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M I N U T E S
GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL ORGANIZATION MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
613 E. Broadway, 2nd Floor
Glendale, CA 91206
JULY 12, 2022
The Special Meeting of the Glendale City Council convened in the Council Chambers, in said City, at 8:19 p.m. on the above date, pursuant to a call for such meeting signed by the City Clerk of the City Council, and on file with the City Clerk, a copy of which is as follows:
July 7, 2022
Date
A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING of the City Council is hereby called to meet at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, in the Council Chamber, 613 E. Broadway, 2nd Floor, Glendale, CA 91206 to consider the following item(s) of business, to wit;
1. Roll Call – 8:00 PM
a. Report of City Clerk, re: Posting of Agenda. The Agenda for the July 12, 2022 Organization Meeting of the Glendale City Council was Posted on July 7, 2022 on the Bulletin Board Outside City Hall.
2. MAYOR’S WELCOME
3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
4. NEW BUSINESS
a. City Clerk, re: Declaring the Result of the General Municipal Election of June 7, 2022
1. Resolution Reciting the Fact of the General Municipal Election Held on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Declaring the Results and Such Other Matters as Provided by Law
5. COMMENTS BY OUTGOING COUNCILMEMBERS
6. OATH OF OFFICE TO NEWLY ELECTED CITY OFFICERS:
COUNCIL MEMBERS
CITY CLERK
CITY TREASURER
7. NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED
8. COMMENTS BY NEWLY-ELECTED OFFICIALS
9. ADJOURNMENT
Written Notice of said meeting was given, which Notice consisted of a copy of the foregoing Call, and was served on each Member of the Council not joining in the Call, and upon the in said City not less than 24 hours before the time fixed in said Call for said meeting, as follows:
Upon Dan Brotman at 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2022 Glendale, CA Upon Paula Devine at 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2022 Glendale, CA Upon Ardy Kassakhian at 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2022 Glendale, CA Upon Ara Najarian at 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2022 Glendale, CA Upon Vrej Agajanian at 5:00 p.m. July 7, 2022 Glendale, CA Mayor Kassakhian called the meeting to order at 8:19 p.m. 07 12 22
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1. Roll Call – Absent: Agajanian
a. Report of City Clerk, re: Posting of Agenda. The Agenda for the July 12, 2022 Organization Meeting of the Glendale City Council was Posted on July 7, 2022 on the Bulletin Board Outside City Hall.
2. MAYOR’S WELCOME
Mayor Ardy Kassakhian welcomed certain public officials into the City Council Chambers.
3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Aram Stepanyan
4. NEW BUSINESS
a. City Clerk, re: Declaring the Result of the General Municipal Election of June 7, 2022
1. Resolution 22-112 Reciting the Fact of the General Municipal Election Held on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Declaring the Results and Such Other Matters as Provided by Law
Moved: Najarian Seconded: Brotman
Vote as Follows
5. COMMENTS BY OUTGOING COUNCILMEMBERS
Councilmember Vrej Agajanian was not present. Mayor Kassakhian thanked outgoing Councilmember Agajanian for his service as a council member and Mayor during unprecedented times through the COVID pandemic.
6. OATH OF OFFICE TO NEWLY ELECTED CITY OFFICERS:
Senator Anthony Portantino administered the Oath of Office.
COUNCIL MEMBERS – Elen Asatryan, Dan Brotman, Ara Najarian CITY CLERK – Suzie Abajian
CITY TREASURER – Rafi Manoukian
7. NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED
8. COMMENTS BY NEWLY-ELECTED OFFICIALS
City Treasurer Rafi Manoukian congratulated the newly-elected officials, thanked his family and friends for their support, commended the candidates who participated in the election process, and thanked the voters for voting in this election and entrusting him to serve as City Treasurer for the next four years.
City Clerk Suzie Abajian was honored to receive the support of the voters in Glendale and thanked them for entrusting her with this very important position. She stated that the clerk is the purveyor of the democratic process within city government. She looks forward to serving our city for the next four years. She thanked everyone who supported her campaign, including her committed team and her family. She was elated to see more women elected to city government and was overjoyed to be part of this welcomed change to the city. She revisited Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Brotman, Devine, Najarian, Kassakhian
None
Agajanian
None
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her campaign promises including transparency, access and voter empowerment, the importance of good information governance, open data initiatives, modernizing city platforms for sharing information, and voter outreach in culturally and linguistically responsive ways. She will work collaboratively with residents to make the city more transparent, accessible, and inclusive.
