Glendale’s political dinosaur exhibition

The embarrassing display of councilmen positioning themselves to be next mayor highlights the need to change the way Glendale selects its top leadership (“Glendale delays naming new mayor,” April 4.) The current practice is such a relic of the past that it’s like having our own dinosaur exposition.

For many years, those of us who have observed these proceedings unfold interpreted the trading of favors as preconditions to the selection of mayor. It seems to us that with Glendale’s representation in the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Metropolitan Water District and the Bob Hope Airport commission, the game of naming the next mayor hinges on who is promised each of these coveted seats, all of which give council members a voice on big, and sometimes huge, public contracts.

But we have a great opportunity to change it now.

The city council already approved a ballot measure to make the city treasurer a nominated position. It would not add much cost to place on the ballot another measure to make the mayor elected at-large. It’s more democratic, and we can be spared the annual spectacle of T-rex wannabes.

Herbert Molano

Tujunga