1. Elections:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following motion:
“The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment is to be permanently placed in charge of administering elections for Neighborhood Councils.”
MHNC felt elections for NCs would be better served through DONE.
2a. Training and Leadership Development:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council opposes the following 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.”
Although employees of the City of Los Angeles are required to take these trainings, MHNC felt that as volunteers we were already required enough time spent in trainings and other activities.
2b. Training and Leadership Development:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following 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 Neighborhood Council Bylaws, which shall prohibit voting on any matter coming before the Neighborhood Council Board. Inability of any Board Member(s) to vote for failure to timely complete training will not affect quorum.”
MHNC felt 90 days was more than enough time to give a board member time to complete the training.
3. Early Notification System:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following motion:
“An Early Notification System be established by each City department, commission, and the City Council, and its Committees to provide Neighborhood Councils with a minimum of 60 days notice of any proposed action. For any proposed ballot measure or ordinance Neighborhood Councils must receive at least 60 days notice.”
MHNC thought it was best that the City of Los Angeles and its entities give a proper amount of time to evaluate actions that will be taken by these entities.
4. Initiation of Council Files:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council opposes the following motion:
“Neighborhood Councils should have the right to open Council files. No Neighborhood Council Board Member shall be required to file a financial disclosure form for a Neighborhood Council to open a Council file. There shall be no limit on the number of Council files that a Neighborhood Council may open each year.”
MHNC believed this action would be too intrusive for its board members especially for unpaid volunteers.
5. Review of Delivery of City Services:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following motion:
“The Board of Neighborhood Commissioners, with the aid and advice of citywide Neighborhood Councils, will adopt policies establishing best practices for monitoring the delivery of City services.”
The MHNC is willing to monitor the delivery of city services to ensure Mission Hills gets its fair share of services.
6. Community Impact Statements:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following motion:
“City agendas should once again include the full text of the brief Community Impact Statement (CIS) from each NC submitting one, with links to any background materials that were provided as support. Any time a CIS is, for whatever reason removed from a subsequent agenda, the City Clerk will send a notice to the Neighborhood Council.”
MHNC believes more information is better for making informed decisions.
7. Neighborhood Councils Presenting at Public Meetings:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following motion:
“Official Neighborhood Council or Neighborhood Council Alliance representatives addressing the City Council, its Committees, City commissions, and Boards be granted up to 5 minutes of presentation time separate from general public comment, to present the official view of the Neighborhood Council Board or Alliance. Neighborhood Councils should receive priority as City entities and be called for comment before general public comment.”
MHNC believes as an elected/appointed body, it should have a time set aside to give its input during public meetings with the City of Los Angeles and its entities.
8. Funding and Grants:
The Mission Hills Neighborhood Council supports the following motion:
“Unexpended Neighborhood Council funds should be kept in the Neighborhood Council system, received and administered by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment”; b. “Neighborhood Councils 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”; and c. “Overriding principle should be that in the absence of conflicts of interests, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment should be empowered to seek and receive funds appropriate to their mission and support their operations.”
MHNC believes it is best to spend their funds wisely regardless of time and not have to spend if it is not necessary. The left over funds should be rolled over.