Milner Sworn In as Mayor of Glendale

Amid laughter and tears, City Councilman Jerold Milner was sworn in as mayor of Glendale on Monday night, John F. Day bid farewell after 12 years on the council and Dick Jutras became its newest member.

During the installation for the winners of the April 4 election, Councilman Larry Zarian got the biggest laugh by dressing Milner with a crown, purple velvet cape and a medieval sword.

“Now let anybody try and vote against me,” Milner said with a smile, sword in hand. Milner replaces Carl Raggio, continuing the council’s policy of rotating the largely ceremonial position every year.

Milner announced the formation of four committees. They will advise the council on planning for the 21st Century, revision of the City Charter, transportation and garbage disposal.

The new mayor said his five priorities will be controlling population growth, solving parking and transportation problems, fighting crime and graffiti, acquiring additional open space for the city and involving more people in civic activities.

The inauguration was preceded by a brief farewell to Day. Often the lone dissenter in key votes, Day was praised by his colleagues for his honesty and hard work.

“I’ve learned from you, and I’ve respected you even when we disagreed,” Zarian told Day, who was the only Democrat on the council.

“The only thing I’m going to say is thank you and goodby,” said Day, who did not run for reelection. As he walked away with his City Council nameplate and a 10-year service pin, the audience, some of them teary-eyed, exploded into applause.

Day’s seat was occupied by Jutras, a former Chamber of Commerce president, who thanked his family and friends for supporting him during a tough and sometimes bitter campaign. The new councilman placed third in the voting behind incumbents Raggio and Ginger Bremberg, and ahead of 10 others.

Before giving way to Milner, Raggio outlined what he considered the city’s achievements during his tenure as mayor: final approval for construction of the Red Lion Inn, the go-ahead for renovation of the civic auditorium, a building moratorium and proposed zoning changes the council is evaluating, and the “compassionate response to day laborers,” who were relocated instead of banned from seeking employment in the city.

Returning members of the Glendale Unified School District board and the Glendale Community College board were also sworn in. June Sweetman, Jane Whitaker and Charles Whitesell will return to the school board. Philip Kazanjian, Kenneth Sweetman (no relation to June) and Ted Tiffany will serve another four years on the college board. All six ran unopposed.

City Treasurer Elizabeth Evans, who ran unopposed, and Eileen Boyle, newly elected city clerk, were also installed.