EMPOWERMENT CONGRESS WEST AREA NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

Meeting Minutes

Saturday June 2, 2012

3740 Don Felipe Drive * Los Angeles, CA 90008
Present Excused Unexcused Name Present Excused Unexcused Name Lanz Alexander, Treasurer X Mary Jones-Darks X Rhonda Brown X Carl Morgan X Karen Ceasar X Johnnie Raines X Yvonne Ellett X Jackie Ryan X Lark Galloway-Gilliam X Denise Stansell X Mark Gory X David Winston, Chair X Damien Goodmon, Vice Chair X Call to Order & Roll Call: The meeting was called to order at 9:43 am by David Winston, Chair. A quorum was present Public Comment: * Yvonne Ellett presented her verbal resume for Board Secretary. MOTION: (by?) to accept Yvonne Ellett as Board Secretary. Seconded by (?) VOTE: unanimous * Latamia Rotell from new business, Malachias Savory Meals (3745 South La Brea Ave. #C, (323) 294-1484) brought samples for the Board to taste. David suggested using the restaurant to supply dinner for the 6/18 Board Meeting. * Jason Lombard, representing the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, invited the stakeholders to the Malls entertainment series, BHCP Live!, starting on Wednesday 6/6 and every 2 weeks. * David warned about the possible traffic jam for President Obamas visit to Windsor Hills on Thursday, 6/7. Public Comment Item:

ACTION/FOLLOW-UP

* Funds need to be transferred for the court fees for the Jackie Tatum Tennis Tournament at Rancho Cienega Park, 6/30, 7/1-7/4/12. * At the CPAC meeting, there was a mention the furniture at bus stops was being removed and replaced with bars to lean against in order to eliminate transients. Johnny will check into it. At Karens suggestion, Carl will have someone from the MTA speak to the stakeholders at a future meeting. * Lark announced the Space Shuttle will be coming down Crenshaw Boulevard on its way to its permanent home at Exposition Park. The question is if all the mature trees will need to be torn out. A representative from Public Works or the Bureau of Street Services will be invited to speak to the subject. The area is receiving a $1.4 million grant for the Crenshaw Subway streetscape. At present time, the plan is to remove the center median for the at-grade LAX light rail line. Minutes * No minutes to approve Damaged Leimert Park Gateway Monument * A car ran into the monument and damaged it.

Item: Action/Follow-up Item: Discussion Highlights: ACTION/FOLLOW-UP: * No action required from ECWANDC since the Monument is located South of Vernon within the park Mesa heights district. Also, this Council would be unable to provide monetary assistance until next years budget. ECWANDC Meeting Minutes | Page 1

Item: Discussion Highlights:

Community Care Facility Ordinance * Joe Buscaino, Councilman for the 15th District (San Pedro/Watts), took on the issue of placing mental health and rehab homes in residential neighborhoods. * Mark owned a facility. Community care has become halfway-housing for mental patients. He outlined the qualifications of a good facility: - depends on the purpose of the person(s) running it - forcing owners to take classes (current regulation) * Lark described there is already an ordinance by the City. Past ECWANDC Board supported the previous ordnance that was watered down. * Since the new ordinance is coming to the City Council in June, the Board needs to read the Ordinance that was sent out to every Board member at the previous meeting. * The Board will submit its opinion via the Community Impact Statement (CIS). MOTION: Jackie motioned to support the City Councils ordinance through the CIS. Mark seconded. VOTE: 8 yays (unanimous) L.A. Animal Services * Tabled until the 6/18 Board Meeting. * It wants money to train 10 volunteer Reserve Animal Control Officers. Fracking / PXP Oil Fields * Rhonda introduced the topic. Currently PXP has fracked 2 wells. * Brenna Norton of Food & Water Watch, a non-profit public interest organization, outlined the issues with the Inglewood (PXP) Oil Fields and petitioned the Board to support the cause to ban fracking - In 2007 new technology was introduced to allow oil fields to drill deeper, longer, & horizontally with high pressure chemical-laden water to increase extraction - Its become a public health issue. 126 million barrels of toxic wastewater has been pumped back into the ground. - The 2 current PXP fracked wells are vertical only, not horizontal. The process is a threat to the Ballona Creek. - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the Division of Oil Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) it isnt protecting the public. DOGGR is not funded by the State; instead its funded by the industry it oversees. * Paul Ferrazzi , Chairman, and Gary Gless, President, of the Citizens Coalition for a Safe Community (CCSC) made their presentation: - By 1925, all of the sweet crude was depleted from the Inglewood Oil Fields. - An underground injection method on the Inglewood Oil Fields since the 50s. - In 2003 PXP used a thumper truck all over the Baldwin Hills residential neighborhoods to determine the remaining oil reserves. - PXP has been drilling directionally, under homes and schools. The brack on Overhill Drive (just South of Stocker), depression in the running track next to Windsor Hills Elementary, homeowner property damage caused by uplift & subsidence. - No Agency is overseeing resident complaints. DOGGR isnt regulating the well paths. The Department of Public Health and the AQMD are denying there is a correlation between PXP and rising health issues. Windsor Hills Elementary has a high rate of field-driven particulates in the air. * CCSC is trying to get a Federal Agency involved * Governor Browns listening tour throughout the State will make a stop in Culver City on 6/12 at 6 pm. * Community Health Councils (CHC) is doing a workshop for the Governors tour on 6/6. * If a complete ban doesnt happen, we need regulation. And, as the State works on regulation, we need to demand a moratorium on all fracking. * Rhonda demanded No fracking at all! * Carl pointed this out as our most important issue that can kill us and destroy our property values. * Carl motioned for the Board to send a letter to Governor Brown demanding a ban on all forms of fracking. Rhonda seconded the motion. - Discussion followed to refine the motion. CC: City Council members, and Karen Bass (Jackie). Modify the form letter (Lark). Rhonda should give the Boards sentiment (Carl). Be specific about what the ECWANDC Meeting Minutes | Page 2

ACTION/FOLLOW-UP:

Item: Discussion Highlights: Item: Discussion Highlights:

ACTION/FOLLOW-UP

Board is supporting (Johnny). FINAL MOTION: The ECWANDC Board will endorse Food & Water Watchs letter to BAN Fracking in the State of California. VOTE: 6 yays / 2 absentions 2ND MOTION: Rhonda motioned the ECWANDC Board drafts a letter regarding all of the issues surrounding the Inglewood Oil Fields. Mark seconded. VOTE: 8 yays (unanimous) Item: Discussion Highlights: Board Business * KAOS & Friends of CACLA both have bad paperwork on file. Johnny & Rhonda will reach out to both. Correct paperwork needed by Monday, 6/4. * The 3761 StockerSuite 201 office space is up for a market rate increase. The leaser hasnt received payment for the year. David will speak to them. * Carl announced a Planning Academy for the Baldwin Hills/Leimert area will be held starting 6/23 to understand the principals of planning and projects in the community pipeline. He will advise further info. * The space at the Crenshaw United Methodist Church is up for another years rental. MOTION: Lark motioned that the Chair negotiate for another year at $40/meeting. Rhonda seconded. VOTE: 8 yays (unanimous) * David asked for volunteers to head the upcoming Election committee for ECWANDC Board members. - Karen will take the helm.

ACTION/FOLLOW-UP

Meeting Adjourned at 11:40 am Minutes as Approved by Board at _7_ / _16_ / _12_ Meeting Signature: _______Yvonne Ellett_______ ECWANDC Recording Secretary

ECWANDC Meeting Minutes | Page 3