Its Been My Privilege to Serve NWNC

By Peter Lasky, Outgoing President of NWNC

Outgoing President, Peter Lasky (right) with board member Glen Wilson

This will be my last article as President of Northridge West Neighborhood Council (NWNC). I am stepping down as NWNC President and am placing the council in the capable hands of Pamela Bolin, a long-time board member.

You often hear people say that serving in volunteer groups such as a neighborhood council is a thankless task. I would disagree.

For the last two years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as President of Northridge West Neighborhood Council, and I’m grateful for the opportunity that you’ve given me. Almost everyone one I’ve spoken with has been appreciative of my service to the community. I received no angry calls or emails, nor any complaints. On the contrary, most of the calls I received have been requests for help or direction in reaching a city department.

I would recommend to all of you that if you have an interest in your community, serving on a neighborhood council or committee is a great way to get involved. You will meet people who care about our community, gain a greater in-depth view of how the city operates and will have an opportunity to impact how the $42,000 we receive annually from the city can be used to benefit our community further.

What Did Northridge West Neighborhood Council Accomplish in the Past Two years?

Our budget went far beyond our expectations thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers who donated their time. Here is a list of all the projects we were able to complete for the Northridge West neighborhood:

1. We connected a drip system that saved the trees on the Tampa median, making sure they receive adequate water. We cleaned up the existing weeds and laid down compost to suppress any new, unwanted growth. The topiary that I’ve written about previously will be installed in mid-July.
2. We supported law enforcement with the posting of Neighborhood Watch signs and helped provide materials for new Neighborhood Watch Groups. Senior Lead Officer John Parker from the Devonshire Division reported at our June meeting that this area had the largest decrease of crime of any region in the city, down 19%.
3. This council filed more Community Impact Statements than all of our previous boards. Community Impact Statements give the City Council a thumbs up or down on matters that come before it. A Community Impact Statement allows us to weigh in on a matter before the City Council votes on it.
4. The board hosted two successful town hall meetings dealing with local issues: Sober Living Homes, and the possible health effects of the Aliso Canyon gas leak.
5. We put on a First Aid/CPR class so the participants could renew their certifications or become certified by the Red Cross.
6. We adopted new bylaws, helping to make it easier to fill vacant neighborhood council seats.
7. We set up a Homelessness Committee that works in coordination with Councilmember Mitchell Englander, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, other neighborhood councils and local community organizations on this issue. Recently, we volunteered at the Councilmember’s Homeless Connect Day held at Freedom Church in Chatsworth.
8. We presented many speakers at our meetings, who discussed a wide range of topics. Speakers included candidates for office, proponents and opponents of ballots measures, the National Wildlife Service on dealing with coyotes and other wildlife problems, SoCal Gas, LA County on the Zika mosquito and how to deal with it, and the dangers of the new Marijuana edibles.
9. We gave out numerous grants to local 501(C)(3) Organizations like Friends of Oakridge, the YMCA, Veteran Students at CSUN, Northridge Beautification Foundation’s Clean Streets/Clean Starts program, the Granada Hills High School Academic Decathlon and Robotics Teams, and others.

It is time for new officers to step up and provide their insights, energy, and vision in leading our council forward.

I wish good luck to the new Executive team of Pam Bolin, President; Greg Kromhout, Vice President of Administration; and Matt McPherson, Vice President of Outreach.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve–it was an amazing experience of self-growth and discovery.

Board Seats Available
Four NWNC board members have retired; in July we will have four empty seats. As always, we are interested in your questions and comments. Please address your emails to Pam Bolin at .