A summary of selected Los Angeles City...

A summary of selected Los Angeles City Hall actions last week that affect the Westside.

CITY COUNCIL

* PALISADES IMPROVEMENTS--Referred to the Transportation Committee a proposal to provide $75,000 for street improvements along Swarthmore Avenue between Sunset Boulevard and Monument Street in Pacific Palisades. Palisades PRIDE, a nonprofit community organization, has raised $80,000 though private donations for the improvement project, which has a total estimated cost of $155,000. Targeted for repair are sidewalks and curbs that had been damaged by the roots of large ficus trees that line the street. The ficus trees would be removed and replaced with another type of tree.

* BUS CONTRACT--Authorized the Department of Transportation to negotiate a $150,000 contract with Laidlaw Transit or ATE Management to take over for one year the operation of Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Line 208 in the Beachwood Canyon Area of the Hollywood Hills. The Line 208 bus, which runs along Beachwood Drive from Hollywood Boulevard to Westshire Drive, is one of the MTA’s least productive lines and is to be discontinued in an effort to reduce the authority’s projected annual budget deficit of $126 million.

HOW THEY VOTED

* HOPE IN YOUTH--Authorized the Community Development Department to extend a contract with Catholic Charities’ Project Hope in Youth to Dec. 31 in the amount of $1.79 million. Hope in Youth, an anti-gang program, came under considerable criticism for having a staff of 146 while only providing services for 154 youths. Some council members wanted the contract extended only until June, when further evaluation of the program would be conducted. But Councilman Richard Alatorre argued fiercely on behalf of the program and for the lengthier contract. After a long, heated debate, the full extension was granted, contingent on Catholic Charities receiving matching funds from the county, state or federal governments. Passed 9-2. Voting yes: John Ferraro, Ruth Galanter, Nate Holden. Voting No: Jackie Goldberg. Absent: Marvin Braude, Mark Ridley-Thomas.