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LADOT Offers Less than Exciting Plan for Working with Neighborhood Councils |
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WeekAhead
By Ken Draper
LA’s Department of Transportation and neighborhood councils have had their problems connecting over the years. Unlike, for example, NCs and the DWP or Planning or Public Works.
Now comes another example of that luke warm relationship.
In early April, the result of a motion by Councilmembers Hahn and
Greuel, the Education and Neighborhoods Committee asked the DOT come up
with a report on the Department’s communication with NCs and
“Memorandums of Understanding with Neighborhood Councils.”
Now, six months later, the Committee has agendized a DOT report
that offers no response to the Hahn-Greuel question on MOU’s and only a
‘template’ plan for communicating with neighborhood councils.
The report says that the DOT plan will mirror the outreach effort of the Planning Department. However, Planning met with dozens of NC representatives and negotiated a Pilot Program for outreach and for services meeting the needs of the councils.
The report claims to be consulting with a group of NC representatives from the seven planning areas. However, a quick check of 11 NCs hasn’t produced a single known representative involved in this consultation.
The Department faced off against NCs, over an agreement, a few years ago. An effort sponsored by USC and involving four neighborhood councils to create a memorandum of understanding got to the signature stage when then Department GM Gloria Jeff refused to come on board and sabotaged the project.
Attempts to revive that MOU project have been rejected by the current general manager, Rita Robinson.
Some feel that this LADOT report demonstrates effectively the need for such an agreement.
(The report is scheduled for the Education and Neighborhoods Committee for Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 9 a.m. at City Hall-Rm 1060.)
WeekAhead Notice: City Council will be in recess Wednesday and Friday of this week. _
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 77
Pub: Sept 23, 2008
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