myBurbank Talks
myBurbank Talks
Ask the Mayor with Nikki Perez - March 2025
Mayor Nikki Perez brings a uniquely personal perspective to Burbank governance as both a lifelong resident and the city's first pregnant mayor. Her deep roots in the community—from attending Roosevelt Elementary to graduating from Burroughs High School—fuel her passionate approach to civic leadership, where she's equally comfortable signing autographs for elementary students and tackling complex policy issues at council meetings.
Burbank's transportation landscape is evolving rapidly, particularly regarding electric bikes and scooters. Perez addresses safety concerns head-on, particularly for younger riders, while emphasizing the need for comprehensive education alongside regulations. Her nuanced understanding of these challenges reflects a commitment to both innovation and public safety, urging parents to consult local bike shops rather than simply ordering online without guidance.
The Starlight Bowl represents both Burbank's storied past and promising future. Following significant storm damage, Perez details plans for a complete revitalization rather than mere repairs, with funding already secured in previous budgeting. Her vision extends beyond infrastructure to the venue's programming, suggesting future entertainment options that better reflect the city's status as a media capital while creating meaningful community gathering spaces.
As Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympics, Burbank is strategically positioning itself to host Paralympic athletes and events—leveraging the city's exceptional adaptive sports facilities rather than competing for general Olympic activities. This innovative approach demonstrates Perez's talent for identifying Burbank's unique strengths and opportunities on the regional stage.
Throughout our conversation, Perez balances fiscal responsibility with quality-of-life initiatives, emphasizing the importance of community events like Holiday in the Park that bring residents together across neighborhood boundaries. Her administration has created a community grant program specifically to support local organizations developing these crucial gathering opportunities.
Whether you're a longtime Burbank resident or new to our city, Mayor Perez invites your participation in shaping Burbank's future. Connect with City Hall, attend council meetings, or simply enjoy the many community events that make our city special. Together, we're building a Burbank that honors its past while embracing exciting new opportunities.
My Burbank Talks presents another edition of Ask the Mayor a monthly forum giving the Mayor of Burbank an opportunity to answer questions from you, the listener, and address issues important to the City of Burbank. Now let's join our hosts as they welcome the Mayor of Burbank. Hello Burbank, craig Short here once again, and it's another month of me with our Mayor of Burbank. So we have Nikki Perez with us, who's our mayor, to do our second show now. She's a very busy person, and not only a busy person, but she's also a very busy pregnant person. So, number one, congratulations on the pregnancy.
Speaker 2:Thank you, craig. Don't you have a sound effect for that? A baby crying, crying baby, a baby move, or something? Yeah, you have a sound effect for that A baby crying, crying baby, moo, or something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'll go just for that. We also have with us, of course, Ross Benson.
Speaker 2:Howdy, as I say tally ho, let's go. We got a show to go, absolutely.
Speaker 1:So another one of the. You've been a very busy person. Now we listened to you the other night at the council meeting and you reported out on two weeks. Literally took you 10 minutes to talk about all the things you've done in the last two weeks. How the heck are you getting it all fit in? Besides, you know being pregnant, you know a little bit of a thing, and then you got a job and everything. How do you get all that stuff in? I mean, is it just a grind every day? I mean, you wake up once in a while and say, oh boy, here goes another 14 hour day.
Speaker 3:You know, craig my dad has a saying if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. And although that is somewhat true, because I am tired at the end of the day and my feet hurt sometimes, but I love being out there A lot of the events I talked about and went down the list, each one of those, especially the ones being at the schools with our kids oh, that's priceless. That's irreplaceable. So I'm trying to soak up every minute of being the mayor and getting to do all of this and getting to talk to kids who are excited that I went to school there, getting to talk to kids who are excited that I went to school there, getting to talk to families, getting to talk to our Crest workers and telling them that I was in the Crest program. I'm just hoping that everything I'm doing out there in the community will inspire some of them to go into government. So I don't know that gets me excited. You can even tell right now I'm excited.
Speaker 2:Well, you know you said I remember you going down the list. You were at an elementary school where the kids wanted your autograph. I love that one.
Speaker 3:That was my elementary school. I went to Roosevelt. Oh, you did. Yeah, you were a Roosevelt kid. I was a rough rider.
Speaker 2:You went to Burroughs, where you graduated.
Speaker 1:You just did a mayor's show there too, didn't you? Yeah, you just did a mayor's show there too, didn't you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you all can look out for that. In the next few weeks We'll have a mayor's show out there.
Speaker 2:I can't wait because I want to hear you play. Was it the flute? French horn, french horn, that's right, that's right. But the campus when you graduated is prior to it being rebuilt, right? Or is it the current campus that you were at?
