Grievance

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment Grievance Form

Thank you for contacting the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment regarding your Grievance. Your concerns are important to us. Please fill out this form as completely as possible to help expedite our determination. Please be aware that the information you are submitting is subject to the California Public Records Act.

We will NOT be able to respond to your Grievance unless you provide a valid email or mailing address.
Please note that once you click Save at the upper right corner, your Grievance will be submitted.

All witness statements must be attached on this form.

The Department will not process more than three Grievance Forms filed by the same person in any calendar year and no more than five Grievance Forms filed by the same individual in any three year period. All Grievances submitted through this portal are considered processed.

First Name

Rosie

Last Name

Kato

Please identify your role within the Neighborhood Council system:

Board Member

Phone Number

(310) 473-9172

Email Address

rmkato@wlanc.com

Mailing Address

2014 Butler Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90025

Neighborhood Council

West LA - Sawtelle

Neighborhood Council Bylaws

Specific Violation Alleged

Failure to indicate the nature of your alleged Grievance will result in the dismissal of your Grievance.

Neighborhood Council Bylaw

Article Number

Section

Los Angeles Administrative Code

Section

Plan for the Citywide System of Neighborhood Councils

Section

Board of Neighborhood Commissioners Policy

Please state Policy below

Department Policy

Please state Policy below

* - Any other City code, executive directive, rule or regulation applicable to Neighborhood Councils.

Date of Alleged Violation

07-05-16

A Grievance must be filed within 30 days from the date of the event giving rise to the Grievance. Any Grievance alleging a violation relating to Neighborhood Council funding must be filed within 90 calendar days of the date the expenditure is made.

Please state below

(1) This complaint also encompasses one against EmpowerLA for what appears to be a deliberate 'obstruction' in denying accessibility to the audio recording of the BONC July 5, 2016 Special Meeting, so that information could not be obtained in a timely manner to file any grievances.The wrong audio (the June 9, 2016 meeting) was posted on the BONC Agenda & Minutes website. The audio recording was not made available until August 3, 2016. This inaction/action by EmpowerLA is viewed as another case of ADA Title II targeting, retaliation, and discrimination against a disabled individual for requesting a reasonable accommodation which resulted in the WLASNC being placed in EE.

(2) At the July 27, 2016 WLASNC board meeting, I asked the entire board if any member attended the July 5 BONC Special Meeting. Tom Donovan, who was present, deliberately failed to disclose his attendance and participation in the BONC meeting. Additionally, Donovan once again targeted, retaliated, bullied, and discriminated under ADA Title II regulations and breached confidentiality of a disabled individual's information in a public meeting before BONC. The previous breach occurred at the WLASNC Special Meeting of June 22, 2016 when he presented a timeline of events leading to EE before DOD's Angela Kaufman and the Managing Deputy City Attorney Darren Martinez. Donovan proceeded to report that WLASNC was placed into EE resulting from "a board member's ADA complaint regarding the board offices" related to "fragrance sensitivity". Donovan states how WLASNC was awarded 'best NC' last year--which is relative, as there are others who would not view it as such. Donovan elected to omit vital information re DOD's November 2, 2015 letter to chair Jay Handal that board meetings should cease to be held on the 1st FL and should instead be held in the 2nd FL conference room. Furthermore, DOD requested information from Handal for any reason why this would not be feasible. Handal elected to not reply. I felt I was being targeted and discriminated against after the August 28, 2015 disclosure of my ADA disabilities to all other board members by Handal. Donovan misrepresented what occurred at the April 27, 2016 board meeting and failed to mention that equipment purchased by Handal without board discussion failed to resolve the ADA issues.Donovan misrepresents that no board members were aware of the PLUM May 10, 2016 meeting held on the 1st FL. Board members on PLUM who were present were Al Casas, Jean Shigematsu and Xochitl Gonzalez. Member Zana Glisovic also attended as an observer.All board members received e-notification of Martinez's May 2, 2016 directive that ALL future board and committee meetings were to be held in the 2nd FL conference room. This includes ALL board members of PLUM, as well as Glisovic. I have continued to be targeted, retaliated, bullied and discriminated against by various WLASNC board members even further, since the WLASNC was placed in EE because of Casas's actions and Donovan's actions. I am repeatedly being bullied by Handal in various e-mails, as well. The WLASNC knows what it did wrong.

Please specify the exact rule and explain the facts of the alleged violation.

ADA Title II does not allow discrimination (i.e., retaliation, targeting, bullying) against an individual with an ADA disability. Privacy of the individual's identity and medical condition must be observed. The individual cannot be prevented from participating on an advisory board or in programs.

Bullying is not tolerated under the Code of Conduct.

Remedy

There are various remedies available. Please select from the list below the remedy OR remedies you are seeking.
Please be advised that the Department has sole discretion in determining whether your remedy conforms with your Grievance.

From the list below, which remedy or remedies are you seeking?

1) Warning to the Neighborhood Council board, individual board member, or, members.

2) Required corrective action of the Neighborhood Council.

3) Mandated training for the Neighborhood Council, individual board member, or, members.

4) Required mediation for the Neighborhood Council board, individual board member, or, members.

5) Suspension of Neighborhood Council board until mandated trainings are taken by board, board member, or, members.

6) Temporary suspension of Neighborhood Council Funding.

7) Placement of the Neighborhood Council board under control and supervision of the Department.

8) Suspension of individual board member or members.

9) Initiation of de-certification process or process to declare board seats vacant.

Please state why you are seeking the above mentioned remedy or remedies.

As Donovan stated, the WLASNC was awarded "the best NC' designation last year--and as such, members seem to consider themselves above the law.

Donovan continues to bully, target, retaliate, and discriminate against the individual with the disabilities. As does Handal, Glisovic, and Casas.

Contrary to Donovan's statement that the remedy for reporting discrimination "has a chilling effect for someone who feels they have been a victim of discrimination", is false. Anyone who feels they are a victim of discrimination wants to know their complain is taken seriously and that they are protected--and the board needs to know there are consequences for such unlawful behavior.

Witness Information

ALL of your Witness information and Witness Statement needs to be included at this time. The Department will ONLY accept and review Witness information included at time of submission.
You can find the Witness Statement form here.

Witness 1 Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Witness Statement

Witness 2 Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Witness Statement

Witness 3 Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Witness Statement

If no witness, please check this box

Supporting Documents

Before submitting, please include ALL supporting documentation HERE. The Department will ONLY process and review materials included at time of submission. NOTE: The Department will only review up to 10 pages submitted. Any information submitted past 5 pages will not be taken into account.

Supporting Document

KAUFMAN_WLASNC RFI Closing Letter_Final_2016July27.docx

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

By checking this box and typing my name below, I am electronically signing this form.

Rosie Kato

To SUBMIT, please click "Save" on top right corner.

NC Determination

Panel Determination

Created on Aug. 4, 2016 at 6:16 PM (PDT). Last updated by Briceno, Lorenzo on Oct. 30, 2019 at 11:28 AM (PDT). Owned by Anonymous.

Anonymous

Lorenzo Briceno

For which table?

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