On Monday, Oct. 5, Item 4A on the agenda will be brought before City Council. Written by Councilmember John D’Amico, the item proposes to establish an LGBTQIA+ Commission.
LGBTQIA+ COMMISSION [J. D’AMICO, J. LEONARD]:
The City Council will consider directing city staff and the Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board (LGAB) and Transgender Advisory Board (TAB) to explore the creation of a new Commission representing the LGBTQIA+ community. Staff will conduct research and provide various options and considerations to LGAB and TAB for feedback and return to the Council with recommendations within 120 days.
A full copy of the staff report can be found here: https://weho.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1299&meta_id=213490
What does LGBTQIA+ mean?
“New terms can be added under the “umbrella” of the plus sign (+) at the end of the acronym. In most circles, LGBTQIA+ means lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual. However, the plus allows the term to cover all different subsects like allies, pansexual, androgynous, and polyamorous.
So that brings us to the Commission’s and Boards. Let’s review them:
Commissions
- Arts and Cultural Commission
- Business License Commission
- Historic Preservation Commission
- Human Services Commission
- Planning Commission
- Public Facilities Commission
- Rent Stabilization Commission
- Transportation Commission
The city also sponsors many boards for input. They include:
Advisory Boards
- Disability Advisory Board
- Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board
- Russian Advisory Board
- Senior Advisory Board
- Transgender Advisory Board
- Women’s Advisory Board
In addition there are working groups and task forces which include past and present, including:
Working Groups & Task Forces
- 1343 Laurel Ave. Visioning Vision Concepts
- Bicycle Task Force
- Ethics Reform Task Force
- Social Justice Task Force
Each of these commissions, boards and task forces costs the city millions of dollars per year in staff time (there are 2 to 3 staff members for each board and commission). Many of these commissions are filled with political appointees and favoritism.
For instance, on the Rent Stabilization Commission is a former campaign manager of Councilmember Horvath and he also serves as a lobbyist on behalf of 8850 Sunset. One Historic Preservation Commissioner often has projects in front of the City Council. Likewise many commissioners have vested interests personally in projects while they are serving the public as political appointees.
Everybody in town knows that in many cases you need to curry favor or swear your loyalty to get a seat on a commission. Or you become one of the popular at-large appointees if you can thread three votes on the council.
Does the City Council even listen to what the commissioners or board members have to say?
When the discussions for ‘parklets’ was brought forward the City Council decided to move forward without any input from the Public Facilities Commission. Councilmember D’Amico said at the time ‘that’s where things go to die’. And the four pilot-parklets went forward without public input. Later the parklet at Book Soup experienced a car accident and had to be disbanded.
The Disability Board has discussions on ‘scooters’ and their hazards to those with mobility issues. The previous Scooter program failed and was canned two years ago but brought back without public input. Out on Robertson brought everybody together for sixteen weeks and half a million dollars, but the Transportation Commission had little input into either of the above matters.
A trip to a Public Safety meeting to discuss pedestrian safety would be met with the answer “not in our purvue, needs to go to the Transportation Commission. ” If you wanted to discuss activities in the parks and went to the Public Facilities commission, you would learn that the Public Facilities Commission oversees the buildings but not the activities inside the buildings or parks. Perhaps we can use a ‘Recreation Commission”.
What about a Homeless Commission ? Small Business Commission? Or a City Council Oversight Commission? Perhaps is we had a City Council Oversight Commission lots of bad ideas would receive proper public input. What do you think? With all these new Commissions soon we will need a ‘Commission for Commissions’.
“Millions of dollars per year in staff time”. Did you actually read the budget for the new recreation building in WeHo Park? All of the costs associated with the new pool will add up to “millions of dollars per year”, and you aren’t complaining about that. Those “millions of dollars per year in staff time” make sense if you tell the entire story without omission. ALL of the Boards and Commissions together, not “millions of dollars per year in staff time” for each Board and Commission. Your writing leaves a lot to be desired, WEHOville. The City, as only a… Read more »
I’m gay those new initials are woke B***s*** and have nothing to do with gay men or reality. Just a bunch of insecure people that want special attention and try to put people on the defensive by wanting people to be subservient to their choices and need to feel superior like they cured Cancer or AIDS. So what you got rid of your boobs and gained a D**k… There is nothing special about trans people just move on with your life. I’ve removed myself from the embarrassment of the Gay “treat me special for no reason at all community” It… Read more »
Pause. Zoom out. Consider:
So nobody who declines vaccines or is unable to be for medical or religious reasons is even allowed to serve on a commission or board, or successfully run for office, or even volunteer in our City.
This is so evil and wrong. The social contract has broken down. The people who approved this decision and whoever enforces it are subverting fundamental human rights afforded by God and enshrined in the Constitution.
The new second class citizens and conscientious objectors like myself are 100% NOT represented in any of this bullsh*t. Abolish it all.
Right? People with AIDS shouldn’t be telling anyone how to make good choices about their own health
“Evil”, “God”, “Constitution”. Get back on your lithium.
How about an A-Z+ Commission to cover all the bases.
