Feedback from the LANCC Town Hall on September 3, 2011

These comments were received by the Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils Coalition (LANCC) members at their September 3, 2011 meeting.  Please note that the LANCC also discussed the motions at their July 2, 2011 meeting, which are documented in their minutes.  To obtain these minutes, please go to their website.

Training Motion

• Training should be mandated because people won't take it otherwise
• Training should not be mandated because we are volunteers
• Training should be mandated, but more accessible
• Training should not be mandated because it is a bar to participating in the Neighborhood Council system - let the Neighborhood Councils decide whether they want to mandate training
• Should not use the word "training" but "education" instead
• There are liability issues with certain subjects under ethics, work place violence and sexual harassment which may need to be mandated
• Training should be mandated, and Board members should have to pass on Board history, too
• Education should be through peer pressure instead of mandates
• Training should be mandated before even being seated.  Sometimes Board members are appointed, and at the same meeting, they are voting on funding issues without any idea of the rules and regulations
• Focus should not be on mandates, but on a training system that is helpful, interesting and accessible so that people will want to take the trainings
• Find experienced trainers to conduct the trainings so people will be interested in taking the training
• Have to have mandated trainings and consequences for people not training because of the trouble it causes when Board members don't have the same knowledge
• Consequences should be determined by the Neighborhood Councils instead of City Council or the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners
• People must be trained with sanctions if they do not complete them 

Grievance Motion

• Grievances should be at a regional level to increase self governance
• Board of Neighborhood Commissioners should take all of the grievances
• Grievances should be resolved the same way City Council resolves their grievances - there should be no different standard
• Yearly elections will take care of grievances so there would be no need for them at all
• Grievances must be decided by outside parties and not by the Neighborhood Councils
• Board of Neighborhood Commissioners' proposed policy should be used, and Board members should be allowed to file grievances because they know the mistakes/wrong doings that are being made,which stakeholders wouldn't
• Grievance resolutions need teeth

Regional Governance Motion

• Does not support a regional political body, but administrative help is good
• System should include self governance and administration and provide the Neighborhood Councils with a level of power that they can use
• Regional administrative body that also handles grievances is good
• Regional body participation needs to be mandatory in order to maintain diversity - otherwise, Neighborhood Councils will not participate
• Assign Department staff to regional groups and have them meet quarterly
• How do you resolve the conflicts within a regional group and enforce regulations?
• Don't take the power away from the individual Neighborhood Councils to give them to regionals - regionals need to be supportive of Neighborhood Councils and allow their individuality to shine

Funding Motion

• Where is there staff to support any grant system?
• Re-establish donation ordination
• Any rollover should be kept in the system and Neighborhood Councils can apply for grants
• Neighborhood Councils should not compete for their funds
• Need a project specific rollover system otherwise the use it or lose it system wastes a lot of money
• Grants are too time consuming, and Neighborhood Councils need speed to distribute their funds