13 Residents Apply for 8 Seats on Lupc, Community Officer Erica Moore Seeks Outreach Chair Vacancy, Vnc Poised to Approve Extension of Resiliency, Arbor, Parking & Transportation, and Homeless Committees
By Nick Antonicello
The Administrative Committee of the Venice Neighborhood Council (www.venicenc.org) met Thursday evening at the local Public Storage to approve their agenda for its monthly meeting (August 15) with President Brian Averill presiding.
The committee consists of President Brian Averill, Vice-President James Robb, Treasurer Helen Fallon, Secretary Tima Bell, and Community Officers Erica Moore, CJ Cole, Steve Bradbury and Clark Brown.
Tima Bell was absent.
The new board will be holding its second general monthly meeting since being sworn to office last month.
The function of the Administrative Committee, commonly referred to as Ad-Com serves as the gate-keeper of the board’s business as it constructs the agenda and serves as the nuts and bolts management of this 21-member volunteer board elected by the stakeholders of the Venice community.
The board had two resignations that will be filled Tuesday with Sima Kostovetsky and Chie Lunn deciding not to fulfill their two-year terms of office.
Kostovetsky, one of the more popular board members opted not to return despite being reelected by a wide margin and served as the VNC’s Outreach Officer. Chie Lunn, who was also reelected, has relocated out-of-state.
Community Officer Erica Moore, who was elected to the board last March has opted to seek the Outreach vacancy. Should she be appointed, that would create another vacancy that would need to be filled at the September meeting.
The issue of standing committees and ADHOC committees became a focal point of discussion as Ad-Com was faced with choosing from three mission statements that would be the foundation of the next Homelessness Committee, one of the more active bodies that addresses probably the most controversial topic of discussion here in the Venice neighborhood.
The current Chair Frank Murphy submitted a mission statement as did Community Officers Alley Bean and Clark Brown, a retired attorney.
Both Bean and Brown were also reelected in March and have displayed an active interest in the issue as both are supporters of LA Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11), who is reported to be attending the August session.
After some debate, Bean’s mission statement was recommended for board approval by a vote of 6-1. The Murphy proposal was defeated 6-1 while the Clark Brown proposal was also defeated by a vote of 5-2.
Brown, who commented that the Homelessness Committee needed to be more efficient and not just “roundtables” while Treasurer Helen Fallon believed the prior committee headed by Murphy had “lost their way.”
Community Officer Steve Bradbury noted that mission statements should offer a “broad level vision” as to what is to be accomplished. The Marina resident talked about the “value proposition” of all three statements and believed such pronouncement need not get into the weeds of specificity.
The board will also address the Chie Lunn vacancy and it was not determined how many Venetians applied. According to President Averill, all of the applicants for these vacancies will be posted this Saturday once the deadline to apply expires.
Also known as a select committee, an ad hoc committee is a temporary group of people who are brought together to perform a specific task or solve a problem.
The term “ad hoc” means “as needed.”
Ad hoc committees have different purposes, including but not limited to the following:
- Solve problems
- Develop ideas
- Make decisions
- Perform tasks
All of the committees being reconsidered for 2023-24 are Ad hoc and discussion surfaced in public comment if these bodies could be transitioned to standing committees, but that would require revisions to the VNC’s Standing Rules and By-Laws.
A Standing Committee as constituted by the VNC’s By-Laws is a permanent committee, as of a legislature, society, etc., intended to consider all matters pertaining to a designated subject.
The most important and technical of standing committees is the Land Use & Planning Committee more commonly referred to as “LUPC.”
The current Land Use Chair is attorney Michael Jensen, who was elected to a two-year term last March after being appointed to the position when the prior LUPC head resigned two years ago.
This is a nine-member committee, so the VNC will need to select eight members for service.
Before assuming the role of chair, Jensen was a veteran member of this planning and zoning body that approves residential and commercial projects and proposals.
The August meeting of the Venice Neighborhood Council is scheduled for Tuesday, August 15th beginning at 6:30 PM at the Westminster elementary school located at 1010 Abbot Kinney Boulevard and all are invited and urged to attend.
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-year Venetian that covers the local Neighborhood Council. Have a take or a tip on all things Venice? Contact Antonicello via e-mail at nantoni@mindspring.com