Speaker 3:No, actually it's the current campus that you were at. No, actually it's the current campus. The couple things that are different is the gym has changed a little bit. They've done some repainting in there um, a lot of repainting actually. The pool because I was also in swim has new murals and everything. But my class I'm class of 2012. We were the first class to graduate on the new Memorial.
Speaker 2:Field Second. I graduated out there when it used to be good.
Speaker 1:I remember my graduation. I think it was like 125 degrees out there too. That day it was just 5 o'clock. It was hot, though.
Speaker 3:Did you guys have the indents yet? Because that field was in such a shape by the time my senior year came around.
Speaker 1:It was never in good shape. By the third football game they had weather.
Speaker 2:The grass was gone for the rest of the football season In 1974, we had their Tom Tuncliffe who was a big real estate person. His kid was a quarterback and he had to play. Well, it had rained for three days prior to the big Burbank Burles game. He landed a helicopter on the field to get the water dispersed on the field so they could play the game, and it was a mud bowl, I remember. But that was back, that field was in, or you would sit up in the stands, as you probably remember, and get splinters guaranteed up in those stands. Those wooden seats were no fun.
Speaker 3:That was the only time I was thankful for the marching band gloves that you have to wear because that way I didn't get any splinters. But we had a running joke Cheer us and football had a running joke about the 50-yard line. You knew you had hit it because that's when you tripped into the pothole. So I'm glad to see the new field for them.
Speaker 2:Right now they're all making use of it yeah, they are, and we, we cover a ton of stuff out there. But you had, you went to elementary school. You went to burroughs, you were. You went to washington, you did a couple of ribbon cutting, you did. I mean, your calendar is like slammed and you still have energy, thank goodness. Last night's council meeting only went a couple hours instead of went to two, three in the morning.
Speaker 3:We realized two agenda items was a pretty good number and also I think we're being cognizant of it. You know I have a number system on there where I can see like okay, it's 810. We should probably move on to the next item. Catherine Labrado, who works in the city manager's office, has a pretty good pulse for that and our city clerk is now helping the rest of my colleagues out?
Speaker 2:Did she have one of the cue cards that she was holding up with time?
Speaker 1:limit. Yeah Well, I see it. Chris Rosi does not talk much either. You're constantly asking. He always has a lot to say, but Chris is very brief in his comments usually.
Speaker 2:Now you want to, can we? Can I date Craig and I Go for it. Catherine Labrado's dad, dan Labrado, was worked in our Parks and Rec department. We've worked under him when we started a program called neighborhood radio watch late, late 70s, yeah late 40, 50 years ago. So I know her dad, but she's been. She came from parks and she, yeah, she moved she had a.
Speaker 1:Let's not forget, chris was actually played baseball for me at burroughs yeah you know light fielder, so you got've got history. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, it really shows. And you said the kids are questioned, they're just, they're in current events and they're interested in our city politics.
Speaker 3:Listen, it doesn't matter if those kids are 8 or 18. They are asking questions like what do you think about inflation? Yeah, and you know I got that from a third grade class. Wow, they're paying attention. Wow, they are paying attention. But it was really nice for me because it gave me an opportunity to kind of talk to them about the role of our city when it comes to economics, inflation, the role of the federal government, state, and you can see their wheels turning.
Speaker 1:So I'm like, if they're learning this, this now, by the time they're my age they'll be in congress. I know that, um, when you were at burbank high recently, you know, for our, our fundraising for altadena, um, I was in the united states court and we meet my team and they were like afterwards they're saying, do you really know her? Is she's really the mayor? I go, yeah, that's it. I wanted you guys to see who your mayor was. Yeah, because, you know, put a face to it, let's see how. She's not some distant person you just hear about. You know, she's a. She's a real person who is a good person.
Speaker 2:So grew up here in burbank, like you're doing, going to our local schools. That's the best part. You know this city and we've talked about it before and I think previous show that you know Burbank as good as anybody. You know all the nicks and crannies, as they say, are all the good restaurants. You know and you're staying here. You know, which is kind of nice. But you know, I realize that when you guys talk about some of these things, these kids nowadays, it's just amazing what they're learning and the questions they're asking. And we've had a couple of kids get up at council to speak. Yeah, yes, and they're darn good. Yeah, I love seeing that.
Speaker 3:I wish I could speak like some of them. They're so well prepared.
Speaker 1:That podium is intimidating. I don't care what it is, I don't care how well you know the council. It's still an intimidating place to be.
Speaker 3:It is. You know, it's interesting. I've had friends on that council for a very long time and going up to it myself when I was a chair of the library board, I was like, oh, it's in front of people I know, I've had coffee with all of them and you're still like oh wow, this is an intimidating dynamic, but you also want to respect the process and the facility and all that.
