CITY COUNCIL

* PICO UNION CENTER: Approved spending $33,323 to continue a disaster assistance program that provides job counseling, pre-employment skills training, job listings, job referrals and other employment-related services in the Pico-Union community. The program was started after last year’s riots with federal funds, but those were discontinued in June.

* YOUTH PROGRAM: Approved requesting a $100,000 federal planning grant that would be used to develop a 12-month program to provide economically disadvantaged youth, especially high school dropouts, with education and employment skills through work within their communities. The training would include construction jobs on low-income housing projects and academic classes. A manager would be hired at $50,000 a year to develop the program.

* TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL: Approved a proposal by Councilwoman Rita Walters requesting the Los Angeles Coliseum Commissioners to seek sponsors other than tobacco and alcohol companies to advertise on the Harbor Freeway message board near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, once current contracts expire. These advertising contracts will expire in 1997. Walters said tobacco and alcohol advertisements have a negative impact on youth and minorities.

* HOMELESS: Approved a proposal to have permanent signs posted along Seaton Avenue between Palmetto and 5th streets giving notice of the city’s cleaning schedule for the area, which is frequented by the homeless. Police will accompany street cleaning crews during the cleanups.

* APPOINTMENT: Approved the appointment of Sweet Alice Harris to the Rent Adjustment Control Commission. The South Los Angeles resident and community activist had served for 10 years on the Martin Luther King Jr.-Drew Medical Center hospital board.

HOW THEY VOTED

How South-Central and Eastside City Council representatives voted on selected issues. * MERIT PAY: Approved a proposal to continue to defer merit pay increases for city executives until the city’s financial position improves. Officials said it would not be fiscally responsible to grant raises at a time when there is a possibility of reducing or eliminating services to the public. Passed: 13-0. Voting yes: Mike Hernandez, Jackie Goldberg, Nate Holden, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Walters. Absent: Richard Alatorre and Rudy Svorinich Jr.

* POLICE LEAVE PROGRAM: Approved a program that allows Los Angeles police officers to donate their vacation time and days off to seriously ill colleagues who have run out of sick leave and need more time off. Passed: 13-0. Voting yes: Hernandez, Holden, Goldberg, Ridley-Thomas and Walters. Absent: Alatorre and Svorinich.