Bylaws

REVISED: May 31, 2020

REVIEWED & APPROVED: June 1, 2020

ARTICLE I    NAME

The name of this organization shall be the EAST HOLLYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, which hereinafter may also be referred to as the “EHNC” or “Council.” The EHNC is an advisory body to the City of Los Angeles, established pursuant to Article IX of the Los Angeles City Charter. 

ARTICLE II    PURPOSE

The purpose of the EHNC shall be:

1. To contribute to the improvement of the quality of life in the East Hollywood community;

2. To encourage dialog, interaction and cooperation among East Hollywood’s diverse ethnic groups;

3. To promote public participation in City governance and decision making processes so that government is more responsive to local needs and requests;

4. To facilitate the delivery of City services and City government responses to East Hollywood’s problems and requests for assistance;

5. To foster a sense community for all people to express ideas and opinions about their neighborhood and government; and

6. To develop relationships with other communities and neighborhood councils on common issues.

The Policy of this Council shall be based upon the following tenets:

1. Non-Discrimination – It shall be the policy of this Council to prohibit discrimination against any individual or group in our operations on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, income or political affiliation.
2. Dignity – To respect the dignity and expression of viewpoints of all individuals, groups, and organizations involved in this Council.
3. Inclusiveness and Non-Partisanship – To remain non-partisan and inclusive in our operations including, but not limited to, the election process for governing body and committee members.  
4. Early Notification System – The Governing Body and all Committee Chairs shall notify the public of any Governing Body and Standing Committee Meetings within seventy-two 

(72) hours of their meeting. The public shall be notified within twenty-four (24) hours of any Special Meeting. Ad Hoc committee meetings do not require any notification; however, the Council will strive to give proper notice for any Ad Hoc Committee Meetings. These windows of notification are in compliance with the Brown Act.

5. Participation – To encourage all Stakeholders to participate in all activities of this Council.
6. Transparency – To have fair, open and transparent procedures for the conduct of Council business.

ARTICLE III    BOUNDARIES

The EHNC has a geographic area with a population of at least fifty-four thousand (54,000) residents.

Section 1:  Boundary Description – The boundary area is described as follows:

1. North: Hollywood Blvd. and then Sunset Blvd. between Western Ave. and Fountain Ave; Fountain Ave. between Hoover St. and Sunset Blvd. (north side of the street).
2. East: Hoover St. between Fountain Ave. and the US-101 “Hollywood Freeway”- (west side of the street).
3. South: US-101 “Hollywood Freeway”- between Hoover St. and Western Ave. (north side of the freeway).
4. West: Western Ave. between the US-101 “Hollywood Freeway”- and Hollywood Blvd. (east side of the street).

Shared Asset: Barnsdall Art Park shared with Los Feliz Neighborhood Council.

Section 2:  Internal Boundaries

1. Neighborhood District 1: Thai Town

1. North: North side of Hollywood Blvd. between eastside of Western Ave. and westside of Normandie Ave.
2. East: West side of Normandie Ave. between Hollywood Blvd. and north side of Sunset Blvd.
3. South: North side of Sunset Blvd. between Western Ave. and Normandie Ave.
4. West: East side of Western Ave. between Hollywood and Sunset Blvd. 

2. Neighborhood District2: HollyMont Junction

1. North: North side of Hollywood Blvd. between Normandie Ave. and Vermont Ave.
2. East: West side of Vermont Ave. between Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset Blvd
3. South: North side of Sunset Blvd. between Normandie Ave. and Vermont Ave.
4. West: East side of Normandie Ave. between Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset Blvd

3. Neighborhood District  3: HollySet Junction

1. North: North side of Hollywood Blvd (from Vermont Ave. to Virgil Ave.) and Sunset Blvd. (from Virgil Ave. to Fountain Ave.) between Vermont Ave. and Fountain Ave.
2. East: West side of Hoover St. between Fountain Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd.
3. South: North side of Santa Monica Blvd. between Vermont Ave. and Hoover St.
4. West: East side of Vermont Ave. between Hollywood Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd.

4. Neighborhood District 4: Little Armenia West

1. North: South side of Sunset Blvd. between Western Ave. and west side of Vermont Ave.
2. East: West side of Vermont Ave. between Sunset Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd. 
3. South: North side of Santa Monica Blvd. between the US-101 “Hollywood Freeway” and Vermont Ave.
4. West: The US-101 “Hollywood Freeway” and the south side of Western Ave between La Mirada Ave and south side of Sunset Blvd

5. Neighborhood District 5: College Village

1. North: South side of Santa Monica Blvd. between north side of US-101 “Hollywood Freeway” and west side of Vermont
2. East: West side of Vermont Ave between Santa Monica Blvd. and north side of US-101 “Hollywood Freeway”
3. South: North side of US-101 “Hollywood Freeway” between Santa Monica Blvd. and west side of Vermont Ave. 