Speaker 1:It's part of respect.
Speaker 2:You know it should be a little bit intimidating because it's an important thing, you know Well you just said the word respect and Craig, and I remember there, the chamber, there should be some decorum. Yes, and it's unfortunate that currently I I listened to some people that get up to speak to you and the council and they just, I get it, they're not happy, but I'll tell you it sure shows how they were raised, you know, and it's unfortunate because here in Burbank things are a little different.
Speaker 3:Folks realize where you are, you know, and the only thing I would say to that, ross, is I think the five of us have done a really great job of maintaining that decorum and showing the community how it doesn't matter where you come from, what background, because we're all incredibly different each one from the other, and we can maintain the decorum. So all we can ask is that the residents who come up there also maintain it, not not for us, but for their fellow residents. If you're heckling, somebody can't hear their name called. If you're arguing, the mom who's waiting for her turn and has child care at home can't get to speak in time and can't go home in time. You know the folks watching at home. That's an interruption for them. So it's just thinking about each of us as fellow neighbors and the things that people bring up.
Speaker 2:Some of the things recently have nothing to do with our community and it's just what we voted on nuclear war, I think they brought that up. Yeah, All these different things. Folks realize where you live in. We're not LA, we are a city of our own, you know we have all our own.
Speaker 1:They also brought the thing with Palestine, and you know.
Speaker 3:I don't think I listened to what you said.
Speaker 2:Was it.
Speaker 3:I was covering for Nick that night, so that was my first council meeting. At the run I got trial by fire.
Speaker 1:That's right. He was in Washington on Zoom, wasn't he? No, he was not there at all Okay.
Speaker 3:Oh, he was on vacation for that one.
Speaker 2:And if you really purposely on vacation, but if you realize with city staff that are sitting there, which normally people watching can't see unless you're there. They know what's going on pretty well and so if you need to punt to them, you know you're going to get. You know when fred ramirez gets up, you know, and it always gets me. They it doesn't matter if they've gotten up three times or four times. They always give their name, their titles, and I guess is that I've never learned. I didn't know. Maybe that's how they're taught, but everyone always gets it on the record. It could be for the record. Yeah, it's for the record, and I guess is that I've never learned. I didn't know. Maybe that's how they're taught, but everyone always gets it on the record.
Speaker 3:I could be for the record. Yeah, it's for the record. So they have to state their name, their title, their department and they're all very well versed, very professional about it. And what amazes me is they're ready to go. I see them when a question is asked. They know, oh, that's going to be me, I'm ready to get up and that's really good with your staff. I think the worst thing would be looking at the crowd and seeing them be like do you know? Do you know? And we never have that. That's amazing on most people don't understand the.
Speaker 2:You know they look at politics of other cities. Justin runs our city and you guys turn to him and our city attorney you know very well. And in other cities people don't understand what the mayor's function versus the council and so forth. And I find just locally, you know we run a tight ship. You know you listen to our financials, our departments.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay. Well, how about let's get into a question here? All right, let's talk about. One of your agenda items that you brought up was electric bikes and scooters and all that stuff.
Speaker 1:I listened to reports and probably got more confused in the long run, because there's so many types of electric bikes and pedal assist and everything else and it's funny, the scooters are not allowed on sidewalks but the bikes are, and there's just so many different aspects to that entire conversation and I think the direction to come back with some kind of a, you know, a framework for what you can ride and where you can ride. The thing I find distressing is when parents are buying these electric bikes that go 25 miles an hour for their kids who are like 14, 15 years old, because they don't want to have to drive around or now, oh, just get on your bike and go where you need to go now. But to me I just don't think that's safe to have. You know, I think you should at least be 16 to have to have an electric bike, like the only day we had mopeds and he had me 16.
Speaker 3:but I I don't think that's a good parenting decision so here's the thing craig on on those and I gotta say this for the benefit of our public, and I even corrected this on one of our, our mayor's minute things we got to be really clear about what we're talking about because there's so many categories right, there's electric bikes and scooters, there's motor bikes and scooters, and then there's motor vehicles or motor. Uh, you know, they don't have a category and those are those mini kind of dirt bike looking things that unfortunately we do have parents buying and if you're a parent and you're listening, please do not buy this for your child. It is essentially likened to a motorcycle, but it can't be categorized as a motorcycle under California state law because it doesn't fit certain criteria. So I would say the manufacturers found a loophole, but the scary part is those are absolutely illegal on the road. They don't fall under any vehicle category, not bike, not car, not motorcycle but they have a motor.
