Valley VOTE Press Release
Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment
14622 Ventura Blvd. #424, Sherman Oaks, CA. 91403
April 10, 2005 Contact: Joe Vitti -President 2005
Email: javittisr@cs.com (818) 366-1668

The Valley VOTE Board of Directors has voted overwhelmingly to endorse the Intra-City Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] between Certified Neighborhood Councils and the Department of Water and Power approved by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners on April 5,2005. Valley VOTE will monitor the LADWP's activities toward meeting it's commitments under the MOU.

Discussion
The Los Angeles City Charter established the creation of a citywide system of Neighborhood Councils to promote citizen participation in government and include representatives of many diverse interests in the community. As presented in the LADWP Approval Board Letter of March 28,2005 the MOU has a variety of educational requirements, communication goals, and notification requirements to Neighborhood Councils. It is the most detailed and comprehensive MOU that has been developed at this time, and may become a model for other departments of the city.

The MOU provides for agreements from the LADWP and the participating certified Neighborhood Councils. While the MOU contains non-binding compliance dates, both the DWP and the Neighborhood Councils pledge to make their best efforts to comply with all the provisions of the MOU. Some of the key elements of the MOU are as follows:

* The DWP will designate a liaison who will be the primary point of contact with each neighborhood council.
*The DWP will provide notification to the Neighborhood Councils before the DWP Board of Commissioners adopts a major policy or program or makes significant changes in an existing major policy or program.
* If provided five working days notice the DWP will send a knowledgeable representative to attend a meeting of a Neighborhood Council or a meeting of a committee of a Neighborhood Council relating to service issues.
*The DWP will provide sixty days notification to the Neighborhood Councils for their participation in the Fall and Winter Budget workshops
* The DWP will provide ninety days notice to Neighborhood Councils before any proposed rate action is submitted to the DWP Board. Such notification will include upon request copies of the supporting documentation provided to the Board and the City Council for consideration.
* DWP will provide seven days notice of any DWP Board meeting at which the Board is scheduled to take action on a proposed rate action.

* Each Neighborhood Council shall designate a person of contact for communication with the DWP providing updated contact information.
* Each Neighborhood Council shall provide the DWP fourteen days notice on any agenda item related to any DWP matter consistent with the requirements of the Brown Act.
* Each Neighborhood Council will provide a reasonable amount of time to the DWP to present it's position on any DWP matter raised by the Neighborhood Council.
*Where the DWP has provided the Neighborhood Council with notification pursuant to any section of the MOU, each Neighborhood Council will provide written input to the DWP within 60 days unless otherwise provided by the MOU.
* Each Neighborhood Council will provide a written response to the DWP that includes but is not limited to comments, suggestions, and /or objections for consideration in the development of the upcoming fiscal year's budget 60 days after the Fall Budget Workshop.

The MOU may be modified in writing by mutual agreement by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners and the Neighborhood Councils. The MOU shall expire in two years but can be extended in writing by mutual agreement of the parties. It is anticipated that the provisions of this MOU will be modified and extended to enhance effective communication between the parties.

Contact:
Email javittisr@cs.com for additional information or if you would like to unsubscribe from Valley VOTE correspondence.
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