Councilman Dave Weaver and newly elected councilman Rafi Manoukian take their oath of office at a swearing in ceremony at the Glendale City Council Chambers in Glendale on Monday, April 18, 2011. (Tim Berger/Staff Photographer) |
CITY HALL — The newly reconstituted City Council, with Laura Friedman as mayor, will take a new direction in coming months — one that will likely include a much more critical voice in the form of recently elected Rafi Manoukian.
With a projected budget shortfall of more than $16 million for next fiscal year, many on the dais have said they will take a sharp eye to the city’s books. But Manoukian, who campaigned on a platform of addressing the city’s budget deficit, is expected to be especially exacting.
Shortly after he was sworn in Monday, Manoukian repeated a campaign refrain: Employee overtime hours and credit cards need to be scrutinized, and performance indicators for all city departments should be adopted.
“I believe that everyone should be accountable to the taxpayers, not just the elected officials during the election,” he said. “The operations of the city should be completely transparent, and all documents and records should be readily available to the public.”
His tone was in stark contrast to his colleague Dave Weaver, who throughout his successful re-election campaign repeatedly said that Glendale is a well-run city, and that he would defer to the opinions of city staff when determining the budget.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Manoukian went a step further, saying that during closed session he had asked to make all upcoming labor negotiations with employee unions public.
The moves have caught the attention of city gadflies, who said they hope his campaign goals weren’t just lip service.
“I think that from listening to his comments on Monday and Tuesday that he is very sincere about getting into the economics and finances of the city,” said Barry Allen, who often gets into tense exchanges with those on the dais. “I think that Rafi coming in will change that dynamic.’
That dynamic also leaves Allen without the subject he railed against after several months of using the council podium to question renovations performed on then-Councilman John Drayman’s home by subcontractors of Advanced Development & Investment Inc., an affordable housing firm now under federal investigation.
But Allen said that even with Drayman’s absence, he will continue to question the city’s involvement with ADI.
“We’re not going to go away,” he said.
Manoukian’s presence also breaks up the often like-minded bloc of Friedman, Frank Quintero and Drayman.
The trio had shared a common vision on issues — ranging from adding strict green building standards to ramping up the city’s arts offerings — that sometimes left Weaver and fellow Councilman Ara Najarian as the more skeptical voices.
Friedman, who has spent the last year spearheading city efforts to transform the San Fernando corridor into a mecca for creative industries, will likely also be the loudest proponent of pushing forward with Drayman’s vision of turning a stretch of the downtown area into an arts and entertainment district.
“He was the first council member that I can remember seeing acknowledge that the arts are not only crucial for our quality of life in Glendale, but also for the economic vitality of the city,” she said during her first speech as mayor. “He will be missed.”
Friedman also said she looked forward to working with Manoukian, “as he brings very unique perspective to this body.”
Najarian said he would treat the council’s new dynamic as an opportunity.
“Rafi is new member, and it is always my attempt to try and persuade my colleagues to support me and my positions on several different subjects,” he said. “I will continue that effort with Rafi.”
With a projected budget shortfall of more than $16 million for next fiscal year, many on the dais have said they will take a sharp eye to the city’s books. But Manoukian, who campaigned on a platform of addressing the city’s budget deficit, is expected to be especially exacting.
Shortly after he was sworn in Monday, Manoukian repeated a campaign refrain: Employee overtime hours and credit cards need to be scrutinized, and performance indicators for all city departments should be adopted.
“I believe that everyone should be accountable to the taxpayers, not just the elected officials during the election,” he said. “The operations of the city should be completely transparent, and all documents and records should be readily available to the public.”
His tone was in stark contrast to his colleague Dave Weaver, who throughout his successful re-election campaign repeatedly said that Glendale is a well-run city, and that he would defer to the opinions of city staff when determining the budget.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Manoukian went a step further, saying that during closed session he had asked to make all upcoming labor negotiations with employee unions public.
The moves have caught the attention of city gadflies, who said they hope his campaign goals weren’t just lip service.
“I think that from listening to his comments on Monday and Tuesday that he is very sincere about getting into the economics and finances of the city,” said Barry Allen, who often gets into tense exchanges with those on the dais. “I think that Rafi coming in will change that dynamic.’
That dynamic also leaves Allen without the subject he railed against after several months of using the council podium to question renovations performed on then-Councilman John Drayman’s home by subcontractors of Advanced Development & Investment Inc., an affordable housing firm now under federal investigation.
But Allen said that even with Drayman’s absence, he will continue to question the city’s involvement with ADI.
“We’re not going to go away,” he said.
Manoukian’s presence also breaks up the often like-minded bloc of Friedman, Frank Quintero and Drayman.
The trio had shared a common vision on issues — ranging from adding strict green building standards to ramping up the city’s arts offerings — that sometimes left Weaver and fellow Councilman Ara Najarian as the more skeptical voices.
Friedman, who has spent the last year spearheading city efforts to transform the San Fernando corridor into a mecca for creative industries, will likely also be the loudest proponent of pushing forward with Drayman’s vision of turning a stretch of the downtown area into an arts and entertainment district.
“He was the first council member that I can remember seeing acknowledge that the arts are not only crucial for our quality of life in Glendale, but also for the economic vitality of the city,” she said during her first speech as mayor. “He will be missed.”
Friedman also said she looked forward to working with Manoukian, “as he brings very unique perspective to this body.”
Najarian said he would treat the council’s new dynamic as an opportunity.
“Rafi is new member, and it is always my attempt to try and persuade my colleagues to support me and my positions on several different subjects,” he said. “I will continue that effort with Rafi.”
