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UPDATE 2/23/10: From BudgetLA.org - Read BH Kim Resignation Letter
Read the Mayor's Plan for Consolidation Take a look at the new CDD and DONE consolidation organization chart
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hopes that by merging the oversight department for LA's 90 neighborhood councils into another agency he can reduce the city's budget deficit by $2 million. This means that the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, created by City Charter reform over ten years ago, will be folded into the Community Development Department. The move is controversial and may trigger a law suit from neighborhood council activists and supporters who insist the city's move violates the revised City Charter. However, members of city government have said that the City Charter only prohibits DONE's duties from being transferred to another city agency during the first five years of its existence. More from the LA Times: Villaraigosa proposes merging 2 city agencies to save $2 million Here is the mayor's press release on the matter: MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA CONTINUES COMMITMENT TO BALANCING BUDGET WITH CONSOLIDATION OF TWO CITY DEPARTMENTS The consolidation of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and the Community Development Department will eliminate 27 positions and approximately save $2 million annually
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today continued his commitment to balancing the City’s budget and announced the consolidation of the Community Development Department and Department of Neighborhood Empowerment. If approved by the City Council, the newly consolidated department-Department of Community Development/Department of Neighborhood Empowerment-will eliminate 27 positions, approximately save $2 million annually, and reduce the total number of City departments and general managers. “The consolidation effort will not only create cost savings, but will serve to take the bureaucracy out of community empowerment,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “This consolidation is an opportunity to create the volunteer opportunities that engage communities and foster participation in our neighborhoods.” The Mayor ordered the consolidation of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and the Community Development Department as a means to maintain the necessary support for the City’s 90 Neighborhood Councils while minimizing general fund cost. The consolidation has allowed the City to rethink certain functions, automate others, and provide the Neighborhood Councils with a more efficient entity that works to better address the needs of the communities they serve. Complementing the CDD’s long tradition of community service and organization of volunteers, the newly consolidated CDD/DONE will issue Requests for Proposals to support training programs, funding program oversight and other functions essential to fostering community involvement in our City’s Neighborhood Councils. Furthering efficiency, the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners will be supported by CDD resources. As part of the consolidation, the Mayor has nominated current Community Development Department General Manager, Richard Benbow, to head the new Department of Community Development and Neighborhood Empowerment. As a consequence, current General Manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, BongHwan Kim, will step down. (Departure Letter attached.) On February 4, 2010, the Mayor instructed City Department Heads to immediately begin the process of eliminating 1,000 filled General Fund positions and to the extent possible, transfer personnel from these positions to Special Fund vacancies. This expedited effort has resulted in close to 200 transfers thus far. In response to the City’s credit rating being downgraded, the Council moved to approve the elimination of an additional 3,000 positions. As Chief Executive Officer, the Mayor is instructing all department heads to begin the process of targeting these additional positions for elimination. The identification of positions will be under the guidance and direction of the Mayor’s office and in coordination with the City Administrative Officer (CAO). The Mayor’s proposed Fiscal Year 2010-11 budget will serve as the comprehensive report detailing the position eliminations requested by the City Council.
NCs Collide with Mayor Part 1/2 from Michael N Cohen on Vimeo.
NCs Collide with Mayor, Part 2/2 from Michael N Cohen on Vimeo.
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