myBurbank Talks
myBurbank Talks
The Week That Was and That Will Be - August 12
Ever wondered how to make your city council meetings more efficient? Tune into this week's episode of myBurbank Talks for practical insights and recommendations that could revolutionize how local governance operates. We'll also share some heartwarming community stories, like Kathy Horan's delightful meal experience at Hill Street Cafe and George Reeves winning last week's gift certificate for the same spot. Plus, we spotlight a compelling video by Nick Schultz on preserving the Colony Theater and dive into the success of National Night Out, featuring stunning photos by Austin Gebhardt.
Get the latest on what's happening in Burbank's government with key updates from the City Council. Find out why Monday's Planning Commission meeting has been canceled and meet our new fire marshal, James Boyd. We celebrate significant milestones, such as the 20th anniversary of the Chandler Bikeway and the 50th anniversary of the Burbank Fire Department's EMS program. Don't miss our coverage of a generous $156,530 donation to the Burbank Animal Shelter, the newly approved design for the 2025 Rose Float, and City Council's support of negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild and video game companies.
Curious about the dos and don'ts of political endorsements? We dissect the potential pitfalls and explain why MyBurbank refrains from endorsing candidates, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and proven track records. Reflecting on early experiences at Crestview High School, we propose recommendations to make City Council meetings more efficient, such as limiting public comment time and allowing telephonic comments. Don't miss out on these invaluable discussions and updates!
My Burbank Talks presents another edition of the Week that Was and the Week that Will Be a weekly podcast featuring highlights and commentary on local events and issues taking place right here in Burbank. Now let's see what's on today's agenda as we join our program.
Speaker 2:Hello Burbank, craig Shewitt here with you once again from the Mario Burbank Command Center for another edition of the Week that Was and the Week that Will Be. So to start off with, let's get with last week's winner for our Hill Street gift certificate. That was George Reeves, and he sent in the word kitten. Who knew that George had that in him, kitten? But what did George win? A $25 gift card to Hill Street Cafe, and we will have another chance for you to win later in this show. So please listen to the whole show and you will have a chance for that $25 gift card also.
Speaker 2:Now, a little old business. The last, kathy Horan, who actually won a card before, sent a little note in to us which we were very happy about, and she said basically, let me see here. She said I wanted to thank you for the Hill Street Cafe gift card. She said homie, here's a picture of the delicious meal we had. I had the turkey sourdough melt and my husband had the chili rillero. Well, fantastic, and it looks like you really had a good meal there. So once again, we appreciate you listening. We hope you enjoyed the meal and, as I say, stand by for a chance to win later in the show.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:So let's move on here. Some other things we had is the Burbank Channel actually had a great video by Nick Schultz about the Colony Theater. I'm really glad the city decided to save it and give it to the people of the Colony. That was a big thing. They had a special meeting for it. There was a lot of good groups who wanted it, but the Colony Theater was really in place and they've really excelled since they've gotten it. So check out that video on the Burbank channels by Nick Schultz. I think you'll enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Also, I want to remind all the candidates that we're now doing candidate podcasts. So just contact us at news at myburbankcom and set up a time and date and we will, no matter what. If you're on the Burbank ballot for any office, you can come do a podcast with us. We're not putting out invitations except for right here. So if you hear this, then go ahead. Or if you know of a candidate running, let them know. Okay, we'll take anybody. Also one last thing okay, if you'd like to really help out this channel and what we do, please subscribe to the channel so you know when new videos are coming out. And now we also offer channel memberships. So if you want to subscribe to the channel and get a channel membership. It would be extremely appreciated and we're going to have some really great stuff coming out with that. Okay, let's move on a little bit here.
Speaker 2:Next up we have let's see here National Night Out. We just had National Night Out and let me tell you what that was a great event. People really enjoyed it. It was very heavily attended. Our photographer, austin Gephardt, went out, shot some pictures here. Let's see if we can throw some up on the screen here for you and you can kind of see what went on. There were a lot of pictures here from you know. First, for Johnny Carson Park, where there was a lot of attendance there. They had a lot of booths set up. A lot of people were there just to see what was going on, to enjoy the evening.
