Hello local government afficionados,
The Mid City Neighborhood Council convened a special board meeting the evening of September 24th in combination with our budget committee meeting to approve a few motions. Details below if you missed it!
Approval of Mid-City Artist contest street banners
The Mid-City Artist contest street banners will display artwork selected from the contest entries. This is an outreach and neighborhood beautification project to beautify our neighborhood by bringing art outdoors, raise awareness of MINC, raise awareness of MINC’s support of the arts and artists, promote the rich cultural diversity of our neighborhood, and build community.
Banner content was approved by MINC.
Now, after some fixes, the banners will be sent to CD10 for the next phase of the approval process. Mark Ridley-Thomas will need to present the banners to City Council for approval and a waiver of permit fees. Once the City Council motion is approved, our vendor will apply for the permits and then produce and install the banners in locations chosen by our art contest lead.
Funding of Mid-City Artist contest street banners
Funding will be split between the MINC budget and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative we won. Our most recent quote from our vendor is more than the previous quote, and includes printing, installation, and removal of our old banners which are past due for being removed and are becoming a safety hazard. Our LANI grant award is $3000 for the Washington Corridor Beautification Project, of which the Mid-City Artists contest is part.
MINC approved directing LANI to disperse up to $3000 for production and installation of the pole banners along Washington Blvd. We also approved up to $2800 from the MINC Community Improvement Project section of our budget to cover any remainder.
Letter of Support for New Los Angeles Middle School and Elementary School
New LA Elementary School (grades K-5) is currently collocated at Baldwin Hills Elementary School but this situation is untenable. New LA is proposing to relocate their 5th grade class from the collocated site at Baldwin Hills Elementary to the New LA Middle school campus effective August 2021. New LA Middle School (grades 6-8) is located at Burnside and Washington Blvd.
MINC approved a Letter of Support for New LA to move their two 5th grade classes to their other campus until a permanent fix is established.
Approving board members to speak to Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition regarding fire safety and homelessness
The last LANCC meeting included a proposal to bring to the City Council about fires, but various concerns came up as the proposal seems to inadvertently criminalize homelessness. The motion was tabled for further discussion and MINC would like to discuss how to take part in this. Part of the wording follows:
"Therefore, be it resolved, that the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition (XXXXXX Neighborhood Council) calls upon the Los Angeles City Council to immediately pass an ordinance to reinforce and enhance current LA City Fire Code by; prohibiting tents and/or temporary flammable structures to be located within 20 feet of lot lines, buildings, other tent or membrane structures, parked vehicles or internal combustion engines; banning any fires for any purpose on public property within 50 feet of any structure; banning flammable-liquid-fueled equipment use in tents or membrane structures; requiring flammable and combustible liquids shall be stored per LA Fire Code not less than 50 feet away from lot lines, buildings, other tent or membrane structures, and parked vehicles; and ensure all fire access lanes are clear for emergency use."
Our LANCC liaison was alarmed by the wording of the proposed letter and brought it to our Unhoused and Housing Committee and discussed. The committee is asking for the board to approve specific people to speak on behalf of MINC about our concerns. We voted to allow four board members this power but requested that they consult with stakeholders who have reached out in the past with concerns involving fires and unhoused near their properties.
BUDGET MEETING UPDATE
In addition to those above, the budget committee discussed some operational expenditures. We are considering upgrading our Google G-Suite tier to better archive our documents for everyone to easily find and access information.
For months now the NC has discussed ways of getting a newsletter off the ground to better communication with you all, our stakeholders. We discussed technological options for a newsletter and manpower required.
The next budget meeting was rescheduled to Wednesday, April 28th.