6. Neighborhood District 6: Virgil Village

1. North: South side of Santa Monica Blvd. between Vermont Ave. and Hoover St.
2. East: West side of Hoover St. between Santa Monica Blvd. and north side of US-101 “Hollywood Freeway”
3. South: North side of US-101 “Hollywood Freeway” between Vermont Ave. and Hoover St.
4. West: East side of Vermont Ave. between Santa Monica Blvd. and US-101 “Hollywood Freeway”

The boundaries of EHNC Districts are set forth in Attachment B- Map of East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Districts.

ARTICLE IV    STAKEHOLDER

Neighborhood Council membership is open to all Stakeholders.  “Stakeholders” shall be defined as those who live, work or own real property in the neighborhood and also to those who declare a stake in the neighborhood as a community interest stakeholder, defined as a person who affirms a substantial and ongoing participation within the Neighborhood Council’s boundaries and who may be in a community organization such as, but not limited to, educational, non-profit and/or religious organizations.

ARTICLE V    GOVERNING BOARD

Section 1:  Composition – EHNC’s Governing Board shall be comprised of eighteen (18) Board members over at least the age of 18 or over, with the exception of the Youth Representative. Any stakeholder is qualified to hold the representative seat for any geographic area in which they hold stakeholder status, unless specifically stated otherwise. A stakeholder may only run for one district seat at a time.

District Representatives – Six (6) members who hold stakeholder status within the boundaries of their respective districts. 

1. Neighborhood District 1: Thai Town Representative

2. Neighborhood District 2: HollyMont Junction Representative

3. Neighborhood District 3: HollySet Junction Representative 

4. Neighborhood District 4: Little Armenia Representative 

5. Neighborhood District 5: College Village Representative

6. Neighborhood District 6: Virgil Village Representative 

Community Interest Representatives – Twelve (12) members who hold stakeholder status within the boundaries of the EHNC.

7. Homelessness & Displacement Prevention Representative – Any stakeholder who lives, works or volunteers in the effort to reduce homelessness and displacement within the boundaries of the EHNC.

8. Public Safety & Community Health Representative – Any stakeholder dedicated to promoting health and safety within the boundaries of East Hollywood.

9. Arts & Culture Representative – Any Stakeholder dedicated to highlighting the diverse culture and arts of East Hollywood. 

10. Tenant Representative – Any Stakeholder who rents housing and lives in the EHNC boundary area.

11. Property Owner Representative – Any Stakeholder who owns, or manages residential or commercial real estate property in the EHNC boundary area.

12. Business Representative – Any Stakeholder who owns, manages or is an employee of a business in the EHNC boundary area.

13. Student Representative – Any Stakeholder who attends school in the EHNC boundary area and is eighteen (18) years of age or over.

14. Youth Representative – A youth member age sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) representing any Stakeholder category; if under age eighteen (18) they cannot vote on budgetary actions; must be under eighteen (18) at time of nomination and may continue their term past their eighteenth birthday, but must resign their seat before their nineteenth birthday

15. Faith-Based Representative – Any Stakeholder who is an affirmed member of a faith-based organization in the EHNC Boundary Area. 

16. Non-Profit Representative – Any stakeholder who is a staff or board member of a community-based 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides services within the EHNC boundary area.

17. At large Representative A – Any stakeholder as outlined in Article IV.  

18. At-large Representative B – Any stakeholder as outlined in Article IV.

The EHNC shall strive for stakeholder diversity when selecting its Board.  At no time, however, shall a single Stakeholder group hold a majority of Board seats unless extenuating circumstances exist and are approved by the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.

Section 2: Quorum – Nine (9) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Exceeding a quorum, in the event of a tie vote where the number of votes cast is even, any tie vote constitutes no action, and the matter shall be carried from agenda to agenda until the tie is broken, or until the Board determines to remove the item from the agenda.

If the EHNC lacks a sufficient number of Board members necessary to establish a quorum, then the EHNC shall adhere to the policy adopted by the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners regarding a loss of quorum then in effect.

Section 3:  Official Actions – When the Board has attained at least a quorum, motions shall be carried by a simple majority vote by the board members present and voting, not including abstentions. 

Section 4:  Terms and Term Limits – Pursuant to biennial elections conducted by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, the members of the Governing Board shall be elected to staggered four-year (4) terms with the sole purpose to conclude projects still in progress and maintain consistent leadership within East Hollywood. One-half of board members shall be elected every two (2) years with the exception of the Youth Representative and Student Representative who shall serve two (2) year terms due to age constraints and degree conferment.

