The governing board of the Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council met last night for the first time since February following disruptions caused by boycotting board members and a contested election (the city eventually determined the elections were OK). But last night’s meeting was a surprise to many residents since the agenda was not posted on the neighborhood message groups. Even some board members said they had not been notified of the meeting, where newly elected officers - including a woman who has been dogged by the British press – were sworn in. The meeting was held in the council’s new offices on Echo Park Avenue behind the Bank of America in a former walk-up teller space that remains open to the outdoors except for a metal screen. That left board members to talk over the sounds of honking cars and roaring Dash buses. Pedestrians did a double take wondering what the gathering was about behind the screen. The sweet aroma from the churros truck parked across the street was a bit distracting but that did not keep the 13 board members from getting down to the business. Good luck to the new board members.
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Highland Park block emerges as a flipper hot spot
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Savoring a classic – hold the bacon – donut? Then head to Hermon
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Signs of change at Silver Lake’s Sunset Junction*
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The next few NC Board meetings will be telling………
Pity, only three stakeholders identified in earlier e-mails as responsible for the problems the NC, especially its Executives were having to put up with.
The person has selective opted not to name dozens of others…
However, the core issue is not one that is brought on by the three individuals named as they have no voting rights. The insolence of this NC to
feel that it can fail to file Quarterly Fiscal Reports, ignore reporting to DONE
(Department of Neighborhood Empowerment) that a grant exceeds the $1,000.00 level after which DONE approval must be sought, or splitting
charges to get around DONE etc. rests with the leadership/executives.
Why they opted to take such a path should be evaluated as they all now serve in the current administration. If found responsible for failing to comply,
why is DONE allowing them to serve community for another two years
in the current NC administration?The guilty need to be retired from serving
on the NC for the current term at least …..What is the purpose of DONE if
it isn’t vigilant about its funds or the community?
I hear that the NC were hard at work on Saturday(June 6) by stacking three meetings one after another. Also, true to their word they are acting in
harmony on a number of fronts. One hears that they agree on everything despite the fact
that materials have only been given to them at the meeting to digest. Could there have been serial telephone contact… The present Board is intutive, especially its President who drew up the entire budget for the whole of the five NC Districts without consulting a single District Rep or the listed organizations. It was said that the Treasurer and Budget Committee harmoniously agreed to the packet that will likely be adoped harmoniously on June 9
and will include some 9 or 10 receptions as part of its outreach strategy.
The themed receptions are puzzling. The President has been in power for
four and a half years and he still has to throw receptions with City monies
to get attention…. “Leadership in Action” * produced no quarterly reporting,
three non-compliance violations and to date no spread sheets or quarterly
reports ( 2009-2010) nor the five (5) already due for 2010** We learnt that none of this
was available at Budget Committee meeting. These materials need to be
posted for the public to digest asap. Action! Action! How so ..when the
Districts have been de-activated.. and community voices muted if not
muzzled….and a better part of its By Laws suspended……indefinately….
* GEPENC slogan taken from its published agendas
** Department of Neighborhood Empowerment has re-scheduled NC
reporting on creadit card expenditure on a monthly basis since over
80 of the 90 NCs did not Report quarterly as required…..
At the heart of any By Laws is the Standing Rules.
Suspended temporarily? Is this democracy or dictatorship in progress…..
According to the CIO the Oct 2009 By Laws & Standing Rules were susccessfully crafted with due diligence and contless hours of
ponderous pondering and a meeting with NC City Attorney reviewing and
revising the By Laws. In attendence at the meeting with NC City Attorney
was the CIO and a supportive team. No opposition members either invited
or allowed as observers.
As such, the NC’s President and CIO’s perpetual lament that walk-out members contributed to the absence of harmony and prevented many Board decision is a skewered take on a situation that has been kept under wraps for too long. The President and CIO have opted not to let you know that
very often, its own team members failed to show up at meetings. One member retained full voting status despite appearing at two meetings
only in the two years of his tenure. The past Treasurer held a seat in his
district hostage/vacant because he refused to resign his District seat when elected as Tresurer. The absentee rate of the NC President’s team had a
significant role in the lament. The NC President and the CIO need to stop
pretending. Their own team undermined their efforts not the walkouts.
Suspend this NC! This NC is spin city at community expense and City monies….