Vanguard Weekly News Vol II, Week of April 8, 2007

Post Election 2007 Issue

Vanguard

Weekly News Vol II

Week of April 8, 2007

City of Glendale, CA Edition

www.vanguard-usa.org

“Accountability”

Glendale’s Watchdog

HEADLINES

John Drayman is #1 vote getter

BREAKING NEWS!

Latest from LA Daily News

The four stages of Vanguard "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Mahatma Gandhi

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” – Thomas Jefferson

“Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.” Mark Twain

“An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.” Frazz

When WE are complacent THEY win!

Only when WE are vigilant are THEY accountable!

Breaking News -- Discuss the issues: LET’S TALK with Barry Allen about the election results in Glendale. One popular Council member was not re-elected and another who is the subject of FPPC violations and has used City resources for the benefit of ‘friends’ was returned to office. You can vent and share your thoughts on the election. Was it a manipulation by one professional politician? Did incumbent Manoukian fall victim to endorsements? Did 4 Armenian candidates slice the cake too thin? Call in Tuesday April 10th at 9 AM. You can participate by calling - (605) 990-0400 Access Code - 244852#

Breaking News: Eugene Tong & Jason Kandel have the latest tidbits for you. Latest from LA Daily News

CITY COUNCIL ELECTION NEWS

John Drayman is #1 vote getter with Weaver #2

Will Rogers has New Content

Barry Allen was at City Hall to monitor the ballot counting process, from the point where the ballots came from the polls to the actual counting in the Perkins Building. He noted only one infraction that was repeated several times. However that infraction would not have affected the outcome.

Glendale Managers Association (GMA) loses their investment of $11,000 to Krikorian who came in #4.

Campaign Contributions and cost for votes

Candidate

Placed

Total Raised

Votes

There are 2078 late absentee and provisional ballots waiting processing and then counting if they are validated. Votes will be certified on April 16^th and Council members will be sworn in that evening at 8 PM.

Money raised

per vote $

Drayman

44,575.

8,576

5.20

Weaver

63,827.

6,582

9.70

Manoukian

222,950.

5,906

37.75

Krikorian

109,298.

5,754

19.06

Keuroghelian

46,543.

4,351

10.70

Agajanian

70,231.

2,330

30.14

Molano

13,977.

2,314

6.04

Solis

$1000

892

1.12

Letters:

It would be wonderful if newly re-elected Council member Weaver showed respect for all the Community. ER

There will be a new Mayor in Glendale. Who will it be and why? I read in the GNP that Krikorian will be the new head of the school board? Why should he be when he wanted to become a City Council Member? MB

ED – Letters published do not necessarily express the opinion of Vanguard, the publication, the organization or Barry Allen.

Published independently by Vanguard – Our vision is to live in a City where all people, regardless of geography, background or economic status, can enjoy accountability, integrity, effectiveness and responsiveness from our elected officials and each of the city's departments

CONTENTS:

1) Commentary

2) Announcements -Letters- Calendar – Links

3) Public Records

4) Help Vanguard – Your Contributions Count!

1 Commentary

You may agree or disagree with the views below. Feel free to comment on them.

Last week we shared the fact that payroll went up $30,000,000 over the past 5 years. Unfortunately revenue is not growing as quickly as this major cash drain. The $30,000,000 amount does not include benefits, burden or pensions. It does not include consultants or contractors such as Right Mind database manager at $240,000 annually for 5 years with a 5-year renewal agreement. As of the last Comprehensive Annual Financial Report there are 2706 City employees receiving $130,000,000 in payroll. The fire department is responsible for $5,000,000 in overtime alone! Base pay for a fire fighter at the top rung is $85,320 per year. For $5,000,000 the City could hire 58 more fire fighters and reduce OT to ZERO! Presently the City is preparing to add another rescue ambulance and will hire only 6 people to staff it. There is NO provision to provide coverage for days off, injuries, or vacation with the exception of OVERTIME!

The City plans on spending $25,000,000 to rebuild two fire stations that WILL NOT GET THE AMBULANCE TO YOU any quicker!