Speaker 2:It's something that I think is important that we do every year. As you can see, there's a lot of booths from all kinds of different agencies. Look at that, the old animal shelter had a few big bullfrogs. Those look pretty impressive. And look at that, the old animal shelter had a few big boats. Those look pretty impressive. And of course, there's water-powered demonstrations. And of course, the police were there with all their deer and everything else. Let's see here. People had at their homes also and he stopped by a couple homes, one on Chandler and got a couple shots and some on Evergreen. So these are all shots that people really put time and effort in and, as you can see, a lot of neighbors came out to see what was going on. Fire department all stopped by to say hi and look at that, posed, pose for pictures. So that was kind of a neat thing, I think. Uh, I think people you know had a great time. We got lots of pizza and just lots of overall good times. So, um, it's something that every year we do in first week of august and go ahead and, uh, you know, next year maybe you, you can be the one who gets involved in that. So something neat to do.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's move on to Thursday here. Thursday, the Park and Rec Department. Last Thursday they had their meeting and they had a list of projects to be done next year and once again we can probably bring some of those up on the screen for you to take a look at here. Give me a second here and see where we go. So here are some of the projects they came up with the Schaefer Baseball Light Modernization, alvord Rec Center, which we know as the Verdugo Park, of course, backboard replacement, brace maple and McCambridge playground equipment. Mccambridge pool replacement, master design plan for Isaiah Park. Isaiah and McCambridge Park irrigation replacements although I'm a little confused whether they would do an irrigation replacement at Isaiah, if they may rip the entire park up and reconfigure it. So I think they should be thinking about that. And also new shade structures in Valley Ballfields. Once again they're going to rip up all of it a little bit. Make sure you use the shade structure in a new place, the dog park, the Clark Dog Park. It says we're still waiting for a plan with LADWP.
Speaker 2:Now I was told it was supposed to be done by actually by August or even the fall of this year and it seems like they are still tied up in things. They're also going to work on a Starlight Bowl transformation, a community engagement phase Boy. That's really needed, that is really needed. And of course, develop, golf course, improvements, cart path, driving range. A little surprised about that also because basically what the Colony Theater has to pay for everything they improve. That also because basically what the colony theater has to pay for everything they improve. So why isn't the people from the developed golf course doing the same thing and paying for what they also do? So that's a little surprising to me. Anyhow, those give you a cost, a rundown of what was going on. So that's a little surprising to me. Anyhow, those will give you a rundown of what was going on, so hopefully that you know. See it from there and go from there. Let's see what else we got going on here. Let's see here.
Speaker 2:Friday oh, city Clerk Kim Clark. She announced that the period to file papers run for City Council will be extended until the end of this week because of Nick Schultz's not filing. Of course Nick Schultz is running for Assembly and you know things look very good in that campaign for him, and so he cannot, by state law, file for two places at the same time. The same that Kamala Harris could not pick the governor of California, because if she did you can't have two people in the same state running for president or vice president. So same thing here. Nick Schultz can't run for two offices at once by state law. So he of course has got to run for that assembly seat. So we have for sure one seat that is completely up for grabs, and Constantine Anthony has taken out papers, although he did say in a council meeting he was not going to, but he has now taken out papers and filed to run for another term on the city council. So basically, one incumbent running and one completely empty seat.
Speaker 2:The school district has not really been downstating about their elections Hard to find information. I've had a couple press releases we put out about candidates who are running. It's a very confusing situation, basically because we don't know what the districts are. The districts are the districts they came up with. There is a proposed map on their website, but it's not the finalized map, it just says proposed. So I really don't know which district is, which that's a little frustrating. I really hope that they can fix that up and clear it up a little bit. All right, we've come to our first and our only commercial break, so here's a quick little commercial for you. And that was it for the week that was, and we'll be back in a second with the week that will be.
Speaker 1:Enjoying the show right now, think you may want to do your own podcast. Well, my Burbank Talks is renting out our podcast studio on an hourly rate. You and your guests can record audio podcasts, or both audio and video. We'll help you get set up on podcast platforms and even your own YouTube channel. We can also edit your productions to make you look and sound your very best. If interested, please drop us an email at studiorentalsatmyburbankcom. That's studiorentalsatmyburbankcom. Now back to our show.
