Want to run for City Council? Election filing period opens

Filing began this week — and will continue through 5 p.m., Dec. 5 — for two open seats on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council. The election is scheduled for March 3, 2009.

The two full term (four-year) open seats are currently occupied by Mayor Stephen A. Del Guercio and Councilman David A. Spence, both of whom have indicated they intend to run for re-election.

“I have a campaign committee and a campaign treasurer all lined up, and we’re ready to roll,” said Spence, who added that he doesn’t take anything for granted in an election, despite his popularity within the community.

Spence served as mayor of La Cañada Flintridge last year, his fourth term, the first being in 1994. He has been on the council since 1992.

Spence is also a past president of California Contract Cities, and has served on the League of California Cities, the Southern California Association of Governments’ Transportation Committee, the National League of Cities Small Cities, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority Executive Board, the County of Los Angeles Local Government Commission, and the Metro San Gabriel Transit Service Sector Governance Board.

Spence grew up in southern Ohio and graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University. He later moved to Glendale and began a sales-related job in the pharmaceutical industry. He and wife, Alice, moved to La Cañada in 1969, where they reared their two now-adult sons, Andrew and Stephen.

Del Guercio also is a longtime La Cañadan and council member. Del Guercio moved to La Cañada with his family when he was 10 years old, about 36 years ago, from Ladera Heights, near Westchester. He was first elected to the La Cañada Flintridge City Council in 2003 and this is his second-term as mayor.

Del Guercio and his wife, Elysa, are the parents of three children, Chris, a sophomore at the University of Southern California, and Jordan and Cami, both students in La Cañada schools.

Del Guercio graduated from La Cañada High School in 1979 and later earned a bachelor’s degree in English from USC, and a juris doctorate from USC Law Center. He is a managing partner with Demetriou, Del Guercio, Springer and Francis, a legal firm in Los Angeles.

Del Guercio was on vacation in Italy with his family this week and unable to be reached for comments by the Valley Sun prior to press deadline.

Potential candidates are required to obtain signatures of 30 registered voters and file official forms through the City Clerk’s office. For more information on filing, call City Clerk Sylvia Baca at (818) 790-8880.