Recall Petitions Begin Circulating in Burbank

Petitions seeking the recall of two Burbank city councilmen accused of favoring developers were approved Monday. Circulators have 120 days to gather the signatures of about 9,000 registered voters before the issue can be placed on the November ballot.

The attempt to recall Michael Hastings and Thomas Flavin was begun in February by three residents upset over what they called “uncontrolled development, greed and political giveaways.”

“We have found overwhelming support for the recall and dissatisfaction with the way the city government is going in Burbank,” said Ted McConkey, who along with two others filed the petitions. “People are just fed up. They have seen their community changed from primarily single-family residences . . . to multiple apartment units.”

The recall petitions must be signed by 20%--or 8,720--of Burbank’s 43,600 registered voters.

In response to the petitions filed with Burbank’s city clerk, Flavin characterized the recall as “an irresponsible action driven by political motives.” Hastings accused those seeking the recall of being “unprincipled dissidents.”

“I’m not scared. I’m concerned,” Hastings said. “I’m not going to start blowing the alarm until I see how serious these people are. This is a very bright community, they’ll see through this.”

The city’s only successful recall of a member of the City Council was in 1954.