD Captain John Ignatczyk the new commander of the department's Disaster Preparedness Division. He spoke about the Division's responsibilities and his desire to cooperate with neighborhood councils. He responded to questions from the commissioners and told us that he welcomed future contacts...

 

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City of Los Angeles Earns A+
for Historic Preservation

The Los Angeles Conservancy's 2014 Preservation Report Card, which evaluates the historic preservation programs of the 89 local jurisdictions in Los Angeles, awarded the City of Los Angeles one of only 8 A+ grades in the county. The Conservancy's scoring recognized the comprehensive nature of...

  

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7th Annual El Sereno Concert
& Fireworks Show

The City of Los Angeles invites you to join Councilmember Jose Huizar in collaboration with the El Sereno Stallions Football & Cheer and El Sereno Bicentennial Committee to the 7th Annual El Sereno Concert & Fireworks Show and Independence Day Parade on Saturday, June 28, 2014. Come join us for free musical entertainment,...

  

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Urban Harvester Presents
"An Evening at Fresco"

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 21 and get ready to celebrate Urban Harvester's first ever fundraising event, "An Evening at Fresco". Guests will enjoy fun festivities including wine and beer tastings, live music, delicious bites, and a bountiful silent auction. Urban Harvester is a South Pasadena-based non-profit that connects...

  

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Save the Date and join in Celebrating Nelson Mandela Day
in the City of Los Angeles

Los Angeles join in celebrating Nelson Mandela Day in Los Angeles! SAVE THE DATE.... JULY 18, 2014

Join Council President Herb Wesson Jr., Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Councilmember Curren D. Price Jr., and the Los Angeles City Council in partnership with The Wende Museum to join them in celebrating Nelson Mandela Day in the City of Los Angeles...

  

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News from Field Operations 6.20.14

I want to say thank you to all those who showed up to our Ethics & Open Government and Funding Trainings on Wednesday June 19 at the CD 9 Field Office. Over 60 people came to the training, standing room only. Way to show up South LA! The session was conducted by the City Attorney's Office, represented by Ms. Carmen Hawkins who did an outstanding job. We also featured our very knowledgeable Funding Team, which was represented by Betty Won-Oyama...

  

 >>> continue reading 



Make Music LA -
Showtime JUNE 21st

 

It's hard to believe the year has past. And Saturday is the BIG day all over LA as well as 800 cities and 110 countries around the world. Preparing for a show is an adrenalin rush, the feeling of wonder, surprise and joy all rolled into one. A little scary too not sure if you've remembered everything and...  

  

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DEADLINES

 

10 days after your
June NC Board Meeting
 May
 Monthly Expenditure Reports due

  

SURVEYS

   

 

LA City/Clerk Connect Survey

 

 Los Angeles Public Library Survey

 

LA Community Broadband Network Survey
Give your input on how much you access the internet, what you use it for, and how much you think faster and slower internet access should cost (if at all)

PARKING PASS LINK:

 

Neighborhood Council Parking Passes

UPCOMING
 EVENTS

 

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Alliance of River Communities (ARC)

Mon, Jun 23
Time: 7 pm - 9 pm

Glassell Park Senior and Community Room
3750 Verdugo Rd
Los Angeles 90065

******** 
Board of Neighborhoods Commissions Regular Meeting

 

Tue, Jul 1

Time: 6 pm - 9 pm

 

Mar Vista Recreation Center

11430 Woodbine Street

Los Angeles 90066

 

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Harbor Alliance of Neighborhood Council Meeting
 
Wed, Jul 2
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
 
Kaiser Permanente Way Harbor City- Community Outreach Portables
25965 Normandie Ave
Harbor City 90710
 
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Neighborhood Council- LADWP Memorandum of Understanding Oversight Committee Meeting
 
Sat, Jul 5
Time: 8:45 am  - 10 am
 
Hollywood Constituent Center
6501 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles 90028
 
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Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition Meeting

 

Sat, Jul 5
Time:  10 am - 1 pm
 
Hollywood Constituent Center
6501 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles 90028
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