Council or Directors--Voters Finally Get a Say

For decades, Pasadena was governed by a board of directors rather than a city council. Then, two years ago, board members voted to declare themselves a council.

Now, Pasadena voters will have their say with Proposition 1--an amendment to the City Charter to make the council’s decision official.

Without voter approval, City Clerk Maria Stewart said, all those ordinances, resolutions and contracts voted by the council will continue to be issued in the name of the Board of Directors. Tuesday’s vote is a formality required by the present Charter, she said.

The betting around City Hall is that modern Pasadenans will opt to rid themselves of the tradition-bound boardroom in favor of the straight-ahead council chambers.

“It’s an anachronism from an era in which there were corporate board members sitting on the council who felt comfortable with that kind of title,” said Councilman William Paparian, who proposed the change two years ago. Paparian doesn’t like the suggestion of elitism that the old name suggests.

“City Hall can’t be run like an executive boardroom,” he said, “and we shouldn’t be expected to be treated like executives, with the commensurate perks and pay.”

Councilwoman Kathryn Nack isn’t sure she agrees.

“I’m a traditionalist,” said Nack, who voted against the original measure.

A city run like a business? That sounds good to Nack. Besides, Board of Directors has a certain cachet, she suggested.

“I just think it has more dignity,” she said, “and certainly more tradition.”