Third Griffith Park community meeting brings government to the People

Councilmember LaBonge listened to members of the Los Feliz community at the 3rd community breakfast in a series on Thursday.

Councilmember LaBonge met with about 25 Griffith Park area community leaders and city officials to discuss the DWP rate increase, the draining of two city reservoirs, the implementation of a smoking ban in city parks and other issues. LaBonge convened the meeting to allow for effective communication and coordinated city services to this area of the 4th Council District.

“Information is knowledge is power,” Councilmember LaBonge said. “I believe in bringing government to the people to make the city function well.”

The breakfast, which was held at Griffith Park Adult Community Center Library, is the third in a series of focused meetings that the Councilmember is hosting with community leaders.

Capt. William Murphy, commanding officer of the Northeast Division of the Los Angeles Police Dept., introduced himself. He said property crime is down 5.6 percent and violent crime is down 3.3 percent from last year. He said his division is planning a task force to crack down on flower vendors along Forest Lawn Drive near the Fwy-134.

Among those in attendance were Jim McDaniel, Marty Adams and Susan Rowghani, Marvin Moon, Jeff Peltola and Greg Black of the L.A. Dept. of Water and Power; Los Angeles Fire Department Chief J.D. Drake; Chief Park Ranger Albert Torres and representatives of the following neighborhood groups: The Oaks, Atwater Village Neighborhood County, Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, the Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Sierra Club.