Discussion Forum Committee

Voting Members

John Palka, Mehrnoosh Mojallali, Paul Davis, Regan Kibbee, Robin Murez

Mission

The Discussion Forum Committee is a VNC ad hoc committee approved by the VNC Board on April 17, 2012 and renewed  for one year terms December 18, 2012, November 19, 2013, June 17, 2014, July 21, 2015, July 19, 2016, January 16, 2018, June 18, 2019, and September 21, 2021.

Its mission is to provide a monthly forum for discussion of long-term matters affecting the Venice Community within the context of the below VNC Standing Rule 18 VNC Vision Goals (adopted unanimously by the Board on April 21, 2009 and amended unanimously by the Board on May 20, 2014 to insert the Focus on Children Vision Goal):

To stimulate the vitality of the VNC, the Board and VNC Committees are encouraged to consider the below VNC Vision Goals in their deliberations.

Although the VNC is a political body, and inevitably it may become embroiled in issues that divide the community, these goals are designed to promote a more proactive, collaborative vision for VNC Committees to include in their deliberations as they formulate recommendations for Board consideration. The intent is to create a working framework of integrated strategies capable of achieving, over time, broader consensus and increased:

Focus on Children

Consider strategies that promote & expand opportunities for children to experience direct meaningful involvement in all aspects of the social and economic and cultural activities of the Venice Community. Include this Focus on Children as an integral part of the consideration of strategies in all of the
below Vision Goals.

Participation

Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate broader involvement of stakeholders, major organizations, community groups, and government institutions, etc.

Walkability

Consider strategies that reduce the use of cars and that promote alternatives such as walking, skateboarding, biking & bike racks, circulation systems (trolleys), park & ride rather than additional parking, street-narrowing/sidewalk-widening, walk/bike/skateboard lanes separated from traffic, easier neighborhood pedestrian access to commercial stores, etc.

Diversity

Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate realistic recommendations designed to increase economic diversity, including affordable housing, etc. 

Creativity

Consider strategies that promote the arts, encourage & facilitate creativity. This can apply to architecture, public art, social events (neighborhood gatherings/street movies/theatre/dance/pottery/…), etc.

Collaboration

Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate ‘level playing fields’ for collaborative negotiation; opt for procedures & policies that ‘promote flexibility & dialogue’ over ‘reacting defensively to rigid criteria’, facilitation/mediation training, etc.

Brainstorming

Consider strategies that encourage & facilitate exploring of non-traditional options for achieving shared objectives, etc.

History

Formation in April 2021 & Organization Phase
Summary of Function and Purpose
DFC Participation Record 
VNC Vision Goals Idea Matrix

Walkability Vision Goal - 2012 to 2014 &
Summary of Activity
Research on Walkability

Collaboration Vision Goal - August 20, 2013
Collaboration Role Play Presentation
Research on Collaboration

Economic Diversity Vision Goal - 2014 to September 2018 & February 2021 to Present
Homelessness & Housing Challenges & Strategies
Research on Homelessness & Housing

Focus on Children Vision Goal - September 2018 to January 2021
Research on Children

'Family Friendly Streets' Games for Kids
Venice Flying Carousel
Designing Streets for Kids

Participation Vision Goal
Research on Participation

Meeting Time & Location & Quorum

Unless otherwise noted, meetings occur from 5:30 to 6:30pm on the 4th Thursday of each month at the Venice-Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library (310-821-1769) 501 Venice Boulevard, Venice, California 90291. 

A quorum at a specific DFC meeting is one more than 50% of its then voting members as indicated in the agenda for that meeting.

Agenda Requests

The Discussion Forum Committee conducts its business by reviewing and prioritizing agenda requests for Board action (generally either in the form of a motion or letter) or announcements submitted by stakeholders, governmental entities and other interested individuals and organizations. Discussion Forum Committee Committee has the discretion to postpone a request, refer it to a specific committee for review and recommendation, treat it as an announcement or consider and resolve it as a non-Board administrative matter.

CLICK HERE to fill out an Agenda Request.

Meetings (Agendas, Minutes, Documents)

If you would like to be notified of our meetings and receive agendas via email,
click here and sign up by checking the NC box.