Grievance

On March 18, 2019 after a regular meeting of the S-T Land Use Committee I was speaking with one of the other committee members (Richard Marshallian) about a proposal that he made regarding LUC procedures when Ms. Sanchez came across the room from behind me and got right up in my face. (Approximately 4 inches from my face) and began speaking to me in a loud, angry and threatening tone.  I was not previously speaking to her or even about her.  She accused me of having a problem with her.   I was caught completely off guard and stepped back in fear.  I told her that I do not have a problem with her but that I did, however, have a problem with her showing up late (15-40 minutes) to every meeting.  She again got right up in my face and personal space and said that �gIf I have a problem with her then I should report it to DONE).  I asked her to back up and get out of my face and told her that It is very rude and inappropriate to get right up in people�fs faces and threaten them.  She said �gIt�fs called not backing down�h, I completely disagree.  Ms. Sanchez seems to think that bullying stakeholders is appropriate behavior and totally acceptable.  The behavior that she calls �gNot backing down�h is in fact bullying.

As a committee member Ms. Sanchez should be held to the same code of conduct that neighborhood council members are held to.  According to the board member code of conduct policy 
Attachment A states:
1.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should conduct themselves in a professional and civil manner.
2.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should treat other Board Members and members of the public with respect regardless of the other's opinion, ethnicity, race, religion, religious belief or non-belief, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, age, disability, marital status, income, homeowner status, renter status or political affiliation.
3.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should not, during meetings, functions or events engage in or threaten to engage in any physical attack on any other individual.
4.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should not use language that is threatening, obscene, or slanderous, including profanities, insults or other disparaging remarks or gestures directed toward other Board Members.
5.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should promote and, if necessary, enforce a safe meeting environment. If other Board Members become disruptive or violate the Code of Conduct Neighborhood Council Board Members have agreed to abide by, Board Members should demand that the offending Board Member conduct themselves in a respectful and orderly manner.
6.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should not engage in "bullying" or harassment which is generally defined as follows:
a.    "Bullying" is conduct that meets all of the following criteria:
i.    is reasonably perceived as being dehumanizing, intimidating, hostile, threatening, or otherwise likely to evoke fear of physical hand or emotional distress;
ii.    Is directed at one or more Board Members;
iii.    Is conveyed through physical, verbal, or technological means;
iv.    Substantially interferes with participation opportunities, benefits, or programs of one or more Board Members at Neighborhood Council sponsored activities or events;
v.    adversely affects the ability of a Board Member to participate in or benefit from the Neighborhood Council programs or activities by placing the Board Member in reasonable fear of physical harm or by causing emotional distress; and,
vi.    Is based on a Board Member�fs actual or perceived protected characteristic (see 2 above), or is based on an association with another person who has or is perceived to have any of these characteristics.
b.    "Harassment" is conduct that meets all of the following criteria
i.    is reasonably perceived as being dehumanizing, Intimidating, hostile, threatening, or otherwise likely to evoke fear of physical harm or emotional distress;
ii.    Is directed at one or more Board Members;
iii.    Is conveyed through physical, verbal, or technological means;
iv.    Substantially interferes with participation opportunities, benefits, or programs of one or more Board Members at Neighborhood Council sponsored activities or events;
v.    adversely affects the ability of a Board Member to participate in or benefit from the Neighborhood Council programs or activities because the conduct, as reasonably perceived by the Board Member, is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive as to have this effect; and,
vi.    Is based on a Board Member�fs actual or perceived protected characteristic (see 2 above), or is based on an association with another person who has or is perceived to have any of these characteristics.

This experience of being bullied by a committee member brought to mind three other incidents involving Ms. Sanchez where I witnessed her bullying others.  In two of the incidents I witnessed her get inches from the face of two community members while using a large tablet to video tape them and verbally threaten them.  The other case that I witnessed was when Ms. Sanchez was an audience member at a meeting of the STNC and was heard telling a stakeholder to �gfuck you�h.  This incident came very close to causing a physical fight.  I am attaching testimony from one of these community members.  

