News-Press Editorial: Public should answer outreach

A general lack of confidence in elected officials at all levels of government and the tendency to get wrapped up in our own lives can result in the difference between what the people want for their communities and what they receive.

For three years, beginning in 2013, the city of Glendale has made outreach efforts to its citizens to capture their input on the South Glendale Community Plan.

So thorough has the city’s work been toward engaging stakeholders that in 2014, it received the Public Outreach Award of Merit from the California chapter of the American Planning Assn. for its outreach work on the plan covering south Glendale.

But the work continues and more input is being sought via public workshops. One, which will include information on the city’s development history, is set for 10 a.m. this Tuesday. The second will be held at 10 a.m. on July 19 to focus on the future of the neighborhood. The third, scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 26 will give an overview about transit in south Glendale.

All will be held in the city’s Planning Hearing Room, 633 E. Broadway, Room 305.

Cognizant that not everyone is able to attend meetings on Tuesday mornings, at least one council member, Ara Najarian, has said that if the turnout is poor at the upcoming scheduled events, he’s open to holding evening workshops. But know that decisions will have to be made, so the city can move forward; they can’t hold an infinite number of these events.

Those who care about south Glendale and its future must take part in as many of the workshops this month as possible. It will be fruitless after developments are completed for them to say, “This is not what the people wanted.”