ELECTIONS 2007:Winners relish the results

GLENDALE — With unofficial election results tallied, Montrose businessman John Drayman picked up one of two open City Council seats, clearing his competitors by nearly 2,000 votes. The second seat went to incumbent Mayor Dave Weaver.

“I am very pleased with the outcome of the election,” said Drayman, who garnered 8,576 votes for 23.3% of the vote. “I am honored and I am very cognizant of the responsibility that lies ahead — the message of our campaign was to try to work to improve the connection between our elected officials and voters of this city.”

The new council members will be inducted in mid-April and Drayman is already planning for the future.

“One of the things I want to do is form an advisory committee that will help to steer the sum and substance of my term and some of the policies of my term,” he said. “It will include people from all geographic areas and all points of view that will help be my eyes and ears in the community.”

Drayman is also looking to hold some events that showcase the history and traditions of the city as well as break down the ethnic divide in the community.

Weaver earned the second-highest number of votes, with 6,582, or 17.9%, in what some called an upset over incumbent Councilman Rafi Manoukian.

Manoukian, who was in the lead when the first return returns of all absentee ballots were counted, fell short of Weaver by about 700 votes.

Weaver was excited to know he would be a part of the next four years of Glendale’s future.

“I wanted this election more than any of the other six I’ve been involved in,” he said, referring to his first two unsuccessful bids and four subsequent successful bids for council. “I believe previous council has laid the groundwork for great strides in the future,” he said.

Weaver said it was community support across the board that got him back into office.

“I had support from the Asian community, Latinos, Armenians and from Anglos — from the business community to the homeowners,” he said. “That’s what I consider to be the beauty of my vote, it came from across the board. As a councilman, you’re supposed to represent all the people.”

Weaver said there is still a lot of work to do in what he calls “the most exciting time in Glendale in the past 100 years,” from dealing with view protection to downzoning.

Manoukian, who was an early favorite to win after leading in campaign contributions and receiving strong public support, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

But some in the community speculated that his upset could be related to a recent City Council study session on view protection that was canceled because Manoukian and two other councilmen were absent.

“I’ve heard people say they were upset that he didn’t show up at that meeting, and that was really important to the residents,” said Glendale Homeowners Coordinating Council President Margaret Hammond.

Former Glendale Mayor and political observer Larry Zarian agreed that the canceled study session could have had some impact, since it was so close to the election. He also noted that in the City Council elections, people often only remember recent events and may forget other decisions a councilman has made during his term.

Overall, though, Zarian said he was upset that more people didn’t come out to vote.

City officials put voter turnout at 22.9% of the city’s registered voters.

“I was disappointed in the turnout,” Zarian said. “I felt more people should have gone out to the polls.

“Sometimes candidates feel they’ve done everything they can, and feel the public will come out and support them; and it doesn’t happen.”

There are always multiple reasons that residents vote the way they do, but overall, it is important that voters come out at all, whether they are aiming to support a councilman they like or are looking for a change on the council, Zarian added.

“I thought Rafi had done a very good job over the last eight years, and it’s not easy to lose that,” he said. “I thought he brought a different and unique perspective to the council.”

Hammond ventured that voters might have been prompted to elect Drayman because they were looking for a change, and Weaver because he is a veteran on the council.

Glendale Unified School District board member Greg Krikorian, who was also a very strong contender in the race, pulled in 5,754 votes, which was 15.6% of the vote.

Coming in fifth was Chahe Keuroghelian with 4,351 votes, or 11.8%.

Behind him was local television commentator Vrej Agajanian, with 2,330 votes, while community activist Herbert Molano earned a total of 2,314 votes.

Finally, former Glendale Water & Power Commissioner Lenore Solis finished off the night with 892 votes.