Englander Reports on His First 100 Days

From the Desk of Councilman Mitchell Englander...

Dear Friends:

On March 8, 2011, you placed your trust in me to represent you on the Los Angeles City Council. For this I am truly honored.

In the 100 days since taking office as your Councilmember on July 1, we have made tremendous progress on achieving those goals that are so important to our community.

I listened to your thoughts and concerns and made it my mission to return the City's focus to providing core services such as public safety and infrastructure; to making the City more business friendly to help create jobs and grow the economy; protecting the quality of life of our neighborhoods; and bringing common sense and customer service back to City Hall.

I am embracing the effort to improve customer service, transparency and accountability in City government by offering you this report on how we have been working for you during our first 100 days. Please read it and share it with your neighbors and friends.

And, as always, please feel free to contact me directly with suggestions and ideas on how we can work together to improve City services.

Sincerely,
MITCHELL ENGLANDER
Councilmember, Twelfth District

Council Committee Assignments

• Public Safety Committee - Chair
• Public Works Committee - Vice Chair
• Budget & Finance Committee
• Audits & Governmental Efficiency Committee

Government Agencies, Boards & Committees

• California League of Cities
• San Fernando Valley Council of Governments
• Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force
• Regional Council, Southern California Association of Governments
• Energy & Environment Committee, Southern California Association of Governments
• L.A. Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee
• 2011 California League of Cities Conference Participant
• Sunshine Canyon Landfill Local Enforcement Agency Board of Directors
  

Legislation

We post all of our motions on our website. To look up any of Councilmember Englander's motions and track their progress through Council committees, visit the City Clerk website.

Boosting the Economy - Proposal to expand the uses allowed in the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone to improve the economy and create jobs. The current zoning code had not been updated since the 1990s, requiring computer, technology, manufacturing and green technology companies to go through a long and expensive variance process. Those are the the kinds of job-creating companies that we want in our District's industrial zone.  #11-1602

Assisting Businesses to Boost the Economy - The business tax exemption for new companies starting or relocating to L.A. for their first three years in operation was set to expire at the end of 2012. Our motion, co-authored with Council President Eric Garcetti, would extend the three-year waiver for new or relocating companies until 2015 in order to help businesses grow the economy and create jobs. Click here to see the motion.

Finding Efficiencies to Save Taxpayer Money - Requested an analysis of the financial, personnel and operational impacts of consolidating the General Services Department's Office of Public Safety into the Police Department. #11-1392

Fighting Mobile Ad Display Blight - Strengthened the City's ordinance restricting mobile billboards, to further reduce the blight and traffic hazards they cause on our streets. #11-1532.

Introduced a resolution supporting Assembly Bill 1298 (Blumenfield) that closed a loophole in the 2010 State law allowing cities to regulate "mobile billboard advertising displays." Advertisers were getting around the regulations by attaching the ad displays to bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles. #11-0002-S105

Fighting Weed & Graffiti Blight - Dedicated $35,000 in additional District-controlled funds toward weed and graffiti abatement on streets, sidewalks and medians in our community after the City eliminated funding for it. #11-0011-S21

Cost Recovery for "Carmageddon" - Called for the City to seek full cost recovery for the millions of dollars worth of transportation, traffic, Police, Fire, and engineering costs spent on services by City departments in preparation for the 405 Freeway closure in July 2011. Although the closure went better than anticipated, the City expended significant resources in anticipation of the weekend-long closure. #11-0939-S1

Improving Fire Protection in the Northwest Valley Hillside Areas - Motion to install a Remote Access Weather Station (RAWS) in the hillside area of Council District 12 that will improve the Fire Department's ability to anticipate severe fire conditions and monitor weather data on the ground. Only the second RAWS in the City, we identified and secured the funding to have it installed on time for the fire season. Approved by City Council July 8, 2011. #11-1151

Improving Public Transportation in the Northwest San Fernando Valley - Motion calling for a shuttle bus service in the areas surrounding the Chatsworth endpoint of the Metro Orange Line Canoga Extension. The dedicated busway from Warner Center in Woodland Hills to Chatsworth Depot Train Station in Chatsworth is near completion. The proposed shuttle would make it more accessible for employees in the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone and CSUN college students and faculty. #11-1153