Speaker 2:Okay, back with you again for the week. That will be and let me tell you what this is going to be a long one, okay, we had a pretty short last week, but we got a lot going on this week with meetings and everything else. So stand by and listen to all this. I think you'll find this informative and hopefully that you will enjoy what we're talking about. So let's get on with it. Monday our Planning Commission meeting has been canceled, so no reason on rushing over there to watch a meeting or watching it on YouTube.
Speaker 2:On Tuesday, the Board of Building and Fire Code Appeals will be meeting at 3 pm at the Community Services Building. They are going to be introducing the new fire marshal, james Boyd, and then, right after that, the new fire marshal, james Boyd, is going to report to the board, so he'll be a very, very busy guy for a little while and, of course, he'll give the general reports to the board also. So that's it. We show it at six o'clock and the city council meets at City Hall. Okay, so one thing we're going to have is a presentation of a certificate for recognition and honor of the 20th anniversary of the Chandler Bikeway. Holy cow, 20 years. We'll get into that a little bit for the whole thing. We're going to talk about that a little later in the show, but can you believe that's been 20 years since they put that in? Wow, there's also going to be a presentation for a certificate of recognition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Burbank Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services, the EMS program, basically the paramedic program. Amazing 50 years. You know, any fans of the old emergency TV show remember that they actually were talking about. You know, some of their first episodes was how they got the governor to actually sign the law to allow paramedics, because in that time there were no paramedics. You needed a doctor, you needed a. You had to get in the car somehow and get to the hospital on your own. Amazing that the paramedics have become what they are. Right now Brubank has four different paramedic rescue ambulances. It's actually I5 because one is a part-time RA-14, if you see it around. That's a part-time one, a Monday through Friday one. They will hopefully make that a permanent one when we get a little more funding, but at least right now we have enough to cover the city, which is very good. So they made those adjustments. We're very happy with that.
Speaker 2:On June 4th, let's see here. So on June 4th, the city council received a generous donation of $156,530 from John F Tindall, who was an animal lover and a resident of Riverside County. He had passed away on April 10th of 2021. The Tindall Trust designated a resident of Riverside County. He had passed away on April 10th of 2021. The Tindall Trust designated a portion of his estate being distributed to the Burbank Animal Shelter. So very nice of him. So they're getting that money put into their coffers, so that'll be something that they really can use. Moving on here, the city council it's interesting that they do this, but they do have to do it they're going to approve the design for the upcoming Rose Float. Now here's a little background on the Honor Rose Float in case you didn't know.
Speaker 2:Since 1914, okay, 1914, since Berengi was incorporated in 1911, and since 1914, the city of Burbank has been represented in the past the Interim of Roses parades on New Year's Day. Originally, the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and Burbank schools entered floats on behalf of the city, but in 1947, the Interim of Roses Association took responsibility for the city's annual float entries. The 2025 entry will be the Tournament of Roses 77th float entry and the city's 92nd float entry. In the parade it's called Having a Lava Fun and, as you can see in the picture, it looks like they are having a lava fund. The float design and rendering was submitted by Eric Anderson from Toluca Lake. This is Eric's third time designing a float for Burbanks.
Speaker 2:Okay, and this costs a little bit of money too. The city's contribution that they give to the Tournament of Roses is $54,720 and $22,295 in administrative support, so that's $77,000. Now I have no problem with giving money to the Burbank Tournament of Roses to help them with the float, because look at the tradition we have. It's on television, it's international. But maybe, instead of the city coffers coming with all that money, maybe visit Burbank or be fooding some of this bill, because, let's face it, this float is to promote the city and promote tourism. So maybe we should be doing something where um visit Burbank can't supply some of the funding for this, instead of all, just the city of Burbank. So that's probably something that we need to look at down the line. I don't know what they're going to do or anything else, but we'll find out. Okay, let's see here.
