Agenda PDF

WHIP Special Meeting Agenda

Thursday, July 7, 2022 – 7:45 pm – Special Time

VIRTUAL MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE

Zoom Meeting Online or By Telephone

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86121582139
Dial (1 669 900 6833) to Join the Meeting
Then Enter This Webinar ID # 861 2158  2139 and Press “#”

VIRTUAL MEETING TELECONFERENCING and PHONE NUMBER FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

In conformity with the September 16, 2021 Enactment of California Assembly Bill 361 (Rivas) and concerns over COVID-19, the Woodland Hills Issues and Policies Committee meeting will be conducted entirely telephonically with a call-in option or internet-based service option.

Every person wishing to address the Neighborhood Council must dial 1 669 900 6833 to access by phone or internet via browser or the “Zoom“App and enter Webinar ID # 861 2158  2139 and then press # to join the meeting. The Chair will give listeners instructions for providing public comments at the start of the meeting. When calling-in telephonically, the public is requested to dial *9, when prompted by the Chair or Moderator, to address the Committee on any agenda item before the Committee takes action on each item. Zoom users should use the “raise hand“ feature.

AB 361 Updates: Submission of Public comment cannot be required in advance of the meeting, only real-time

public comment is required. If broadcasting interruptions prevent the public from observing or hearing the meeting, the meeting must be recessed or adjourned. If the people cannot provide public comment or cannot be heard due to issues within the Neighborhood Council’s control, the meeting must be recessed or adjourned.

Messaging and virtual backgrounds are in the control of the individual Committee member in their personal capacity. They do not reflect any formal position of the Neighborhood Council or the City of Los Angeles.

• PUBLIC INPUT ON AGENDA ITEMS – The public may address the Committee on any agenda item before the Committee takes action on an item. The Committee will accept comments from the public on agenda items only when the Committee considers the individual item.
• PUBLIC INPUT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA – During the General Public Comment period, the Committee listens to comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the agenda that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction. Please note that the Brown Act prevents the Committee from acting on an issue that you bring to its attention during the General Public Comment period; however, the issue raised by a public member may become the subject of a future Committee meeting.

Public Comments are limited to two (2) minutes per speaker unless adjusted by the presiding member of the Committee. The presiding member may impose time limits per each agenda item as needed.

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Special Meeting Agenda

1. Call to Order

2. Establish Quorum:

Roll Call — Heath Kline, Kathleen Barth, John Sandy Campbell, August Steurer

3. Comments by the Public regarding Issues NOT on the Agenda.

(2 minutes each)

Committee Items for Discussion and Possible Action:

All comment is limited to 2 minutes per speaker unless adjusted by the presiding member of the Committee.

 4. Motion to support pending changes and suggested additional improvements to the Los Angeles Municipal Lobbying Ordinance [ref: LA CF 22-0560]:

WHEREAS the WHWCNC WHIP Committee has had experience with paid lobbyists appearing before WHIP trying to influence the position of the Committee and, in turn, the WHWCNC Board, without disclosing they were paid lobbyists. Then when confronted, the individuals admitted they were paid lobbyists for a non-profit lobbying organization. However, the lobbyist failed to disclose that the 501(c) organization paying them received its funding from an industry trade association that has taken a position against widely accepted local, state, national and international standards. The WHIP Committee determined these widely accepted standards would be in the best interest of the Woodland Hills community and the City of Los Angeles.

NOW, THEREFORE, the WHWCNC WHIP Committee strongly supports the proposed changes to the Los Angeles Municipal Lobbying Ordinance, including the suggested edits and additions, and for the full WHWCNC to adopt this position and so inform city officials by filing the following Community Impact Statement:

DRAFT  WHWCNC Community Impact Statement – Municipal Lobbying Ordinance Update

The Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council [WHWCNC] supports the changes to the municipal lobbying ordinance (MLO) regarding neighborhood councils [NCs]. We also request the consideration of changes to a few areas of the draft MLO that we believe will benefit transparency in the city.

Under section 48.08.8 of the current lobbying ordinance, a lobbyist disclosure is required only for written communications to NCs. We believe the MLO should be updated to include identical disclosure requirements when a lobbyist makes an oral presentation or public comment to an NC related to their lobbying efforts. Therefore, we deeply agree with section 48.11 of the draft MLO under consideration.

NCs continue to meet virtually due to COVID. It is anticipated virtual meetings will continue in some form even when/if the pandemic passes. Additionally, under AB 361, we are prohibited from requiring “speaker cards,” which is where traditionally lobbying disclosures had happened on our council. While the WHWCNC can require disclosure for its meetings, that disclosure has no teeth for enforcement as it is not an ordinance and does not address the other 98 NCs that similarly serve as elected advisory bodies to the city.

We believe the lack of oral lobbyist disclosure requirement leaves many NC board members and attending members of the public at an information disadvantage that should be addressed for the following reasons:

1) Transparency. We believe every voting member at a board meeting has the right to the knowledge if a lobbyist is speaking on an item for which they are compensated to lobby.

