11-25-02 Board Meeting MinutesBack
Reviewed by GRVNC Ex. Comm on 01/15/03 - no changes made MINUTES Opening CALL TO ORDER: 7:10 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Tisha Bedrosian, Greg Fitchitt, Chris Wood, Chris Bedrosian, John Caldwell, David Moring, Naomi Nightingale, Chris Williams, DeDe Audet, Alice Stek, Sheila Bernard, Phyllis Des Verney, Rick Feibusch, Barbara Gibson, Yolanda Miranda, Lydia Ponce. Absent: Elena Popp, Mark Van Gessel, Bonnie Cheeseman, Kelley Willis, Laddie Williams. 1. OPENING REMARKS – Tisha Bedrosian, President President Bedrosian welcomed everyone to the third Grass Roots Venice board meeting and thanked the Venice High School administration for being generous to allow GRVNC to hold board meetings in the cafeteria. The President stated that GRV has had quite a few accomplishments as a new council in such a short period of time. GRVNC hosted a very successful Town Hall meeting where over 300 people attended, that the neighborhood council has gotten three committees of the ground – Conservation, Land Use and Planning (LUPC) and Parking. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the September 23, 2002 and the August 26, 2002 board meeting were approved by the board. 3. TREASURER’S REPORT No Report. DISCUSSION ITEMS – NO ACTION 4. Venice Carnevale 2003 – presentation by organizer Esquire Jauchem Last year the Carnevale had a very good turnout. The organizers (Esquire Jauchem, Bonnie Cheeseman, Miriam Moore and the North Venice Beach Association) have received support from the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department for the second event, with a $5000 grant plus a stage. The second Venice Carnevale is to be held on Saturday, March 22, 2003 on the Venice Boardwalk at Windward Circle. The planning team is currently working with Venice businesses and would like to have a poster contest with local artists submitting their designs for the event poster. They invite local musicians to perform. They anticipate the event costing $20,000 at a minimum and are looking for sponsors. Contact Esquire Jauchem at carnevalela@aol.com or call (310) 396-2803 for further info or to volunteer. OLD BUSINESS – ACTION ITEMS 5. Chelsea Cochran, City Ethics Commission – Presentation and Adoption of Ethics Code for GRNVC The main body of the code is same for all city agencies and will be used by GRVNC as well. After the board approves the Code of Ethics, it must be approved by city council. It will most likely be transmitted to the LA city council in December. It’s possible that a NC receiving their funding may be tied to getting this process completed. Motion by John Caldwell, seconded by Rick Feibusch, that all GRVNC Board members be listed as “Classification 1” in Schedule A of the Conflict of Interest Code for the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council and that Schedule B – Disclosure Categories, Category 1A. should read: “Any interest in real property located within the boundaries of the Neighborhood Council or within 500 feet of the boundaries of the Neighborhood Council”. [Note: there are other sections of the Schedule B where the “x feet” is to be changed to “500 feet”] Motion carried 9 in favor and 6 against by the following votes: In Favor: Naomi Nightingale, Chris Bedrosian, Chris Williams, Greg Fitchitt, Rick Feibusch, John Caldwell, DeDe Audet, Sheila Bernard, Chris Wood Against: Barbara Gibson, David Moring, Yolanda Miranda, Alice Stek, Lydia Ponce, Phyllis DesVerney Abstaining: None Absent: Elena Popp, Mark Van Gessel, Bonnie Cheeseman, Kelley Willis, Laddie Williams 6. Greg Fitchitt, Chair, Rules & Elections Committee Policy on 2/3 Requirement: Should the Board interpret bylaws Article X Section A.1 "Requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Officers" to mean 2/3 of a quorum or 2/3 of the entire Board, whether or not all members are present? Motion by David Moring, seconded by Phyllis Des Verney, to require that the two-thirds requirement mean two-thirds of Board members voting when a quorum of the Board is present. This could require fewer than 14 votes, depending on the number of Board members present and voting. According to the GRVNC Bylaws, a quorum is 11 board members. Motion carried 9 in favor and 5 against by the following votes: In Favor: Chris Wood, Phyllis Des Verney, Lydia Ponce, Alice Stek, Sheila Bernard, Yolanda Miranda, David Moring, Greg Fitchitt, Naomi Nightingale Against: Chris Williams, Chris Bedrosian, John Caldwell, Barbara Gibson, Rick Feibusch Abstaining: DeDe Audet Absent: Elena Popp, Mark Van Gessel, Bonnie Cheeseman, Kelley Willis, Laddie Williams NEW BUSINESS – ACTION ITEMS 7. Voting Methods 7a. Proposed Bylaws Amendment: Shall the Board support the Voting Methods Committee’s request, providing for Instant Runoff Voting as the method GRVNC will use for electing single-seat offices, to be voted