Held at the Cafeteria Conference Room, Valley College

Agenda Item 1  Roll Call

Meeting called to order by Chair at 7:11 PM

Pledge of Allegiance 

Role Call-

Present: Anderson, Donobedian, Gatti, Geldberg, Jannol, Lavine, Nelson, Pezzner, Popenoe, Poster, Price, Shapiro, Simon, Sweet, Tabibian, Viereck, Wehrli    

                Absent: Shapiro, Ueland

                Late arrival: Freedman, Jannol, Laws, K Panahandeh

During Roll Call, the secretary announced the immediate resignation of Sharon Anton.

May 6^th attendance record for Tabibian and Poster was corrected. Poster was present at the meeting and Tabibian joined the board during the May 6^th meeting.

Agenda Item 2 Public Comments.

1. Carlos Ferreyra referred the dirty alley behind Walgreen’s on Victory Blvd. to Public Safety.

2. Michael Randall urged that the agenda be arranged to accommodate stakeholders who take the time to attend meetings and with community interest in mind. 

3. Written statement by Diana Lipari provided to the secretary and read during public comments.

I don’t normally script my remarks to this Council, however, I am doing so on this issue because I want these remarks made part of the official minutes of this body for this meeting date.  I am angered and dismayed that I again must bring up the issue of the Grievance against Judy Price by myself and Richard Hilton given to this Council during its meeting on May 18, 2006.  To date this Grievance has yet to be heard by anyone.  After months of keeping it off the agenda of this Council, it was finally given to the Secretary, Laurie Lavine during the meeting on September 11, 2006 for referral to an Ad Hoc Committee of Stakeholders.  I have been told by Ms. Lavine that she has not yet convened that ad hoc committee because she was forced to accept a Standing Rule regarding grievances that limits a secretary’s rights as an individual to attend and/or speak at public meetings.  Ms. Lavine asked that the issue of the Standing Rule re Grievances be put on this month’s agenda and was ignored. 

Firstly, the idea that Ms. Price feels she can ignore a board member’s request for an agenda item speaks directly to one of the issues I and Richard Hilton raised in our May 18^th Grievance – namely abuse of power.  Secondly, the Standing Rule regarding Grievances was adopted by this Council many months after our Grievance was submitted.  As such, it should not and does not apply to the May 18^th Grievance.  I demand that an Ad Hoc Committee be convened forthwith and that the Grievance be heard according to the rules in place at the time the Grievance was submitted.  Richard Hilton and I have no intention of letting this matter rest.  We will take this matter to BONC and beyond if necessary.

Agenda Item 3 President’s Announcements

1  DONE Advocate Taneda Larios was introduced and welcomed to the council. Taneda discussed that

    the conflict of interest training must be completed by December 31, 2006.

    Lavine asked Taneda for the status of the Spanish language version of the bylaws started 2 years ago.

2. SLO John Smith’s newsletter providing information about the marijuana clinics was distributed.

3. A reminder was given for providing input on the Mayors Budget Survey by November 15, 2006.

4. A reminder was given for the on-line conflict of interest training to meet the requirements of AB1234

    for NC board members.

5. Abdul Zohbi was nominated by Anderson, seconded by Simon, to fill the School Rep seat.

Ayes: Anderson, Donobedian, Freedman, Gatti, Geldberg, Nelson, Poster, Price, Simon, Wehrli            

   Noes: Lavine, Sweet

   Abstaining: Laws, S Panahandeh, Pezzner, Popenoe, Tabibian, Viereck

   Mr. Zohbi was welcomed onto the board.             

Agenda Item 4 Minutes for May 18, 2006; June 5, 2006; July 10, 2006; August 7, 2006; and September 11, 2006 and October 10, 2006

 Lavine did not have the October minutes because of a computer hard drive crash 

Agenda Item 5 Treasurer’s Report

 N/A      

Agenda Item 6 Committees

Density Bonus

Committee extended for 6 additional months

Vacancy

Committee extended for 6 additional months.

Public Safety and Government Relations

1. Anti graffiti tracker still under review.

2. Motion by Anderson, to hire webmaster for design and maintenance of council site fro a sum not to exceed $300.00 per month.

Motion by Lavine, seconded by Simon, Popenoe, Sweet and Tabibian to seek a volunteer to maintain the website and to bring nominees to the next meeting; and to allot a sum not to exceed $300.00 for an interim webmaster to update the site.

Motion passes by voice vote.