2) Diffusion of responsibility. A lobbyist may send a correct written disclosure either via mail or email. Still, often these communications do not go to every board member and attending members of the public. Unless the receiving board member is diligent in passing along these communications, the possibility exists that other board members and members of the public following the discussion would not know of the lobbyist status of the individual speaking.

3) Lack of training. NC members do not receive training on identifying or looking up lobbyist activities in the city through the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. We believe the legal onus should be on the lobbyist to be as upfront and straightforward with the board, and members of the public attending, as possible. Additionally, the responsibility is then on the paid lobbyist rather than the volunteer board member when it comes to the pursuit of this information.

The WHWCNC recommends similar verbal lobbying and paid representative disclosures for all city government meetings. Required disclosure announcements at these meetings could be made by the lobbyist or the presiding officer of the meeting. These disclosures would ensure the public is fully aware of the associations of all speakers who are paid lobbyists. NC members and members of the general public frequently listen to city government meetings or recordings of the meetings. Therefore, we strongly feel that this minor addition would bring greater transparency to city processes. We urge the City Council to adopt this simple change.

Suggested MLO Improvements. In addition, the WHWCNC would like to suggest some additional changes that it believes will further improve the Municipal Lobbying Ordinance for the benefit of all levels of City government and members of the public:

• The City Council should adopt a non-profit exemption of $200,000 in revenue or $500,000 in assets instead of the proposed $2,000,000. This change aligns with the IRS tax filing system and would allow any non-profit that files a 990-N or 990-EZ to gain exemption. This change also reflects the current San Francisco ethics ordinance. The current recommendation of $2 million in revenue is far too high and would exempt most non-profits in Southern California. Only 16% of Southern California non-profits have revenues above $1 million, so an exemption set at twice that amount would adversely impact transparency.
• The MLO should incorporate a provision requiring at the time of oral and written disclosures of a lobbyist, representative, member, agent, or employee of an IRC 501(c) (3), (4), (5) or (6) organization communicating with a City of LA entity a list of that organization’s “major donors.” “Major donor” is defined as contributing more than 5% of the annual funding to the organization during any 12 consecutive months during the preceding 48 months.

Thank you for your consideration of this topic,

Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council

5. Committee consideration of possible issues for future Committee meeting agendas.

Issue suggestions posted when available on the whcouncil.com event page for this meeting.

6. Adjournment of Meeting

Meeting dates for the 2021-2022 year: Committee holds meetings on the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm. Check the NC website calendar for a complete committee and board meetings list. Meeting dates and times are subject to change. Check the NC calendar for updated meeting schedules.

The next Regular Committee Meeting will be held on July 13, 2022, via teleconference. Please visit the calendar page at whcouncil.org for the complete details and confirm the date and time. Any needed Special Meetings before the date will be posted there also.

Due to COVID 19, virtual teleconferencing replaces ALL in-person Committee meetings. However, please check the www.whcouncil.org website calendar page for any changes that may occur.

• Notice to Paid Representatives – If you are compensated to monitor, attend, or speak at this meeting, City law may require you to register as a lobbyist and report your activity. See Los Angeles Municipal Code §§ 48.01 et seq. More information is available at ethics.lacity.org/lobbying. For assistance, please contact the Ethics Commission at {213) 978-1960 or ethics.commission@lacity.org
• THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT – As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate based on disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, and other auxiliary aids or services, may be provided upon request.
• To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least (3) business days (72 hours) before the meeting you wish to attend by contacting Joyce Fletcher at (818) 340-6554 or email j.fletcher@whcouncil.org or the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment at (213) 978-1551 EmpowerLa@LACity.org
• SERVICIOS DE TRADUCCIÓN – Si requiere servicios de traducción, favor de avisar al Concejo Vecinal 3 días de trabajo (72 horas) antes del evento. Por favor contacte a Joyce fletcher de la Mesa Directiva, al j.fletcher@whcouncil.org o por correo electrónico avisar al Concejo Vecinal.
• PUBLIC ACCESS OF RECORDS – In compliance with Government Code section 54957.5, the Committee provides non-exempt writings distributed to a majority of all of the Committee Members in advance of a meeting on the WHWCNC website: www.whcouncil.org or via the scheduled meeting video presentation. In addition, if you would like a copy of any record related to an item on the agenda, please contact Joyce Fletcher at (818) 340-6554 or email j.fletcher@whcouncil.org
• PUBLIC POSTING OF AGENDAS – agendas are posted for public review as follows: www.whcouncil.org and go to the Calendar page and click on the date. You can also receive Committee agendas via email by subscribing to LA City’s Early Notification System at https://www.lacity.org/subscriptions

A copy of this agenda is also physically posted outside of the West Valley Warner Center Chamber window located at 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Ste 2330, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. The Chamber offices are at the Promenade Mall outside the mall’s east entrance and south of Ruth Chris Restaurant. Access the offices from Owensmouth Street. Parking is free.

• RECONSIDERATION AND GRIEVANCE PROCESS – For information on the WHWCNC process for board action reconsideration, stakeholder grievance policy, or other procedural matters related to this Council, please consult the WHWCNC Bylaws. The Bylaws are available at our website at www.whcouncil.org