B. History Skid Row is a depressed, low income residential community. Unfortunately, current statistics indicate an

Recommendations 13

• R1

  Page 96
  CGJ queries to the 88 cities in the county elicited 86 responses with only Compton, and Monterey Park failing to respond.
• R2

  Page 96
  Two cities, Bell and Westlake Village, have no commissions.
• R3

  Page 96
  The Los Angeles County website lists 174 commissions and compensation amounts that range from $0 to $300, with the higher amounts paid for serving on commissions requiring special expertise. “Commission Facts” provided on the county website document the history for each of its commissions, including the establishing ordinance, purpose, membership, duties, compensation, and minutes of all meetings. The data appears to be updated in a timely manner and can be displayed to any interested party.
• R4

  Page 96
  Some cities publish agendas for commission meetings but not the minutes.
• R5

  Page 96
  In lieu of publishing minutes, many cities post video recordings of commission meetings on their web site. This is acceptable and after the initial cost of the video equipment is absorbed, the process is relatively free.
• R6

  Page 97
  Many cities are not current in publishing minutes of commission meetings. Some are many months behind.
• R7

  Page 97
  The websites of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County most commonly omitted information pertaining to compensation. Other common omissions were whether elected officials are allowed to serve and whether a commissioner can serve on 4 The questionnaire is attached. See Appendix. 96 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT multiple commissions simultaneously. This information was provided in responses to our e-mail queries.
• R8

  Page 97
  Of all the cities reporting compensation for service on a commission, only two currently report this on their websites in “Commission Facts.”
• R9

  Page 97
  Stipends are not always provided for commission service. While the CGJ applauds the 34 cities whose commissioners serve without pay, it notes that stipends provided to commissioners in 50 cities, which ranged from $10 to $250, is not a major concern.
• R10

  Page 97
  Higher stipends were generally reserved for service on Planning Commissions, whose members are usually required to have more specialized knowledge and experience.
• R11

  Page 97
  Only the City of Industry exceeded the $250 upper threshold and pays members on two of its commissions $680 per meeting. Attendance is not mandatory for compensation.
• R12

  Page 97
  Many cities’ “Commission Facts” mentioned the Brown Act and/or the Maddy Act and appeared to follow the rules outlined in them, but Government Code section 36516, which authorizes a maximum compensation of $150, was conspicuous by its absence.
• R13

