Glendale News Press
March 24 2005
State of city just ducky
Mayor discusses city’s achievements and highlights Glendale’s
commitment to open, transparent government.
By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE — Using a stuffed duck as a prop, Mayor Bob Yousefian
discussed the city’s achievements in the past year during his State
of the City address Wednesday, touching on improvements in public
safety, transportation and development.
“In short, the city is doing wonderfully,” Yousefian said at a
luncheon sponsored by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. “Don’t listen
to the naysayers.”
Yousefian touted the City Council’s successes, including a commitment
to hire 100 new police officers, acquiring more than 550 acres of
open space in the last four years and setting the stage for mixed-use
development in downtown Glendale. He said the Americana at Brand, a
controversial outdoor shopping center approved by the City Council in
April 2004, will be the envy of the region.
The Americana also served as something of a theme for the Chamber of
Commerce’s business awards, presented at the meeting. Two key figures
from the Americana debate received awards, Jeanne Armstrong and the
Glendale Galleria.
Armstrong, named the chamber’s Woman of the Year, was the city’s
driving force behind the Americana as director of development
services. She retired in November but remains project manager of the
Americana.
The Galleria was named the chamber’s Business of the Year. Galleria
owner General Growth Properties led the fight against the Americana,
funding a failed referendum drive and suing the city over the
project’s approvals.
Neither Armstrong nor Galleria Senior General Manager JoAnne Brosi
mentioned the Americana during their comments.
“I started with the Galleria the week before 9/11, so I bonded very
quickly with all the merchants,” Brosi said. “I realized very quickly
what a great community this was.”
Catherine Pelley, president and chief executive of Glendale Memorial
Hospital and Health Care, received the CEO of the Year award. Bill
Wiggins, chairman of Automation Plating Corp. and a former mayor of
Burbank, received the Man of the Year award.
“This is the one day of the year that really shows the relationship
of the business community and the Chamber of Commerce with the City
Council and city staff,” Higgins said. “It’s a special day.”
Yousefian drew the biggest laugh of the luncheon during his speech
while criticizing City Council candidates who have called for more
transparency in government. He said that Glendale televises more
public meetings per month, 37, than any other city in the state.
“How much more transparent can we be?” said Yousefian, who is up for
reelection in the April 5 municipal election. “I guess we should
start wearing suits that are made of plastic and see-through.”
Yousefian said the stuffed animal, an AFLAC duck, will be his mascot
until the election, because he will duck all of the criticism thrown
his way.