BURBANK : Callers Air Issues on Mayor’s Talk Show

The King of talk shows has nothing to fear from Burbank Mayor George Battey Jr.

“After all, this isn’t ‘Larry King Live,’ ” Battey said in apologizing to a caller who had been disconnected while waiting to ask a question on the new “Ask the Mayor” program. “We’re kind of doing this on a shoestring budget with a couple of inexperienced guys.”

During the show, which premiered on public access television Wednesday night, a couple of callers evaporated into dial tones before City Manager Robert Ovrom could reach them. There was also a bit of feedback.

But the response was strong enough that the program, which was planned to run for half an hour, lasted 47 minutes. Two callers who were left hanging were encouraged to call back next week.

The city of Burbank has been experimenting with ways of using television to involve the public in government. A ban on the broadcast of the public-comment period at the end of City Council meetings was temporarily lifted in May. On Tuesday, the council decided to continue to broadcast the comments.

Battey took the process a step further. Now the public can talk to him and Ovrom about any subject on the air without having to come to a meeting.

“Ask the Mayor” airs on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. on Sammons Communications’ Channel 21.

During the premiere, the callers included a woman wondering what “those pink buildings were” on San Fernando Road (a new Middle-Eastern restaurant), and another who complained about helicopters flying over an early morning accident on the Golden State Freeway.

“No second chances, no retakes, what you see is what you get,” said Ovrom, who sat next to Battey throughout the program.

During the show, Battey said:

* He wanted to pursue a restaurant smoking ban in Burbank in September.

* He would ask for a crackdown on pushcart vendors, who were banned from Burbank in March.

* The city spent $740 for his trip to Japan last week as part of a sister city exchange program.

* He did not feel that gangs were an overwhelming problem but said that city officials were working on ways to get more resources for police.