For those of you who may not know, the CV Town Council serves the unincorporated area of La Crescenta and is composed of nine regular members and three alternates.
Positions on the council are filled in the order of the candidates with the highest number of votes. For example, the candidate with the highest number of votes fills the first elected position. The candidate with the second highest number of votes fills the next elected position, and so on until the regular members and alternate member positions are filled. Regular members of the Council serve a 3-year term; Alternate members serve 1-year terms. Terms are staggered so that one third of the regular council seats and all three of the alternate seats are up for election each year.
Last year I won the third alternate seat on a fluke: I was one of six candidates for six seats, so I was "elected." My one-year term is now ending and it is time for me to decide whether I want to run for town council seat again.
Why should I run again? Why did I run in the first place? The second question is easier to answer: I was spurred to run for CV Town Council by the Station Fire and the resulting flood preparations. My wife and I were evacuated a number of times. Each time we left our home, we didn’t know what was going on and it was very difficult to find out when we could return. We were frightened and we felt helpless and victimized. The only information came from the news and out-of-area Sheriffs Deputies who didn’t know very much. I had worked in local government for many years and I thought I could use my background and training to bring some expertise and experience to bear on the issues facing this community.
I was especially interested in improving communication between emergency services and the people who live here and are most affected, and, more importantly, insist that the views and preferences of our residents be considered seriously and acted upon.
Well, it's been a year and I feel I have made a tiny bit of progress. Due--I think--to my pestering, our local emergency services organizations seem to be a little more open. I have also received an education--during the next emergency I WILL know who to call. "Okay," you say, "so why run again?"
That's the subject of my next blog.