To implement term staggering, the positions enumerated below shall be elected to serve a two-year (2) term in the 2021 election; and shall be elected to serve a four (4) year term in the 2023 election.  These positions shall be elected every four (4) years thereafter.

• District 1 Representative: Thai Town
• District 3 Representative: HollySet
• District 5 Representative: College Village 
• Homelessness & Displacement Services Representative
• Tenant Representative 
• Business Representative
• Non-Profit Representative
• One (1) At-Large Representative A

The positions enumerated below shall be elected to a four-year term during the 2021 election; and every four (4) years thereafter.

• District 2 Representative: HollyMont
• District 4 Representative: Little Armenia
• District 6 Representative: Virgil Village 
• Public Safety & Community Health Representative 
• Arts & Culture Representative 
• Property Owners Representative 
• Faith-Based Representative
• One (1) At-Large Representative B

Board Members may only serve eight (8) consecutive years on the Board. A Board Member who has served less than eight (8) years, but due to new term lengths will exceed eight (8) years if reelected, may still serve as a Governing Board Member until their eighth (8) year has concluded. Upon that date, the Board Member shall resign their seat. 

Board terms shall begin the first day of the month following the final results of the election, a recount, or an election challenge. The incumbent Board members will continue in their duly elected or appointed positions until the election challenge is resolved.

During each term, board Member shall maintain their stakeholder status upon which they were elected; otherwise they shall forfeit their seat.

Section 5: Duties and Powers

The Board members shall have the power, in the name of the EHNC, to do and perform all acts and things appropriate to the general welfare of its Stakeholders and which are consistent with Article IX of the Los Angeles City Charter. No particular powers shall be held to be exclusive of, or a limitation of, the foregoing general grant of powers. The Board members shall: (1) Establish rules for its proceedings; (2) Cause a correct record of its proceedings to be kept; (3) Be involved in outreach activities for the Neighborhood Council; (4) Appoint such standing and ad-hoc committees as it deems necessary; and (5) Comply with the Public Record Act. 

Section 6:  Vacancies – Any vacancy occurring in the Board shall be filled by appointment of the President with the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the remaining Board members. All such Stakeholders appointed to the Board must meet and maintain the board position their predecessor was elected. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. If a Board seat is vacated less than ninety (90) days before an election, there will be no need to fill the vacancy, unless the remainder of the Board fails to constitute a quorum. The appointed applicant’s term shall be limited to the term for the vacated seat.

Any categorical representative position that becomes vacant either after a general election or due to resignation or removal, and which remains vacant after 90 days of community outreach to fill the position, will become an At-Large Representative position for the remainder of the term to facilitate efforts to appoint stakeholders to the position.  

Section 7:  Absences – The Board’s Presiding Officer shall immediately consult with the Office of the City Attorney when considering any Board removal process. Unexcused absences at two (2) consecutive regular Governing Board meetings or any absence, excused or unexcused, from four (4) regular Governing Board meetings within any twelve (12) month period constitutes grounds for expulsion of a Board Member in accordance with these bylaws. If a Board Member’s absences exceed the thresholds enumerated here, the Board’s Presiding Officer shall automatically place an item on the Executive Committee’s next regular meeting agenda to review the Board Member’s attendance and shall make a recommendation to the Board whether further action, including expulsion, should be formally undertaken. Only regular Governing Board meeting attendance, scheduled and noticed as per the Brown Act, shall be used to determine Board Member attendance. Board Member attendance shall be recorded in the meeting minutes and approved by the Board, which will serve as the document of record for meeting attendance requirements

Section 8:  Censure – The purpose of the censure process is to place a Board member on notice of misconduct and to provide the Board member with an opportunity to correct the misconduct. The Neighborhood Council (“Neighborhood Council”) may censure any Board member at a regular or special meeting open to the public following a good-faith determination by the Neighborhood Council Board that the member has engaged in conduct that is contrary to rules and regulations applicable to the Board or that impedes the orderly business of Board operations. Grounds for censure include, but are not limited to, persistent disruptive conduct at meetings, violations or abuses of the Board’s bylaws or rules, violations of the Code of Conduct, acting on behalf of the Board without authorization, and misuse or abuse of the censure or removal process by acting in bad faith. 

