May 2003 Yaroslavsky Calls on Governor to Restore Proposed Cut in Open-Meeting Law Enforcement – On Tuesday, May 27, 2003, the Board of Supervisors will consider a motion by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to oppose Gov. Davis’ proposed repeal of a key provision in the state’s open-meeting law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, that funds local government requirements to post notice of meetings and provide descriptive agendas in advance of matters calendared for discussion or action. In his motion, Yaroslavsky called such postings “the keys to meaningful public participation in democratic decision-making;” without them, he said, “the public will be locked out and denied a voice in the debate.” Click May Budget Revise and see pp. 82-83 for further details about the Governor’s proposals to suspend or repeal the Brown Act notice provisions and other funded mandates.
Topanga Canyon County Library Project Advances – On April 22, 2003, a new County Library for the community of Topanga took a step closer to reality when the Board of Supervisors approved $380,000 for preliminary studies to prepare for seeking a state grant under the California Library Construction Bond Act of 2000. Supervisor Yaroslavsky had promised the community in 2001 to support a new County library branch in Topanga, and subsequent research by library officials analyzing population, travel times, and potential site availability validated the idea of going forward with the project. County officials plan future meetings to refine the plan to determine what sort of facility and library holdings would best serve the Topanga community, and to develop a cost-sharing arrangement with the Topanga community and the Resource Conservation District, whose office currently resides on the proposed library site on property owned by County Waterworks District No. 29. For further details, click Topanga Library project. Asian Pacific Health Care Venture School-Based Clinic – On April 15, 2003, the Board of Supervisors approved a $50,000 grant to Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (APHCV) to improve or replace the school-based health clinic at John Marshall High School. Yaroslavsky noted that the clinic was first opened in April 2001 to provide part-time health care services to more than 4,000 students on campus. This grant will fund the capital improvements necessary to allow APHCV to expand its services to a full-time clinic, increasing health-care access and integrating health and mental health services for the student population. Click Marshall Health Center for school clinic information; click APHCV for further details on the Board action. Van Nuys Child Care Center Project – Also on April 15, 2003, the Board of Supervisors gave the go-ahead for a $2.4 million project to construct a new Child Care Center at the north end of the Van Nuys Civic Center campus, between the Registrar Recorders' building and the Van Nuys City Library at 14350 Sylvan Street. Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky noted that the proposed 7,000-square-foot facility will accommodate about 70 children, and includes a 7,000-square-foot outdoor play yard and a 7,000-square-foot parking lot. The facility will comply fully with State licensing requirements, and include such amenities for children and staff as accessible storage areas for children's belongings, an isolation area for sick children, children's restrooms, offices, a staff lounge, and adult restrooms. Also included will be a kitchen and service area. The play yard will include separated age-appropriate play areas, landscaping, a shady area, and a junior basketball half-court, surrounded by a 6-foot fence for security and privacy for the children. Six modular structures, five of them vacant, will be demolished to make way for the project, while the Self-Help Legal Access Center housed in the sixth has been relocated elsewhere on the Van Nuys Court site. Click Van Nuys Child Care Center for further details. Yaroslavsky Announces “Healthy Kids” Outreach Program – Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky hailed Board approval on May 13, 2003 of a $4.6 million contract for FY2003-4 between the Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Children and Families First Proposition 10 Commission (First 5 LA) to fund the first of a projected five-year effort to promote the Healthy Kids Initiative, a new health insurance program paid for by voter-approved tobacco tax monies. As a member of the County of LA’s Prop. 10 Commission, Yaroslavsky led the drive to allocate some of the County’s share of the statewide revenue pool to expand health coverage to eligible children from birth to age 5. This outreach program will assist families in enrolling for health care, navigating the health-care system, and retaining their health benefits over time. Yaroslavsky noted that because the program will be entirely state funded, there is no cost to County taxpayers.
Van Nuys Self-Help Legal Access Center Relocates – Supervisor Yaroslavsky has announced that the Self-Help Legal Access Center (SHLAC) at the Van Nuys Superior Court has relocated from its present office to a trailer adjacent to the Van Nuys Court, located at 14400 Delano St. in Van Nuys. The Center offers legal assistance (not legal counsel) for self-represented litigants. It is open daily from 8:30a-4:00p, closed for lunch from 12:00p-1:30p, and on Wednesday afternoons. Mornings from 8:30a-11:30a, the Center offers assistance on family law matters, including issues of divorce, paternity, guardianship, name change, child visitation, response to divorce, and response to paternity claims. Afternoons from 1:30p-4:00p, the Center offers assistance with civil matters, including housing evictions, contracts, small claims, car accidents, personal injury, civil harassment and restraining orders. Further information may be obtained by calling San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. at (800) 433-6251. West Hollywood Housing Assistance Office Now Open – Supervisor Yaroslavsky reminds residents in the West Hollywood area that a new Section 8 Service Center has opened to provide information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program and assist program clients with necessary documents and application forms. The federal Section 8 housing program in the County of Los Angeles assists more than 17,000 qualifying low-income families and seniors by helping them pay rent to private landlords through voucher subsidies. The Center is located in the West Hollywood Comprehensive Service Center at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard in the City of West Hollywood. The Service Center is open three days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and may be reached by phone at (323) 512-7562. Click Section 8 housing assistance or housing resource links for additional information. HHS Website Offers Tips on Keeping Youth and Teens Mentally Healthy and Drug-Free – Supervisor Yaroslavsky is urging all interested parents, grandparents and guardians of children and youth to visit the federal Department of Health and Human Services website at http://family.samhsa.gov/ for useful information and tips on keeping youth and teens mentally healthy and free of drug and alcohol abuse. 05/20/03 Daniel Cohen+, Los Angeles County Commission on Aging 05/20/03 Hal Ross+, Los Angeles County Beach Commission 05/20/03 Judith Frank+, Los Angeles County Health Facilities Authority Commission 05/20/03 Bernard "Bud" Siegel+, Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities 05/13/03 Martha
Hertzberg+, Los Angeles County Beach Commission 05/13/03 Irwin
G. Rosenberg+, Los Angeles County Workforce Investment
Board 04/29/03 Lucy
T. Eisenberg+, Child Support Advisory Board 04/29/03 Esther
Simmons+, Community Advisory Board (Sunshine Canyon Landfill) 04/29/03 Katherine
Spitz+, Small Craft Harbors Design Control Board 04/15/03 James
N. Adler+, Commission for Public Social Services 04/15/03 Carollee
Howes, Ph.D.+ - Policy Roundtable for Child Care |
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Yaroslavsky
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