DLANC Board Stuck in Limbo
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
The DLANC board of directors meets in the lobby of the Los Angeles Theatre in September of 2009.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Nearly two months after voters chose between 53 candidates for the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council's 28 seats, one disputed spot has the entire body stuck in limbo.
The City Clerk's office has yet to certify the election results because of challenges filed over one of the board's three Social Service Provider seats.
Gerald Phillips, one of the winning candidates, became ineligible for the position before being seated and the challenges were filed to force the fourth place finisher, Kevin Michael Keyes, to be named in his place. Outgoing board president Russell Brown contends that the DLANC bylaws say that a special election should be held instead.
The board also needs to hold a special election for the two Alameda East seats which went unfilled when the candidates running got zero votes. It has been instructed it cannot hold that election until the new board is seated.
The Clerk's office has until September 2nd to rule on the challenges and certify the results, and Brown thinks the office might take all the time allowed. "They won't give me any clue whether they've started to look at it or whether they're going to look at this five seconds before [the deadline]," he said.
According to Brown's calculations, the $2 million the Clerk's office spent on administering neighborhood council citywide cost $22,222 per council, or $94.50 per vote.
Russell Brown on August 10, 2010, at 01:48AM – #1
If there ever was a clear reason why the City of LA is so dysfunctional and almost bankrupt, just see how the process bean counters run the show. Whether it is permits, sidewalk repair, or even running a simple basic election.
The commission that studied neighborhood councils had a bright idea (in an alternate reality) that if DONE (Department of Neighborhood Empowerment- sound Orwellian enough?) could be freed from running elections and the controversies, than nc's could focus on real projects and results.
The logic also was the City Clerk's office would partner with the community in outreach, information sharing and best practices of outreach. Great ideals, lousy execution.
City Clerk's office returned with a super bloated budget of $4.5 million to run elections which happened to be over 100% of the entire NC budgets. So jettison outreach, communication, vote by mail and all other methods to get folks involved.
The City spent $2,000,000 on running 1 day six hour elections in each of the 90 neighborhood council areas. That is $22,222.22 per neighborhood council election- for 6 hour voting day with NO outreach expenses- just staff. Imagine spending 50% of your entire companies budget for a 6 hour project. That came out to $92.50 EACH VOTE just to staff and count a 6 hour election.
The department report even said they were short staffed on some elections where they had 6 folks per hour vote with a staff of 3. Can we say turtle's pace?
And here we are almost 7 weeks after the election and they still can not certify the results?
A single candidate who lost the election as a runner up wants to fill a seat that will be empty after the new board is certified. No problem, we have a special election after we seat the board. Same as we do with 2 other empty seats.
Our bylaws require a special election, not an appointment to the seat.
However, the City clerk rules that DLANC is not allowed to move forward with special election on 2 seats that will be empty because the vacancy will not occur until after the new board is seated yet we are paralyzed by a challenge by a candidate who lost and who wants to be given the seat in a vacancy that also has not occurred.
Any wonder the City is a terrible and really really expensive partner to live with? Common sense does not live anywhere near 200 N Spring Street.
Sad that the bankruptcy court is only across the street. At least we won't need much gas to drive there.
Guest on August 10, 2010, at 08:50AM – #2
Um yeah total bummer, but come on guys, does this really surprise you? Frustrating, yes. Surprising, no. So now we wait and wait some more, like always. Sigh.
Guest on August 10, 2010, at 11:28AM – #3
The sad thing is that the DONE gave people the illusion that there was some sort of City oversight. Many of those in the Councils abused their positions. Now the Neighborhood Council is seen as irrelevant and corrupt. Your voter turnout downtown mirrors that of the City of Bell... that's why your votes cost $92.50 each....
Bert Green (@bgfa) on August 10, 2010, at 01:52PM – #4
Guest #4: That is total bullshit. Maybe that's why you post it anonymously and without any specifics. DLANC is an effective NC with transparency and integrity. But there are a number of people out there with axes to grind (and who are trying to make money off of DLANC) who have falsely accused its members of ethical and financial improprieties, all of which have been dismissed when examined.
So unless you want to name names and show proof, stop trying to make the system look corrupt.
Dixon on August 10, 2010, at 06:35PM – #5
Even without considering its nutty perspective, "Howie's" writing is easy to spot. It's a mess of fragments and run-on sentences. It often contains misspelled words and strange abbreviations like ppl for people. He'll throw words in all capital letters for emphasis (like PPL) but he'll fail to capitalize the first letter of a sentence.
Using just these guidelines, it's easy to spot Howie's writing!
Guest on August 10, 2010, at 06:52PM – #6
90% of downtown has been completely ignored by DLANC. DLANC is about more than the historic core and Artwalk. There is a reason why nobody votes in your elections. Until you refocus your efforts on the larger issues facing downtown, DLANC will remain irrelevant to most of the people that live and work outside the historic core.