Councilmember Ara Najarian thanked his family, voters, several organizations, and agencies that supported him. He thanked the other candidates who ran and gave their all. He mentioned that he is the longest-serving councilmember in Glendale and will bring his decades of experience, institutional memory, and knowledge to the city. He stated that this election was different from previous ones. He critiqued political partisanship, voting systems, touch screens, and the long wait from the County to tabulate the votes. He stated that his election had great significance for the city because of his chairmanship of the Metro Board. He promised to be free from outside influences such as partisan dogma. He will support public safety, traffic and pedestrian safety, bicycle safety, and law enforcement. He will oppose bringing marijuana dispensaries and related marijuana production sites. He discussed the importance of having green space and affordable housing in South Glendale. He will make sure that the City will have the electrical power that it needs to keep the lights on. He would like to create a new and bigger aquatic facility. He spoke about improvements and funding for public transportation and bike lanes in the city.
Councilmember Elen Asatryan congratulated the newly-elected officials. She was grateful to her team and supporters who helped her get elected. She thanked her family as well. She hopes to build a collegial atmosphere with colleagues, staff, and residents. Her top priorities: a positive culture in City Hall, focusing on the needs of South Glendale, better communication and outreach, safer streets, green spaces, affordable housing, sustainability, arts, public transit, walkable streets, and bike lanes. She would like to see diversity celebrated through dynamic arts, entertainment and cultural programs. She would like to create innovative programs for recovery and support for small businesses and bring Glendale into the digital age for efficiency by modernizing the permitting process. Ms. Asatryan is also focused on preserving the beauty of the city’s unique neighborhoods and historic structures. She looks forward to building a more sustainable Glendale by cleaning-up and finding alternatives for the Scholl Canyon Landfill and Grayson Power Plant. She would like to add youth seats to all boards and commissions and to bring back the powers that are stripped from the Women’s Commission. She stated that her election meant a lot to young women and girls and she looks forward to help pave the way to create greater opportunities for them to get civically engaged.
She will proactively address homelessness and mental health and ensure that the police and fire departments have the resources they need to keep the city safe. Lastly, she indicated that her end goal is to serve the public and leave this city better than it was found. She asked staff, in return, to come to work with an open heart. She looks forward to our collective work ahead in making Glendale truly a model city in which we can live, work, and play.
Councilmember Dan Brotman thanked Mayor Kassakhian for encouraging him to get involved and participate in city government. He thanked several elected officials and individuals for their mentorship. He also thanked his family for their love and support and everyone who contributed, volunteered, and shared his vision for a more sustainable, innovative, forward- looking, and equitable Glendale. He spoke about his 10-point plan which included environmental sustainability, housing, transportation and walkability, arts and culture equity, quality of life, business recovery, urban design and development, and the city’s financial health.
He also advocated for an immediate decision on the Grayson Power Plant and meeting the city’s needs in the upcoming decade through developing reliable/clean energy alternatives, 07 12 22
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retiring our fossil fuel assets and getting 100% clean and renewable energy by 2035. He spoke about reducing greenhouse gas emissions by building electrification, increasing charging infrastructure, electrification of the city’s vehicle fleet, electrification of landscape equipment and confronting waste management challenges by reducing single-use plastics, encouraging reusables for dine-in restaurant services, and dealing with the closure of the Scholl Canyon Landfill. He wanted to explore solutions for keeping the community safe in the more extreme heat, recurring water shortages, heightened fire risks, etc. Mr. Brotman would like to see the renovation of Rockhaven, the Verdugo Wash Project, the construction of the Armenian- American Museum, and redoing of the Artsakh Paseo. He indicated he wanted to develop new town centers in the areas around Adams Square Mini-Park and Glendale Community College, and park space when Scholl Canyon Landfill closes. He stated that there is a looming challenge with the unfunded pension liabilities and incremental adjustments are needed on both the revenue and cost sides to avoid major lay-offs and service impacts. He would also like to see a jazz club in Glendale.
9. ADJOURNMENT – 9:20 p.m.
Moved: Asatryan Seconded: Devine
Mayor of the City of Glendale
City Clerk of the City of Glendale