The Board shall use the following procedure when censuring a Board member:

1. A motion to censure a Board member may be initiated by any three (3) Board members. Those Board members shall not constitute a majority of the quorum of any Neighborhood Council body, such as a committee. The motion shall be delivered to any officer of the Board or a specific officer or member of the Board as may be specified in the bylaws or standing rules of the Neighborhood Council. The motion shall be in writing and provide the specific facts and grounds for the proposed censure including the date(s) and specific conduct relied upon for the motion. The motion shall not be based upon conclusions, e.g., “for alleged violations of the Code of Conduct” but shall contain factual statements that describe conduct only and is not intended to embarrass or humiliate the board member.

2. The Board member, group of Board members or committee responsible for setting the final Board agenda shall include the motion on the agenda of the next regular or special Board meeting scheduled at least thirty (30) days following the delivery of the proposed censure motion.

3. The Board member subject to censure shall be given a minimum of thirty (30) days prior-written notice, which may include email sent to the last email address on file with the Neighborhood Council, of any meeting at which the motion to censure will be considered. The notice shall provide the specific facts and grounds for the proposed censure as specified in 1 above. The Board shall also provide a copy of the notice to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which the motion to censure will be considered.

4. The Board member subject to censure shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard at the meeting, either orally or in writing, prior to the Board’s vote on a motion of censure.

5. The Board shall decide by a majority vote of those present and voting whether or not the Board member should be censured. The Board member who is the subject of the censure motion shall not be counted as part of the majority present and voting and shall not be allowed to vote. For the purpose of censure motions, abstentions shall not be counted as votes.

6. In no event shall a motion to censure a board member be heard by the Neighborhood Council within sixty (60) days of the next scheduled Board election or selection.

Section 9:  Removal of Governing Board Members – Any Board member may be removed by the Neighborhood Council (“Neighborhood Council”) for cause, following a good faith determination by the Board that the member has engaged in conduct that is contrary to rules and regulations applicable to the Board or that impedes the orderly business of Board operations. A Board member shall not be subject to removal under this Policy, unless the member has been censured at least once pursuant to the Board of Neighborhood Commissioners’ (“Commission”) Censure Policy. Grounds for removal include, but are not limited to, persistent disruptive conduct at meetings, violations or abuses of the Board’s bylaws or standing rules, violations of the Code of Conduct, acting on behalf of the Board without authorization, and misuse or abuse of the censure or removal processes by acting in bad faith. 

The Board shall use the following procedure when removing a Board member:

1. A motion to remove a Board member may be initiated by any three (3) Board members. Those Board members shall not constitute a majority of the quorum of any Neighborhood Council body, such as a committee. The proposed motion shall be delivered to any officer of the Board or a specific officer or member of the Board as may be specified in the bylaws or standing rules of the Neighborhood Council. The motion shall be in writing and provide the specific facts and grounds for the proposed removal action including the date(s) and specific conduct relied upon for the motion. The motion shall not be based upon conclusions, e.g., “for alleged violations of the Code of Conduct” but shall contain factual statements that describes conduct only and is not intended to embarrass or humiliate the board member. The motion to remove shall also include a copy of the prior censure motion and the date it was passed.

2. The Board member, group of Board members or committee responsible for setting the final Board agenda shall list and briefly describe the motion on the agenda of the next regular or special Board meeting scheduled at least thirty (30) days following the delivery of the proposed removal motion.

3. The Board member subject to removal shall be given a minimum of thirty (30) days prior written notice, which may include email sent to the last email address on file with the Neighborhood Council, of any meeting at which a motion to remove will be heard. The notice shall provide the specific facts and grounds for the proposed removal as specified in 1 above. The Board shall also provide a copy of the notice to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to any meeting at which a motion to remove will be considered.

4. The Board member subject to removal shall be given reasonable time to be heard at the meeting, either orally or in writing, prior to the Board’s vote on a motion for removal.

5. The Board shall decide whether or not the Board member should be removed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the currently sitting Board members. The Board member who is the subject of the removal motion shall not be allowed to vote and shall not be counted when determining the two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. For the purpose of the removal motion, abstentions shall not be counted as votes.

6. In no event shall a motion to remove a Board member be heard by the Neighborhood Council within sixty (60) days of the next election or selection.

7. The Commission may review a Neighborhood Council’s removal decision if requested to do so by the affected Board member. Once the request is made for the Commission to review the decision to remove, the Neighborhood Council voting to remove the board member may not fill the vacancy created by the removal until the Commission has made a decision on whether the removal was proper or the Commission declines to review the matter. The Commission’s decision whether to hear or decline to hear the removal review request shall be sent in writing to the requestor and the Neighborhood Council within 30 days after the request for review is delivered.

