President’s Update — March 2014
The ADDA had a regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday 3/18/14.
We hired an independent contractor to serve part-time as a secretary and assist the board with various projects. Her name is Juliana Konze and her resume is impressive. She may be calling you soon to update our contact information so that we have everyone’s private email addresses.
We heard from Sheriff’s candidates Jim McDonnell and Jim Hellmold who are seeking the ADDA’s Endorsement. At the last meeting, 2/18/14, we heard from Sheriff’s candidates Todd Rogers and Bob Olmstead. The Board also voted to support the Forum and Debate for Sheriff scheduled for 4/17/14 at the Hollenbeck Youth Center. See DDA Richard Ceballos for more information. We will post and disseminate the flyers when they become available. The ADDA will submit questions to be asked of all candidates by the moderator. If you have a question you believe should be asked, please email it to ADDA Board Member Bobby Grace. The ADDA is also planning perhaps the last Sheriff debate before the primary to be held at Loyola Law School. Please See ADDA Board Member Bobby Grace for further information or to assist him.
The Board voted to form a committee to address issues concerning security screening and court access. The committee is comprised of Chairperson John Colello, Richard Ceballos and ADDA Director Loren Naiman. I had a very pleasant meeting with DA Jackie Lacey and Assistant DA Pam Booth before the ADDA meeting and we briefly discussed security screening and court access. They informed me that they are engaged in ongoing efforts to address our concerns and are quite supportive of our effort and are happy to work with our committee.
We voted to form the Membership Outreach Committee which is comprised of ADDA Executive Vice President Jeff McGrath, ADDA Treasurer James Evans, and new Board Directors Stuart Lytton and Craig Gold. Craig gold will serve as Chairperson. Please contact them concerning membership issues.
We also voted to form the PAC [Political Action Committee] which is comprised of Bobby Grace and new Board Director Eric Siddall. Eric will serve as Chairperson. Apparently, to form a PAC we have been advised that we need to amend our By-Laws, which we are also obligated to do anyway under our affiliation agreement with AFSCME. So, soon we will be submitting new By-Laws for member ratification.
A Communication Committee was formed comprised of Chairperson ADDA Board Director John Harrold, and Directors Bobby Grace and Eric Siddall. The goal is to consider how to improve our communications and whether to engage a professional communications company recommended by AFSCME to assist us.
The Board voted unanimously to endorse Hilda Solis for the 1st District Seat, Los Angles County Board of Supervisor. She is the front runner and a supporter and seems certain to prevail.
Efforts are being made by the Endorsement Committee to interview candidates for the 3rd District Seat. The Endorsement Committee is comprised of Chairperson Bobby Grace and ADDA Vice President James Bozajian.
Apparently we are somewhat popular across the state because our endorsement is also being sought by DA candidates outside of this County, and the Endorsement Committee is considering those requests.
Because of some recent controversies, I have asked the Endorsement Committee to suggest protocols to address under what circumstances we will not endorse a colleague and what we will do in the event that DDAs choose to run against each other.
We are somewhat closer to resolving the fact that we ran out of scrolls for DDA of the month and other occasions. We approved the Logo we will be be using on all future scrolls and hopefully we will soon eliminate the backlog of undelivered scrolls and have new ones ready in a timely fashion.
There was a rumor that the new Hall of Justice would accommodate DDAs in cubicles and not offices, but DA Lacey and ADA Booth informed me that, no, the DDAs assigned there will have offices.
The Board of the ADDA is comprised of volunteers. If you would like to volunteer to assist the Board in accomplishing projects of concern to your fellow deputies, please do not hesitate to contact any one of us. If you have any questions, concerns or anxieties or have heard rumors that trouble you, please let me know. DA Lacey and ADA Booth have encouraged me to communicate these to them so that they can do their best to clarify what is happening and resolve or alleviate anything that is troubling their Deputies.
I’ve asked the Directors and Officers of the ADDA to write a brief paragraph to introduce themselves to you and inform you of their goals for this year. Later this week we will begin to email you brief statements from those who have volunteered their time to represent you on the Board.
Marc Debbaudt
ADDA President