Fighting the Promotion & Sales of Graffiti Supplies - Resolution calling on Aaron Brothers art supply stores to stop promotion and sales of their "Artrageous: Graffiti Starter Kits” art supplies kits that glamorized graffiti vandalism and taught and encouraged young people to do graffiti. #11-1467

Holding DWP Accountable - Called for the Department of Water and Power (DWP) Board of Commissioners to first review the report of the Office of Public Accountability (OPA) before any rate increase. Our motion called for the third-party review (introduced by former Councilmember Greig Smith) and the OPA report to both be considered together by the Board of DWP Commissioners before any proposed rate increases. All rate actions are then reviewed by the City Council. Approved by City Council Aug. 2, 2011. #11-0452-S4

Seeking Cost Recovery for Vandalism & Graffiti - Calling for a report on how well the City is able to get civil penalties against graffiti vandals to recover the costs for graffiti removal, and to present recommendations to improve the City's fight against graffiti vandalism using criminal and civil actions. #11-1247-S1

Safeguarding the City's Electrical Grid - Ordered a report by Department of Water & Power on the reliability and safeguards of the City's electrical distribution grid, following the record- breaking power outage in the Southwestern United States on Sept. 8, 2011. #11-1578

Supporting the Police Historical Society - Secured the purchase of a decommissioned surplus City truck formerly used by the Bomb Squad to detonate explosives, as part of a historical display by the Los Angeles Police Historical Society. #11-1643

Rewards to Catch Criminals - Introduced two motions seeking $50,000 and $75,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of murder suspects. #11-0010-S42 and #11-0010-S40

Motion to Deny Parole to Cop Killer - Introduced a resolution calling for denial of parole for the infamous "Onion Fields" perpetrator, who kidnapped two LAPD Officers and killed one of them. Click here to see the resolution.

Closing Loopholes in Employee Misconduct Rules - Motion, co-authored with Councilmember Dennis Zine, to change the City Charter so that the statute of limitations on employee misconduct begins when the misdeed is discovered, rather than when it was committed. This was in response to the news that Firefighters found to be involved in using a Fire vehicle for porn videos could not be disciplined because the misconduct was committed so long ago. #11-1699.

Committee Actions & Significant Votes

Ending the Photo Red Light Program - Introduced the proposal, approved by City Council, to phase out the controversial and disfunctional Photo Red Light Enforcement Program, saving taxpayer money.

"No" Vote On Non-City Business - Voted no on City resolutions that involve matters completely outside of the City's jurisdiction. At a time when we are struggling with budget cuts across all departments, we should not be expending City time and resources weighing in on political issues not related to City business.

"No" on City Abandoning Sidewalk Repairs - Voted in Committee against the City ending its policy of repairing and maintaining sidewalks, an important infrastructure function that home and property owners have depended on since the 1970s.

"Yes" on Downtown Stadium - Voted to support a new sports and events stadium in downtown L.A. in order to boost the economy and create jobs, as long as no there is no subsidy from the City.

Appointments

Appointed Ken Sampson to serve on the City of Los Angeles Redistricting Commission.

Appointed Becky Bendikson, Maryanna Kienholz, Joe Vitti and Maria Armoudian to the Sunshine Canyon Landfill Community Advisory Committee.

Voted to appoint Brian Cummings as new Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Voted to approve the appointment of Jaime De La Vega, a San Fernando Valley Resident, as General Manager of the L.A. Department of Transportation.

In the Community

We believe that a crucial part of staying in touch with the community is to attend as many meetings of community-based organizations in the District as possible. It is one of ourprincipal means to hear feedback, ideas and concerns, answer questions about policy, legislation, City services and public safety and to share information that impacts the quality of life in our community.

In addition, CD 12 staff members regularly attend the meetings of every Neighborhood Council in our District to answer questions, give information about City services and the Council Office's positions and policies, and to hear the Neighborhood Councils' positions, ideas and concerns.

