Thanks to Joe B and the "No 2 Home Depot" (Sunland-Tujunga) community for this CITIZEN'S ALERT!!!Hey Zuma,
We have a situation here that we feel needs to be looked into. The LAUSD has issued permits to Home Depot allowing them to use Mt. Gleason Middle School for an Open House, for the purpose of promoting their store to Sunland-Tujunga. This Open House is not sanctioned by the City, not being facilitated by the City, and the brochure does not indicate that City Staff will be present. LAUSD rules, up until today, stated school facilities are only available for "community groups and non-profits".
When the community rec'd the mailer, last week, inviting everyone to an Open House by Home Depot at Mt. Gleason, our ears perked up. There are LAUSD guidelines for usage of school facilities. We looked at the Permit and Procedures and found that HD was in violation.
Here are 2 links: LAUSD site and application on line. (you see the strike thru text, I've explained below).
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/btb/civic.html
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/btb/Civic%20Center%20Permit%20Application_3.08.pd f
The STA felt it was important to take action on this, and started a letter writing campaign. It took a day or two until we made phone contact. We finally spoke to officials at LAUSD.
Joe spoke with Ms. Friedman, Supervisor, of LAUSD Civic Center Permit Office. on the phone and sent email correspondence to her. She never wrote him back, only telephone calls. She told Joe that it is mandated that HD has to have public meetings. Joe was not able to establish her source, or if this was part of the stipulation between Home Depot and the LA City Attorney's office.
In several phone conversations, Ms. Friedman told Joe that LAUSD has decided to keep the permit active and believes they are on solid legal ground. The only thing being required of HD is that they re-send their Open House Brouchure Invitation with the required disclaimer, which was missing on the first mailing. The disclaimer should have read, "this event is in no way associated with the LAUSD".
Joe did send a formal request to get a copy of their Permit Application for the use of the school. She told him it is out of her hands and it has been turned over to the LAUSD legal dept. and an LAUSD atty would be contacting him.
The two reasons HD shouldn't be allowed to use the school facility are:
1. LAUSD rules state that school facilities are for non-profit or community groups only. Home Depot is a for-profit corporation and this event is to promote their store, and nothing else.
2. LAUSD rules state that the disclaimer must be written on any notice of said event.
Actually, those were the rules on June 11. After the phone calls from Joe and hundreds of emails and phone calls from residents, they changed the rules! You can see the crossed out wording on the website as of June 12, today. So basically, they changed the rules after the fact, to accommodate HD!
Thank you!
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