January 29, 2010

The Office of the City Administrative Officer (CAO) released its Mid-Year Financial Status Report and Plan today.  The Report contains the following recommendations affecting the Neighborhood Council system:

-Eliminating Neighborhood Council rollover funds and the “suspension and/or elimination of the NC funding program” (page 59, Item J) and further funding modifications (page 23).

-Laying off 19 filled Department positions, which with the elimination of the 5 vacant positions and 2 Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP), leaves 17 staff members to service the 90 Neighborhood Councils (page 135).

-Transfers to the Reserve Fund from the Department $151,000 in salary savings, which includes vacant positions and overtime funds (page 39).

-Proposes a Concept Paper (Attachment 13e) which recommends elimination of the NC Funding Program or that the rollover policy be eliminated and NC allocations be reduced or deferred.  It also recommends elimination of the bank card system and redefining/restricting NC expenditure categories.

There is also a proposal for a study to determine the feasibility of consolidating the Department with another larger City department.

BudgetLA will be meeting tomorrow, January 30, 2010, to discuss the impact of these recommendations on the Neighborhood Council system.  Please come and share your ideas.  The meeting will be at 10 a.m. at the Hollywood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Avenue, Los Angeles 90028 – a few blocks west of Vine Street.

These recommendations will be going before the City Council Budget and Finance Committee on Monday, February 1, 2010, at 1 p.m. at City Hall Council Chamber, 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles.  Please click here for the agenda and to also access other related reports.