  Page 97
  It was impossible to reach the Lomita website, even as we tried many variations of the web address. V. RECOMMENDATIONS The CGJ recommends that local government websites be improved in the five following ways: 5.1. Los Angeles County and each listed city in Section VI should add to the “Commission Facts” for each existing commission whether compensation is paid and in what amount, including whether attendance is mandatory for payment. If there is no compensation, state that none is provided. 5.2. Los Angeles County and each listed city should add to “Commission Facts” for each existing commission whether or not elected officials may serve on it. 5.3. Los Angeles County and each listed city should add to “Commission Facts” for each existing commission whether or not commissioners are allowed to serve on more than one commission at the same time.” 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT 97 5.4. Each listed city should publish or provide a link to the current agenda and timely meeting minutes for each meeting of each existing commission on the website. 5.5. Each listed city should add a conspicuous link to “Commissions” on the home page or as a menu option under “Departments,” “Government,” or “Services.” VI. REQUEST FOR RESPONSE California Penal Code Sections 933(c) and 933.05 require a written response to all recommendations contained in this report. Such responses shall be made no later than ninety (90) days after the Civil Grand Jury publishes its report (files it with the Clerk of the Court). Responses shall be made in accord with Penal Code Sections 933.05 (a) and (b). All responses to the recommendations of the 2015-2016 Civil Grand Jury must be submitted on or before September 30, 2016, to: Presiding Judge Los Angeles County Superior Court Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center 210 West Temple Street Eleventh Floor-Room 11-506 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Responses are required from: THESE WEBSITES WERE JUDGED SATISFACTORY FOR EASE OF USE. Location Web Address Recommendation Agoura Hills www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Artesia www.cityofartesia.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Avalon www.cityofavalon.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 Bellflower www.bellflower.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Beverly Hills www.beverlyhills.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Burbank www.burbankca.gov 5.2 5.4 Carson www.ci.carson.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Cerritos www.cerritos.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Claremont www.ci.claremont.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Commerce www.ci.commerce.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Cudahy www.cityofcudahy.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Gardena www.ci.gardena.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Glendale www.ci.glendale.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Hawaiian Gardens www.hgcity.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Hermosa Beach www.hermosabch.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 98 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT Hidden Hills www.hiddenhillscity.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Huntington Park www.hpca.gov 5.1 5.2 5.3 City of Industry www.cityofindustry.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Inglewood www.cityofinglewood.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Irwindale www.ci.irwindale.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 La Canada Flintridge www.lcf.ca.gov 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lakewood www.lakewoodcity.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 La Mirada www.cityoflamirada.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 La Puente www.lapuente.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lawndale www.lawndalecity.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Malibu www.ci.malibu.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Manhattan Beach www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Maywood www.cityofmaywood.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 Monterey Park www.ci.monterey-park.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 Palos Verdes Estates www.pvestates.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 Paramount www.paramountcity.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Pasadena www.cityofpasadena.net 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Pico Rivera www.pico-rivera.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Pomona www.ci.pomona.ca.us 5.1 5.3 Redondo Beach www.redondo.org 5.1 5.2 Rolling Hills Estates www.ci.rolling-hills-estates.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 San Dimas www.cityofsandimas.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 San Gabriel www.sangabrielcity.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 Santa Clarita www.santa-clarita.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Santa Monica www.smgov.net 5.1 5.3 Sierra Madre www.cityofsierramadre.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Signal Hill www.cityofsignalhill.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 South Gate www.cityofsouthgate.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 South Pasadena www.ci.south-pasadena.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Torrance www.torranceca.org 5.2 5.3 Vernon www.cityofvernon.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 West Covina www.westcovina.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 West Hollywood www.weho.org 5.1 5.3 Los Angeles County www.bos.co.la.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 THESE WEBSITES WERE JUDGED UNSATISFACTORY FOR EASE OF USE. Location Web Address Recommendations Alhambra www.cityofalhambra.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Arcadia www.ci.arcadia.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Azusa www.ci.azusa.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Baldwin Park www.baldwinpark.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Bell Gardens www.bellgardens.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT 99 Bradbury www.cityofbradbury.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Calabasas www.cityofcalabasas.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Compton www.comptoncity.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Covina www.covinaca.gov 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Culver City www.culvercity.org 5.1 5.4 5.5 Diamond Bar www.ci.diamond-bar.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Downey www.downeyca.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Duarte www.accessduarte.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 El Monte www.ci.el-monte.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 El Segundo www.elsegundo.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Glendora www.ci.glendora.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.5 Hawthorne www.cityofhawthorne.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 La Habra Heights www.la-habra-heights.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.5 Lancaster www.cityoflancasterca.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.5 La Verne www.ci.la-verne.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Lomita www.lomita.com/cityhall 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Long Beach www.longbeach.gov 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Los Angeles www.lacity.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Lynwood www.lynwood.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Monrovia www.cityofmonrovia.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Montebello www.cityofmontebello.com 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Norwalk www.ci.norwalk.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Palmdale www.cityofpalmdale.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Rancho Palos Verdes www.rpvca.gov 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.5 Rolling Hills www.rolling-hills.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Rosemead www.cityofrosemead.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 San Fernando www.ci.san-fernando.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 San Marino www.ci.san-marino.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.5 Santa Fe Springs www.santafesprings.org 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 South El Monte www.ci.south-el-onte.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Temple City www.ci.temple-city.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.5 Walnut www.ci.walnut.ca.us 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Whittier www.cityofwhittier.org 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 VII. ACRONYMS BOS Board of Supervisors CGJ Civil Grand Jury 100 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT VIII. COMMITTEE MEMBERS George Zekan Chair Lorraine Stark Secretary Edna McDonald Molly Milligan 2015-2016 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT 101