Budget Crisis: How Will It Impact NCs Now?

Update: February 8, 2010. The reprieve was no longer than a week. The City Council will address the funding issue again on February 9, 2010, 10am at City Hall. You are urged to email the City Council or appear in person on Feb 9. At stake are:

The rollover funds, which the WNC has already committed to use.

Reduction of current funding from $45,000 / year to a proposed level of $22,000.

Reduction or elimination of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment that provides support for us.

Read the details from DONE
LA Neighborhood Council Coalition Recommendations

Potential Email Recipients:

At the end of January 2010, Controller Wendy Greuel reported that at the current rate, the city would have a $200 million shortfall at the end of the fiscal year, dated June 2010. The Chief Administrative Officer of Los Angeles made a number of proposals to address this problem, including cutting funding for neighborhood councils and for the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.

A number of NCs joined in a BudgetLA meeting on Saturday, January 30 and issued a letter focusing on the mandate for NCs provided by the city charter. They held a press conference (view NC budget press conference video) at City Hall on Monday, February 1, and then proceeded to speak before the city's Budget & Finance committee in a marathon session. Finally, the proposal regarding NCs was removed from the plan. This is a short term reprieve as the subject is expected to return especially regarding the next fiscal year.

View the CityWatchLA article for more information.

Mayor's Budget Challenge

Take the City of LA's Budget Challege! Each year the Mayor must present a budget to the City Council by April 20th per the City Charter. You can weigh in on the tough decisions on how the money should be spent. Go to the Mayor's Budget Challenge Site and get started!

Census 2010

Every 10 years, our Constitution requires the federal government to make an accurate count of all of its residents. It calls on everyone to be counted and to make their voices heard. An accurate count helps determine how many teachers are needed in our classrooms; where to build new roads; how much funding is needed for emergency food and shelter programs; and how many representatives we have in our nation’s capital.

Forms will be mailed out to you about March 15th. For forms not received by May 1, our tax dollars will be used to contact those individuals personally. Let's save ourselves some $$$ and turn them in on time!

More about Census 2010

Volunteers needed for the CRT

The Mayor's Crisis Response Team (CRT) is seeking volunteers to respond to traumatic incidents such as homicides and suicides at the request of LAPD, and LAFD, to provide immediate on-scene crisis intervention to victims and their families. The eight week training begins on February 2, 2010 at the LAPD Academy in Westchester. Please forward your resume to LACRT@lacity.org Contact Jeff Zimmerman, CRT Manager at 213/978-0697. See flyer for more info.

WNC Supports Topanga Police Station

The WNC provided the Topanga Police Station with a printer and print cartridges in October 2009. Detective Chris Ruiz in charge of the Juvenile Unit at the Topanga Station noted that the station appreciated the support!

WNC Supports Veterans

At the September 2009 meeting the WNC voted to support keeping the Sepulveda VA facility to support veterans. The WNC joins 9 other Neighborhood Councils against a proposal to convert 2 medical buildings to apartment complexes.

At issue is the proposed conversion of two urgently needed medical buildings 4 and 5 (formerly the psychiatric unit) into a 147 unit apartment complex, plus two managers units, at the Sepulveda VA Medical Center in North Hills, CA. The Veterans, and their supporters, want the buildings, which are immaculate and in good condition, refurbished and staffed as medical buildings to house 300-350 Veterans undergoing treatment at any given time. The apartments would house only 147 permanently.
More Details
List of Supporters

Winnetka In LA Times Mapping Project

Find out more about Winnetka and weigh in on our community at the LA Times Mapping Project.

WNC Sponsors Valley Village ShowTime

On Saturday, June 27th, WNC sponsored the annual Valley Village fundraiser with support of $5,000 from the WNC budget. Councilman Dennis P. Zine, Fritz Coleman, and actor and comedian Bob Saget teamed up for a fun and exciting time in the annual fundraiser for Valley Village, Showtime. The money raised will help support the programs for developmentally disabled adults.

Elections 2010

Please plan to vote in our March 2, 2010 election. All 14 board seats will be part of the election. Only the youth seat is not. Board members will be focused on public safety and important land use issues to improve and beautify our community.
Candidate List & Statements Elections Page

Candidate Forum

Find out about the candidates at our Candidate Forum. This will be part of our regularly scheduled meeting on February 9, 2010 at 6:30. Each candidate will have the opportunity to make a statement and you may ask questions. Join Us!

The WNC is sharing its news through the West Valley News. Read about how we're supporting the community on page 11 and come join us!

WNC Supports Oktoberfest

The WNC supported this year's Oktoberfest with a contribution of $3,500 for equipment. Winnetka children enjoyed carnival rides, arts & crafts, games, food and drinks, entertainment and a raffle.

WNC Honors Scholars

Photograph by Mark Haberman
WNC Board Member Erick Lace represented the WNC at Fullbright Elementary on June 19, 2009 conferring certificates of accomplishment on five science scholars. Congratulations!

WNC Supports Winnetka Schools

WNC Board members Armineh Chelebian, TJ Martens, and Erick Lace join Tom Waldman, LAUSD Board Member Tamar Galatazan's Chief of Staff and Sunny Brae Principal Susan Laskin and students and the "Read Every Day" Mural Dedication on February 17, 2009.

"Read Every Day" Mural at Sunny Brae Elementary

UPDATE: The Board approved additional funds to set up irrigation for the Sunny Brae garden in April 2009.

At the January 2009 meeting the Board voted to spend up to $2,500 for Sunny Brae Elementary School’s “Garden” as recommended by the Youth Committee. In December 2008, the Board voted to sponsor a Literacy Garden with tables and chairs at Winnetka Elementary school with $2,500; to sponsor the newsletter at Limmerick Elementary for $200 and 3-5 murals for $2,500; and to provide third graders with dictionaries at Winnetka schools for $1,000. See more of the Sunny Brae Mural.

Sunny Brae Garden Beautification Project - February 2009

WNC Helps in Clean Up

Board member TJ Martens and Winnetka POSSE member Greg Sullivan worked with stakeholders at Dennis Zine's July 2009 clean up. In spite of the 95 degree temperatures at 10:45am, they cleared overgrown brush and weeds on Saticoy between Mason and De Soto and had over 15 huge plastic bags of trash. Well done!