Neighborhood Empowerment Town Hall Report

Results of the Neighborhood Empowerment Town Hall Survey:

On Sunday, Sept. 19, Councilmember Paul Krekorian hosted a workshop to build a foundation for the future of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which oversees the city’s 92 neighborhood councils. During the four-hour session, respondents were asked to offer their feedback about the town hall and how the next workshop – planned for October at USC (a specific date will be released soon) – can improve.

Respondents rated the workshop via a series of five questions from 1 – the lowest rating – to 5 – the highest. According to the survey, the workshop proved exceedingly beneficial as exemplified by the answers below:

• More than half – 51% – rated the workshop a 5, with one going above and beyond by rating the overall event a 6.
• The overwhelming majority – 79% – rated the workshop either a 4 or 5;
• The average rating of the entire event was 4.2;
• The highest rated question, asking if people felt they were able to effectively communicate, received an average rating of 4.39;
• The lowest rated question, asking if respondents believe the information gathered will be used effectively, received an average rating of 4.02;
• Asked about their overall impression of the event, respondents offered an average rating of 4.18;
• The highest rated response – 33 people rated it a 5 – was the question asking if respondents would encourage others to attend our next town hall.

The questions and videos from the workshop’s presenters below the fold:

Streamlining DONE, a Live Blog

4:18: Meeting adjourned with more discussion to come next week. In the interim, please feel free to contribute your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you for following.

4:08: CDD will  get a chance next week to weigh in on this issue.

4:02: Modernizing the way NCs pay for their goods and events, while ensuring maximum accountability, is on the table here.

3:55: On to item #4 (item #3 was skipped), concerning NC bank cards, which CM Zine just called a “fail safe solution.”

3:49: CM Krekorian responds to angst of some NC members who complain that their funds are being used to pay down the city’s deficit: “Neighborhood Councils  are of immense benefit in terms of energy, eyes and ears and many other aspects. The city of Los Angeles benefits from their vitality. Whatever we do that causes a reduction in rollover [and] detracts from their ability to do what they’re doing, hurts our constituents and hurts our city. Sadly, that’s true of most everything in our budget, but we’re doing our best to wade through.”

3:40: Committee moves to item #2, which concerns the subject of NC rollover funds.

3:27: With public comment over, CM Krekorian looks to ensure details of the transition are finalized. He wants the staffing requirements needed for the transitional period formalized as well as the time line for when CDD will take over DONE.

3:11: The first public commenter is Mike O’Gara from Sun Valley NC. His message is clear: “DONE needs a general manager.”

3:03: Al Abrams, of the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners: A lot of the ‘problems’ DONE has had comes from the fact that residents have not had the ability to weigh in. “The systemic failures can be traced back to that…but there is tremendous value in this potential merger.”