Burbank City Council gets set to listen
Burbank residents will have a chance to share any concerns or complaints with the City Council during a town hall meeting Tuesday, a process that has, at least once, led to a change in city policy.
The meeting — which will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Luther Burbank Middle School, 3700 West Jeffries Ave. — is a chance for residents to meet with council members in a casual setting away from City Hall.
“It’s like getting a report card,” said Burbank Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy, adding that hosting a town hall meeting was a major goal she set for her mayoral term. “It is very important knowing whether we’re getting it right or we’re not getting it right — I think we need to hear from the community, hear what their concerns are.”
Last year’s three town hall meetings were so successful, Gabel-Luddy said, that she hopes the council will make the forum an annual event.
Dozens of residents attended, bringing concerns about everything from high water and electric rates to speeding vehicles around schools and in residential neighborhoods.
“Listening should be a big part of our job,” Gabel-Luddy said.
Plus, she added, one person’s voice can make a difference.
At a town hall meeting last November, a woman complained about smoke entering her apartment in the Silver Winds senior complex in the Media Village, located at Magnolia Boulevard and Third Street.
Her complaints prompted the council to take a closer look at — and ultimately revise — the city’s smoking ordinance.
“There are a lot of good reasons for having (the meetings),” Gabel-Luddy said of the event, adding that she plans to organize another meeting next spring.
At the meeting, officials will also present information and solicit input about the proposed new airport terminal.
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Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.
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