Neighborhood Councils: Censorship from the Top

DONE WATCH--Recently, a board member of the West LA NC was removed by unanimous vote.

This vote included all of the 5 other members who ran on a slate with this board member during the last election! 

The neighborhood council, in an effort to have transparency, video tapes and posts the video to YouTube. Below is the e mail from the now stakeholder: 

On Wed, Jul 25, 2018, 4:36 PM Rose Kato <[email protected]> wrote:

Jamie,

Why has Eric posted the March 6, 2018 special board meeting on the WLASNC website?

You said it would be removed.

Is this an attempt to malign my character and integrity as an advocate for this community?

Rosie Kato

The chair of the council consulted with DONE who said it is not mandatory to take it down, but they recommended it be removed to honor her request! 

The chair issued instructions to the outreach chair to remove it. 

I requested it be posted again, and the chair refused. 

Transparency? 

Censorship? 

Record of the meeting? 

DONE interference? 

Possible Brown Act violation by removing a video? 

The stakeholders and every board member should be demanding open government at all levels. If we can't start with the NC system, it is no wonder we get this government … the government we deserve.

(Jay Handal is a board member of the West LA NC and Co-Chair of the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates.)

-cw