Tarzana Community & Cultural Center welcome sign

arzana Neighborhood Council is a product of the 1999 City Charter Revision. They give stakeholder's a voice in the Los Angeles City political process. The council offers the people the opportunity to organize and be directly involved in their neighborhood.

Community stakeholders stay informed through the Early Notification System, an e-mail system that links neighborhood council members with various City government entities, including the City Council, its various committees, and the numerous City commissions and agencies.

arzana Neighborhood Council, through their Board members, address the City Council and its committees, and City commissions on issues that are important to their neighborhood and the City in general.

Neighborhood councils are independent and self-governing and are empowered to initiate positive changes within the communities they represent.

Establishment of the NCRC in the Spring of 2006 per ordinance 177535  the NCRC “should review and comment on the original goals and objectives for a citywide system of NCs, by reviewing the works and documents of both the elected and appointed charter commissions, and should evaluate the legal status of NCs and their function, power and role within City government.
•Composition of NCRC – An independent group of 29 volunteers appointed by the Mayor and City Council
to review L.A.’s system of neighborhood councils, and to make recommendations for improvement.

NCRC Recommendations addressed:

•Vision and Values – What should the ideal NC system look like? How close are we to that system, and can we get closer?
•Powers and Roles – How do NCs fit into the broader government system in L.A.? Should NCs be advisory or decision-making bodies?
•Governance – What is the proper relationship between and among NCs? How best should they relate to DONE and BONC? What can be done to foster interaction with elected officials, NCs and City Departments?
•Outreach – What is the best way to ensure broader participation by City residents and other stakeholders in NCs? Do different parts of the City have different outreach needs? How can DONE help?
•City’s Involvement – What kind of training should the City offer to NCs? Shall City funds be given directly
to NCs? What about paying for outreach – who should be responsible?

Neighborhood Council Elections

•Moving administration of elections to City Clerk was one of the core recommendations of the NCRC.
•Recognized inordinate amount of time and energy spent by some NCs on election process.
•Allows NCs/DONE to focus on core tasks
•Removes a bureaucratic burden
•Frees up DONE resources to tackle other areas of improvement identified by NCRC
•Takes advantage of existing in-house expertise and experience.

Roles in Elections

•City Clerk – Election Administrator; candidate registration and verification; election certification
•DONE – Outreach to Stakeholders and candidates
•Neighborhood Council – Outreach to Stakeholders, candidates, and Volunteer Pollworkers on
Election Day (optional)

Election Process Developed by City Clerk

A Citywide Election Procedures Template which standardizes:
• Stakeholders Verification Process
• Candidate Filing Process
• Write-In Candidate Process
• VBM Ballot Process
• Tallying Process
• Challenge Process

Election Procedures Template standardizes:

1. Stakeholder Verification process – will honor existing stakeholder
verification process in 2008, however, working toward standardization in 2010.
2. Candidate Filing process
• Verification – hold candidates to a higher standard, moving toward standardizing required documentation
• Required forms (stakeholder registration forms, candidate filing forms, etc.)
• Timelines – Deadlines will be standardized across neighborhood councils
3. Write-In Candidate process – must meet all requirements of regular candidates.
4. VBM Ballot Process – will be offered to all NCs. Will do one mass mailing, ballots available upon request. Due back E-3.
5. Tally Process – will be conducted on site immediately following election and include all VBM ballots.
6. Challenge Process – two main types: 1) requires immediate resolution to continue election - resolved by an Election Monitoring Panel; 2) greater challenge to the entire election, occurs after election - until the Regional Grievance process has been finalized, City Clerk will conduct investigation and make recommendations to BONC.
NOTE: Will have Provisional Voting process in 2008.

Election Process Developed by City Clerk

Honors Neighborhood Council bylaws on:
• Stakeholder Definition
• Positions on the Board
• Minimum Voting Age

The Election Procedures standardization honors the individual NCs’ bylaws, preserving:

•Stakeholder definitions
•Positions on the Board (including type, number and titles)
•Minimum voting age
•Voting Districts

Election Process Developed by City Clerk

Uses the Neighborhood Council’s previous polling location
• ADA compliance
• Work with NC to determine
alternate site if necessary
ϘÞ Allows Neighborhood Councils to choose
level of participation

Election Division will attempt to maintain consistency in polling place location.
•Considerations will be made regarding the level of ADA compliance at
previously used locations
•Alternate sites determined in cooperation with NCs. City Clerk may
recommend locations used as polling places in municipal elections.

NCs can determine their level of participation

•Working with City Clerk to review election procedures (application of
template)
•Recruit volunteers to assist in conducting other NC elections
•Making recommendations on revisions or additions to election procedures template

Next Step to choose an option

ϘÞ For NCs with Jan-March 2008 elections
ϘÞ For NCs with April-June 2008 elections
ϘÞ For NCs with July-Dec 2008 elections • Extend terms to 2010
• DONE conducts scheduled election
•City Clerk conducts election in June 2008
•Choose to extend terms to 2010
•January 31st deadline for NC Board to approve bylaw changes and notify City Clerk
•March 31st deadline to finalize bylaw changes

Tarzana Neighborhood Council voted on January 22, 2008 to extend terms to 2010 and to hold elections for the full board with two year terms. This decision was reached based on the following factors: 1) cost savings to NC -  annual elections were costly and time intensive  2) opportunity to assess and correct flaws in new system    3) Longer terms may reduce the amount of candidates filing  4) 2008 November elections will be focused on the Presidential elections and voter turnout  may be greatly reduced.

Election Procedures (updated)

The Brown Act

Code of Civility

Rosenberg's Rules of Order

TNC Candidates Filing Form (updated)

Vote By Mail Stakeholder Registration Form (updated)

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Tarzana Neighborhood Council | PO Box 571016, Tarzana CA 91357 | 818.345.1966

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