8. A request for the Commission to review a Neighborhood Council’s removal decision shall proceed as follows:

a. The request must in writing and must be delivered to the Executive Assistant of the Commission or, in the absence of an Executive Assistant, to the President of the Commission within thirty (30) days of the date of the action by the Neighborhood Council to remove the Board member.

b. The request must state the basis for the review. The request shall not cite or present any evidence not considered by the Neighborhood Council but must address only procedural deficiencies.

c. If the Commission determines the request for review raises sufficient questions regarding procedural deficiencies and agrees to hear the review, it will be placed on the agenda of a regular or special meeting of the Commission within sixty (60) days of receipt of the request for review.

d. At the review the Commission will determine if the facts as presented support the removal motion and if the procedures set out in this policy were correctly applied.

e. If the Commission determines that there were either factual or procedural deficiencies, the Commission may either reinstate the Board member or return the matter to the Neighborhood Council for further consideration.

f. If the Commission returns the matter for further consideration and the Neighborhood Council does not act within sixty (60) days of the Commission’s decision the Board member will be considered reinstated.

g. During the period of appeal the Board member shall not be counted as part of the Board for any quorum and shall not participate in any Board actions.

h. If the matter is returned to the Neighborhood Council for further consideration the Board member shall not be counted as part of the Board for any quorum and shall not participate in any Board actions until the Board takes action as requested by the Commission or until the expiration of the sixty (60) day time period.

9. This policy is not intended to restrict or eliminate a Neighborhood Council’s ability to remove or render ineligible to serve, Board members who fail to attend meetings, join committees, maintain their stakeholder status, or perform other duties as may be described in the Neighborhood Council’s bylaws and/or standing rules. Nor is it intended to limit a Neighborhood Councils ability to remove committee chairs or committee members according to the Neighborhood Council’s bylaws and/or standing rules.

Section 10:  Resignation – A member of the Board who wishes to resign must submit a written statement of their resignation to the President and Executive Committee in advance of the next meeting of the Board. 

Section 11:  Community Outreach – The Board shall communicate with Stakeholders on a regular basis in a manner ensuring that information is disseminated evenly and in a timely manner.

ARTICLE VI    OFFICERS

Section 1:  Officers of the Board – The Officers of the Board shall be comprised of a President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Corresponding Treasurer, who shall serve as the Executive Committee.

Section 2:  Duties and Powers – The duties of the Officers are as follows and also include such additional duties as may be adopted by official action of the Board:

1. The President shall (1) Preside over the meetings of the Board; (2) Sign official documents when the signature of the Board or President is required by law; (3) Be an optional signatory for the EHNC on all funding matters; (4) Act as the official head of EHNC on official, public and ceremonial occasions; and (5) Lead delegations to citywide Neighborhood Council conventions and other events where representatives of the EHNC are required to be present.

2. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President or when designated by the President to fulfill such functions; fulfill the role of the Treasurer in the absence of the Corresponding Treasurer.

3. The Recording Secretary shall: (1) be responsible for recording and maintaining a full and true record of all the proceedings of the Board; and (2) File certificates and other documentation as may be required by law.

4. The Corresponding Secretary shall: (1) Perform the duties of the Recording Secretary in the absence of Recording Secretary; (2) Post meeting notices as required by law and in such designated areas as specified in the Certification Application; and (3) Be primarily responsible for communication with the community, i.e. general emails sent to the EHNC, website and social media accounts with the support of other board members as deemed necessary.

5. The Treasurer shall: (1) Maintain the EHNC’s book of accounts as prescribed by the Department and in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); (2) Submit account statements to the Department; (3) Be a required signatory for the EHNC on all funding matters; (4) Have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds of the Board; (5) Receive and give receipts for money due and payable to the Board from any source; (6) Provide a financial report at all regularly scheduled Board Meetings, and at all other times as prescribed by the Board or in accordance with relevant laws and guidelines; (7) Coordinate with the Department for the preparation of an annual report; (8) perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer; (9) upon appointment, the Treasurer shall become the first cardholder for EHNC’s account.

6. The Corresponding Treasurer shall: (1) Perform the duties of the Treasurer in the absence of the Treasurer; (2) Provide assistance to the Treasurer in all administrative duties. The Corresponding Treasurer is required to complete the same training the Treasurer is expected to complete. (3) Be a required signatory for the EHNC on all funding matters; and (4) upon appointment, the Corresponding Treasurer shall become the second cardholder for EHNC’s account. 

Section 3:  Selection of Officers – At the first meeting following the confirmation of elections, the members of the Board shall select from amongst the members the Board Officers.

ARTICLE VII COMMITTEES AND THEIR DUTIES

All seated EHNC Board Members must join at least one committee and regularly attend. 

