Burbank holds open house at City Hall

Dozens of Burbank residents — more than some city officials expected — filled the hallway between the offices of City Council members and mingled outside the offices of the mayor and city manager during a City Hall open house Tuesday, each awaiting a turn to discuss issues including cellphone towers, smoking ordinances in apartment buildings and cul-de-sacs in the Media District.

Along with comments and concerns, some parents brought their children, a rarity for most formal council meetings. Alexandra Kelly brought her daughter, Isabelle, and a potted flower for each council member. Kelly also had praise for a fitness class held at Ovrom Community Center and taught by Anna Mazzucato.

Kelly’s husband, Darin Kerby, hoisting their toddler in his arms, said he came to discuss parking issues, concerned as both a resident and small-business owner with the impacts of proposed changes to a city ordinance that would make it easier for residents to petition for parking restrictions on their blocks, which was a topic of recent council discussion.

It was his first time at City Hall, he said.

Janet Diehl, who is active in the community and no stranger to City Hall, brought her grandson Andrew Podbielski, 8, who brought his own concerns.

With a little help from his “Nana,” Andrew had made out a list of questions for each council member and a few other city officials. Not on the list: concerns about noise at Bob Hope Airport because he likes to watch the planes take off.

From David Gordon, he wanted to know what’s the most difficult part of being a councilman — “listening” was the answer. And from Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy: what is it like being the only woman on the council?

“He asked a great question,” Gabel-Luddy said. “I told him, ‘As the only woman on the council, I hold my own.’”

Andrew, who played outfield and first base for the Burbank Misfits this summer, secured a commitment from Councilman Jess Talamantes to do “everything we can” to install shade coverings for the bleachers at all of the city’s ball fields. The council had approved a roughly $74,000 project to mount shades over the bleachers at McCambridge Park’s ball field last week.

Soon to be a fourth-grader at Walt Disney Elementary, Andrew told Councilman Will Rogers he had voted for him in the school’s mock election this past spring. That, Diehl said, despite the fact she told Andrew, at the time, she was supporting a different candidate.

“He told me, ‘Nana, each of us votes the way we want,’” Diehl said.

She said she was sad more children hadn’t come to the open house with questions of their own for council members. Others said they were surprised as many adults showed up as they did. Estimates among some staff members ranged from 50 to 150, spread out over two hours.

Gabel-Luddy said she spoke “at length” with 20 people, but saw more. Mayor Bob Frutos, who proposed the open house as a way to reach out to the community, said he’d spoken to as many as 35 residents, including several he’d never seen at council meetings.

“This is just an indication that people want to be engaged with their elected officials outside of a council meeting to build [one-on-one] relationships,” he said.

Speaking to Andrew about the challenges of making decisions as a mayor “made my night,” Frutos said, because “he was just so excited to see how his government works.”

Andrew said he might one day want to be a city official.

“Either that or an astronaut or an engineer,” he said, not wanting to commit to a political career yet. “I’m only 8 — I have time.”