A summary of selected City Hall actions...

A summary of selected City Hall actions this past week affecting Central Los Angeles.

CITY COUNCIL

* PERSHING SQUARE: Approved a proposal to install 60 street banners and provide traffic control officers for today’s ceremony reopening Pershing Square, at a cost of $4,500 to the city. A crowd of 5,000 is expected.

* EARTHQUAKE SAFETY: Approved an ordinance that would require new concrete and masonry chimneys to be anchored to the structural framework of buildings. Also, masonry and concrete block walls under 3 1/2 feet, previously exempt from the building code regulations, would now have to comply with the code. The changes follow widespread damage caused by falling chimneys and walls in the Jan. 17 earthquake.

* HOTEL RENOVATION: Approved using $388,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to upgrade two single-room-occupancy hotels in the Central City East area. The hotels are the Russ Hotel at 521 S. San Julian St. and the Eugene Hotel at 560 S. Stanford Ave.

* FINGERPRINTING: Approved the transfer of $251,800 in the police officers’ salary fund to be used to purchase the Live Scan Fingerprinting Network, which will enable the Police Department to obtain higher-quality fingerprints in a more timely manner. The Live Scan system will scan fingerprints electronically, replacing the current rolled-ink method.

* CONTRACT POLICY: Approved a local preference policy for awarding contracts related to earthquake recovery efforts. Such preferences will go to contractors located in earthquake-damaged areas or to firms that employ residents of those areas.

* BRIGHTON AVENUE: Decided against changing the name of Brighton Avenue between Adams Boulevard and Jefferson Boulevard to Stennis Avenue because of the objections of an overwhelming majority of residents of that neighborhood.

* STREET CLOSURE: Approved the closure of Kohler Street, between 7th and 8th streets, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday for a free performance by violinist Itzhak Perlman for 300 inner-city elementary school students.

HOW THEY VOTED

How South-Central and Eastside City Council representatives voted on selected issues. * UTILITY FEES: Approved a Department of Water and Power plan that would waive all electric and water turn-on fees for residential customers and small businesses who suffered damages from the earthquake. Passed 10-0. Voting yes: Mike Hernandez, Rita Walters, Nate Holden, Jackie Goldberg. Absent: Richard Alatorre, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Rudy Svorinich Jr.