Community Meetings
Our office regularly attends the community meetings of:

Neighborhood Councils

• Canoga Park
• Chatsworth
• Encino
• Granada Hills North
• Granada Hills South
• Lake Balboa
• Northridge East
• Northridge West
• Northridge South
• Porter Ranch
• North Hills West
• Reseda
• West Hills
• Winnetka

Chambers of Commerce & Business Improvement Districts

• Canoga Park/West Hills Chamber
• Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber
• Enncino Chamber
• Granada Hills Chamber
• North Valley Regional Chamber
• Chatsworth BID
• Granada Hills BID
• *partial list

Advisory Boards & Other Groups

• Balboa Sports Complex Advisory Board
• Granada Hills Park Advisory Board
• Oakridge Estate Park Advisory Board
• Chatsworth/Northridge Rotary Club
• Granada Hills Roatary Club
• Chatsworth Coordinating Council
• Chatsworth Historical Society
• Chatsworth Kiwanis Club
• Northridge Kiwanis Club
• Chatsworth Women's Club
• ETI - Corral 54
• CSUN Legislative Aides Meetings
• Northridge Vision Committee
• Northridge Public Art Project
• Jewish Women International
• Old Granada Hills Residents Group
• Winnetka Park Advisory Board
• Devonshire SOLID
• Sunshine Canyon Landfill Community Advisory Committee

Councilmember Englander Currently Serves on the Boards of Directors of the Following Community-Based Organizations:

• North Valley Family YMCA
• American Diabetes Association
• Providence Hospital
• West Valley Boys and Girls Club
• The Jewish Home for the Aging/The Executives
• Winnetka Community Foundation
• Devonshire Police Activities League (PALS)
• New Directions For Youth
• New Horizons
• Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire (SOLID)
• Member, Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Wildlife & Endangered Species Committee
  

Public Safety Meetings - Councilmember Englander, an LAPD Reserve Officer, along with our Public Safety Deputy, a former LAPD Officer with 26 years on the force, regularly attend and provide organizational support to the community meetings of:

• 10 LAPD Basic Car groups in the Devonshire, Topanga, and West Valley patrol areas, providing the community members and the LAPD Officers organizational support, answering questions, and gathering feedback, ideas and concerns.
• Monthly Neighborhood Watch and bi-annual LAPD Town Hall meetings, monthly Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) meetings, and numerous local Neighborhood Watch Block Meetings.
• Monthly San Fernando Valley Coalition on Gangs, a nationally recognized coalition providing outreach and intervention to at-risk youth including LAUSD, L.A. County Probation, Recreation and Parks Department, L.A. Mayor's Office and various faith-based organizations.

Supporting Veterans - Assisted Veterans of Foreign Wars post 2323 in Granada Hills with their community outreach efforts, and supported the Federal Veterans Wars Facility in North Hills.

Community Events
Council District 12 sponsored, organized, promoted or supported numerous community events in our first 100 days in office, including...

• Movies Under the Stars Free Movie Nights in the Park
• National Night Out at Mason Park in Chatsworth
• 21st Annual Pioneer Day at the Homestead Acre in Chatsworth Park South
• Shepherd of the Hills July 4th Fireworks Spectacular
• 4th Annual North Valley Disaster Preparedness Fair at Fire Station 87 in Granada Hills
• Granada Hills Rotary and AYSO Soccer Regions 8/174 Blood Drive in Granada Hills
• Ride with Pride's 2nd Annual Fundraiser Concert in the Canyon in Chatsworth
• Used Professional Clothing Donation Drive
• LAPD Devonshire Town Hall meeting in Northridge
• LAPD Devonshire Open House in Northridge
• Think 91311 - Festival Celebrating Chatsworth Day in Los Angeles
• West Hills Fall Festival
• Heal the Bay Coastal Cleanup Day in Balboa Park

Provided financial or organizational support to the following community groups and events in Council District 12 in our first 100 days...

• Provided transportation services to senior and youth groups based in Council District 12
• Sponsored and participated in the 4th Annual West Valley LAPD Division's Memorial Motorcycle Ride to raise funds for memorials to fallen Officers
• Boy Scouts of America, Balboa Oaks
• Child Care Resources Center
• Encino Chamber of Commerce & Justice Armand Arabian Annual Awards Luncheon recognizing community service in the Valley
• North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce Oakridge Estate fundraiser event
• Providence Hospital 50th Anniversary Event
• Sierra Club
• LAPD Topanga Station Boosters
• Valley Youth Conference
• Winnetka Chamber of Commerce's Ocktoberfest event
• Youth Education Sports Scholarships

Meetings
In the first 100 Days in Office - Councilmember Englander met with a wide range of General Managers and top-level managers of City Departments to discuss his priorities and the needs and concerns of our community, and to get briefed on key issues affecting District 12 and the City.