Why have four staff on an apparatus? 2 in and 2 out is the mantra. That means that two firefighters standby the apparatus while the other two go inside the structure. The alternative is to send two apparatus, if required, and there will be six instead of 4. We have added two or more new chiefs. Are they needed? What are their duties? Will they get OT when they fill in for suppression battalion chiefs? The interesting issue about the new chiefs is that there was no public approval by the City Council nor was there any justification for the need. The base salary for a deputy chief is $161,000 and for an assistant chief $178,000. It appears that the two new chiefs are deputy chiefs.

It is time to evaluate the fire department. The study that was recently made by a library consultant left more questions than answers but then they were only paid $68,000. in violation of the City’s policy on competitive bidding. Do we need to have 24-hour shifts where we pay employees to sleep 8 hours and play 8 hours? It is time to change the paradigm and make the GFD as accountable as the Glendale Police.

Challenges to the new Council:

Civility among Council members
Greater Transparency of the Legislative Process
Create an Ethics Commission
Appointment of Mayor without the pettiness of the past
Campaign Finance Reform
Improved Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability
Creation of a Public Safety Committee with oversight of Police, Fire and Paramedics.

ACCOUNTABILITY is the issue!

The Glendale Municipal Code, 2.83.070 on the improper use of city position or prospective position. “No official of the city…shall use his/her position, or the power or authority of his/her office or position, in any manner intended to induce or coerce any person to provide, directly or indirectly, anything of value which shall accrue to the private advantage, benefit or economic gain of the official, or of any other person. (Ord. 5219 (part), 1999)”

Integrity starts with the individual

TAKE ACTION – GET INVOLVED – BE INFORMED

 Announcements -Letters- Calendar

Thanks for sending me the listed Vanguard News. Just finished reading the two issues and especially appreciated the Candidates Ratings & Community Comments. Both issues were full of excellent news & comments and are evident of Vanguards ability to catch the pulse of things happening in Glendale thus giving us a lot of information helping all voters to make informed decisions. The only way we can LOSE is not to vote. You made my day and I will be better informed when I go to the polls on Tuesday.Thanks again, DF

Now that the Glendale elections are over, the Open Government (???) in Glendale California web site has been updated. The election information is still available there, but in a slightly different format.

Also, you will now find this site an easy way to link to:

1. Recent Vanguard Weekly Newsletters

2. Will Rogers' web site

3. Many Glendale City web sites

To see the new format: Click here Hal Weber

Council

City Calendar

April 10, 2007

Click on the underlined to view the agenda

City Council - Housing Authority -- Redevelopment Agency

Monday, April 9

Commission on the Status of Women – 6:30 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 548-4844

Tuesday, April 10

Glendale Housing Authority – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 548-2060

Glendale Redevelopment Agency – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, 548-2005

Joint Meeting – Glendale Housing Authority/Glendale City Council – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, 548-4844

Glendale City Council -- 6:00 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 548-4844

Wednesday, April 11

Zoning Administrator – 9:30 am, Municipal Services Building, Room 105, 548-2140

Civil Service Commission – 5:00 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 548-2110

Thursday, April 12

Design Review Board #1 -- 1:00 pm, Municipal Services Building, Room 105, 548-2140

Public Records

The City can keep detailed and copious records yet when you ask for payroll information or injury information, those records are either not available or one must pay additional fees to get them. Below is an example of the detailed analysis of a request for information on preparing documents for CPRA review.

4 Vanguard

Accomplishments:

Our first Candidate’s Forum with 125 attendance

Candidate rated #1 was #1 at the polls

Firefighters acknowledge potential conflict of interest so did not endorse candidates

Consistent publication of Vanguard Weekly News

Continued outreach through Vanguard Telephone Network

Vanguard Community Forums: Following on the success of the Vanguard outreach for the candidate’s forum, Vanguard is planning FREE quarterly Town Hall Forums beginning this Fall. Topics will be of interest to the community, such as Downtown Development, Public Safety, Infrastructure, Open Government and other Legislative Issues. Plans are for Sunday afternoon or Wednesday evening 7PM – 9PM. We will encourage the GUSD and the GCC to share with their students this opportunity for community involvement to understand government in action. Officials from the various agencies will be invited to participate. There may be a $10 charge if you come without someone between the ages of 16 and 30! Vanguard is looking for sponsors for each Town Hall.

Voter Issues: Vanguard is designing a voter education program to take to the schools to make students more aware of their responsibility as young voters.

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Vanguard

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