DLANC Special Election Results
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Jim did indeed beat me to the punch, posting details from tonight's DLANC special election for Area-Wide Resident.
j. russell brown won the special election for a new at-large representative to the downtown los angeles neighborhood council with 16 votes to run-off runner-up david poffenberger's 14. there was one abstention in the run-off -- the guy who got booted out of office after he apparently stopped showing up to meetings, and during his candidate statement claimed that the election was illegal and going to be invalidated because of a lawsuit he was going to file. he didn't get any other votes in the first round. there were two other candidates, and at least one of them also didn't get any other votes.
John Sellars did indeed turn up tonight, and it was the first time I've seen him since at least November or December. It is clear to me that he was absent for more meetings than the bylaws would allow, so I'm not sure exactly what his complaint was with the procedure the Board used in voting for his removal.
Though Jim does the math to find a very low turnout, I was quite pleased to get the people out that we did. The candidates who ran (aside from John's statement) all had good things to say and I'd love to see each of them find a way to get involved. I'm very glad to see Russell pointing his attention at DLANC; he's doing good things for Downtown.
jim winstead on June 01, 2005, at 09:03AM – #1
the turnout was about 20 people more than i expected, so it was impressive in that respect. i just find it hard to swallow the idea that the neighborhood councils should be responsible for more money and members should be seated on more city commissions given the rather limited involvement in choosing its members.
in hindsight, i wish i had voted for one of the other candidates in the first round. i hope they weren't discouraged by the lack of votes. but as the voting showed, i think most people were there already knowing one of the two run-off candidates. particularly the big cluster of people who voted for david who nearly all sat together.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on June 01, 2005, at 10:09AM – #2
Don't tell anyone, but I agree with you on the power issues. I think the City Council and other departments need to take the NC's seriously and give them the consideration the City Charter demands, but we do need to figure out how best to use the system we have before we go off and overhaul it. More power requires more commitment, more time, and more training than most current participants are willing or capable of giving to the process. -e;
Don Garza on June 02, 2005, at 12:41AM – #3
Hey E, what was the number of people who voted for you? I think you have a great mandate.
Nic Cha Kim on June 02, 2005, at 10:20AM – #4
I think the people that run for DLANC seats should take this job very seriously. I'm very please that Russell won the election. He's very active in the community and steadfast with his resolve.
Anybody that takes off that much time from DLANC should be responsible enough to resign properly.
I'm sure John Sellars has very good reasons for his absense, but that doesn't excuse him whatsoever. He should've resigned a long time ago and given someone with the time the chance to some good for Downtown. The fact that he threatened to sue is laughable. These seats shold be reserved for those that intend to contribute to Downtown, not scene steal.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on June 02, 2005, at 10:25AM – #5
My notes from back then say there were six to eight people there. I wrote about that back in August. On the plus side, though, my vote was unanimous. -e;
Don Garza on June 06, 2005, at 09:22AM – #6
It is very obvious that our governing board is filled with seats of people who are only holding those positions as something to put on a resume and get a bigger and better job. This is great but these people need to also show up at these board meetings and committee meetings , follow thorugh if they are ill in making sure alternates make the meetings , making sure that co -chairs are aware that the board member may not be available to chair meetings . Some of these people I sincerley beleive are not taking this NEigbohorhood council and their duties seriously, this causes problems when other members are actually committed and whom show up to make the meetings consistently and get work done and then have to come to a governing board with an executive committee which is not prepared to hear the recommendations from those committees which are ready to conduct business.
MAny committees such as the AACE committee , and the public works and transportation committee who hgave been consistent in getting work done are always at the mercy of waiting on other committees getting things done .
We need to see to it that people on our governing board who are not committed to the rest of the NEighborhood Council Committees and of course the neighborhood need to be held accouuntable , these neighborhood council leaders are publicly elected officials and are subject to teh same kind of scrutiny in public of which City Council Members and such are , so if anyone wishes to adreess these things in public , there is no need to be concerned about any type of reprisal from the elected board member if they are challenged for thier absenteeism , atttitude , and favoritism of theor friends over the committed members of the community.