Ginny Brideau (@ginnycase) on August 10, 2010, at 09:28PM – #7
Commenter 10 - I have to disagree to a certain degree. I waited in line for a good bit to vote in the election. I thought overall that turnout was very good. I think the big broad generalization that "nobody votes in your elections" is misplaced and is disrespectful to those who did take the time (and make it a priority) to vote in the election.
Russell Brown on August 10, 2010, at 11:53PM – #8
In response to comment #10 that DLANC only focuses on Art Walk and Historic Downtown, you are mainly wrong but also partly correct.
The board is intentionally set up to have different geographical districts for residents and business. These district participation slots are designed to make sure that all interests are brought to the table. The board includes 28 board members and up to 28 alternates and another 50 or more dedicated non-board committee volunteers.
DLANC's priorities are a combination of issues of interest, issues of need, changes occurring downtown and personal passions of those that get involved.
DLANC has spent a good amount of effort on Historic Downtown. What other neighborhood has gone through such incredible change and renaissance that this community? What other neighborhood is so community focused and entrepreneurial?
Art Walk has redefined the soul and aspirations of a whole neighborhood. The creation and support Art Walk/ Gallery Row through DLANC Art committee with others is something amazing, not a criticism.
Over 125 bars, restaurants, cafes, new buildings and adaptive reuse rehabs have gone through DLANC Planning committee from throughout all of downtown. Projects from LA Live to Julie Rico mobile hot dog stands. Add in new street standards, cultural heritage ordinance,TFAR, sign regulations, supergraphics and digital billboards, supllemental sign districts, CUPs, historic preservation issues, Bringing Back Broadway initiative, LA River and Industrial land use as topics of detailed involvement. Adult uses and hostess clubs add for a lively mix. Historic Building maps and surveys, downtown guide books and Saving LA- Historical and Cultural Preservation Conference and LA History project were sponsored.
On Transportation issues, DLANC helped build the coalition of downtown partners that enabled the Regional Connector to move forward (underground) with unanimous community support. High speed train, Expo Line, a National Streetcar conference that initiated downtown’s streetcar effort, hail a cab and even pedicabs (which the City has vetoed) were all part of our program. Are these programs Historic Downtown only?
Park projects have include DLANC leading on Park 101, Spring Street park, LAPD headquarters linear park, open space (to be developed at Medallion project) and taking back Pershing Square. Add in the proposed South Park Grand /Olympic linear park, Pico/ Olive Transit median project and 9th & Hill Street Parks to the list. DLANC initiated the entire Quimby funds audit for the City discovering $125 million in unspent park funds and has participated in 3 parking Day events.
Skid Row support has included Skid Row photography Club, Skid Row Street Brigade, 3 on 3 basketball, digital TV converters, Mother’s Day Community unity festival, Project Homeless Connect, Father's Day event support, dictionary give-aways, social service maps, tree planting projects and working with social service agencies to get homeless into housing. Ricky the Pirate has a real apartment after 30 years on the streets. DLANC was also involved in the Homeless Count and Census.
The sustainability committee has created many projects downtown and won state-wide awards for progressive urban planning projects.
Community mixers at new restaurants, free movies at Pershing Square also have helped connect residents to their neighbors. Special filming guidelines were created to balance filming with residential needs.
DLANC partners with LAPD and neighborhood watch groups on crime alerts, town hall meetings, gang intervention, equipment purchases of cameras and a laptop for gang control and even purchased a horse for the equestrian unit.
So when folks say that neighborhood councils have no participation, create no results and fight all the time, they obviously are not going to the meetings that I see.
All of this is done as volunteers with a budget of 1 cent per person for the 450,000 visitors and residents downtown.
Find any organization anywhere that can create those results and I will guarantee I will double the budget to make sure your 2 cents are listened to.
Guest on August 11, 2010, at 12:53AM – #9
Any way to push SB Properties to acknowledge that their buildings are historic and commemorate the prior uses with plaques (at minimum)?
Bert Green (@bgfa) on August 11, 2010, at 02:37AM – #10
To #7: That poster (#4) specifically mentions DLANC. Anyway, overall, the NC system involves thousands of people. Yes, there have been a few instances of individuals stealing and scamming the system, but these are isolated instances and they have been prosecuted. To imply that all the Neighborhood Councils are worthless or corrupt is both false and deliberately misleading. Besides, the above article is about DLANC. Not the overall NC system. These criticisms have been hurled repeatedly at DLANC, and they have no merit but are repeated ad nauseum from anonymous sources who are afraid to stand behind their assertions.