Section 1:  Standing Committees – The Standing Committees of the EHNC shall be chaired by a seated board member whose agenda is set by the presiding officer and shall include, but not be limited to the following:  

1. Executive Committee (Officers of the Board) – Duties include, but are not limited to, overseeing and carrying on the day to day activities of the EHNC; assisting all Board Members in adhering to all mandates as prescribed by local,  state and federal law.  The Executive Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.

2. Outreach Committee – Duties include, but are not limited to, participating in community wide activities planned either by the Board or community organizations; formulating a quarterly plan on outreach activities, oversee all IT and electronic communication; and collaborate with Corresponding Secretary and supporting board members on outreach via electronic communication, website & social media platforms.  The Outreach Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.

3. Budget and Finance Committee – Duties include, but are not limited to, (1) reviewing the annual budget and proposed expenditures; (2) reporting to the Board on a monthly basis, the financial status of the EHNC through the Monthly Expenditure Report (MER) process; and (3) a review and consideration of all financial proposals in committee before making recommendations to the Governing Board. All funding requests made to the EHNC must be presented and vetted by the Budget and Finance Committee, with the exception that the committee cannot meet in a timely manner, then funding requests may be presented at the committee that most fits the description of the request. The Budget and Finance Committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer and co-chaired by the Corresponding Treasurer.  The Budget and Finance Committee shall meet at least six (6) times a year. 

4. Youth & Education Committee – Duties include, but are not limited to, exploring activities for the betterment of the youth and advocating the issues of youth in EHNC. Student Representative and Youth Representative are required to be on the Youth and Education Committee. The Youth & Education Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.

5. Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) – Duties include, but are not limited to reviewing planning department entitlement application and proposed zoning changes impacting the EHNC.  The Planning and Land Use Management Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year. 

6. Arts & Culture Committee– Duties include highlighting the diverse arts and culture of East Hollywood, connecting artists to the greater East Hollywood Community, and employing the arts for positive change in East Hollywood.  The Arts & Culture Representative shall be chair of the Arts & Culture Committee upon the seating of each new board, unless otherwise agreed upon by the board.  The Arts and Culture Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.

7. Business Committee– Duties include but are not limited to enhancing the business environment in order to create a connected community of residents, stakeholders, and business owners.  The Business Representative shall be chair of the Business Committee upon the seating of each new board, unless otherwise agreed upon by the board. The Business committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.

8. Public Safety & Community Health Committee – Duties include but are not limited to addressing community health and safety concerns; and engaging appropriate police, prosecutors fire, health officials and any other city resources to combat criminal and health issues.  The Public Safety & Community Health Representative shall be chair of the Public Safety and Community Health Committee upon the seating of each new board, unless otherwise agreed upon by the board. The Public Safety & Community Health Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year. 

9. Homelessness & Displacement Prevention Committee – Duties include but are not limited to addressing issues of homelessness and displacement within the boundaries of the EHNC; addressing stakeholder concerns with city services and non-profits; and working to prevent homelessness and displacement by connecting stakeholders with services. The Homelessness & Displacement Prevention Representative shall be chair of the Homelessness & Displacement Prevention Committee upon the seating of each new board; unless otherwise agreed upon by the board. The Homeless and Displacement Prevention committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.

10. Bylaws, Ethics & Standing Rules Committee – Duties include, but are not limited to, the review and recommendation of amendments to EHNC’s Bylaws, Code of Conduct and Standing Rules with the sole intention of better serving EHNC stakeholders. The Bylaws, Ethics & Standing Rules Committee may be referred any action by the Governing Board, Standing or Ad-Hoc Committees to ensure Bylaws, Code of Conduct and Standing Rules are upheld. The Bylaws Committee makes recommendations to the Governing Board based on its findings. The Bylaws, Ethics and Standing Rules committee shall meet on an as needed basis.

Section 2:  Ad Hoc Committees – The Board may create Ad Hoc Committees as needed to deal with temporary issues.  For an Ad Hoc Committee to be approved, it must have a defined period of time with a set dissolution date. Chairmanship and membership are only available to Governing Board members.

Section 3:  Committee Creation and Authorization – Standing Committees are consistent and follow the guidelines of the Ralph M. Brown Act and may not comprise a majority of the number of quorum of Board Members. In accordance to Article 5, Section 2, a committee may not have more than four (4) board members. 

A minimum of one (1) Board member must chair or co-chair and serve as a liaison between each Standing Committee and the Board. Members of Standing Committees are to be appointed by the Board, but committee membership is not limited to Board members.

