SESSION 3
1:20 – 2:35 PM

ETHICS – PART 1 OF 2
ROOM: Controller’s Conference Room (City Hall East, 3rd Floor)

(*REQUIRED FOR ANY NC BOARDMEMBER WHO NEEDS ETHICS CERTIFICATION*)
Coordinator: Jasmine Duckworth & Carmen Hawkins
Presenter: Darren Martinez, Managing Deputy City Attorney, Neighborhood Council Advice Division General Counsel Division

As elected public officials, Neighborhood Council board members are required by the State of California to take an Ethics training course, and renew that training every 2 years. If you haven’t taken your Ethics course yet – or if your Ethics certificate is expired –  take this two-part workshop series to fulfill that requirement.
*IMPORTANT: You must take both workshops in the series to get your Ethics certificate.*


MANAGING AND SPENDING NC (TAXPAYER) FUND$
ROOM: 4th Floor Media Room

Coordinator/Moderator: Corrine Ho, Past President, Canoga Park NC
Panelists: Jay Handal, Treasurer, West LA NC & Chair Budget Advocates; Brian Allen, Treasurer, Granada Hills North NC; Garry Fordyce, Past Treasurer, North Hills West NC

Ninety-Seven Neighborhood Councils, representing roughly 1,870 Duly Elected City Officials, are charged with proper, prudent fiscal stewardship of Public Funds. The Workshop Panel will discuss best practices in seeking acceptable ROI (Return On Investment) in administering accountability to equitably and responsibly accomplish Stakeholder Participation and make Government More Responsive. Then, best practices to avoid traditional year end giveaways to NPGs. Fiscal timeline management in Board event planning can avoid this and refocus Our City Charter Mandate.


CHANGING PUBLIC PERCEPTION ABOUT HOMELESS ISSUES
ROOM: Public Works Room

Coordinator: Ivan Spiegel
Speakers: Robert Newman, V.P. of Administration, Downtown LA Neighborhood Council, Founder of the Community Policy Network; Robert Bullard; Kevin Murray; Chana Grace

Everyone agrees that one of the ways to reduce homelessness is to build affordable housing. Programs are in place and the money is there (Measure HHH), so why isn’t the housing construction moving forward? The biggest obstacle is that the people in the neighborhoods don’t want it near them and in several cases are suing to prevent it from happening. The homeless population is growing every year and we’re all going to have to be part of the solution. People are afraid of attracting the homeless to their neighborhoods but if they look out their window they will see that they’re already there. Neighborhood Councils can play a pivotal role in educating and changing public perception about housing homeless Angelinos. This workshop will give you some of those tools.


WORKING COMMITTEES MAKE GREAT COUNCILS
ROOM: 1070

Coordinator: Tony Wilkinson, Panorama City & North Hills East Neighborhood Council
Speakers: Tony Wilkinson, Land Use Chair, Panorama City NC, Vice President North Hills East NC, Executive Board, Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils

Interactive Panel Discussion with topics that will include the role of committees in Board operations, subject areas for committees, committees as vehicles for outreach and dialog, and the practical mechanics of running a committee.  This workshop will give you tips on how to make your committee effective, share some best practices, and help you to build your committee into a community resource. When the Board approves your recommendation, your committee becomes a working team to carry it out. If you want to be a thinker, a collaborator, AND a doer, committees are the place for you.


LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! FILM LIAISONS
ROOM: 1060

Coordinator: Colette Amin
Speakers:  Eva Bitar, Mayor’s Office of Film and TV – Citywide Filming Coordinator; Edgar Garcia, Mayor’s Office of Film and TV Arts and Entertainment Deputy; Arturo Pena, FilmLA Outreach & Education; Linda Alexander, Film Liaison San Pedro Chamber of Commerce

How to make your neighborhood the next rising star! Best practices for filming in your neighborhood. Neighborhood Councils as conduits of information, resource referral. What is the role of the NC Film Liaison. Best practices from current and established film liaisons. Sometimes it’s a delight sometimes it’s a curse! Resources referral for conflict resolution. Who to contact FilmLA, the Production, your Councilperson? Location Location Location!  Categorize and encourage film friendly locations in your NC. How can you highlight the fascinating places, building, houses, cars in your NC. Example of a Film Brochure.  How and where to promote your neighborhood so that your local community benefits from filming. Its a win-win opportunity!


PRESIDENTS & VPs ROUNDTABLE
ROOM: 1010

Coordinator: Mike Newhouse, President, Venice NC

There is much more to being a President and Vice President of a Neighborhood Council.  This is an important networking workshop for presidents and vice presidents of certified Neighborhood Councils.  Opportunity to share best practices and challenges.


CITY PROGRAM FORUM #1 – OPEN DATA & CENSUS
ROOM: 1035

Coordinated by: EmpowerLA / Mayor Eric Garcetti

Open Data – What is it and how to use it.


PRESENTING & SPEAKING WITH CONFIDENCE
ROOM: 1050

Coordinator/Presenter: Lydia Grant, Former Board Member & BONC Commissioner

Learn what to include, what to say.  How to put the presentation together including what facts to include, documentation to support your facts, copies of your presentation, tips and tricks you need to speak with confidence.  What do you do when you think you have three minutes and suddenly you are only going to have one minute?  A detailed handout will also be provided.


DIVERSITY TOOLKIT
ROOM: 1025

Coordinator: Dorsay Dujon, Making MusicLA
Panelists: Michael Whitehorse Aviles, Artist/Musician; Gerald Ishibashi, Musician; Dr. Brandon Bernstein, Entrepreneur/Educator/Musician; Hans Johnson, President, Progressive Victory

The Diversity Toolkit is a guide to discussing, identity, power, and privilege. This is a participatory workshop that is intended to help guide all participants to better understanding and to address difficult issues. The objective is to help participants take stock of the multicultural diversity in their lives.


OUR LA 2040 – THE GENERAL PLAN
ROOM: Council Chambers

Coordinator: Cindy Cleghorn
Speakers: Claire Bowen & Ken Bernstein, LA City Planning

During this session, the OurLA2040 team will provide an update on proposed General Plan Elements and topics to be covered, engage the audience in a lively discussion about the future of the City’s Open Space network, and provide a preview of new tools to help Neighborhood Councils engage in this important Citywide discussion.


HARNESSING THE POWER OF NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS
ROOM: 1020

Coordinator/Moderator: Terrence Gomes, President, Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition

We are elected officials.  We aren’t given power, we have to take it.  How to use the tools at our disposal to get the most out of the Neighborhood Council system.  How to keep your Neighborhood Council from being controlled by others.