Letter: Burbank City Council failed to engage the public

I was unable to attend the City Council meeting on Nov. 16, however I did watch some of it on the archive videos. I was surprised that the majority of the council spent most of their discussion time on the Airport Replacement Terminal Conceptual Term Sheet by attacking Save Burbank Neighborhoods for a flier they used to get people to attend the meeting. Good or bad, the flier was a way of letting residents know what was going on and getting people to attend a critical meeting about an issue that will affect their lives for decades to come, something the council pointedly failed to do.

What struck me most was Councilman Will Rogers repeatedly bemoaning the fact he had tried to contact Save Burbank Neighborhoods for a year, saying he stood on our doorsteps, and no one came to him. I am gravely disappointed that neither he nor the council in general took the time to send us a link to the conceptual term sheet long ago, or give us details regarding an issue of great concern to all Burbank residents.

I am confused as to what the airport will do with the public input they are encouraging, now that the conceptual term sheet has been approved by the City Council 4-1. It is my understanding the matter will eventually be put before the public for a vote. I sincerely hope there will be more outreach concerning the details of this controversial initiative than there was in the creation of the term sheet and last week’s council vote.

Angela Wiegand

Burbank