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Kim on October Congress: “Most Dynamic Yet’ |
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NC Watch
By David Lowell
“This year’s Congress promises to be the most dynamic and comprehensive yet.” So says the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment GM, BongHwan Kim.
And the congress he’s talking about is the October Congress of
Neighborhoods. That part enlightenment and part networking event called
for in the City’s Charter and intended to bring LA’s neighborhood
councils together for a citywide perspective on the neighborhood
council system and those who inhabit it.
This year’s program is the result of a relatively intense collaboration of planners that included neighborhood council representatives and the DONE staff with some additional input from members of the walk-in public.
Some of the enthusiasm for this Congress is the result of a new approach and some new angles on some past popular themes.
First, this year’s event will be combined with the Mayor’s popular Community Budget Day. The opening session includes opportunity for all comers to participate in the first phase of the Mayor’s budget process for next year … 2009-10.
Running concurrently is a roundtable on the 2010 neighborhood council elections, hosted by the City Clerk, and a workshop on Full Public Election Funding, billed as an opportunity for NCs to have “a direct voice in creating city policy.”
This Congress program also promises to help you cut through City Hall red tape, workshops on assuring NC board continuity and long-term success and two interactive feature forums … one designed to acquaint you with some of the many council alliances around the city and the other an opportunity to sit with LA City Council members and dialogue on the issues of the day.
Kim says the Congress will “showcase neighborhood council best practices and will highlight interactive dialogues with City officials on pressing issues that face the City.”
Time to circle the calendar and pass the word to your friends.
INFO: Congress of Neighborhoods. October 11, 2008. 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. at City Hall.
For compete Congress Program, click here. To register and for other information: www.lacityneighborhoods.com . ◘◘
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 76
Pub: Sept 19, 2008
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