For
Hilltop Neighbors Association (HNA)
Note: These are the actual statements submitted by the candidates for the Board of Directors Election.
The goals and objectives of
the Hilltop Neighbors Association provide a good summary of the areas in which
the Board can serve the community. Briefly, these are neighborhood safety,
emergency response, protecting our quality of life, communication and education,
and engaging resources to benefit our community. I have seen many examples
over the years of neighbors who are eager participate on the Board and are
well equipped to carryout these goals.
I have many years of
management experience in a large company and have also been involved as a
Board member of the Hilltop Neighbors Association since it was formed 25
years ago. In business, I work with performance improvement teams and
provide overall business management for a product group. My participation
on the HTN Board has included serving as treasurer in the early years and
representing the neighborhood in dealing with issues regarding the NVLL
and Ocean View Farms. Recently I formed a committee to beautify and
landscape the Grand View parkway adjacent to the NVLL fields. We raised
money and with the help of community volunteers, the project was
completed this January.
I see the
Hilltop Neighbors Association serving the community
in three important ways. First as a foundation for a neighborhood
watch program to ensure that our area is as safe as we can make it.
Second, as support for the Community Emergency Response Team so that
we are able to help ourselves and our neighbors in the event of an
emergency. And, finally, as an institution to bring the community
together so that we can know each other and work together to improve
our neighborhood.
My skills
and experience will speak mostly to the third of
the three missions I described above. I have long been involved in
helping to organize groups for fun or for service. I started in high
school student government, increased my involvement in student
government at UCLA where I served as student body president, and then
have continued to get involved in community events throughout my
working life. I love bringing people together and making things
happen. I am not afraid to knock on doors and am good at helping a
group reach a goal. Please let me know if you have any questions.
I think the association can provide important information to the community regarding disaster preparedness, safety & traffic concerns, and can represent the community with other agencies in the City.
Masters in Public Administration: Many years experience with volunteer organizations both large and small. Good communicator and excellent organizer.
Although we have not experienced any major disasters recently, I believe that we should continue our effort to encourage all Hilltop members to "Be Prepared" , and I will strive to encourage participation and preparedness for any type of disaster that might occur in the future. We should encourage neighbor to neighbor communication so that we can truly help each other when the situation demands.
I am presently a Hilltop Neighbors Association Board Member and have served as the Membership Chairman and Treasurer for many years. I also maintain the e-mail directory and try to keep our neighbors informed of significant events of general interest. ÊI am willing to serve in this capacity for another year, and would appreciate your support in the coming election.
Skills and Experience: I have
served on the Board as Secretary and
Editor of the Beacon since 1994 and leader of the Hilltop CERT Group until
2002. I am still an active member of CERT.
How I see the future of the Association: I believe the Association
should continue to support Neighborhood Watch, CERT and methods of keeping
the community informed. It is important for the board to sponsor activities
that result in neighbors becoming better acquainted and proactive regarding
issues that effect our health and safety.
I'd like to see our community educated on the specific issues or concerns
specific to this section of Mar Vista. Plus, I see the need here to pull us
all together, whether it's disaster planning, working towards a sense of
community with all our neighbors, promoting safety plans and even
maintaining our beautiful neighborhood.
I've had many years of experience as a volunteer with community groups.
While my children were in elementary school (in Irvine) I saw the need for
art appreciation in the classrooms. A friend and I (both ex-teachers) wrote
up a proposal, presented it to the Board of Education and were awarded an
opportunity to start our program in 2 schools and, most importantly, given
a generous amount of money in order to purchase top quality prints. We
recruited and trained the mothers and each one had a class to visit weekly.
The program was very successful and is still going on, but now in all the
elem. schools. Meanwhile, I tried out and was accepted into a program in
Orange County that was to became one of my favorites. The State Depart. of
Public Health trained about 25 of us as a facilitator for small community
groups of women needing to work on specific needs and problems that could be
accomplished without going to a professional. Our training was on-going and
we absolutely steered someone towards a professional if that need existed.
For the women in the group, it was a very safe place to come together with
other women and share and work through issues.
I thought from the beginning when Kathy Bekian and I got the idea to start this neighborhood watch program 25 years ago, that the most important thing we could do as a community was to watch out for each other. I still feel the same about Hilltop Neighbors. This neighborhood has grown not only safer as a wonderful place to live but has grown more diversified in our outreach to neighborhood concerns. That is what I want to continue to support.
I have served on the Hilltop Neighbors Board of Directors for years. I have worked with other organizations as President of the PTA in my children's elementary school for 2 years. I was a Cub Scout leader for 3 years. I am presently co-director and board member of the Sweet & Hot Music Festival an event that is held for 5 days each year in L.A. and have held that position for 12 years.
Have neighborhood meetings
to determine needs/wants of the residents. Involving more residents by having occasional block parties
so people get to know each other.
Learn about our neighbors Ð especially the elderly living alone in case
of emergency.
I am an attorney Ð estate planning is my specialty. However, I was a founding member of Save Our Forest Assn., Inc. (SOFA) which began in 1987 and is still
going strong.
The Association should: strive to keep neighbors informed about issues that affect their homes, security and well-being, promote cooperation among neighbors, maintain vigilance againstÊuntoward activitiesÊthat could affect the safety and tranquility of our neighborhood.
I have resided in the areaÊsince 1972 andÊhave a great appreciation for this area and our neighbors. I have taken the CERT training and try to keep current withÊthe training and CERT activitiesÊ and have served as chair of the Hilltop Neighbors' CERT group for the last few years. In addition, I am interested in maintaining a cooperative attitude with the CERT teams of our surrounding neighborhoods.
I would like to be considered for a position
on the Hilltop Board because I believe in the organization and the community
it supports.Ê I am a member of the CERT team and feel strongly about the need
to keep training members of the community so we will be able to be self
sufficient in the event of a disaster.Ê It is important to me that we have
an organization that can provide input to the various members of the city
council and their staff about issues that directly affect our community,
like traffic, graffiti abatement, crime, community projects, etc.Ê
I am concerned about the environment and participate in trying to keep
Playa Vista smaller.Ê Becoming a member of the board will allow me to
use my expertise in working for a government office to the benefit
of our neighborhood.
Hilltop Neighbors Association must stay informed
about Mar Vista Community Council, local and city issues, as well as
neighborhood concerns, so we can take a broad view, anticipate the impact of
ÒoutsideÓ events on our neighborhood, respond appropriately and take advantage
of resources that may be available.
I have many years experience as a project manager,
editor, and writer, which give me strong written and verbal communication
skills. IÕm good at working with
others and at analyzing situations and identifying fresh approaches.