• Met with the LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and LAFD Chief Brian Cummings.
• Met with the General Managers or Directors of the Housing Department, Department of Transportation, Director of Bureau of Sanitation, DWP, Bureau of Engineering, Bureau of Street Services, Chief Legislative Analyst, City Administrative Officer, Community Redevelopment Agency, Recreation and Parks, Animal Services Department, and the Los Angeles Convention Center.
• Met with the LAPD Valley Bureau Chief, LAPD Inspector General, Deputy Mayor of Homeland Security, Public Works Commissioners, LAPD Devonshire Division Commanding Officers, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Mayor's Chief of Staff, Historic Preservation Division, and Planning Department.

Featured Speaker...
Councilmember Englander was a featured speaker at numerous meetings and events in the community and across the City.

• Valley Vote
• Los Angeles Current Affairs Forum
• Valley Industry and Commerce Association
• USC
• Coro Cross Talk on Neighborhood Councils
• Board Meetings of CD 12 Neighborhood Councils
• Two 911 Memorial Events
• LAPD Basic Car Meetings Throughout District 12
• New Horizons
• Heal the Bay Coastal Cleanup Day in Balboa Park
  

Community Beautification & Public Works

We believe that the City should return its focus to providing the core services that are crucial to the functioning of our communities. Among the most basic core service is providing, repairing and maintaining infrastructure, streets, sidewalks, sewers, water and power. Even during these tough economic times, when all City departments have major budget reductions, we are working to ensure the delivery of basic City services to our communities. In our first 100 days...

LED Street Lights - Replaced 8,004 conventional street lights with energy-saving LED lights under the Citywide LED replacement program, yielding a 56% reduction in energy use, saving $266,000.

Fighting Blight - Dedicated $35,000 of our community funds to pay for graffiti and weed removal in our District by West Valley Alliance, after the City's budget allocation for weed removal was eliminated.

Deterring Crime in Parks - Installed signs at Palisades Park stating that the brush-covered hillside park is closed from sundown to sunrise in order to deter vandalism, drug and alcohol use, and especially illegal fires at night.

Bulkly Item Pickup - Responded to resident requests for bulky item pickup.

Abandoned Shopping Cart Removal - Ensured that abandoned shopping carts on streets and sidewalks were reported to and removed by shopping cart retrieval companies.

Community Clean-Up Efforts - Provided organizational support, supplies and promotion for, and participated, in numerous volunteer community clean-up projects to remove trash, weeds, graffiti and debris from streets sidewalks and medians by Neighborhood Councils and other community organizations in our District.

Honoring Community Service

Community Excellence Awards - At our "Movies Under the Stars & LAPD National Night Out" event on Aug. 2, 2011 we launched the first of our "Community Excellence Awards." The awards, which will be given on an ongoing basis year-round, recognize community members who do extraordinary things, and make volunteering and community service a way of life in District 12.

Presentations in City Council - We were proud to honor people and groups in presentations to the City Council in recognition of recognize their contributions to the community and for their remarkable achievements, including:

• Think 91311 - Celebrating Chatsworth Day in the City of Los Angeles
• 2011 Day of the Horse - Celebrating the great equestrian heritage in Los Angeles
• Vickie Bourdas Martinez - District 12 Pioneer Woman Award, in recognition of female role models and community leaders
• Dr. Jolene Koester - outgoing President of California State University, Northridge
• Granada Hills Charter High School, Academic Decathlon Team - Winners of the 2011 National Academic Decathlon Championship
• Roz Rosen - District 12 Honoree for National Deaf Awareness Month

Economic Development & Job Creation

We have made it one of our top priorities to help our local companies thrive so that they can create private sector jobs and boost our economy. Our economic development and job creation efforts include legislation to cut red tape, reduce costs for businesses, and create incentives for new and expanding companies, and comprehensive outreach to businesses in our District.

Business Friendly Legislation
Expanding Industrial Zoning - We introduced a motion to expand the uses allowed in the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone to boost the economy and create jobs. Current zoning code had not been updated since the 1990s, requiring computer, technology, manufacturing and green technology companies to go through a long and expensive variance process. Those are the the kinds of job-creating companies that we want in our District's industrial zone. #11-1602

Assisting Businesses to Boost the Economy - The business tax exemption for new companies starting or relocating to L.A. for their first three years in operation was set to expire at the end of 2012. Our motion, co-authored with Council President Eric Garcetti, would extend the three-year waiver for new or relocating companies until 2015 in order to help businesses grow the economy and create jobs. Click here to see the motion.

