CITY COUNCIL HAS FIRST VALLEY SESSION LOCAL MEETINGS OFF AND RUNNING.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - As far as Los Angeles City Council meetings go, the Friday session was nothing extraordinary.

But for residents of the San Fernando Valley, which unsuccessfully tried to secede from the city four years ago, it was momentous.

"You have to say, it looks like they finally got the message," said Joe Vitti, president of Valley VOTE, the group that engineered the failed secession move in 2002 and has remained active in conveying Valley disaffection to city leaders.

"I think the new council members and the new mayor recognized that they cannot afford to take the Valley for granted, and they are trying to reach out to us here."

For the council, the Friday session in the scaled-down model of its downtown chambers was the first of what will be regular meetings at Van Nuys City Hall on the first Friday of each month.

Although the meeting was devoted to proclamations and presentations - much as it usually is every Friday downtown - and drew only about 50 people, local officials said they hope that will change.

"This was our first meeting out here in what will be a regular event," said Councilman Greig Smith, who introduced the plan to have the monthly sessions in the Valley.

"I think there are a lot of things we deal with that could be put on the agenda out here to draw a larger crowd."

The meeting featured a little bit of everything a normal council session has.

Councilman Herb Wesson brought in a 4-year-old German shepherd-Labrador mix and a 5-year-old cat that are up for adoption to the public. Cagney the cat was claimed by perennial council attendee and candidate Melrose Larry Green, who was able to adopt it for free because he is a senior citizen.

The meeting - televised on Channel 35 and including a live feed so people could comment from downtown - also prompted council members to say they had a greater appreciation for their colleagues.

"I have to say I never really understood the term `road rage' until I had to drive out here this morning," Wesson said. "I came to appreciate what our Valley members have to go through to get downtown. I did use some colorful language."

Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who has the longest commute, from San Pedro, was calmer about the trip.

"I just stopped at my local Starbucks and it was 45 minutes to get here," Hahn said. "It takes 35 to 40 (minutes) to get downtown normally, so this wasn't bad at all."

Smith said he expects future Valley meetings to change.

"It will take a bit of time for people to get accustomed to us meeting here on a regular basis," Smith said. "I think they will recognize this as an important way for them to see their government working."

Jamie Cordaro, president of the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, said the simple fact that the council has begun meeting in the Valley sends an important message.

"I think it's great having them out here," Cordaro said. "It does show they were listening to us." He said there also is another benefit: The room has no back doors for council members to slip out.

"If they want to leave, they have to do it in front of all of us," Cordaro said. "They don't have any place to hide out here."

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San Fernando Valley residents and others attending watch and listen during the first of monthly first-Friday meetings of the Los Angeles City Council to be held in Van Nuys.

Joe Binoya/Staff Photographer