(LAST IN A SERIES) - The prior articles on BONC address opinions and comments from NC Land. I spoke with a wide variety of volunteers from all parts of the City and tried to synthesize the opinions that were both solicited and generated by people reading the last few articles.
I also asked EmpowerLA General Manager, Grayce Liu (I know the ‘official” name is DONE but I like this new one better) to make a “wish list” since she is the one that most closely works with the members of BONC. As I mentioned in the last article Ms. Liu gave it a lot of thought and was very direct and up front in what her list contained.
Here it is in no particular order of importance:
- For the Commissioners to be engaged with the NC’s in their regions so they are informed about major local issues and that the NC’s know who is their Commissioner.
- For Commissioners to meet and network with their Council Members as well as the Education & Neighborhoods Committee members so they may effectively advocate the policies they created for the NC’s.
- For Commissioners to consider the entirety of the NC system when creating policy and not just their own NC’s… if they are from a NC.
- For the Commissioners to be cheerleaders for the NC system and to celebrate NC achievements.
- For the Commissioners to work effectively together.
- For the Commissioners to take on some of the policy and advocacy work themselves and not exclusively rely on Department staff to do all the work, which has happened in the past,
- For the Commission to regularly contribute articles to the Department newsletter after a meeting to summarize and share their actions.
- For the Commission to work collaboratively with the Department and the NC’s to make the system stronger.
I don’t think she will get much argument from most of us!
So what have I learned in the last month? Is BONC…BUNK?
For those of you who have stuck with me on this journey I do have some opinions (I know you are shocked). BONC is hamstrung by the lack of power, BUT they have a tendency to use that as a reason for inaction when it really is an excuse.
We all have different agendas for volunteering in City Government. For some Commissioners it is an ego trip. They love being called “Commissioner” and are very impressed with their own importance.
Some have really tried to make a difference, but it is hard to do without colleagues who care. Others have used it as a highlight on their resume to get other political appointments. Still others did not want to address issues or projects because “it was too much work.”
There should definitely be term limits for all Commissioners. In order for the NC system to survive and thrive it needs new thinking and ideas. No matter how dedicated someone is, it is hard to continually come up with new ideas and methods. We all get in a rut. Whether the term is three years or five there should be no incumbency.
Commissioners should not be on the Board of their individual NC or on the Executive Committee of their regional alliance. Regardless of how fair minded and objective it still can be viewed as a conflict of interest. Besides if they were really doing their jobs as Commissioners, they wouldn’t have the time to do it all.
There should be evening Town Hall meetings in each of the seven planning areas annually. They must have substance and structure, be well publicized, and allow the NC Boards and stakeholders to express opinions, which are not limited to two minutes per person.
BONC members should attend City Council Committee meetings and work to be an integral part of the decisions coming from various committees. Perhaps each of the seven Commissioners could take a specific committee and become an “expert” in that area. This might help strengthen the “sufficient notice” mandate. The Commissioners should seek opinions from the NC’s in their respective areas BEFORE they vote on an issue.
There should be mandatory attendance. Don’t accept a Commission unless you have the time to devote and the interest in its goals. Or make them resign if they miss a certain number of meetings.
Commissioners should have their City Council members and other elected officials on speed dial. There should be a close working relationship with various Departments and Council staff so that surprises are few and far between. No fawning allowed!
BONC should have a strategic plan at the beginning of each fiscal year and publicize it on their web site. This would enable its effectiveness to be judged by its constituents (us).
There have been missed opportunities. As an example, the annual Neighborhood Council Congress to be held September 28 at City Hall should have included a major address by BONC. The Congress Planning Committee has worked very hard to put together a strong practical program. They have been asking for suggestions. This was the perfect opportunity to have BONC front and center, so people know who they are, as well as to present an overview of the previous year and what they hope to accomplish in the coming year.
Yes, BONC will be giving awards for NC innovation, It is great to have the recognition but aside from introducing the “dignitaries” etc. and giving certificates (do any of us really need more certificates?), will the majority of the 700 attendees know who their Commissioner is and what he or she stands for when they leave?
As we enter this next decade, it is time to evaluate our strengths and weaknesses. I started with BONC because as it stands now, it’s the top of our volunteer organizational chart. What will we look like ten years from now? How can we be more effective? There are NC’s doing incredible things for their communities, and a few who are definitely dysfunctional.
Thank you for helping me in this analysis. I love getting your comments even when you disagree with me.
(Denyse Selesnick is 2nd Vice-President/Outreach Chair for the Tarzana Neighborhood Council and a contributor to CityWatch covering the Neighborhood Councils.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 70
Pub: Aug 30, 2013