A summary of significant Los Angeles City...

A summary of significant Los Angeles City Hall decisions affecting the Westside in the past week.

CITY COUNCIL

* TREEPEOPLE: Approved a lease agreement with the TreePeople for the use of Coldwater Canyon Park for an urban forest/environmental education program. The lease is for 15 years, plus two five-year options. The nonprofit environmental group will not pay rent but will provide maintenance, security and utilities for the park.

* MURAL PROJECT: Approved spending $200 in public service funds from Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg’s district for the LA Alliance for a Drug Free Community to develop a grant proposal for a mural project. The project is aimed at allowing youths in the district “to express themselves, publicly, legally, and receive recognition of their artistic talents.”

* REWARD: Approved a proposal by Councilwoman Ruth Galanter asking that a $10,000 reward to help solve a 1991 Venice murder case be increased to $25,000. The reward is for information leading to a conviction in the murder of Joseph Dennis Cole, a 30-year-old Oakwood resident killed in front of his home during a 1991 street robbery. Cole was the son of actor Dennis Cole.

* APPOINTMENT: Approved the appointment of Angela L. Easton to the Rent Adjustment Commission. Easton lives in Hollywood.

HOW THEY VOTED

How Westside representatives voted on selected issues.

* SALARY HIKE: Approved a proposal redirecting 5% automatic salary raises for council members next year to other purposes. The money amounts to an estimated $4,600 for each council member, effective Jan. 1. The money will become part of each member’s district funds and each can decide how it will be spent. Some members criticized the move as merely public posturing. Others said it sent a message to the public that the council is willing to make sacrifices to ease the city’s financial woes. PASSED: 10-2.

VOTING YES: Marvin Braude, John Ferraro, Ruth Galanter, Jackie Goldberg and Zev Yaroslavsky.

VOTING NO: Nate Holden and Mark Ridley-Thomas.

* FEES: Approved a proposal by Ridley-Thomas requesting that the chief legislative analyst office be placed in charge of providing information on how much revenue from traffic control fees has been waived for special events, such as parades and other community events. In January, the council passed legislation requiring that fees be charged for these events. However, the council has since allowed numerous exemptions. PASSED: 11-0.

VOTING YES: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Goldberg, Holden, Ridley-Thomas and Yaroslavsky.

* PICASSO: Approved waiving $3,450 in city permit fees to allow 75 street banners announcing the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibition titled “Picasso and the Weeping Women: The Years of Marie-Therese Walter and Dora Maar.” The banners are to be displayed from Feb. 1 through April 30. PASSED: 12-0.

VOTING YES: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Goldberg, Holden, Ridley-Thomas and Yaroslavsky.