Westwood to have public meeting

By Robert Salonga
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
[email protected]

Residents have the rare chance to voice their concerns and ideas
about Westwood with city, local and university representatives at a
community-wide meeting this week.

The first-ever public meeting of the North Village Improvement
Committee is scheduled to include attendance by Katherine
Kuykendall of Mayor James Hahn’s office, and Councilman Jack
Weiss, who represents the fifth city district which includes
UCLA.

NVIC, led by director Shelley Taylor, aims to create a sense of
community in the university adjacent neighborhood areas. Its most
prominent issues include parking congestion, trash on local streets
and graffiti on Westwood walls.

“We’re trying to give the neighborhood a chance to
network,” Taylor said.

UCLA is also getting involved with the three-year-old committee,
looking to increase its communication with the area west of
campus.

“There are a lot of mutual efforts we can join in,”
said Diana Brueggemann, executive director of local government and
community relations for UCLA.

Brueggemann’s office recently helped to coordinate an
effort between NVIC and UCLA fraternities to apply for a
neighborhood matching fund grant.

Under the grant, the city of Los Angeles would give the group up
to $5,000 to purchase trash bins to be “strategically”
placed throughout Westwood. NVIC would have to match the amount by
dollar amount or through manpower at $10 per person per hour.

Taylor said she has gotten the fraternities to “more than
meet” the requirements.

Hahn is also looking to get involved with the Westwood
committee. Kuykendall, the West Los Angeles area director for the
mayor’s office, hopes to listen to community concerns and
offer city services to help.

Brueggemann strongly encouraged UCLA students to participate in
the committee meeting.

“They’re neighbors too,” she said.
“It’s a mixed neighborhood, and to improve things,
working together is the way to go.”

The NVIC meeting will be held at the University Catholic Center
on Wednesday, July 17 at 7 p.m. Those who wish to attend must RSVP
by Tuesday by calling (310) 208-8007 or sending an e-mail to
[email protected].