Speaker 2:Moving on, one thing the city council is going to do is the approval. Here we go with the letter again approval letter, signed by all city of Burbank council members, encouraging a timely and mutually acceptable agreement between the Screen Actors Guild, american Federation of Television, radio Artists and 10 video game companies. So let's see, I think we've got a copy of the letter somewhere. Let's bring that up for you. Here's a copy of what the letter's going to look like that they're going to send out. Now, once again, here we go. I'm not sure how this is saying the city of Burbank really should be involved in. I'm still waiting for our letter for a ceasefire in Israel which, for some reason, they have not listened to Burbank and they're still having their war, which was very unfortunate there. But that letter we spent all that time on really did no good. But that letter we spent all that time on really did no good. Now we're going to do a letter to video game companies Once again. I can't imagine they're going to receive this letter and say, oh, burbank sent a letter, let's get this thing settled right away. I just can't see that happening. I think it's, I don't know. I try to be open-minded, but you know why are we taking a lot of time and resources to do this kind of stuff Anyhow? So let's move on here. Let's see here. There we are. I'll get right back with you in a second. There we go. They're going to have a.
Speaker 2:There's a report that council is going to have an adoption of a resolution approving Burbank Bus Free Sale Program for Burbank Middle and High School students and approving Burbank Buses participation in the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authorities Go-To-Pass program. You know, once again, something that's very well needed Having kids be able to ride the buses for free is important. I know in this report they said it was for the Burbank and the Burroughs students and Providence, but you know we have the French school on Riverside Drive. That's a school in Burbank with high school kids in it. The middle schools, it's for them also. But I hope that includes schools like St Robert, st Francis, st Finbar, that go up to eighth grade. So I think you know anybody who lives in Burbank or goes to school in Burbank, I would say from sixth grade on, hopefully is going to be eligible to get this program. So you know, for them to get around 10,.
Speaker 2:Now the only problem is the metro buses are great, but where are they going on a Burbank bus? They're just not. Metro buses are great, but where are you going to go on a Burbank bus. They're just not going to places people want to go to, so we've got to figure out a little bit on that, but I'm sure that's down the line. But anyhow, let's move on here. Let's see, we're going to have a discussion. Okay, here's a long one for you.
Speaker 2:Now, once again, this is something that might be important to people, because I think it's something that is. How do you want to say this? It's your right to participate in your government and they've had some issues now. And once again, we have meetings going to 2.45 in the morning because we're going to spend three hours on a ceasefire in Israel. Well, you know, maybe that's where the problem lies and not the fact that you know, if we just talk about Burbank stuff, we wouldn't probably be going until midnight three in the morning sometimes, you know.
Speaker 2:Anyhow, moving on here, they're going to have a discussion on city council meeting policies and proposed procedures. So, basically, they did a survey of 18 other jurisdictions across California and found the following options being utilized to manage public comment. Let's bring that up on the screen for you. There we go. So something they brought up is limiting speaking times allotted per individual. Right now it's five minutes. It's been down to three minutes. I've turned it sometimes down to even one minute.
Speaker 2:I think whatever they decide to do, it needs to be uniform and needs to stay at that, instead of saying, well, we've got a lot of people tonight, let's make it one minute, let's make it 30 seconds. Really, are you going to have somebody sit there for two, three hours and then they get one minute to talk? I just don't know if that's really where you want to go. Does that really have their say? Publicizing and utilizing a scaling system to determine speaker time based on the number of speakers for each comment period Once again, we have something that's very big and important, so we're going to limit now what people can say on that item. Once again. So we have something that's very big and important, so we're going to limit now what people can say on that item.
Speaker 2:Once again, that's what some cities are doing. I don't think it's a good idea. Limiting the total overall length of public comment periods. So if a lot of people want to talk, tough talk. If you didn't make it in line, oh, this is what other cities are doing right now that they've surveyed, allowing in-person comments only, no virtual or telephonic comments. Totally against that. You know. We learned that. You know, after the pandemic that made a lot of sense having telephonic stuff. We need to keep that. Reduce the number of overall periods of public comment Once again. Why are we going to keep that? Reduce the number of overall periods of public comment Once again? Why are we going to stifle Establishing deadlines to submission of speaker cards?
Speaker 2:So no additional speaker cards except once the specified agenda item has begun. I don't know why cities do that. Once again, somebody gets there late. Now you're going to penalize them. You know, utilizing a designated speaker for large groups commenting on the same item I can see where that sometimes is a good thing because, you know, instead of having 15 people get up and read the same exact speech, which has happened in the past, I think that might, you know, let one person read the speech and everybody can sign it or stand up with them, or something.