on by the GRVNC Voting Members at the next GRVNC General Assembly meeting in February? (2/3 vote of the Board required to move it to the General Assembly) 7b. Proposed Bylaws Amendment: Shall the Board support the Voting Methods Committee’s request, providing for Cumulative Voting as the method GRVNC will use for electing multiple-seat offices, to be voted on by the GRVNC Voting Members at the next GRVNC General Assembly meeting in February? (2/3 vote of the Board required to move it to the General Assembly) A presentation by Voting Methods Committee member Jason Perry including committees criteria, methods and goals, example of ballots, and a mock vote, questions and comments from the board and the public. The committee recommended two voting methods to the Board: Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) and Cumulative Voting. Motion by John Caldwell and seconded by Rick Feibusch, to reject the committee’s recommendation to send it back for them to come up with options and show the Board what other voting methods are out there and give the Board a choice. The motion failed 6 in favor and 7 against by the following votes: In Favor: Chris Williams, Chris Bedrosian, John Caldwell, Rick Feibusch, Barbara Gibson, Yolanda Miranda Against: Chris Wood, Phyllis Des Verney, Lydia Ponce, Alice Stek, Sheila Bernard, Greg Fitchitt, David Moring Abstaining: None Absent: Elena Popp, Mark Van Gessel, Bonnie Cheeseman, Kelley Willis, Laddie Williams, Naomi Nightingale, DeDe Audet Proposed Bylaws Amendment for 7a: Article VI- ELECTIONS G. Voting Voting for election of Officers shall be by ballot. For positions for which only one candidate is elected, the Instant Runoff Voting method of voting, as described below, shall be used. For positions for which more than one candidate is elected, the Cumulative Method of voting, as described below, shall be used. Each Voting Member shall be entitled to cast votes (as applicable due to staggered elections) as follows for the positions of : · · · · · · · Voters will be instructed to rank the candidates in order of preference. The first choice marked on each ballot shall be counted initially by election officials. If any candidate receives a majority of the first choices, that candidate shall be declared elected. If no candidate receives a majority of first choices, the Election Committee shall conduct the “instant runoff”, consisting of additional rounds of ballot counting. In each round, the candidate with the fewest votes shall be eliminated, and all ballots shall be recounted. Ballots of voters who gave their top ranking to the eliminated candidate are redistributed to their next-choice candidates, as indicated on each voter’s ballot. Last place candidates are successively eliminated and ballots are redistributed to next choices until one candidate receives a majority of the valid votes in a round. Motion by Sheila Bernard and seconded by David Moring that the board approve the committee recommendation 7A as listed above. Motion failed 8 in favor and 5 against by the following votes: (A Bylaws amendments must have 2/3 support of the board) In Favor: Chris Wood, Phyllis Des Verney, Lydia Ponce, Alice Stek, Yolanda Miranda, Sheila Bernard, Greg Fitchitt, David Moring. Against: Chris Williams, Chris Bedrosian, John Caldwell, Rich Feibusch, Barbara Gibson. Abstaining: None Absent: Elena Popp, Mark Van Gessel, Bonnie Cheeseman, Kelley Willis, Laddie Williams, Naomi Nightingale, DeDe Audet. Proposed Bylaws Amendment for 7b: Each Voting Member shall be entitled to cast No voting by proxy is allowed, either in elections or for the Board of Officers to rule on business. Motion by Sheila Bernard and Seconded by David Moring that the board approve the committee recommendation 7B as listed above Motion failed 8 in favor and 5 against by the following votes: (Bylaws amendments must have 2/3 support of the board). In Favor: Chris Wood, Phyllis Des Verney, Lydia Ponce, Alice Stek, Yolanda Miranda, Sheila Bernard, Greg Fitchitt, David Moring. Against: Chris Williams, Chris Bedrosian, John Caldwell, Rich Feibusch, Barbara Gibson. Abstaining: None Absent: Elena Popp, Mark Van Gessel, Bonnie Cheeseman, Kelley Willis, Laddie Williams, Naomi Nightingale, DeDe Audet. COMMITTEE UPDATES – NO ACTION 8. Conservation – John Davis Update from Conservation Committee 9. Land Use & Planning – Mark Van Gessel No Report 10. Parking Committee – Charles Trotter Update from Parking Committee. ANNOUNCEMENTS – NO ACTION 11. Public Comment and Announcements Alex Utas stated concerns regarding motion picture filming in Venice and the companies not respecting neighbors, neighborhoods and traffic. President Bedrosian suggested David Moring look into this as a Venice wide issue. 12. ADJOURNMENT – 10:15 P.M. Minutes taken by Chris Bedrosian, Communications Officer - sitting in for the Secretary. ____________________ |