GEPENC 2010 Budget Passes
GEPENC posted a press release on the Echo Elysian Neighborhood Council forum, announcing the results of its 2010-11 budget plans. Here’s the press release:
GREATER ECHO PARK ELYSIAN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL ADOPTS ITS 2010-2011 BUDGET
Libraries, Elementary Schools, Public Safety, Community Outreach, Public Improvement, Holiday Parade & Historic Jensen Sign a priority
(Echo Park, CA) The Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council (GEPENC) at a Special Meeting of the Board of Governor’s on Wednesday, June 9th voted 13 – 0 to approve and adopt its Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Budget. The final vote came after two previous public meetings were held and the budget was presented, discussed and comments from the public were taken. The GEPENC Bylaws, Article VIII Section B, requires that the annual budget be adopted by June 10th and forwarded to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment by June 15th.
The neighborhood council was provided with $45,000 from the City to support, fund and sponsor various initiatives, programs and projects in the categories of Outreach and Public Improvement. The budget sets aside funding to support the six local schools and the two libraries in our area.
The budget also includes funds to support National Night Out, the Echo Park Holiday Parade, the upcoming Lotus Festival, community gardens, neighborhood clean ups, emergency preparedness, the effort to revive the Jensen Sign and support for the Echo Park Business Improvement District.
The new Board of Governors was delayed in taking office 60 days due to a Challenge filed in the March, 20, 2010 election. The challenge was resolved on May 25, 2010 by a panel of volunteers working with the City Clerk who dismissed the challenge allowing for the seating of the new Board.
“I would like to commend the new GEPENC Treasurer, Mr. Gustavo Moreno, for his leadership and the new Board of Governors for their hard work the last two weeks. Their leadership will allow for GEPENC to continue to provide important leadership and support for our community. The new Board is the most diverse community representation in the history of GEPENC and the adopted budget line items reflect the many different stakeholder funding needs in all five of our districts”, stated Board President Jose Sigala.
To view the 2010-2011 GEPENC budget, please visit our website at www.gepenc.org
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ABOUT GEPENC – the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council, “GEPENC” as the Council is known, was certified by the City of Los Angeles on April 15, 2002, and is the 23rd Neighborhood Council formed under the guidelines of the City Charter. The purpose of GEPENC is to promote citizen participation in government by serving as an advisory body to the City of Los Angeles. The Mission of GEPENC is to provide a public forum for stakeholders in our neighborhood to express their thoughts, ideas and concerns on community or Citywide issues. For more information about the neighborhood council, please visit our website at www.gepenc.org.
GEPENC* 1572 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90026 * (213) 250-3400
Click here for the PDF of the full budget. One item of interest to keep an eye out for is the $2,500 allocated for the repair of the Jensen’s Recreation Center sign – the 1,300 red, green and white light bulbs on the historic sign have been unlit for some time now.
The next meeting is the GEPENC Ad Hoc Bylaws Committee, and takes place on Saturday, June 19th at 12:00 noon in the neighborhood council office and community center on Echo Park Blvd. behind the Bank of America. Click here for the meeting agenda.
Contact Lisa Baca, GEPENC CIO, at bacasigala@earthlink.net with questions about the press release above or the next meeting.