Westwood Village improvement in hands of association’s new board chair

The Westwood Village Improvement Association’s new chair plans to make the Village a more welcoming place for visitors.

The association’s board elected Jim Brooks, president of the TOPA Management company – a property management company that leases spaces to businesses in the Village – as the new board chair at its November meeting. Brooks has served as vice chair for the association and has been involved in the association for three years as a board member.

The association is a nonprofit organization that provides the Village with amenities it cannot directly receive from the city.

Brooks will succeed former chair Jessica Dabney, who served as the chair since the board’s creation in 2011. Dabney said she helped create the association to beautify Westwood Village and make it more attractive for visitors.

The chair is head of the board’s Executive Committee, which also consists of the vice chair, the treasurer and the secretary. The committee oversees the association’s budget, staff members and general policies, said Andrew Thomas, executive director of the association.

Thomas said the chair is responsible for setting the tone at board meetings and encouraging board members to participate. He added he thinks Brooks has great attendance and participation in board meetings, and thinks Brooks will be a strong leader.

“He knows the ins and outs (of the board), and he doesn’t need to be brought up to speed,” Thomas said.

Brooks said he enjoys working with businesses and other community members in the Village and the other districts within Westwood. Brooks said his work with TOPA requires him to help sign leases and accommodate business spaces, which he thinks will help him interact with local businesses and introduce new businesses into the Village.

Brooks added he plans to maintain the Village’s clean and friendly environment and said he thinks his involvement in the association’s Clean, Safe and Beautiful Committee, including his work to rebrand recycling bins, will help him make the Village more presentable.

Dabney said she thinks Brooks is qualified for the position because of his experience as vice chair and involvement in some of the board’s committees such as the Clean, Safe and Beautiful Committee and the Business Attraction and Retention Committee. Dabney added that while she thinks the position can be challenging, she thinks Brooks is capable of handling it and will continue to improve the Village.

“(The position) is a lot of work,” she said. “I do think that the next few years will present some challenges and opportunities, but I am glad (Brooks) will be the one to face those.”