Good morning, y'all! It's nearly 10am on a Tuesday morning, which means it's time for @christopherroth to pour a cup of coffee and log in to twitter/twitch/whatever and live-tweet the @LACityCouncil meeting.
Follow along! Here's the agenda and video feed:
https://lacity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=130&event_id=12818

You can also follow along on Twitch! http://twitch.tv/GroundGameLA 

Or over on Facebook!
http://facebook.com/GroundGameLA 

We've also got @PplsCityCouncil providing live-translations of these live-tweets, which is pretty freaking sweet. Thanks, @esnowww!! https://twitter.com/PplsCityCouncil/status/1293210279782887426

Of course there will be time to provide public comment during today's meeting:
1. Call (669) 254-5252
2. Use Meeting ID 160-535-8466 and then press #.
3. Press # again when prompted for participant ID.
4. Once admitted into the meeting, press *9 to request to speak.

It's worth pointing out an issue on today's agenda that @RobQuan_ has been shouting about for a while but has still largely gone unnoticed: REDISTRICTING https://twitter.com/UnrigLA/status/1293216993089187840

It's item 14 on today's agenda, but just like item 13 it's already had it's required public comment period satisfied! That means that if you want to talk about it you have to use your general public comment time or Strefan Fauble will yell at you for being off-topic.

This issue of redistricting was the subject of a scathing Op-Ed in yesterday's @LATimes by Jan Perry and Bernard Parks.
I'd recommend you give it a read if you've got the time.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-08-10/op-ed-how-jose-huizars-alleged-crimes-hay-have-been-aided-by-redistricting

Annnnd here we go! We're 13 minutes behind schedule, but that's basically on-time for CM Martinez.
CM Bonin is not present. We're actually missing two of them, but I missed who else wasn't on the roll -- we've got 12 members present which is a quorum.

Huh. This is wild. What's up with this, @LACityCouncil? https://twitter.com/BodiesRInfinite/status/1293232586697764864

Heads up, @UnrigLA! Item 14 is being HELD FOR AN AMENDMENT! Looks like y'all get a minute to comment on item 14 after all!

So it turns out that CM Martinez is the one making the amendment.
- Nury wants a resume and background info for each appointee and it's going to be public.
- Require ethics training.
- Require ethnic demographic info from the clerk for the process. (more)

(continued)
- Require commissioners to disclose ex parte communications.
- Exclude hiring former city staff.
- Require min 72 hours notice for meetings? (not sure I got this right)
- Encourage whenever possible that the meetings be in the evening to get more public participation.

We're just finishing the instructions for public comment. 30 minutes. HERE WE GO! https://twitter.com/KNOCKdotLA/status/1293232006059368449

Daniel Guss from City Watch LA on item 19:
He's asking why Wesson and Price haven't recused themselves from item 19 due to long term relationships with the concerned parties. https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php/384-writer-bio-pages/18533-daniel-guss

Daniel Guss moves on to demand public records for the West Valley Shelter. He's talking a lot about Best Friends LA and asking why they receive public support: https://la.bestfriends.org/ 

Next caller just told CM Koretz that he isn't going to be City Controller. Love it.
Also pointing out that we don't need funding for police overtime (item 23).
General public comment: upholds the demands in memo signed on to by @UnrigLA and @GroundGameLA.
You love to see it.

Next up is Mimi from CD4, a frequent caller.
Asks why we're worried about BIDs right now when folks are struggling to put food on the table.
Also points out that item 23 is providing MORE funding for the LAPD, ignoring public calls to #DefundThePolice.

Mimi also calls out CM Ryu for being all talk and no action.
Mimi concludes with a reminder of the stark statistic of #3aDayInLA -- that 3 unhoused Angelenos die EVERY SINGLE DAY in Los Angeles -- and a call to #CancelRent

Next caller works for Common Cause ( https://www.commoncause.org/california/ ) and uplifts the demands for a fair and impartial redistricting process. Uplifts the need to increase the transparency surrounding conflicts of interest. Suggests banning ex parte communications rather than disclosure.