A summary of selected City Hall actions this past week affecting Central Los Angeles.

CITY COUNCIL

* OPERA PERFORMANCES: Agreed to absorb the city’s costs for traffic control during upcoming free performances of the Puccini opera “La Boheme” for an estimated 8,000 middle and high school students. The performances will be offered by the Los Angeles Music Center Opera on Sept. 7, 22 and 24. The city will waive $412 in fees.

* WATTS TOWERS: Approved Councilman Rudy Svorinich’s request to unfreeze the position of director for the Watts Towers Art Center. The director is responsible for managing the landmark towers, including payroll, personnel, tours and class scheduling.

* CHURCH LEASE: Authorized city staff to enter into a six-month lease with Testimonial Cathedral Church of God in Christ, 5616 S. Western Ave., to continue a city jobs program. The lease, which is not to exceed $475 a month, will enable the city’s Housing Department to maintain a trailer office for its 1000 Jobs Initiative Program, which began after last year’s riots. After the lease, the program will move into a new 8th District council office.

* GREENBELT: Directed city departments to work with the group North East Trees to obtain permits for the Arroyo Seco/Los Angeles River Greenbelt Project. The action, requested by Councilman Mike Hernandez, means that various departments, including public works and recreation, will assist the group’s endeavors. The item was approved on the condition that the city pay for the water in the drip irrigation system while North East Trees pays the costs of water hookups and other improvements.

HOW THEY VOTED

How South-Central and Eastside City Council representatives voted on selected issues. * CRIME FIGHTING: Approved an application for a $156,000 state grant designed to help focus the Police Department’s resources on arresting and prosecuting career criminals. Authorities estimate that 30% of all convicted criminals are responsible for 80% of crimes. In all, the city expects to receive $1 million. Passed: 13-0. Voting yes: John Ferraro, Ruth Galanter, Nate Holden, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Rita Walters. Absent: Jackie Goldberg and Mike Hernandez.

* SEWER SYSTEM: Directed the city’s chief legislative analyst to review Los Angeles’ overall waste-water system, which includes the Hyperion Treatment Plant. In the coming year, the operating and capital budgets for the waste-water system will reach $830 million, and officials expect some $5 billion will be spent by the end of the decade on various related projects, which include the multibillion-dollar treatment plant. Voting yes: Ferraro, Galanter, Holden and Walters. Absent: Goldberg, Hernandez and Ridley-Thomas.