Glendale Council Hopefuls Make Their Forum Debut

Glendale City Council hopefuls shared their views with the community Friday in La Crescenta. Discussion topics at the first candidate forum of the 2011 election campaign centered on city finances and land development issues.

All attended the event moderated by Editor Robin Goldsworthy from the Crescenta Valley Weekly and sponsored by the C.V. Community Association and Far North Glendale Homeowners Association.

Balancing the rights of land developers and business people with La Crescenta and Montrose residents' desire to maintain a small-town atmosphere was a common theme in questions posed by Goldsworthy and audience members.

While every candidate repeatedly asserted that he would put the community's interest ahead of developers, there was a slight tiff over plans to extend the 710 Freeway.

"That's an easy one for me," said Councilman John Drayman. "I absolutely oppose the extension of the 710. This is a project that's dragging its own funding with it from out of state and even out of the country."

Mike Mohill, who lives in Glenoaks Canyon, was the only office seeker who took a pro-freeway stance.

"The word is 'NIMBY,' isn't it?" Mohill said. "We live in an urban area; everyone wants transportation but 'not in my backyard.' We need freeways unless we don't want any cars."

Councilman Dave Weaver and Garen Mailyan said more study of the project's impact on the community was necessary before they could take a position.

"It would be premature for me to take a position until a study of this project is completed," said Weaver. "Until we analyze the whole thing out, people shouldn't be coming out and saying [they're] opposed."

In response to a question about raising the height limit of buildings from 35 to 50 feet, Mailyan clarified the issue:

"So it's developers' interest vs. the interest of people who live in this area?" he asked. After audience members confirmed Mailyan's frame, he said the limit "should stay at 35 feet if that's what the community wants."

Drayman said a key sticking point is whether a proposed building would disrupt the C.V.'s scenic view. "To me, part of the charm of living in this area is the view of the mountains," he said.

Pensions for Glendale city employees also made several appearances in the discourse Friday night. Weaver blamed state law for enabling hefty pension plans that allow retired workers to receive the full salary earned when they were on the clock. He spelled out his perspective on Glendale's current fiscal condition.

"No. 1, there aren't going to be any layoffs," said Weaver. "We have held salaries for three years, employees pay 50 percent of health care and we have a two-tier retirement system now."

Mohill's campaign platform is heavy on accusations of corruption by sitting council members and city employee unions.

He chided council members for taking campaign contributions from unions and city contractors and distributed a flyer packet with photo-copied articles from the Glendale News-Press and Los Angeles Times reporting on Weaver's $9,000 fine for violating campaign finance law and Drayman's personal dealings with a construction company that has received city work contracts. Another sheet in the packet lists 38 Glendale city pensioners who draw six-figure incomes at taxpayer expense.

Weaver blamed state law requirements for driving up city salaries, forcing Glendale to offer high wages and attractive benefits in order to retain quality employees.

"I say common sense is what we need," said Mohill. "I won't take union money and won't take their endorsement, and that's why they don't like me at city hall."

When asked what they'd like to see on the council's agenda, Chahe Keuroghelian said "first and foremost, I want to get all individuals involved in the decison-making process [so they] feel they have input in deciding on policy."

Rafi Manoukian said in addition to getting the city's fiscal house in order, neglected infrastructure repair would be a top priority if elected.

Sharon Thompson, a La Crescenta voter, attended the forum "to learn more about the candidates, and we're interested in who will be running our city. It's important to be informed," she said.

"I wanted to hear what the new candidates had to say," said La Crescenta resident Joe Kroening. "I'm pretty familiar with Weaver, Drayman and Manoukian, and wanted to hear what the challengers had to say, if they had comments of interest or of substance."

The next candidate forum is March 2, 8:30 a.m. at the Elks Lodge, 120 E. Colorado St., and is sponsored by the Glendale Association of Realtors. The election falls on April 5.