ARTICLE VIII   MEETINGS

All meetings, as defined by the Ralph M. Brown Act shall be noticed and conducted in accordance with the Act, the Neighborhood Council Agenda Posting Policy, and all other applicable laws and governmental policy.

Section 1:  Meeting Time and Place – The Board shall hold regular meetings at such times as it shall fix by resolution, but in no event less than twice per calendar quarter. Special Board meetings may be called at any time by the President, or by a fifty (50) percent plus one (1) majority of Board members acting in accordance with the law.

Section 2:  Agenda Setting – The agenda shall set by a representative of the Executive Committee on a rotational basis, who will receive requested agenda items, distribute such items to the Executive Committee, and will collaboratively set the agenda in consideration of time constraints and meeting frequency. For the sake of transparency, the Executive Committee will respond to requested items with confirmation of inclusion on the agenda; or explanation of why a given agenda item could not be included.

Section 3:  Notifications/Postings – Notice of a regular meeting shall be a minimum of three (3) days seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the meeting with a twenty-four (24) hour round the clock accessibility and at least one (1) day twenty-four (24) hours in advance of a special meeting with the same posting requirements.  At a minimum, notice shall be posted at the EHNC’s one (1) public notice locations filed with the Department, on its website (if applicable)  and emailed out to Stakeholders if the EHNC maintains such a database. Regular and Special meeting agendas shall also be emailed to the Department. At a minimum, meeting notices shall be posted in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and in compliance with City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Council posting policy. An updated listing of the Neighborhood Council’s physical posting locations shall be kept on file with the Neighborhood Council

Section 4:  Reconsideration – The Board may reconsider and amend its action on items listed on the agenda if that reconsideration takes place immediately following the original action or at the next regular meetings. The Board, on either of these two (2) days, shall: (1) Make a Motion for Reconsideration and, if approved, (2) hear the matter and Take an Action. If the motion to reconsider an action is to be scheduled at the next meeting following the original action, then two (2) items shall be placed on the agenda for that meeting: (1) A Motion for Reconsideration on the described matter and (2) a (Proposed) Action should the motion to reconsider be approved. A motion for reconsideration can only be made by a Board member who has previously voted on the prevailing side of the original action taken. If the motion for reconsideration is not made on the date the action was taken, then a Board member on the prevailing side of the action must submit a memorandum to the Recording Secretary identifying the matter to be reconsidered and a brief description of the reason(s) for requesting reconsideration at the next regular meeting. The aforesaid shall be in compliance with the Brown Act.

ARTICLE IX    FINANCES

1. The Board shall review its fiscal budget prepared by the Treasurer and make adjustments as needed to comply with City laws and City administrative rules, and to keep in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the City’s mandate for the use of standardized budget and minimum funding allocation requirements.

2. The Board shall adhere to all rules and regulations promulgated by appropriate City officials regarding the Council’s finances, where the term “appropriate City officials” means those officials and/or agencies of the City of Los Angeles who have authority over Neighborhood Councils.

3. All financial accounts and records shall be available for public inspection and posted on the Council website, if available.

4. Each month, the Treasurer shall provide to the Board detailed reports of the Council’s accounts.

5. At least once each quarter, the President and at least one (1) board member, other than the Treasurer, who is designated by the Board, shall examine the Council’s accounts and attest to their accuracy before submitting the documentation to the Department for further review.

6. The Council will not enter into any contracts or agreements except through the Department.

ARTICLE X    ELECTION

Section 1:  Administration of Election – The EHNC’s election will be conducted pursuant to any and all City ordinances, policies and procedures pertaining to Neighborhood Council elections.

Section 2:  Governing Board Structure and Voting – The number of Board seats, the eligibility requirements for holding any specific Board seats, and which Stakeholders may vote for the Board seats are noted in Attachment C.  Stakeholders shall vote at-large to elect all positions.

Section 3:  Minimum Voting Age – All Stakeholders aged sixteen (16) and above shall be entitled to vote in the EHNC elections.

Section 4:  Method of Verifying Stakeholder Status – Voters will verify their Stakeholder status through written self-affirmation.

Section 5:  Restrictions on Candidates Running for Multiple Seats – A candidate shall declare their candidacy for no more than one (1) position/district/category on the Council Board during a single election cycle.

Section 6:  Other Election Related Language – Each candidate for the EHNC Board shall be a Stakeholder at the time of nomination for election to the Board.

ARTICLE XI    GRIEVANCE PROCESS

The EHNC grievance process is intended to address matters involving procedural disputes, such as the Board’s failure to comply with approved EHNC Policies and Procedures and these Bylaws. It is not intended to apply to Stakeholders who disagree with a position or action taken by the Board at one (1) of its meetings. Instead, disagreements may be discussed publicly at Board meetings. The Neighborhood Council grievance review process will be conducted pursuant to any and all City ordinances, policies and procedures pertaining to Neighborhood Council grievances.

