Election filing closes today

GLENDALE — As the candidates’ filing period for April’s election draws to a close today, many hopefuls for City Council, Glendale’s school board and the Glendale Community College board have yet to etch their candidacy in stone.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, only three hopefuls had filed their candidacy papers at the City Clerk’s office.

Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver and Montrose Shopping Park Assn. President John Drayman have both filed to be candidates for City Council seats. Glendale Unified School District Board of Education incumbent Mary Boger has also filed for another term on the board.

Those interested in running for a seat in the election have until 5:30 p.m. today to turn their forms into the City Clerk’s office.

A total of 14 candidates, including the two incumbents, are listed as having picked up candidate filing papers for a spot on City Council.

Among those running is Vrej Agajanian, host of “ABC TV Live with Vrej Agajanian” on Channel 26.

Agajanian sees many hot issues in this election, and said he believes he is someone who could make Glendale residents’ needs a reality.

“I would focus on improving parks, housing, traffic and bringing good jobs to Glendale,” he said. “Also protecting hillsides and views while respecting the rights of property owners.”

Eight years should be the limit for council members’ tenure, Agajanian said, adding that it gives them enough time to implement their goals and ideas.

Candidates will compete for the seats currently held by Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver and Councilman Rafi Manoukian.

Nick Doom — an American government teacher at Clark Magnet High School and an observer of local politics — said the upcoming election could be interesting, considering the issues that are facing the city.

“I think the same issues that have been prevalent in previous elections will reappear,” he said. “Managing growth, [traffic] congestion, people overbuilding their homes.”

Other issues he expects to come up during the campaign are increasing city development and a proposed Armenian high school and condominium project slated to be built in Mountain Oaks in the Crescenta Valley.

“I think it’s going to be interesting,” he said. “Will the incumbents keep their positions or will there be change, and in what direction will that change go?”

On the Glendale Community College Board of Trustees, only one challenger, Christina Rodriguez, has picked up filing forms to oppose incumbents Tony Tartaglia and Vahe Peroomian. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, no college-board candidate had filed papers with the City Clerk.

Issues on the college’s board revolve around attracting new students at a time of declining enrollment and finding ways to accommodate parking, college officials have said.

On the Glendale Unified School District Board, six candidates, including incumbent Mary Boger, are running for the board’s two open seats. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Boger was the sole school-board candidate to have filed papers with the City Clerk.

One big issue facing the district is wage negotiations between the Glendale Teachers’ Assn. and the board of education, school officials have said.

QUESTION

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