Business Outreach
Business Roundtables - Our multi-pronged business outreach includes holding Business Roundtables. We bring together heads of businesses from the Chatsworth/Northridge Industrial Zone to meet with business development organizations such as Valley Economic Develoment Center and L.A. County Economic Development Corp. and officials from Departments of Water and Power and Building and Safety. We provide information about water and energy-saving incentive programs, employee training programs, and information about how to take advantage of the Enterprise Zone in our District.

Business Outreach - Members of our business outreach team and the Councilmember conducted site visits to companies in our industrial zone. The Business team created an extensive outreach list and made cold calls to companies in our District every week to hear about ideas and challenges and build strong working relationships. We regularly provide them valuable information about incentives, small business training programs, loan programs, and other information.

Business Forum in Chatsworth - Together with the Mayor and his Business Team we invited businesses from the San Fernando Valley to Chatsworth-based TIG/m Modern Street Railways, a manufacturer of trolley cars, to discuss economic growth, job creation and ways to help L.A. businesses thrive. The appointment of Matt Karatz as the new Deputy Mayor for Jobs and Economic Growth was announced, and the Councilmember, the Mayor, and Mr. Karatz took questions from the over 100 Chatsworth business people attending.

DWP Business Assistance Meeting - We are hosting a business assistance meeting with business leaders from our District and DWP officials to offer information about incentives and assistance that can help businesses reduce their water and energy use to cut costs. In addition, we will provide valuable information about the benefits of operating in the State Enterprise Zone and give an update on State and City legislation affecting the business community.

Aerospace Manufacturing Contractors & Bidders Conference - Sponsoring, hosting and facilitating a major conference to bring together San Fernando Valley-based manufacturing companies to give information on bidding for contracts with a major aerospace/aviation manufacturer.

Special Projects

Oakridge Estate - Participated in the monthly meetings of the Oakridge Park Advisory Board, and continued work toward preservation and restoration of the cultural-historical landmark home and grounds. Our office purchased the property for the City to protect it and one day make it into a cultural and green space resource for the community.

Group Homes Task Force - Formed a task force with LAPD Devonshire Devonshire Division, Building and Safety Department officials, and the City Attorney to investigate and shut down over a dozen nuisance illegal group homes in Council District 12.

Training for Community Groups - Worked one-on-one with community groups, individuals, schools and others to guide them in planning and executing community events and volunteer community clean-up activities.

Food Truck Working Group - Brought together food truck operators, representatives of Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce, the LAPD and L.A. County Department of Health to discuss best practices, in response to the bi-weekly food truck gatherings in Old Granada Hills Village.

Chatsworth Park South Clean-Up Task Force - Working with Department of Recreation and Parks and State Department of Toxic Substances Control to monitor the environmental clean-up efforts of Chatsworth Park South, closed due to lead contamination.

Northridge Vision - Co-founded and participated in this coalition of community leaders, including Northridge East, West and South Neighborhood Councils, CSUN and the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce to develop a long-term vision for the future of a prosperous, vibrant Northridge village and business district.

Narrating Lives: Oral Histories of the San Fernando Valley - Helped organize and participate in an oral history project together with the Museum of the San Fernando Valley. The project records and archives video interviews of the life stories of elderly Valley residents, and shares the results with educational institutions across L.A.

Preservation of Chatsworth Nature Preserve - Surveying has started on a wetland mitigation project, with construction expected to commence in 2012. Continued committment to ensure that Chatsworth Nature Preserve (the only nature preserve in the City limits) remains a haven of wildlife and green open space.

Santa Susana Field Lab Site - Supported agreements on consent with Department of Energy and NASA with the Department of Toxic Substances Control for clean up to background levels at the contaminated former Santa Susana Field Lab site.

Lakeside Ballfields - Formed a task force to retain or find a substitute location for recreational soccer fields used by 3,000 children in the community after Metropolitan Water District announced that the lease for the existing site would not be renewed.

Outreach & Communication - Launched a new re-designed and expanded weekly email newsletter, which is read by 40,000 people; re-designed our website and added many new interactive features, information and resources; and incorporated social media into our outreach efforts.

Councilmember Englander continues to serve as a sworn, active duty LAPD Reserve Officer.