At the first regularly scheduled meeting after the election, a list will be compiled of Stakeholders who wish to serve on a grievance panel pursuant to CF-13-1689, and such list will be updated on an annual basis. Any grievance by a Stakeholder must be submitted in writing to the Board. Within fourteen (14) days after receiving a grievance, the Corresponding Secretary will coordinate a time and a place for the panel to meet with the person(s) submitting the grievance to discuss ways in which the grievance may be resolved. After hearing the grievance, the panel will discuss possible solutions and draft a recommendation for the Board. The Recording Secretary will add the grievance panel’s recommendation to the agenda of the next regularly scheduled general meeting. The Board may receive a copy of the panel’s report and recommendations prior to the meeting of the Board, but the matter shall not be discussed among the Board members until the matter is heard at a meeting of the Board pursuant to the Brown Act. The Board shall hear the grievance, the grievance panel’s recommendation and shall either vote at that time on the matter or at the next regularly scheduled general meeting. A decision of the Board must be made within a sixty (60) day period.

This formal grievance process is not intended to apply to Stakeholders who simply disagree with a position or action taken by the Board at one of its meetings. Those grievances can be aired at all meetings. This grievance process is intended to address matters involving procedural disputes, e.g., the Board’s failure to comply with these bylaws.

The Neighborhood Council grievance review process will be conducted pursuant to any and all City ordinances, policies and procedures pertaining to Neighborhood Council grievances.

ARTICLE XII PARLIMENTARY AUTHORITY

The Board shall comply with all requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act. To the extent that any matter is not covered by the Brown Act or the Board’s standing rules, then the meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Rosenberg’s Rules of Order.  

ARTICLE XIII   AMENDMENTS

A. Written Proposal.  During the Bylaws Amendment Period set forth by the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment,  amendments, changes additions or deletions to these bylaws must be formalized in writing and then lodged with the Recording Secretary or person responsible for preparing the agenda for the next regular meeting. The proposed amendment will be placed on the agenda for public discussion at the subsequent regular meeting of the EHNC.

B. Effectuating Amendments. A recommendation for amendment or adjustment of these Bylaws must be made by a 2/3rd majority vote of the Board, present and voting, not including abstentions

C. Filing with the Department. Within thirty (30) days after a vote recommending adjustment or amendment to the bylaws, a Bylaw Amendment Application shall be submitted to the Department along with a copy of the existing and revised bylaws for review and approval by the Department all in accordance with the Plan. No amendment shall be final and/or implemented until approved by Department. All the amendments shall be final and or implemented unless rejected within thirty (30) days of submission to the Department. 

ARTICLE XIV    COMPLIANCE

The EHNC, its representatives, and all Stakeholders shall refrain from violating the Brown Act and these Bylaws and shall be subject to any and all applicable federal, state and local laws.

Section 1:  Code of Civility – The EHNC, its representatives and all Stakeholders will endeavor to conduct business in a professional and respectful manner. In addition, Board Members will abide by the Commission’s Neighborhood Council Board Member Code of Conduct Policy.  The Neighborhood Council grievance review process will be conducted pursuant to any and all City ordinances, policies and procedures pertaining to Neighborhood Council grievances.

Section 2:  Training – Members of the Board are mandated to attend all required trainings and expected to continue their personal growth and development with additional training or courses. In addition, all board members must take ethics and funding training prior to making motions and voting on funding related matters.  All board members must take ethics and funding training prior to making motions and voting on funding related matters.

Section 3:  Self-Assessment – The EHNC shall implement a plan tools for Self-Evaluation that may include, but not be limited to: establishing and monitoring internal and external processes and procedures that enhance the EHNC’s effectiveness and using techniques and tools for evaluating, reviewing, planning, organizing, developing, implementing and assessing our Community’s needs, issues and resources. The EHNC shall perform a self-evaluation by surveying community Stakeholders pursuant to the Plan. Results of the review shall be compiled and made public and submitted to the Department.

ATTACHMENT A – Map of East Hollywood Neighborhood Council

ATTACHMENT B – Governing Board Structure and Voting – 18 Seats

ATTACHMENT C – Chronology of Bylaw Changes

• June 1, 2020 – The Bylaws of the EHNC were amended by the Ad-Hoc Bylaws Committee (Chair Arasele Torrez, Co-Chair Daniel Strongman and Member Jillian Schultz), and approved by the Governing Board on this date.