Ms. Sanchez clearly has a problem with following the Code of Conduct Policy, the Code of Civility and the Sunland Tujunga Neighborhood bylaws which state: 
Section 1: Code of Civility – The STNC, it�fs representatives and all Community Stakeholders shall conduct all STNC business in a civil, professional and respectful manner, Board members will abide by the Commission�fs Neighborhood Council Board Member Code of Conduct Policy.

I personally have witnessed these violations 4 times.  In addition to these violations Ms. Sanchez has informed me that she is unable to arrive on time to meetings because she works until 7:00.  She indicated that she has an agreement with the committee that enables her to be late to every meeting.  This tardiness often holds up the meeting because of lack of quorum and wastes not only the community member�fs time but also the other committee member�fs time.  

I request that Ms. Sanchez must be removed from the STNC Land Use Committee immediately so that community members can feel safe to participate in our Neighborhood Council meetings and events without fear of being attacked and bullied.

Please redact my address and personal information in any copies provided to Ms. Liliana Sanchez since she has bullied and threatened me and I fear for my safety.

As a committee member Ms. Sanchez should be held to the same code of conduct that neighborhood council members are held to.  According to the board member code of conduct policy 
Attachment A states:
1.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should conduct themselves in a professional and civil manner.
2.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should treat other Board Members and members of the public with respect regardless of the other's opinion, ethnicity, race, religion, religious belief or non-belief, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, age, disability, marital status, income, homeowner status, renter status or political affiliation.
3.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should not, during meetings, functions or events engage in or threaten to engage in any physical attack on any other individual.
4.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should not use language that is threatening, obscene, or slanderous, including profanities, insults or other disparaging remarks or gestures directed toward other Board Members.
5.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should promote and, if necessary, enforce a safe meeting environment. If other Board Members become disruptive or violate the Code of Conduct Neighborhood Council Board Members have agreed to abide by, Board Members should demand that the offending Board Member conduct themselves in a respectful and orderly manner.
6.    Neighborhood Council Board Members should not engage in "bullying" or harassment which is generally defined as follows:
a.    "Bullying" is conduct that meets all of the following criteria:
i.    is reasonably perceived as being dehumanizing, intimidating, hostile, threatening, or otherwise likely to evoke fear of physical hand or emotional distress;
ii.    Is directed at one or more Board Members;
iii.    Is conveyed through physical, verbal, or technological means;
iv.    Substantially interferes with participation opportunities, benefits, or programs of one or more Board Members at Neighborhood Council sponsored activities or events;
v.    adversely affects the ability of a Board Member to participate in or benefit from the Neighborhood Council programs or activities by placing the Board Member in reasonable fear of physical harm or by causing emotional distress; and,
vi.    Is based on a Board Member�fs actual or perceived protected characteristic (see 2 above), or is based on an association with another person who has or is perceived to have any of these characteristics.
b.    "Harassment" is conduct that meets all of the following criteria
i.    is reasonably perceived as being dehumanizing, Intimidating, hostile, threatening, or otherwise likely to evoke fear of physical harm or emotional distress;
ii.    Is directed at one or more Board Members;
iii.    Is conveyed through physical, verbal, or technological means;
iv.    Substantially interferes with participation opportunities, benefits, or programs of one or more Board Members at Neighborhood Council sponsored activities or events;
v.    adversely affects the ability of a Board Member to participate in or benefit from the Neighborhood Council programs or activities because the conduct, as reasonably perceived by the Board Member, is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive as to have this effect; and,
vi.    Is based on a Board Member�fs actual or perceived protected characteristic (see 2 above), or is based on an association with another person who has or is perceived to have any of these characteristics.

All board members should be warned that these violations will not be tolerated and  if they witness such behavior they must report said incident to the board and require removal of the neighborhood council member or committee member.  

Bullying should not be tolerated and therefore Liliana Sanchez must be removed from the Land Use Committee immediately and banned from holding any position on the neighborhood council or any of it's committees