CITY HALL LEADERSHIP'S NEWEST PLANS FAST START.Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer During her campaign, Cindy Miscikowski Cindy Miscikowski represented the 11th District on the Los Angeles City Council for two full terms from 1997 through 2005. Previously, she was an aide to Councilman Marvin Braude and the Executive Director of the Skitball Cultural Center in its beginning stages. stressed her years of experience as chief deputy to outgoing Councilman Marvin Braude Marvin Braude (August 11, 1920—December 7, 2005)served as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 11th district from 1965 to 1997. At various times Mr. Braude (pronounced BROW-dee) served as chair of the Finance and Revenue Committee, the Environmental Quality and Waste so she would be able to hit the ground running. She'll be wearing running shoes Monday when she takes the oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. . With only a few days off to celebrate her win over Georgia Mercer, Miscikowski has been going out meeting with community groups, business leaders and others in her district to find out what is needed. ``There were some things that were deferred waiting for me to take office, and there's a sense of expectation that I ought to be able to go in the first week and solve things,'' Miscikowski said. ``I'll be spending a lot of attention at the start on these local issues as I try to look at the bigger needs of the district.'' Some of those needs include local planning issues, such as trying to block the opening of an adult business in Van Nuys and looking at how Van Nuys Boulevard can be revitalized re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. . ``Almost all of my attention initially is looking at Van Nuys Boulevard,'' Miscikowski said. ``We are losing a lot of the quality businesses to pawn shops a shop where a pawnbroker does business. - Shak. See also: Pawn and swap meets. ``I want to meet with residents and the businesses that are there and see what we can do to bring it back.'' In many respects, Miscikowski said her meetings with constituents has not been much different from her days as Braude's top aide and the reality of moving from a staff position to policy maker has yet to set in. ``I don't think I'll really feel it until I'm sitting in that leather chair around the horseshoe horseshoe, narrow plate, commonly of iron or steel, shaped to fit a horse's hoof and attached to the hoof by nailing it to the inner edge of the horny wall of the hoof. with my new colleagues,'' Miscikowski said. ``That's when it will feel different as I develop a relationship with my colleagues.'' Ahead of swearing-in ceremonies, Miscikowski said she has been juggling the detail of moving into her offices and hiring staff. ``About 60 percent of (Braude's) staff will stay on,'' Miscikowski said. ``I'm taking my time in looking at the top policy people I'll need to help me.'' She has still savored her victory - one in which she had been initially favored to win, found herself second in the primary election and then came back to win. ``It was amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. , with all these mixed emotions,'' Miscikowski said. ``I was the come-from-behind kid who had been expected to win.'' It also became even sweeter for her when Braude dropped his plans to seek re-election and embraced her candidacy. ``It's like a passing of the torch for me,'' Miscikowski said. ``(Braude) will be the one swearing me in, so it can't get any more emblematic em·blem·at·ic or em·blem·at·i·cal adj. Of, relating to, or serving as an emblem; symbolic. [French emblématique, from Medieval Latin embl than that.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO MISCIKOWSKI |
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