A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Jill Banks Barad

WHAT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL?
 
What is the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council? What do we do? How are we different from the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association? These are the questions we hear all the time. To understand who and what we are, you first have to know where we came from.
 
In 1999 LA voters overwhelmingly passed a new LA City Charter, which created a citywide system of neighborhood councils to give the neighborhoods a greater voice in City government.
 
The idea of independent neighborhood councils is to bring City Hall to the local neighborhoods, to affect decision-making about quality of life issues, and to make elected officials and department heads more responsive to local needs.
 
There are now over 85 certified councils throughout Los Angeles, with 29 in the Valley. Once a council is certified, members elect a Board and are eligible for $50,000 in City funding for each year. This past year the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council purchased laptop computers and audio-video equipment for Millikan Middle School, donated books on tape to the Sherman Oaks library, and donated gym equipment for Sherman Oaks Park.

WHAT IS A STAKEHOLDER?  

Neighborhood Councils were designed to represent all segments of a community. If you live, work, own property, own a business, or belong to an educational or religious institution, or a non-profit organization in Sherman Oaks, you are a stakeholder. To be truly representative of the community, our Council must include residents as well as the business community, unlike a homeowners' group, which represents the particular interests of homeowners.
 
SONC began as an interim Council in July 2001. Over the next 18 months, the interim Council determined boundaries, wrote by-laws, collected signatures, and met with elected officials and City department heads. SONC was certified in October 2002, and the first formal elections were held in May 2003. It has a Board of 21 members, elected by geographical area to ensure each area of Sherman Oaks is represented.
 
The SONC Board meetings are held the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. To view agendas for upcoming meetings, go to www.shermanoaksnc.org. All stakeholders are welcome to attend the meetings and address the council on issues that affect Sherman Oaks.
 
We also urge that you attend committee meetings to get involved in the community. Some of our committees are Land Use, Outreach and Events, Parking Traffic & Transportation, Public Safety, and Parks. Check the website or call (818) 503-2399 for meeting times and places.
 
We hope to see you at our next meeting. This is a good opportunity to get to know your representatives to the Council and share your thoughts and concerns.