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Another tucked away location for hidden gems are the RFP’s and RFQ’s legally published under PUBLIC NOTICES UPDATE. The latest being a RFQ concerning Moving Image Media Art (MIM) sponsored by Community Arts & Cultural Czar Rebecca Ehemann, Public Art Coordinator who seems to be operating a stable of accessible individuals providing “art concepts” like the disastrous Bonner Park and Melrose Norwich Gathering Space. Unrecognizable by the residents of both neighborhoods these “concepts” silently wend their way through a labyrinth of meetings on way to decision making. After you finish researching that concept, one can always consult the DEMAND REGISTER… Read more »
Another embarrassing example of West Hollywood’s excesses regarding sexual proclivities. Hope they don’t add (B) beastiality & (P) pedophilia to their long list of “pluses”. .+Pathetic
so true. the majority of residents are not gay……..yet they tolerate all this nonsense.
LOL why did you even move to West Hollywood in the first place? Damn, you sound miserable
Gay residents are the minority in WH yet they make the most noise and feel as if they have a divine right to set the agenda. Little do folks realize that by becoming an objectionist or contrarian one creates more issues, finding nails needing to be hit by a hammer. They are endless. What is the goal? To alienate the rest of the residents into submission by annoying them to death?
Maybe you need to read about the history of West Hollywood. And just because more straight people live here now, doesn’t mean they aren’t extremely pro-LGBT rights. I can guarantee most people living here are fine with LGBT issues being brought up.
No one is alienated lol
I love the gay guys of West Hollywood, but as a non-gay woman, I completely disagree with the gay-centric focus of West Hollywood City Hall. It’s more than an embarrassment–it’s an unethical use of public funds, in my opinion.
You should move then. West Hollywood was formed as a LGBT enclave. It’s not going to change.
Yes thank you, I’m informed about the history of West Hollywood prior to and after the LGBT focus. It seems an insidious phenomenon that will never be satisfied so they will be regularly resetting their divine agenda for the remaining residents. As “not true” states, an unethical use of public funds.
I guess it’s time for you to move then.
Why? He’s in the majority. Most residents agree with him. Lots of different residents live here…..not just one type.
“Idiots are neither planned nor planted.
They just pop up on their own.”
I’m Gay and you are absolutely right. Seems along with the Trans insecurity and the new make believe genders they want to asphyxiate the straight community so much that until they comply with their irrational and self delusional demands they will just nag you guys to death . We are all not like that though. The boards fill themselves with the insecure irrational activists and feed off of their perverted utopian ideals to everyone’s detriment.
Ahh the old fear mongering tactic Christians used back in the 90s. Didn’t work then, and still doesn’t work now.
What a pathetic attempt by you.
greeneyedgal is the same 50 year old guy you see at Mickey’s wearing inappropriate clothing being predatory, waiting fo get drunk enough to visit the bath house and continue the spread of HIV and then trolls these articles and tells everyone to move. Right now he’s oscillating between a real dialog of hating Christians and insulting people and what Kim Kardashian’s wearing. He’s such a stereotype I could draw his picture in 5 minutes right up to the BDJ, tank top, and short shorts.. haha
QWERTUIOP!
Who will propose a Pedestrian Safety On the South Side of Santa Monica Boulevard Between San Vicente and Robertson Oversight Commission to study the pedestrian unfriendly, indeed unsafe (particularly for disabled folks–after all, it’s Disabilities Awareness Month) conditions that continue to exist in that area? At a minimum, we need a general pedestrian advisory board to represent the interests of those of us who walk (what has been billed as California’s most walkable city!) and have to fend off scooters, bikes and the encroachment of ever-growing sidewalk dining and drinking. If 1343 has a task force, why doesn’t that decrepit… Read more »
A Public Advocate task force to study how unqualified candidates propelled themselves to election wins. But that would be too rational. One bit the hand that fed him and both insidiously sought and wrapped up a following that believed he/her to be Mother Theresa.
Maybe the Public Advocate could veto “unqualified candidates”; that seems to work well in Iran.
Would you care to explain that?
Thank you Alan. Ditto!
So, if the once all-inclusive rainbow flag was not inclusive enough, are we now forming a commission that is completely inclusive and replaces two other commissions? The commissions, boards, and task forces are quaint window dressing. I read the staff reports and I’m often just stunned by the resources consumed by councilmember vanity. I’m an in-betweener, not yet feeling represented by the Senior Advisory Board; do I get representation on a Boomer Advisory Board? P.S. Maybe I’m a cynic, but I see a bit of sarcastic brilliance in D’Amico’s proposal!
I like your idea but “Boomer” is clearly an oppressive/ageist term that would offend progressive sensibilities. We have a senior advisory board but who among us wants to admit to an age other than the one posted on Grnder.
Yes, and it has been hurled at me in these pages multiple times as an intend slight, so I took possession of it and owned it, despite the tolerance here for its intended offense.
Saying “boomer” is the same as calling someone “millennial”. It’s not oppressive or ageist.
It’s literally taken from the term “Baby boomer”. How else are we supposed to differentiate generations?
By using the full phrase “baby boomer”. Thank you.
Too long a phrase for Gen Z to utter.
Alan understood I was being sarcastic.
One of the primary reasons you were not successful in many elections might because you have been notably sarcastic speaking in front of city council. Despite many good ideas you chose to present them in an offensive manner, Now that is offensive and uncivil.
Enough with the commissions. Enough.
Unreal. This city is so embarrassing.
Often horrifying.