•1A Call to Order: Facilitator George Garrigues called the second meeting of the Palms Representative Assembly to order at 7 p.m. Welcome was given to spectators and the Assembly members were introduced. Seven members were present, and a quorum was established.
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Members of the Palms Representative Assembly
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Todd W. Robinson
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President |
Present |
| --- |
Vice President |
Vacant |
George Garrigues
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Secretary |
Present |
Asad Yavari
|
Treasurer |
Present |
Alejandro Soschin
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Nonprofit representative |
Absent |
Willie Bell
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Palms West Residential A |
Late |
Billie Silvey
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Overland Residential B |
Present |
Mario Bruhwiler
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Motor Residential C |
Present |
| Neal James Anderberg |
Studio Residential D |
Installed |
Ingeborg Prochazka
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Exposition Residential E |
Present |
John Riordan
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Pacific Electric Historic Business 1 |
Present |
Lori Donahoo
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Charnock Ranch Historic Business 2 |
Absent |
F. Danny Monempour
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Palms Depot Historic Business 3 |
Late |
•1B Immediate Past President Len Nguyen was introduced.
•2 Nguyen made a statement to the Assembly and introduced Todd W. Robinson, the new President.
•3. Robinson made a statement concerning his plans for the Council, including a committee structure. He distributed the following statement:
Outreach and Communication
Organize an overall outreach plan for the next year including Palms "branding," Web site management, and actually methods of communication (mailers, emailing, yard signs, Palms area markers/signs, automated phone system, door to door, leveraging other organizations communication structure, etc. as determined by the committee). It would really be beneficial for this committee to have a couple individuals with backgrounds in marketing/branding. This will be fairly time intensive for it to be successful.
Development and Land Use
This committee will have two major areas of responsibility. This committee will work directly with developers to understand their goals and . This committee will need to guide the rest of the council with advanced understanding of usage zoning, parking stats, programs/financial encouragements available from the city to the developers, residential density calculations, affordable housing, etc as determined by the committee. It will be very important for this committee to have a couple individuals with backgrounds in these areas. There will be training available for this committee from the city and private industry experts.
Community Vision
This committee will be quite active in the beginning to establish background information and options for the long term goals of the neighborhood taking into account LA city plans, housing statistics, crime statistics, development opportunities, education resources, school resources, and all the different major institutions of change available to us. This committee will regularly present to the Council for decisions.
Tentatively Planned Future Committees (ad hoc or standing): Traffic/Transportation, Budget, Funding (locates other possible sources of funding, assists other committees in applying for it), Public Safety, Elections, Bylaws.
In regards to each of the three committees being formed now, please think about any stakeholders you know that have experience with the applicable areas that might be recruited to help.
•4 Motion adopted by unanimous consent: Resolution of appreciation to Len Nguyen for his service as organizer and first president of the Palms Neighborhood Council. Text follows:
Resolution commending Len Nguyen and thanking him for his efforts on behalf of Palms, California, U.S.A.
Len Nguyen is someone who cares very much about this neighborhood. Palms is his home, and as someone who takes pride in his place of residence, Len has committed himself to the tasks required to make that home the very best it can be.
For more than two years, Len has demonstrated a determination to improve this community, not only for himself, but for all his fellow stakeholders. He is a quiet man, but behind that calm demeanor is a sense of purpose that has allowed him to harness the efforts of many others as this organization took shape.
It was not an easy process, but it was greatly facilitated by Len's ability to forge a consensus, establish the right priorities, and marshal the broad support that made Palms's certification and the creation of the Palms Neighborhood Council a reality.
It is with great pride that all of us can say we served with Len, and we are certain that although he is moving on to other challenges, he will always remain a part of our Council.
Perhaps Len's new responsibilities will take him out of Palms, but Palms will always be a part of Len. For this we are thankful, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Adopted by the Representative Assembly of the Palms Neighborhood Council this thirteenth day of July, two thousand five, in the community of Palms, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
•5 Approval by general consent of additions to the Ground Rules (rules of order). Text follows:
• Under "Public Forum," comments from the public are on non-agenda items and are limited to three minutes per speaker and 30 minutes in total. Action cannot be taken by the Assembly on these items (because they have not been agendized) but a brief discussion on how to handle them can be held by the Assembly at the end of the meeting under "Assembly business."
