8 Qualify for Burbank Council Race

With political hopefuls in Burbank and Glendale positioning themselves for April’s general election, officials said Monday that eight candidates--including two incumbents--had qualified to run for the Burbank City Council.

The council candidates, as well as those running for the city school board and other key posts, were given positions on the ballot late Monday after their nominating petitions were verified by the county registrar of voters. Each candidate was required to submit the signatures of at least 50 city voters by Dec. 2 to qualify.

The eight council candidates, including Mayor Bill Wiggins and Councilman Dave Golonski, will compete for three seats--those held by Wiggins, Golonski and outgoing Councilwoman Susan Spanos, who declined to run for reelection.

Candidates in Glendale, where Mayor Sheldon Baker last week announced he will run for reelection, are not required to file nominating papers until January.

In both cities, nevertheless, campaign activity is increasing.

On Monday night, an orientation for political candidates in Burbank was attended by first-time office seekers as well as veteran political figures.

Five Burbank residents, including two who already hold seats on the school board, intend to run for that five-member panel. In addition, there are two candidates to replace retiring City Clerk Margaret M. Lauerman.

The candidates, some far more critical than others of the status quo, say they’re dedicated to making their city better.

“I love Burbank,” Anthony F. De Felicis, a local pastor running for the Burbank school board, declared in his candidate statement. “The greatness of our police, fire, parks and other city departments must be matched by excellent public education.”

Ongoing issues in the two cities include aging school buildings, a controversial passenger terminal expansion planned at Burbank Airport, and major development proposed by Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros., NBC and other businesses.

Baker emphasized public safety as he took to the steps of Glendale’s Police Department last Tuesday to announce he would run for a second four-year term.

In addition to Baker, Glendale City Council members Mary Ann Plumley and Rick Reyes are expected to run for reelection. Council members Eileen Givens and Larry Zarian are not up for reelection until 1999.

Challengers may include David Weaver, president of the Glenoaks Canyon Homeowners Assn., Ginger Bremberg, a former council member who retired in 1993, Gustavo Gomez, a prosecutor with the state attorney general’s office, and John Beach, a frequent Glendale candidate.

Glendale school board members Jeanne Bentley and Lynda Rocamora are expected to seek e-election. Board member Jane Whitaker, who has served four terms, is not running again.

City Clerk Aileen Boyle said she will run for reelection, while City Treasurer Elizabeth W. Evans said she would decide by the end of the month.

Potential candidates in Glendale, where there is no primary before the general election on April 8, have until Jan. 23 to declare their intentions.

In Burbank, the next key date will be the Feb. 25 primary. The top vote-getters in February will advance to the April election.

The five-member Burbank City Council includes Vice Mayor Bob Kramer and Councilman Ted McConkey, who are in the middle of their first terms.

Besides Wiggins, 47, and Golonski, 37, council candidates in Burbank are Ted Duane Bunch, 58, a teacher at Burroughs High School; Richard Emerson, 52, a small business owner; Norman A. Furman, 57, a business systems consultant; Stacey Murphy, 38, a small business owner; Robert Olson, a television research executive, and Bill Starr, 62, a retired freelance writer.

Starr, who moved to Burbank from Arleta about five years ago, said the current council spends too much time on petty matters and bickering.

“I’ve just finally decided that it’s time to become a participant rather than an observer,” he said. “There’s too much waste in our government.”

A key issue will be whether voters approve $112.5 million in bonds to rebuild the two Burbank high schools and improve other sites.

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The school board candidates include current members Denise Wilcox and Connie Lackey, who was appointed to complete the term left vacant when Joe Hooven resigned early this year.

In addition to De Felicis, 39, the remaining Burbank school board candidates are Patricia “Trish” Burnett, 46, a schools volunteer and former health care professional, and Glen Robert Forsch, 48, a corporate director.

With Lauerman retiring, the Burbank city clerk position is being sought by Deputy City Clerk Judie Sarquiz, 28, and Sharon Lynn Muravez, 55, a government and business consultant.

City treasurer Jim Rogers is running unopposed.

Bunch was among those who said he thought the city was well-run but that he wanted to help keep it that way. As a high school instructor, he regularly encourages students to be involved in their community, he said.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I feel very good about the city.”

Similarly, Burnett said she has devoted much energy to the school system as a volunteer for many years but she still sees room for improvement. “We’ve lost the consistency and the drive for academics,” she said. “I worry that kids are getting out without a foundation.”

Times correspondent Steve Ryfle contributed to this story.