Speaker 2:Placing parameters around general public comments, such as accepting only non-agenda related comments, accepting only comments pertaining directly to two businesses, businesses within the body's jurisdiction or prioritizing comments in a certain manner. Well, you know, prioritizing business within the body's jurisdiction, that's a good idea. I think we should be really looking at that Now, some of the things we're going to look at also okay. Besides that, they're going to be looking at starting the meeting time resolution. Right now, the code says that we have to start meeting at 6 pm for regular session. They have their closed session at 5 o'clock, so maybe they're thinking about having meetings started earlier, maybe at 5. But that's something they have to vote into. They have a resolution Now this always cracks me up. They have a resolution that designates the meeting end time of 11pm for regular session. The end time of 11pm includes a caveat that the meeting may continue to finish an in progress item or if at least three council members vote to extend the end of the time.
Speaker 2:In 2023 and 2024, meetings end times range from 8pm of the time. In 2023 and 2024, meetings end times ranged from 8 pm at night till 2.45 in the morning, with a majority being 75% of the meetings ending after 11 pm. That's ludicrous. When meetings are going past midnight, 1 o'clock. One of the things I say is why have only two meetings a month then? If we're meeting that late every single meeting, why don't we consider having three meetings a month? The municipal code says we must have two. It doesn't say we can't have three. So we have that much to do and discuss. Why don't we have three meetings a month instead of two and get out of there by 8, 9, 10 o'clock every night, instead of midnight 1, 2 in the morning? So I'd say that they're not on this, but they should be serious. Why not increase the amount of meetings? Now we're going to talk about discussion of agenda items. Some cities, including Inglewood, mission, viejo and Victorville Now we're going to talk about discussion of agenda items.
Speaker 2:Some cities, including Englewood, mission, viejo and Victorville, have implemented and established rules of decorum related to council discussion and deliberation. The rules include time limits from two to five minutes for each council member's remarks and questions to help facilitate focused conversations and ensure the efficient flow of the meeting. Boy, let me tell you what I've heard council people talk about. You know, oh man, oral communications take forever. But let me tell you what takes forever is after somebody. They have oral communications or they have whatever it is. Every council member has to talk, you know, and really one or two of them will have something to say, and there are three. Talk because you know what we feel. We need to talk, we need to show that we're involved. We need to show that we're engaged. Look, we know you're engaged, we know you're doing the work of the people and all those things, but you don't have to give us an extra two or three minutes of talk to tell us that you know, move on, we can just move on.
Speaker 2:I learned a long time ago and I used to make the mistake. When I first started teaching at Crestview High School, we used to have faculty meetings and during the meetings they would always have questions. I used to ask questions all the time. I used to say you know this and that and everything else and people. I talked to my fellow coach, you know, and I talked to Muck one night and he said he says, coach, you've got to knock it off. I go what are you talking about? He goes all the questions we want to get out of there, just nod your head, yes, about everything Don't get done and we leave. Your questions aren't going to do a thing or mean a thing in the long run. He was right.
Speaker 2:So sometimes you know less is a lot more. You know you don't need to say something, just to say something. So I think that's something that our council members might want to think about down the line, because a lot of this stuff is, you know, it's just, you don't need to talk about every little thing, no matter what. And we have a great council. Okay, we have a great council, they do a good job. I have no problem with what they're doing, but they don't need to all say the same thing over and over again for five, ten minutes. So you know that'll cut down time right there. Let's move on here. So we have. They actually came up with recommendations and these are recommendations by city staff that they want the council to consider. And, once again, I think these are all things that are pretty good. Okay, once again, let's let's bring those up on the screen so you can see what they are.
Speaker 2:One is time period of up to. Let's bring those up on the screen so you can see what they are. One is time period of up to either two minutes or one minute per speaker. I think you have to go two minutes, I really do For all general public comment. Two, time period of up to two minutes per speaker for additional public comment periods. So like a report to the council, a public hearing, a closed session on different things they have comments for. So, once again, two minutes, I think, is a good time.
Speaker 2:Three, implement not to exceed limitations of 75 minutes for general public comment and 20 minutes for all non-other periods of public comment. I'm not for that. General public comment and 20 minutes for all non other periods of public comments. I'm not for that. You know, if it's a big issue, it's only two minutes a person. You're going to limit it to what? 38 people, 37 people, Um, that's a lot of people. I get it, but if somebody feels that they need to say something, they should have that right to to be able to be able to talk if they want to.