• State law requires that the public be allowed to speak before a vote is taken on each agendized item. The Facilitator will strive to make sure that all sides of the issue are heard. During discussion of the item, public comment will be held at the outset and then will be closed and discussion may then be limited to Assembly members. The Facilitator may make exception to this rule in the interest of full participation by the public. All comment should be brief and must be focused on the item under discussion.
•6 Public forum: Comments were taken from the public.
•7 Minutes of the meeting of June 21 were approved as submitted by the Secretary.
•8 Treasurer: Treasurer Asad Yavari gave an oral report.
•9 Motion adopted by general consent specifically assigning to the chair of the May 2005 Election Committee the custody of all records relating to that election. Normally the Secretary is responsible for the preservation "of all records, reports and other official documents, except those specifically assigned to the custody of others" (Bylaws Article 7-C-9).
•10 By general consent, budget submitted by the President for the first quarter of the fiscal year was sent to committee. (Attachment A.)
•11 By general consent, the appointment by the President of Neal James Anderberg to fill the vacancy in the Assembly of Residential Representative, Studio District, was approved. Mr. Anderberg took his seat.
•12 Motion approved by general consent requesting the President to appoint a committee to study and report back on the relationship of the Palms-Westside Village Neighborhood Watch and the Palms Neighborhood Council.
•13 Motion defeated by general consent requesting the President to appoint an ad hoc committee to study and report back on office space needs for the Neighborhood Council.
•14 Subsidiary motion approved to postpone indefinitely a motion setting the date for a public hearing on a statement of facts and a resolution concerning the inclusion of the Westside Village area within the Mar Vista Community Council boundaries. Ayes: Bell, Bruhwiler, Prochazka, Robinson, Silvey, Riordan, Yavari. Nays: Garrigues, Monempour.
•15 Motion approved by general consent to request the President to refer to a committee the plans by C-R Management Co. for a mixed-use property at Motor and Palms for fact finding and a recommendation.
• 16 Subsidiary motion was approved to postpone indefinitely a motion directing the Secretary to write a letter to the city Department of Transportation concerning the "Westside Village" neighborhood boundary marker on the northwest corner of Palms and Overland.
•17 Motion directing the Secretary to send letters concerning a proposed live-work multi-use project at National Blvd. and Overland Ave. was withdrawn and not submitted.
•18 The following statement and motion was approved by general consent:
STATEMENT OF FACTS
1. On Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, 2005, Overland Avenue between Palms Blvd. and the I-10 Freeway was resurfaced by the city.
2. Before the surfacing work was done, temporary signs were posted on both sides of the street stating "TOWAWAY / TEMPORARY / NO PARKING / 6 A.M. TO 6 P.M./ SAT & SUN."
3. On Saturday, July 2, at least three of these signs remained attached to light standards or utility poles and were removed by a member of the Palms Neighborhood Council.
RESOLUTION
1. The Representative Assembly of the Palms Neighborhood Council believes this lapse on the part of the city was a detriment to the neighborhood.
2. The Assembly requests assurances from the Bureau of Street Services that such a lack of attention to temporary-sign removal will be repeated nowhere in the city.
3. The Secretary is directed to write a letter to the Bureau of Street Services notifying it of the Assembly's concern over the situation.
4. This letter is to be co-signed by the President.
•19 Discussion and possible motions on lack of pedestrian access in front of businesses on Washington Blvd. between Motor and Mentone and large potholes in alleys and upkeep problems at Sony property border with alley were taken from the agenda by general consent.
•20 Assembly business: Comments from Assembly members and the general public were made on subjects within the Assembly's jurisdiction.
•21 Adjournment at 9 p.m.
Submitted by:
George Garrigues
Secretary