To #10: The Historic Core has received a lot of attention from DLANC. Why do you think that is? Because the volunteers who have been showing up and doing the work are mostly based there. For some reason, the sense of civic involvement from the Historic Core is greater than the rest of downtown. It might be due to the fact that the majority of the residential population of downtown is in the Core. And remember, DLANC was given NO money for outreach for the elections. Yet the City managed to spend millions for a 6 hour election. Given the lack of resources, turnout was actually very good. It fell to the candidates to do their own outreach with no budget.
Dixon on August 11, 2010, at 08:56AM – #11
I'm sure Russell Brown's heart is in the right place, but good grief---that guy goes on and on. I mean, 637 words to answer Howie?? More than one downtowner has been cornered by Russell while he talks non-stop, pausing only to take in a fast breath. His last couple of postings on blogdowntown have shown he write just like he talks!
Russell Brown on August 11, 2010, at 10:11AM – #12
to Falling Angel and others who have criticism of DLANC:
Come to the committee meetings and board meetings and help with the work, and there would be no need for any of my words here.
You will be able to set the agendas and take the criticims over the work product.
I agree that getting the work done is much more important than the words talking about it not being done by others.
Dixon on August 11, 2010, at 10:21AM – #13
I didn't criticize DLANC, Russell. I was just having a little fun with the way you drone on and on. I've never been around you when you're not talking.
Do you manage to quiet down and actually listen during the meetings?
Guest on August 11, 2010, at 10:30AM – #14
Russel Brown,
Downtown has a population approximately 40,000. There are thousands of businesses, and 100's of thousands that work here.
Can you tell me how many people voted in the election?
Guest on August 11, 2010, at 11:19AM – #15
Look at this thread; this is why I post anonymously! Look at how quickly this discussion devolved into high school and started being more about WHO said what rather than WHAT was being said.
Appalling.
Bert Green (@bgfa) on August 11, 2010, at 11:38AM – #16
to #23: It's the anonymous posters who cause these problems. I don't see how posting anonymously solves anything.
Rich Jesmer on August 11, 2010, at 03:51PM – #17
Hey Guest #26. Haven't touched this thread. Go troll somewhere else.
Guest on August 11, 2010, at 04:28PM – #18
If you choose to serve your community by sitting on an NC, your job is to help the Council Office set priorties. If you simply claim to speak for every downtown, while pursuing your own agendas, you end up doing more harm then good. Now the Council Member can say "if the NC didn't bring it to me, then there is NO problem." Maybe it's time to shrink the NC down to the Historic Core "Village" NC... and stop pretending to represent everyone else downtown. By the way, I love the sense of community you've fostered here :)
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on August 12, 2010, at 02:47PM – #19
I have deleted a number of inappropriate guest comments posted by the same user.
Guest on August 15, 2010, at 08:05PM – #20
I have lost faith in the DLANC, posters who have posted that DLANC gives more attention to the Historic Core are ABSOLUTELY correct. Remember the outgoing DLANC president is also the Executive Director for the Historic Core BID..
Russell Brown on August 16, 2010, at 08:10PM – #21
In resposne to #20 Guest- anonymous post.
It is not a secret that I am ED of HDBID. Have been for 3 years. I started that position 4 years after my involvement with DLANC and 4 years after I had moved into the Old Bank District.
It is also not a secret that I have been involved with neighborhood councils for 9 years starting with Hollywood United NC before I moved downtown 7 years ago. I also have 6 years of involvement with DLANC with the last 4 as president.
We also have on the DLANC board Mike Phieffer from South Park BID, Hal Bastian and Justin Weiss as alternate from Downtown Center BID, Lynn Meyers and previously Kent Smith from Fashion District BID and recently elected Celina Mancia from Industrial District and Arts District BID.
Seems to me that all BIDs are represented on DLANC board along with 11 resident seats, 3 social service seats, 1 homeless set, 3 arts, cultural and education seats along with the business seats. Total of 28 seats and up to 28 alternates.
All committees are open to all members. Alternates for board members are also open as long as the candidate is qualified in that stakeholder position.
Word from City Clerk today is that there may be a ruling on the election challenge for the social service slot on Wed. The election challenge committee met this weekend and a decision letter was being drafted today.
Once that is released, DLANC will move forward with the special election for Alameda East business and resident and possibly the social service slot(depending on the ruling).
Next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday Sept 14th unless another is scheduled earlier.
Russell Brown on August 18, 2010, at 08:50PM – #22
The unofficial word from one of the challengers is that they were told that the social service slot will be filled by a special election.
This is the same as what our bylaws require and what was stated in early July to the candidates and the challengers. They chose not to take that advice and filed challenges.
7 weeks later, we are still waiting for an official release from the City.
You would think for the sum of $22,000 per neighborhood council election for a 6 hour election that could read bylaws more quickly.
Deadline for official notice is still Sept. 2nd