NEIGHBORHOOD AGENCY CHIDED ON PROGRESS.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer Frustration with the pace of work by the fledgling Department of Neighborhood Empowerment began to surface Monday, with a city panel directing the department to convene CONVENE, civil law. This is a technical term, signifying to bring an action. an advisory panel of community organizers to help create neighborhood councils Neighborhood councils are governmental or non-governmental bodies composed of local people who handle neighborhood problems. They can be found in many cities throughout the world. . Members of the City Council's Government Efficiency Committee voiced displeasure with how the new agency has been conducting hearings and getting input in creating the neighborhood councils. ``The unreadiness un·read·y adj. un·read·i·er, un·read·i·est 1. Not ready or prepared. 2. Slow to see or respond; not prompt. un·read of the department concerns me,'' Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas Mark Ridley-Thomas (born 1954) is currently a California State Senate where he chairs the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee]]. He represents the 26th district which includes the communities of Vermont Knolls, Jefferson Park, Leimert Park, Hancock Park, Korean said. ``Even for those who opposed the new charter, the one bright spot was the notion of neighborhood councils . . . and this department is not taking advantage of existing models.'' Ridley-Thomas said he was prepared for the committee to hold its own set of hearings if it is dissatisfied with the final plan submitted to it in December. ``We reserve the right to hold and fashion public hearings as we think are needed,'' Ridley-Thomas said. ``We ought to make this real, we ought to make it authentic and we are probably best positioned to do that. We have an obligation to make sure what comes forth is a recommendation that resonates in the city of Los Angeles
Neighborhood councils, even though they are advisory in nature, are seen by city officials as a way to both stem the outcry for secession secession, in art secession, in art, any of several associations of progressive artists, especially those in Munich, Berlin, and Vienna, who withdrew from the established academic societies or exhibitions. in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and elsewhere, and also a way to even out spending throughout the city. As part of that, the Planning Commission Noun 1. planning commission - a commission delegated to propose plans for future activities and developments commission, committee - a special group delegated to consider some matter; "a committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours" - Milton Berle has included a procedure to include the neighborhood councils in decision making. Councilwoman Laura Chick, who chairs the Government Efficiency Committee, said she was concerned about complaints she has heard about obstacles to attending the initial rounds of meetings and the inability of the public to voice comments. Roslyn Stewart, executive director of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, said she was aware of the frustration but was attempting something new in developing the neighborhood councils. ``Often, when government goes out to the public, they already have a plan in mind,'' Stewart said. ``We were attempting to try something bold in finding out what people wanted.'' Ridley-Thomas and Chick also were concerned the agency had failed to formally convene an advisory panel of community organizers. |
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