Chatsworth Neighborhood Council Spends Last of Its 2010-11 Funds on Community Projects

The Chatsworth Neighborhood Council is racing the clock to spend its remaining city allocation within the community.  Whatever unspent money remains in the Council’s treasury July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, will be turned back to the city’s General Fund to be used elsewhere.

During the current fiscal year, each neighborhood council in the city received $45,000 in taxpayer funds. Previously, councils could retain some or all unspent money into a new fiscal year. But because of the city’s budget problems, councils are not likely to have those rollover funds in the next fiscal year.

The Chatsworth Neighborhood Council Wednesday began allocating funds for several community projects. Among the major expenditures the Council approved were trimming trees and clearing overgrown weeds from local sidewalks, buying children’s books for the Chatsworth Library, buying a portable all-weather public address system and supporting a new training facility at the Devonshire Division police station.

The targeted cleanup areas are all locations along major streets where block walls separate a backyard from the sidewalk and street. In many cases, homeowners are not aware that they are legally responsible for upkeep of those areas, called reverse parkways, even if they are not accessible from the house. The Council would hire professionals to trim trees, shrubs and brush, clean sidewalks and remove or report graffiti. 

The exact amount of money available for the cleanup depends on how much money is left in each of the Council's six committees' spending accounts.

One of the prime cleanup targets would be the row of olive trees on the north side of Lassen Street between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Farralone Avenue. The trees are one of seven cultural landmarks in Chatsworth. Council President André van der Valk, who is also co-president of the Chatsworth Historical Society, said the trees are believed to have been started from cuttings from the original olive trees at the San Fernando Mission. The Council has paid to trim and clean up the olive trees several times in the past.

An ad hoc committee studied which major streets and sidewalks most need tending and is getting bids for the cleanups, said board member Jeff Hammond.

In addition to the olive trees, the proposed areas are:

• Corbin Avenue between Devonshire and Lassen streets
• Devonshire Street between Corbin and Mason avenues
• Canoga Avenue between San Jose and Chatsworth streets
• Winnetka Avenue between Devonshire and Lassen streets
• Mason Avenue between Germain Street and the 118-Freeway
• Plummer Street between Winnetka and Mason avenues

Once the Council has maintained a street for two fiscal quarters, the city will provide a sign indicating that the Council has adopted the street. 

Other approved expenditures by the Council on Wednesday included:

• $5,000 for a portable all-weather public address system to use at Chatsworth public events, such as last month’s Day of the Horse
• $2,500 to buy children’s books for the Chatsworth Public Library
• $500 to rent equipment to stage plays at the Northridge Park Summer Musical Theater program
• $300 for the Chatsworth Park Elementary School’s fifth-grade sports day and dance
• $700 for Neighborhood Watch signs, decals and handbooks
• $1,500 for a training center at the Los Angeles Police Department's Devonshire Division

During public comment, a representative from the Los Angeles City Firefighters Union answered questions about the 2011 Deployment Plan that cuts some fire department emergency services in the Chatsworth, Porter Ranch, and Northridge areas. Megan Cottier, who represents Councilman Greig Smith at the meeting, said Smith has not taken a position on the Plan. 

Director Ted Nonini, of union Local 112 IAFF, said the Deployment Plan includes the loss of dedicated fire engines, hook-and-ladder trucks, ambulances and the transfer of firefighter/paramedics from local fire stations.

Chatsworth Fire Station 96 could lose one engine, which translates to four individuals being transferred out. Engine trucks are equipped with the Jaws of Life, saws, tools, ladders and other heavy equipment used in an earthquake and to rescue people from the upper floors of buildings or crashed vehicles.

Response times are expected to be impacted under the proposed plan, he said.

No fire stations are being closed, but the elimination of fire trucks, engines and paramedics will hamper department operations, he said. 

There are roughly 3,500 firefighters currently on the city’s payroll. That number will decline to 3,200 over the next few years under the proposed plan partly due to retirements.

Nonini said the LAFD hasn’t had any new hires for the past three years and it is operating with a personnel shortage.

Currently, when a firefighter takes a vacation or sick leave, for example, another local employee would step up to cover the open position. Under the proposed plan, there will be a “pool” of firefighters who will go in and cover those open positions, he said. 

“The good thing is no one is being let go,” Nonini said. “But, we are stretched thin.” 

Nonini said the fire engines and trucks pulled from the stations will become reserve units in case of any breakdowns in the regular fleet. He said currently there aren’t any reserve vehicles.

Chatsworth resident Bea Berman said she was concerned with the plan because firefighters drawn from outside of Chatsworth won’t be familiar with local streets.

“This is not a good move,” Berman said. 

A Town Hall meeting, with top fire officials, is scheduled for 6 p.m., May 11 at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch. Fire officials are expected to explain the cuts and answer questions.