By Linh Tat
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Verbal disputes between a church and the Westwood Village Business Improvement District ended in July after both sides met to discuss assessment fees for the church.
Conflict initially arose when the BID asked the Westwood Hills Christian Church to pay 25 percent of the fee normally assessed to a business. The church contested the fee on the grounds that they are not a business but a non-profit organization, and instead asked for exemption.
The two sides agreed that Westwood Hills would pay its assessment fees in full for the next two years, at which time property owners will vote whether to continue the BID. Church officials said they will then ask for an exemption from the fee.
“It’s our understanding that the church is very pleased with what (the group) came up with,” said Bob Walsh, executive director of the BID. “From our point of view, the effort was successfully engaged and completed.”
The BID previously only assessed fees from merchants in exchange for business promotions, but began assessing fees to property owners last September.
As a result, the church, which had never paid business fees before, was assessed property fees.
John Mills, a lawyer and member of the church’s board of directors, asked for exemption at the BID’s February meeting.
Later, he proposed that the church’s already reduced fee be further reduced to 8.5 percent.
After the five-person committee of BID board members and church representatives met, it reported at last week’s meeting that the issue had been resolved. From now until 2002, the church will continue paying its $3,988 assessment fee each year.
Even though it was originally given a 75 percent reduction fee, the church still ends up paying more than most businesses because it owns more square footage, Mills said.
Representatives from both groups agreed the meeting resulted in better relations between the two groups.
“Once we were able to have a discussion, the board understood where the church is coming from and the church understood where the board is coming from,” Mills said.
Mills pointed out that the church did not receive all BID benefits, such as holiday decorations or street cleaning, but acknowledged that the church only paid a quarter of normal assessment fees.
Nevertheless, some community members who attended the meeting voiced their dissatisfaction with the decision.
Shelley Taylor, a long-time Westwood resident, said at the meeting that rather than assessing the church, the board should exempt it from paying the fees.
“The board should take the high road and publicize the fact that they’re not taking money from religious organizations,” she said.
Taylor said asking a religious organization to pay money to the BID puts Westwood in a bad light.
“As a PR move, it’s a bad one,” she said. “It leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the community.”
Board members defended the decision.
“I can’t pass judgment on that,” said Kambiz Hekmat, chair of the BID who was not part of the group that met with the church. “The two sides have met and they have come up with a resolution on that matter … They were able to solve it amicably between the two parties.”
Mills said he understands that some people are disappointed with the resolution, but he feels it is a reasonable one.
“I know there are folks who are upset with us but we don’t have the resources nor the desire to fight with the business community,” he said. “We’re part of the Westwood community. We want to get along.”
“We came to something that’s reasonable, but if it doesn’t work out, you’ll definitely be hearing from us,” Mills continued.
In 2002, the BID is up for review with the city, and local residents can determine new boundary lines and how to assess fees.
Mills said depending on how things turn out for the next two years, he will decide what further actions need to be taken.
“In two years I will recommend some policy to be adopted about non-profit assessments,” Mills said.