SO WHO GETS SAY IN L.A.? ANSWER LIES IN HOW 'STAKEHOLDER' DEFINED.Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH Staff Writer Tackling one of the most contentious issues facing Los Angeles' neighborhood council system, the panel charged with reviewing the grass-roots network is weighing who should have a voice on the councils. Residents and business owners are obvious stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. . But what about a real estate agent? Should one be allowed to run for a seat on a neighborhood council in an area where the real estate agent is selling homes? Should a Northridge resident be able to serve on a committee of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council because his child goes to school in that community? What about someone who lunches three times a week at Pink's Hot Dogs Pink's Hot Dogs is a well-known hot dog restaurant located in the Hollywood district of the city of Los Angeles; they are also sold at Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, California and at the Zanzibar Cafe in the Aladdin Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip (The Aladdin is now ? Should that person be allowed to vote on the Mid City West Community Council? Ultimately, the definition of "stakeholder stakeholder n. a person having in his/her possession (holding) money or property in which he/she has no interest, right or title, awaiting the outcome of a dispute between two or more claimants to the money or property. " is at the heart of the debate over the entire neighborhood council system: What role do the boards play in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. city government, and who is allowed to represent a neighborhood? "There has been a persistent worry that 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. will be taken over by groups who don't really represent the community," said Raphael Sonenshein Raphael J. Sonenshein (born 1949) is a professor of political science at California State University, Fullerton. Teaching at the college since 1982, Sonenshein holds a bachelor's in public policy from Princeton University and a doctorate in political science from Yale University. , executive director of the Neighborhood Council Review Commission, a 29-member board charged with analyzing and reforming the city's system of grass-roots democracy. "If the system is going to work, the doors have to be affirmatively open. The answer is not to make the doors less open in the beginning, but to figure out what to do when people come in the door," he said. In that spirit, the review commission recently adopted a definition of "stakeholder" that welcomes anyone who lives, works or does business in a neighborhood, as well as anyone who claims a stake in the community through an affiliation. It's a wide definition that leaves some questions -- including whether an affinity for Pink's Hot Dogs would qualify as an affiliation. "We ultimately went for the broad definition and what is going to make the most people participate in city government," said Jason Lyon Jason "Jay" Lyon (born May 24th, 1986 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) Jason is a member of the Canadian National archery team who has competed in the 2004 World Junior Archery Championships, 2005 World Senior Archery Championships, the 2007 World Senior Archery Championships, , co-chairman of the commission and a member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council In June, 1999, the voters of Los Angeles approved a new City Charter which created the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). Its purpose is to promote more citizen participation in government and to make government more responsive to local needs through a citywide network of . Local boards can be structured, with seats divided among different stakeholder groups -- such as homeowners, renters, business owners, workers and others -- so no one group can dominate a council. Still, some community residents fear that the broad definition will weaken neighborhood councils and leave them open to takeovers by special interests. Former Sun Valley Neighborhood Council member Jerry Piro said local trash companies bused workers to vote in a recent council election, bumping him and other community activists off the board in favor of more business-friendly representatives. He fears the new board won't aggressively question several major trash-facility expansions. "I feel these are absentee landlords," Piro said. "The title itself says 'neighborhood council,' and that's the people who live here, and that's who should have the largest voice." At least two neighborhood councils -- the coastal San Pedro and the Westchester/Playa del Rey Del Rey may refer to:
The Westchester/Playa del Rey board said expanding the definition would "displace and dilute the representation of those who live, work and own property within its current boundary." But commission member Charlotte Laws Charlotte Laws (born May 11, 1960) is an American author, local Los Angeles politician, community activist, and animal rights advocate.[1] As a former actress, some of her credits can be found under her Screen Actors Guild name Missy Laws. , who sits on the Valley Glen Neighborhood Council, said the current stakeholder qualification varies among councils -- and that's confusing for people who want to participate. Her own council says nonresident members of community organizations can run for election to the neighborhood council board only if their group is an official tax-exempt, nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. . But that excluded a local Valley Glen group that helps the homeless because the group is not registered with the Internal Revenue Service. "I'm a real estate agent," Laws said. "I sell in a lot of neighborhoods, and there were many communities (in which) I didn't know if I was a stakeholder or not," Laws said. "With the new definition, at least I know there is a place for me somewhere." kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 Council reform The Neighborhood Council Review Commission has released a list of recommendations to reform the neighborhood council system. The commission is holding hearings this month to discuss them. For a list of the recommendations, go to www.ncrcla.org. Public meetings are set for: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Salesian High School, 960 S. Soto St., Boyle Heights 6 p.m. Thursday, University High School, 11800 Texas Ave., West Los Angeles
6 p.m. July 17, Panorama High School Panorama High School is a secondary school located in Los Angeles, California, United States. Panorama, which opened with grades 9, 10, and 11th, is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. , 8015 Van Nuys Blvd., Panorama City 6 p.m. July 19, L.A. Harbor College, 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington. CAPTION(S): box Box: Council reform (see text) |
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