Experience and relationships are councilman’s expertise

Few La Cañadans know little about City Council Candidate David A. Spence.

Spence is one of two incumbent council members running to retain a seat on the council.

Spence last year completed his fourth term as mayor of La Cañada Flintridge. He has been on the council since 1992.

Spence said he has a passion for knowing what is happening in his community and beyond.

“We all bring a certain benefit to the council; experience and the relationships I’ve built are part of what I bring to the council,” Spence said.

Spence is president of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, 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 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.

He also was appointed six years ago and is a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Liability Trust Fund oversight committee, which reviews legal cases to decide if they should be resolved or go to court, in order to help reduce liability costs to local government.

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 his wife Alice moved to La Cañada Flintridge in 1969, where they reared their two now-adult sons, Andrew and Stephen.

While his children were growing up here, Spence was able to enjoy the benefits of the rural lifestyle many La Cañadans have come to love. “My kids had chickens,” he said, adding that he’s pleased with the way La Cañada residents and city officials were able to resolve past conflicts over fowl, in that peafowl recently evicted from this town were moved to other cities with acreage available for the birds, and some birds were allowed to remain here to be enjoyed by the residents who love them.

Chicken issues also were resolved successfully earlier last year, through compromise and the work of the council.

Spence said he believes compromise is key to working together to solve many community issues.

However, he’s not looking for compromise when it comes to retaining the quality of life that has made La Cañada Flintridge a great place to live and work, he said, adding that he plans to continue to work toward making Angeles Crest Highway safer, with truck turnouts and signage, and protect residents from potential traffic and safety concerns associated with the planned 710 tunnel.