A summary of selected City Hall actions...

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

CITY COUNCIL

* ANIMAL POUND FEES--Approved a new fee for claiming rabbits or poultry from city animal shelters. Previously, there was no charge. A $15 fee has been instituted because it was discovered some people were cooking the rabbits or poultry after claiming them, according to an Animal Regulations Department official. In other fee changes, $3 to $5 will be charged for use of traps used to catch such nuisance animals as skunks and raccoons. The traps previously were free. Also new is a $130 yearly permit fee for dog and cat grooming parlors. The cost of claiming a dog or cat will remain $5 and $3, respectively.

* CONTRACT AWARD--Authorized the Community Development Department to award a $3-million Department of Labor contract to Community Build Inc., a nonprofit organization, for the Youth Fair Chance demonstration project. The pilot program aims to teach job skills and instill a sense of community pride in its participants, who must be between the ages of 17 and 30. The center, to be located at 8730 S. Vermont Ave., will focus its efforts on the area bounded by Florence Avenue on the north, 104th Street on the south, Vermont Avenue on the west and Central Avenue on the east. The project is to begin in early January and will focus on developing close ties to the community by forming an advisory council of residents and business and civic leaders. The project hopes to work with 600 people in its first year.

* KWANZAA FESTIVAL--Approved the following street closures from 6 p.m., Dec. 30, to 6 p.m., Jan. 2 for the 18th annual Kwanzaa Gwaride Parade and Festival: 43rd Place between Crenshaw Boulevard and Leimert Boulevard, Degnan Boulevard between 43rd Place and 43rd Street, and 43rd Street between Creed Avenue and Bronson Avenue. The festival at Leimert Park will include jazz, blues and reggae concerts, food booths, and arts and crafts displays.

HOW THEY VOTED

How South-Central and Eastside City Council representatives voted on selected issues. * PARKING FEE STUDY--Instructed the Transportation Department to study the economic impact of eliminating parking meters from Downtown streets or reducing meter rates in half. The motion, by Councilwoman Rita Walters, came in response to approval of a plan to lower meter rates on Westwood Boulevard from $1 an hour to 50 cents. Walters, whose 9th district includes much of Downtown, argued that, because the Westwood plan was approved on the grounds it would increase area business, the same rationale could be applied to Downtown. A Transportation Department official estimated that eliminating the Downtown meters would cost the city $5 million in revenue. The current rate for the meters is $2 per hour.

Passed 11-2. Voting yes: Mike Hernandez, Jackie Goldberg, Nate Holden, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Rudy Svorinich Jr., Walters. Absent: Richard Alatorre.