Speaker 2:Four meeting and start times Adjust the meeting start time for regular session to 5 o'clock instead of 6, and add language pertaining to the 11 pm designated end time. That requires counsel to confer with the city manager to review the status of the remaining agenda items and determine how best to proceed. Now, once again, they have this rule that they have to vote to go past the level that's locked, and they always. Somebody brings it up and interrupts what they're doing and say, oh, we need to vote to keep going. And okay, who's all for it? And it's always five. Nothing, let's keep going. It's a stupid rule. Either we have a rule either stop the meeting and finish up that item and that's it, or we don't have a rule at all. But this 11 o'clock thing, it's just like window dressing. It really doesn't mean one thing or another.
Speaker 2:Telephonic comment. Allow for public comment by telephone with the following adjustments Time period above two minutes or one minute per speaker. Once again, I think two minutes is good, consistent with speaking time for in-person general public comment. Okay, now open the phone. Here's the interesting Open the phone line at the beginning of regular session, which would be 5 o'clock, and add a comment that additional callers will not be accepted in the queue once the telephone public comment period begins. That's interesting. So once the first person on the phone starts speaking, nobody else can call in. Once again, why are we trying to stifle people's right to talk? You know what if the phone lines are busy? What if there's not enough? You know holding patterns. I think we're once again we're infringing right there.
Speaker 2:Consider rules of decorum for council discussion and deliberation. Yeah, I agree, we should have just less time spending on some of that stuff, because we're not saying the same things over and over and add language regarding the approved annual joint meeting between city council and Burbank Unified School District, in other words, the Ferguson rule, probably very much needed. Okay, so those are some of the things that they're talking about, and I think it's important because all that really affects you as a member of the public to interact with the city council. And, yeah, you're not going to go up there for 99% of the things, but there might be that one thing that's important and your neighbors all show up and you want to go there and you want to be involved and you get shut out in some way. That should never happen. But, on the other hand, do we need to spend three hours talking about a ceasefire or things like that? No, we really don't. So is that important? Yes, it is, but it's nothing that Burbank City Council has control over. Let's remember what we can control and what we can't control, because that right now is probably the most important thing. Okay, so let's see here when do we go, what else we got going on here Wednesday Wednesday, the Board of Library Trustees is going to meet at 530 at the Central Library.
Speaker 2:We're going to have a library services update. Of course they will, and they're going to talk about the Media Industry Expo and Job Fair update, so that was a great thing. And of course, they're going to talk about library safety update. And after that little thing about you know about people not feeling safe in the library, I know our city manager, justin Hess, got on that right away, implemented a lot of changes immediately, got the cameras working. Haven't heard a lot of problems lately on the radio, so I think it's probably working. Also, be a friend of the library update, so that's a very good thing also. Okay, also on Wednesday. Now here's something for you that is always a good thing, and that's going to be the Chandler bike path. Wait, what Bike path? Wait a second the Chandler bike path. You know what that noise means. It can only mean one thing, that is, we know once again have our word of the week, so tell them, josh what can they win?
Speaker 3:would you like a chance to win one of these nifty hill street cafe $25 gift cards? You can enter for free, but you must be a subscriber to the MyBurbank channel, which is also free. Now that you have heard the word of the week, just send an email with the word in the subject line to contest at myburbankcom and make sure to include your address so if you win, we can send you your $25 gift card. Now back to the show.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you, josh, and please make sure you enter so you can get that gift card and get a great meal at Hill Street Cafe, okay. So, anyhow, the Chandler bike path. I had to do that, didn't I? Okay, they're going to celebrate their 20th anniversary and it's on Wednesday, and there's going to be a ceremony at the. Let me see here, there we go. We're going to have a ceremony, um and get the graphic up there for you guys At the corner of Chandler and Pass, and there's going to be lots of activities. There'll be city officials there. Um starts at 6.15. According to the flyer here, it says snacks, fun and trivia quiz, active transportation info, bike parking. So it's something that is from 6 to 8 pm and 20 years 20 years since that bike path was put in. I don't remember it was a railroad tracks and I think Central Pacific still owns that land and we lease it or we get it to use. But 20 years, that is a long time. So congratulations to everybody involved in that. It's been a great thing. I think we're going to have to start looking at down the line. How do we start regulating electric bicycles on there, because they're going faster and faster and now kids have them. Of course, there's no laws in Burbank about riding bicycles on sidewalks, so I think it's something that we need to address and, you know, as technology keeps changing, it's just, you know, things that we have to also to look at also. So make sure you get over to the bike path, have a great time over there, and let's see here, let's move on.