3. GVGC Brochure:  Anderson motion to amend brochure for a sum not to exceed $250.00 passes by voice vote.

4. License Plate Reader for LAPD Van Nuys Division is pending, waiting for Lake Balboa/West Van Nuys and Van Nuys councils to take action on the funding needed.

5. Development of Goals and Priorities: Creation of a mission statement with Donobedian chairing the task force for the outreach:

6. LANCC and 912 Commission Report from Laws.

The 912 Commission will meet in the North Valley on November 21^st at 6:30 PM. The South Valley meeting will be held on November 30^th, at the Braude Building 7 to 9 PM.

Website address for 912 Commissioner Laws- talking912commission.com

The LANCC meetings scheduled for 2007 are February 6^th and June 30^th.

Planning and Land Use

1.Motion to adopt the PLU committee’s recommendation was moved and seconded to amend the Mansionization ICO Draft language to reduce floor area ratio from 60% to 40% plus 500 square feet pending community approval.  Motion failed.

Ayes: Anderson, Donobedian, Lavine, Nelson, Popenoe, Poster, Price

Noes: Geldberg, Laws, K Panahandeh, Simon, Viereck, Wehrli

Abstaining: Gatti, Jannol, S Panahandeh, Pezzner, Sweet, Zohbi

PLU Committee to arrange for a second town hall meeting for the community in January 2007. Ballots would be provided to stakeholders for voting on the ICO.

Rules, Bylaws and Elections

Election and caucus dates have been moved forward to April 24th and 25^th because DONE requires a draft of the election procedures 140 days in advance of the election.

Bylaw change: Article XI Elections, section 1 (a) shall occur in April 2007 (changed from February 13, 2007).

Election procedures changes:

Section III Deadlines: page 4.

1. Nominations open at 6:30 PM, Monday. February 5, 2007 (changed from December 4, 2006).

2. Forums anytime from 6:30 PM February 5, 2007 (changed from December 4, 2006).

 Section III Deadlines: page 5

1. through 7:30PM on March 5, 2007 (changed from January 8, 2007).

2. received at the GVGC p o box by March 3, 2007 (changed from January 6, 2007).

3. Language added: A “ Meet the Candidates” Forum will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on April 2, 2007, prior to the regular board meeting to commense (sic) at 7:30 p.m. on that date.

Section VI Candidate Qualifications:  page 8.

1. nominations filed by the deadline 7:30 p.m. on March 5, 2007 (changed from January 8, 2007)

2. must be postmarked by February 28, 2007 (changed from January 3, 2007)

3. received at the GVGC P. O. Box by March 3, 2007.

Section VII Preliminary Procedures at the Poll

Page 9, fourth paragraph

1. 100 feet of school ((deleted language:  to be determined)

Page 9, fifth paragraph Added language.

1. The east door shall be the entrance for voting and the north door (facing Erwin Street) shall be the exit.

Section XIV Caucuses page 15

1. respective caucus by March 28, 2007 (changed from?)

2. auditorium on April 25, 2007 (changed from February 15, 2007).

All amendments adopted by voice vote.

Note: Election procedure draft dated 11/6/06 is included in these minutes.

Beautification

Motion made by Simon to spend $20,500.00 on the medians on Whitsett Blvd., west of Victory. The contractor selected is Wurzel Landscape and work includes remove existing oleander, clean up, hauling debris, level the grade, and dump fees. The installation of 50 24” box California Pepper trees; and fertilizer plant tabs, planting mulch and tree stakes.

Motion made by Simon to spend $11,900.00 on the south medians on Victory Blvd., east of Bellaire. The contractor selected is Wurzel Landscape and the work includes removing oleander, clean up, hauling debris, leveling the grade and installation of 50 24” box California Pepper trees; and fertilizer plant tabs, planting mulch and tree stakes.

Motion made by Simon for weekly water truck maintenance of trees for a period of one year at $700.00 per month for a total cost of $8,400.00

Motions passed by voice vote.

Arts & Education

Chair Wehrli distributed photographs of the Serenity Garden and the Daily News Valley Glen blog article

Mickey Jannol submitted surrounding the  Make A Difference Day on October 28^th by student volunteers.

Agenda item 7 Update on Animal Welfare

Agenda Item 8 Board Member Comments   

Agenda Item 9 Next Meeting

Next meeting will be held on December 4, 2006.

Agenda Item 10 Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 PM

Secretary’s note: Meeting not video recorded because Shapiro was absent.

Minutes recorded and submitted by:  Laurie Lavine, secretary                   December 4, 2006