Minutes
PALMS NElGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
Sixth meeting of the Council and its
REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005

IMAN Center, 3376 Motor Ave., Palms, California, U.S.A.

Please e-mail suggested corrections to George Garrigues, secretary, here.

1 • Facilitator: Call to order by Alejandro Soschin at 7:20 p.m. after the adjournment of the Neighborhood Watch, welcome, explanation of the Ground Rules, and self-introduction/roll call of the members of the Representative Assembly. A quorum was established.

Members of the Palms Representative Assembly
Todd W. Robinson	President	Present
Pauline Stout	Vice President	Present
George Garrigues	Secretary	Present
Asad Yavari	Treasurer	Present
Alejandro Soschin	Nonprofit representative	Present
Willie Bell	Palms West Residential A	Present
Billie Silvey	Overland Residential B	Present
Mario Bruhwiler	Motor Residential C	Present
Neal James Anderberg	Studio Residential D	Absent
Ingeborg Prochazka	Exposition Residential E	Present (left at 8:50)
John Riordan	Pacific Electric Historic Business 1	Present
Lori Donahoo	Charnock Ranch Historic Business 2	Present
F. Danny Monempour	Palms Depot Historic Business 3	Absent (late)

2 • President Robinson made his opening statement, announcing the Mayor's Day of Service and the book sale of the Palms-Rancho Park library He encouraged Assembly members to use the e-mail address at the official Web site, www.Palms-California.us.

He also announced he was tasking the Land Use and Development Committee with making a monthly report on the local projects announced in the early-notice system of the city's Planning Department.

The President reminded Assembly members they are required by the Bylaws to serve actively on at least one committee.

Assembly Member Monempour announced that the Planning and Land-Use Committee will be the third Wednesday of the month.

Assembly Member Bruhwiler announced that the Outreach and Communication Committee will meet on the last Monday of the month.

Secretary Garrigues said that public announcement should be made if the dates of committee meetings are changed or the meeting is canceled.

3 • Public forum: Comments were made by Steven Vasquez, manager of the Paradiso restaurant, ; Ken Alpern of the Westside Village Civic Assn.; Terry Robinson of the Palms-Westside Village Neighborhood Watch; Gil Haison, manager of an apartment building at Vinton and Exposition.

4 • Secretary: Minutes of the meeting of September 7 were approved.

5 • Treasurer: Asad Yavari said he had received the spending card from the city with $6,250 loaded into it. He said he will check with the city on which quarter that money represented.

6 • Rhye Lee of Congress Member Jane Harmon's office gave a report on disaster preparedness.

7 • Developer presentations.

A. Tierra Concepts (9823 W. Regent St.). Presented by Tom Straw, the owner of the property, and Sylvia Ruiz, who reported that the hearing administrator had postponed a hearing on the matter for 30 days. There was no motion, and no action was taken by the Assembly.

B. Festival Development (10604-12 National Blvd.). Representatives of the mixed-use development project were present to describe the plan. A motion by George Garrigues to refer the matter to the Urban Planning and Land-Use Committee was defeated by a 4-8 vote. A motion by Willie Bell to support the project was approved by a vote of 8 to 3.

8 • Outreach Committee report, including request for assistance in planning/execution of Palms Leadership Forum.

Chair Mario Bruhwiler reported on the work of the committee and then called upon President Robinson to explain the Palms Leadership Forum. Robinson said the committee will develop the plan for the Forum and then return to the Assembly for approval when it is completed.

9 • Motion to establish a Web-based community calendar was adopted by a vote of 9 to 0, with the following stipulations:

1) Individual registers with site with legitimate email address
2) Posting is presented in a fashion appropriate for all age groups
3) Posting is an announcement of an event
4) Individual posting agrees that the NC may change the rules governing the service or end the service at any time, per the standard approval process followed by the NC.

10 • Changes to and implementation of budget adopted on Sept. 7, 2005. After discussion, no action was taken.

11 • Official sponsorship of Motor Ave. tree-planting. After discussion, no action was taken.

12 • Assembly business. Comments were made by George Garrigues and Asad Yavari.

13 • Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:37 p.m.

George Garrigues, secretary