Speaker 2:On Thursday, the school board is going to meet at 6 pm at City Hall. Now here was something I found a little bit interesting and here I'm going to put it on the screen for you. Steve Ferguson sent his letter of resignation at the last meeting and they put out a statement. The school board put out a statement that said you know, regarding Mr. They said a statement regarding Mr Ferguson's resignation. Mr Ferguson tendered his resignation effective Thursday August 1st. As Mr Ferguson tendered his resignation effective Thursday August 1st. As Mr Ferguson chose to resign unless the form must remain in his term, the board is unable to appoint a representative for Area 1 due to legal restrictions. However, please rest assured that we, as board members, serve at large. Everyone in our BSD committee will continue to be fully represented, as always. Yeah, okay, y'all serve at large now, but you're all going to serve at large in three more months.
Speaker 2:So I don't know. You've decided to go to districts. So who's districts right now? And I hope we're going to be running for it and we'll know more down the line.
Speaker 2:Once again, they have not released much information about their election process, even the map of what their districts are. They caved in to the threat letter that the city of Burbank did not cave into and now they're going to have to pay for those results. So I don't know, I think that's going to be a mess and it's something that we need to. I think we need to rectify and I really would like to see the board go back to a general election process again Because, believe it or not, two-fifths of Burbank will not be able to vote for one person on the school board this election cycle. Two-fifths of Burbank there's three seats up two-fifths do not get to vote next election. Three-fifths will not get to vote. So I think this stuff works in big cities, but not in a small city like Burbank. Now you're going to represent 20,000 people instead of 100,000 people. You know we're talking about what? 45,000 registered voters. I mean. I think it's all kind of crazy. I think it's all kind of crazy.
Speaker 2:The board is also going to have an approval of a request to name a bench in honor of Karen Lombardo and that's at Brent Hart School. I know the people there have been raising money for a bench and it's something that is very important for them. It's part of the healing process and she was there for a long time and I'm sure that there will be. She had a lot of students who will always remember her. It would be nice to have that bench there in her honor with a nice little plaque next to it and people can go there once in a while and maybe say hi to her in a way. I'll sit down and say hi to her at her bench. Um, anyhow, very sad situation last year. We feel bad. Feel bad for her son, who maybe did not know really what he was doing. So that's, that's still in the court system. I do not think he's really been arranged yet and we'll keep you involved as that's going on.
Speaker 2:A lot of you people are wondering about the media district plan. They're going to have a Zoom meeting for the media district specific plan easy for me to say at 6 pm, and that's workshop number eight. This is the eighth time they've done something to get people involved in the plan. A lot of people are very concerned about it. Developers are already taking advantage of the fact there's no plan in place, with some restrictions, so we will see how that goes Sunday this weekend. On Sunday, here we go From 9 to 12 pm. I think we have a. There we go Sunday from August 18th from 9 am to noon.
Speaker 2:The Park and Recreation Department, in collaboration with Coach Jeff Russell, united Fencing Academy and Swordplay LA, invites you and your family, your friends and the community to come take part in welcoming wheelchair fencing to the city of Burbank. It's an event that opens to the public and takes place at the McCambridge Recreation Center. Now, how neat is that? We've been doing a lot of stuff at McCambridge for our wheelchair-bound population and basketball and soccer and a lot of activities for the blind, and Burbank's taking a lead on a lot of that stuff. And how neat is that? So that's this Sunday. Yeah, this is coming Sunday to McCambridge Park, so stop by and take a look at it, see what you think.
Speaker 2:And now we move on to, last but not least, craig's comment. Okay, and my comment number one. I appreciate everybody if you've gotten this far in the show and listened to my voice for this long congratulations. I appreciate it. My berating team appreciates it. But here's my comment, which you know kind of in my craw right now.
