Community Corner

John Walker Plans to Leave as Studio City Neighborhood Council President

 John Walker, a popular figurehead of the Studio City Neighborhood Council, said he plans to leave his position as president of the council at the latest by September of this year.  

“This has been an amazing five years of my life, and it has paid off dramatically,” Walker said in his closing comments at the SCNC meeting which lasted until after 11 p.m. Wednesday night. “You don’t make money being on this council, but you make some great acquaintances.”  

On the night of the announcement, Gracye Liu, the new general manager of the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which oversees the neighborhood councils, attended the meeting.

“This council should be proud of its accomplishments and what they have done,” Liu said, leaving before the end of the meeting.   Walker left the meeting and was on his way to catch a red-eye flight to Atlanta, where is starting a new business venture of Westside Rentals.  

On his way to the airport, Walker told Patch, “It is a win-win situation for me, I am starting this new exciting business venture, and I may be in and out of the state for four or five months. I plan to help whomever will be my successor in any way possible.”  

Walker added, “And depending on who is going to win as mayor I may be involved in some form of government that way.”   Walker has lobbied (privately, not as an SCNC president) for Studio City resident Wendy Greuel to win the mayor’s race.  

Walker had previously told Studio City Patch that he would probably not be continuing on the Neighborhood Council. However, at the late-night meeting, he mentioned that he knew some others may leave, too.  

Among those, the longest-serving member of the SCNC, Remy Kessler, said he would be stepping off the council, after serving as a longtime treasurer of the council.  Kessler joined the council more than eight years ago and was elected the first time with Ben Neumann who was the president just before Walker.  

Others who were part of Walker’s “team” when they were elected, include Lisa Sarkin and Rita Villa. Neither have made any final decisions about leaving the Neighborhood Council, which is a voluntary council elected by local stakeholders who advise the City Councilman for the district and city boards and planners.  

“I have other offers that I am excited about,” Walker said. “We were successful here because of our coalition. You cannot do this job without a coalition.”

Walker said he would mentor anyone wishing to be a Neighborhood Council president. “Contact me and we will start now, I will make it as easy as possible for you to meet the right people.”  

Walker said he would stay on until September or Octobert at the latest, but may leave earlier.  


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