Development Plan Her Top Priority, Cammarano Says

Councilwoman-elect Mary Cammarano said Wednesday that her first priority will be to approve an updated development plan before the citywide building moratorium expires in December.

Cammarano defeated Norm Stabeck by a 271-vote margin in Tuesday’s special election to fill the council seat left vacant by the recall of Vice Mayor Frank Blasczak in May.

“I’m looking forward to working with the other council members to get San Gabriel moving again,” said Cammarano, who is office manager for Local 923 of the Cement Masons Union.

She won 1,724 votes to Stabeck’s 1,453.

“We worked hard,” said Stabeck, a financial analyst with the Orange County Transit District and a city planning commissioner. “The elections are over and that’s it.”

Stabeck, who had supported Blasczak in his unsuccessful fight against his recall, was endorsed by Citizens for Responsible Development.

Blasczak lost his seat in May after a blistering recall campaign in which critics accused him of irresponsibly spending city funds, targeting a $2,100 portable phone he had bought at city expense. Blasczak has filed a libel suit against 11 of his critics concerning allegations that he had offered to sell drugs to a Santa Ana police officer. The suit is pending.

The candidates vying for his seat ran a low-key race, focusing on issues and their experience, in contrast to the vitriolic campaigns that characterized the recall election and the last council race. Three slow-growth candidates, including Blasczak, swept three incumbents out of office at the April, 1988, council election.

Cammarano and Stabeck campaigned for open and responsive government and regulated growth.

Cammarano, a volunteer during the 25 years she has lived in San Gabriel, promised to work for cable television coverage of all council and Planning Commission meetings. She said she would ensure quality development in the city with guidelines to prevent “monster-size homes” from proliferating in single-family neighborhoods.

“The support has been tremendous,” said a beaming Cammarano as the final votes from the 16 precincts were tallied. “I’ve proven myself 25 years in the community. People know me.”

THE RESULTSTuesday’s Results

Cammarano 1,724

Stabeck 1,453

Winner Mary Cammarano and opponent Norm Stabeck.