Speaker 2:I'm noticing that we're getting a lot of endorsements already for candidates. Teachers, associations, police associations, all associations are endorsing candidates. That's great. I think you shouldn't endorse candidates. I have no problem with candidates being endorsed, but I do have a problem with candidates being endorsed before the process is over of filing your papers. If people file papers after you've endorsed somebody and all of a sudden a much better candidate has filed the papers and now running Well, you're taking endorsement back from somebody and giving it to somebody else. Why are we in a hurry to give endorsements out? Why are you giving it out so soon? Why not wait a while? Why not wait until you know two, three weeks before the ballots are mailed out? I just don't understand how we can be interviewing candidates and endorsing before the pack of candidates is even announced. So that makes no sense to me. I think that we really need to look at that process and to me endorsements really don't mean a whole lot.
Speaker 2:To start with, now, meyer Brubank does not endorse city council or school board candidates, and I'm going to tell you why. We've had a lot of requests. You know, oh, could you please give us an endorsement and everything else, and some are by incumbents and some are by just people we know and we've got to tell them no. And here's the reason why there are candidates out there who we just don't know. And to me, to give an endorsement, I need to see a track record. If you've never held a public office before, then in my opinion, I want to see what you do once you get there. Here are a couple examples for you Nick Schultz, nicky Perez.
Speaker 2:Honestly, I did not know either one of them. Before the elections came along, I didn't know much about them. We did our MyBurnBank questions and I read their answers. I was very impressed with their answers. Still doesn't tell me enough about them, though. You know about their character and things like that. You can't ask character questions. I can't go and look at their. You know all that type of stuff. And both of them come to the city council undone outstanding work.
Speaker 2:Now, we may not have endorsed them before and because we didn't know who they were, and even, like I say, with a questioning process, you know somebody can be on their best behavior at that moment. I want to see how they react. You know, as a coach, I want to see how somebody reacts to the game. I want to see how somebody reacts to failure. You know, when you're in baseball, if you're up there and you hit an home run, you're jumping up and down. Life is great. But you go up there and you strike out with two on two on, with a game in the line, what's your reaction going to be? You make a big error. What's your reaction going to be? So I want to see the reactions when things get a little dicey in the meetings.
Speaker 2:Now I don't mind endorsing Assembly, state, senate, congress, things like that, because those are candidates that only have a proven record in meetings every year. So those are endorsers we don't mind giving out. But City Council, school Board number one, those are really not professional politicians. They're community members. You know running and hopefully they want to make a difference and do good. We've found in the past some have personal agendas. Just lots of school board members have a lot of personal agendas. Member had a lot of personal agendas.
Speaker 2:Quitting before your term is over Unacceptable, unacceptable. You can quit a job, I get it, but you know, wanting to run for an office, having people support you and then quitting on them Not acceptable. So, but he had three or four months left to go. Steve Ferguson could have held out for three or four more months, but he already missed seven meetings within a year. So he checked out, missed the graduations Wow, you gotta be kidding me. Anyhow, we don't endorse school board, we don't endorse city council, and that's the reasons why You'll find there's a lot of good kiddie out there. Hopefully these candidates will go out of the neighborhoods, knock on doors, talk to them, ask them the questions. You want the answers for my brink will also do a question and answer period or section on both school board and city council races, and we'll see if the counties choose to answer the question or not. Hopefully they will. We've never had a situation where they have not answered the questions and we try to ask the questions that are important.
Speaker 2:Nowadays, you know one of the issues, not just you know what's your favorite color.
Speaker 2:Nobody cares. What we do care about is you know your future plans, what you see happening, how you would, you know, do things and making sure there's no personal agendas. So that's kind of it. As far as you know, that goes, but I just don't understand how all these organizations give out endorsements before the candidate field has been set. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It's like you know, these are all shallow endorsements as far as I'm concerned and I just wonder is somebody being you know? Is it a favor? I hope not, but you never know. Anyhow, that's it, that's all. I got another edition of the week that was and the week that will be, and we appreciate you listening and please once again give the video a like. Please subscribe to the channel and think about a membership. We're going to have some really neat things on memberships coming up and some little perks and freebies for you, so it really helps support us if you do that. Okay, anyhow, that's it. Thanks a lot for watching and we'll see you again next week.
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