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

Carl

Last Name

Petersen

Please identify your role within the Neighborhood Council system:

Board Member

Phone Number

(818) 430-0274

Email Address

ChangeTheLAUSD@gmail.com

Mailing Address

18248 Lahey St., Northridge, California 91326

Neighborhood Council

North Westwood

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

05-08-19

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

Office of the City Attorney directive entitled "Neighborhood Councils and Ballot Measures".

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

From the City Attorney's directive:

"The California Supreme Court in Stanson v. Mott (1976) 17 Cal.3d 206 at 217: "A fundamental precept of this nation's democratic electoral process is that the government may not 'take sides' in election contests".

"The safest course of action for a neighborhood council is to refrain from taking a position on a ballot measure once it has been placed on a ballot. However, if a neighborhood council decides to take a position on a ballot measure it should ensure that...both supporting and opposing views are treated equally."

ON February 28, 2019, the LAUSD School Board voted to put Measure EE on the June ballot.

On the agenda for the May 8, 2019, Westwood Neighborhood Council, item 11 specifies a "Discussion and Introduction of Motion in Regard to Measure EE (Quality Teacher, Class Size Reduction, and Local School Safety Measure) to appear on the June 4, 2019 Los Angeles Municipal Special Election Ballot."

In opposing Measure EE, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce put out a "fact" sheet that can be found at https://lachamber.com/clientuploads/pdf/2019/Digital_Campaign_Packet_4-1-19.pdf

Without acknowledging the source, the minutes from the May 8, 2019, meeting of the Westwood Neighborhood Council copies the talking points directly from this "fact" sheet.

Included in the incorrect information stated in the minutes is the assertion that Mesure EE sought to "tax...renters." The proposed parcel tax would have only taxed property owners.

The resolution considered by the board included "whereas" statements that were not sourced from independent means but were simply talking points from organizations who were opposing the measure.

The minutes state that "Matt Klink spoke against Measure EE." No one is listed as speaking in favor of the measure.

On June 4, 2019, I did send a message to the Westwood Neighborhood Council asking if the minutes were correct in not listing a speaker in favor of the measure. As of the filing of this complaint I have not received a response, To fall within the timeline allowed by the rules I was unable to wait any longer for a response.

NOTE: Please verify that I have selected the correct neighborhood council as the minutes state "Westwood Neighborhood Council", but there seems to be some confusion regarding the name.

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.

The actions of the Westwood Neighborhood Council undermined the integrity of the Neighborhood Council system by letting itself become a propaganda arm of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Proper training is needed to ensure that they do not repeat this violation.

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

NCs and Ballot Measures.pdf

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.

Carl Petersen

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

NC Determination

Panel Determination

For which table?

Client Performance Report

Quickbase will send a report of the events currently displayed on your calendar.
Email addresses



		Don't show me this message again