Despite contention from Councilwoman Friedman, council makes Paula Devine Glendale’s mayor
Newly-selected Glendale Mayor Paula Devine gives a brief speech after being seated on Tuesday, April 5, 2016.
Councilwoman Paula Devine was unanimously elected mayor by members of the Glendale City Council on Tuesday, despite Councilwoman Laura Friedman claiming it was her turn and questioning if overlooking her was an attempt to weaken her election bid for the state Assembly.
Friedman said each council member typically serves as mayor once each term and, since it was the final year of hers, it was her time to be appointed.
Going against that pattern is almost unheard of, she said.
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Running for state Assembly against Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian, Friedman said it’s unfair that she won’t be able to campaign as mayor in her race, while Councilman Ara Najarian, who was succeeded by Devine, had a year to run for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as Glendale’s mayor.
“Is it because as we know some [of the council members] are supporting my opponent or are being pressured by my opponent because they think it’ll weaken my chances in June? Well, that’s not fair,” she said.
Election day will be June 7.
Glendale’s new mayor, Paula Devine, center, starts her term on Tuesday, April 5, 2016.
Najarian, Gharpetian and Councilman Zareh Sinanyan — who has endorsed Kassakhian on his campaign website — denied the state Assembly race was a factor in their decision to elect Devine.
Devine was nominated by Gharpetian, who said she has the experience and qualifications for the city’s top elected post.
Even after her comments, Friedman cast her vote in favor of Devine as well.
Friedman served as mayor once during her first term from 2011-12. Mayors serve one-year terms.
Council members elect a new mayor from among themselves. There’s no city code governing the annual process other than preference be given to “members of council who have had the benefit of experience as council members prior to the time of selection.”
Devine was first elected to the council in 2014 to complete Frank Quintero’s final term and then was reelected to a four-year term last year.
In her first comments as mayor, Devine said some of the challenges over the next year will be discussing the future of the Scholl Canyon Landfill and whether to expand it as well as selecting a future use for the former Rockhaven Sanitarium in Montrose.
Rockhaven currently sits vacant, and two leading plans call to either revive it as a mental-health facility or convert it into a boutique shopping center.
Reducing traffic congestion downtown with the upcoming opening of thousands of new apartments is also a high priority, Devine said.
She suggested the city could create a downtown trolley system or extend Beeline hours to deal with traffic..
Measure N, a ballot measure that, if approved by voters in June, would repeal the city’s utility users tax and cut $17 million from the city’s budget, could also necessitate some difficult decisions, Devine said. In the past, city officials have said reductions in staffing and services could result if the tax is eliminated.
Part of the mayoral duties include conducting council meetings. One change Devine said she will make is moving the public comment period from the end of meetings to the beginning.
Residents are typically given three to five minutes to talk about anything they like, but only after the council has tackled its action items, which can take until 10 or 11 p.m.
“I believe that this not only creates a hardship for some of our citizens, but it also discourages people from coming to council to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns,” she said.
Starting at the next council meeting, the public-comment period — on a trial basis — will be held after the community-event announcements, which are typically toward the start of meetings.
Fifteen minutes will be set aside for five speakers, who will get three minutes each.
Devine added that she looks forward to working with her colleagues and staff to maintain economic stability as well as create forward-thinking projects and a fine quality of life.
“Glendale is truly a jewel city, and this council will make sure that it continues to shine,” she said.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
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