Speaker 3:And what we see is sometimes parents may be wanting to please their children or, not knowing exactly what they're buying, are purchasing these and we're seeing a lot of issues in the hillside on our hiking trip. That, for us, is scary. It's an accident waiting to happen and PD has been on top of it. But it is hard to you know, adjudicate and catch folks, because it's one of these things that as soon as you catch one and confiscate it, another family has bought one for another kid or they buy them it's funny, you know we have a big hospital here, st joe's.
Speaker 2:you talk to any er doctor, nurse and they always say one of the things they'll never do is buy a bike, a motorized device for their kid. It's that, or it's like driving in a car with your feet on the dashboard. Those accidents come in but people don't realize these kids are getting scooped up. Yesterday I heard Glendale had one that was a motor scooter or motorbike versus a car. They airlifted the kid to county. I'm sorry You're talking tons of bills in medical, you know, and these kids are riding them six apart, usually six across. They're not using their head. You know when they see a police officer they'll do it a lot differently.
Speaker 1:but boy Well, what I'm concerned about, if anything, I would be scared to ride a bike because in the old days when I used to ride right you know, and I'd ride up to downtown and of course the yellow bridge would scare the heck out of me because the sidewalk was so narrow, the railing so low, but that's a whole nother story but you could ride down, you know, with traffic, and you always felt kind of safe, okay. But now that everybody's got a phone and they're all looking at their phones while they're driving and they drift, and I think that's where a lot of our accidents are happening now with bicycles, because people are looking down and they're distracted or not paying attention to what's in front of them and they drift over accidentally and nail a bicycle rider. So I'd be scared to ride on any street. Now that's not protected.
Speaker 2:Well, if you recall, I had a rider, I'd be scared to ride on any street. Now that's not protected. If you recall, I had a motorcycle. I had a Goldwing, a Honda Goldwing probably one of the biggest bikes out there. It had fairing on it, it had tons of protection. But when I used to drive, either on the freeway or saw people shaving smoking, once I saw a lady putting on her pantyhose and that's when I said you know what they're putting on her pantyhose? And that's when I said you know what I sold the bike. You know, I have family that would like to see me around. It's just the distracted driver, as they call it, either playing with your stereo, and now they have these so you can watch the movies in your car.
Speaker 3:It's just, yeah, not safe folks. And what I would say to that too is I and I think last night and if you didn't get a chance to watch that portion of the meeting, um, our, our detective was phenomenal at explaining that- john fulmer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, lieutenant fulmer. He well, that's the third time I've seen it, because we watched. I said detective lieutenant, he did he was so horrible at that.
Speaker 3:He's changing jobs too, while he's at it, so he did I keep saying Captain Cornelius, and there I got the name wrong and the title. He's Deputy Chief Cornelius, not Cornelius.
Speaker 2:But you know again and I will agree in that conversation that you had last night I watched it from the police commission when they talked about it and Zezette was right when it came back Transportation now wants to get involved in it. It's weird how the different you know are going to do. But I agree, technology is changing very fast and around town.
Speaker 3:We need to keep up on those laws and I will say it was a little messy there because, although she was right that the commission had asked for it, that was my agenda item and the reality and when I talked to justin about this, the reason the transportation commission was confused is because the agenda item itself should not have gone before any commission.
Speaker 3:That was admitted by Jess and a mistake on the city manager's part, because a first step does not go to our commissions for the reason that there's no real meat to it. The council hasn't even decided whether they want to do a deep dive. Once we decide either, well, we're going to note and file this, there's no point to send it to them. Or if we say, well, we're going to note and file this, there's no point to send it to them. Or if we say, no, we'd like this to move forward, we'd like some information, we'd like an ordinance for consideration. Then it can go to the appropriate committees. Lack of foresight on his part because it went as an agenda item to the police commission, although it should have been just an information piece.
Speaker 2:They have their resident expert that has ridden these bikes in Aswan. Well, that leads me to another question right there, madam Mayor. Is Craig and I, you know the commissions that we can see, because a lot of them they're not recorded, they're not televised? Some of these commissions are going down rat holes, literally. You know they're talking about stuff and getting deeper into it. Police commission was one. The police commission brought up I'm trying to think what it was. Oh, the, what's it called? Domestic violence and a whole thing about that. And they have each commission members calling different organizations about using something. Folks, why are we recreating the wheel? You know, and that was one. There's another commission, I understand, the Sustainable, what's it called? The Little Beret Commission. Yeah, they're pretty powerful and when they want to move stuff forward it gets forward.
Speaker 1:But we have other commissions that don't get me started on that, because you know where I'm going to go with that. You know where my pet peeve is on that, I do.
Speaker 2:But it's kind of true. They're talking about stuff. Your meetings can be a lot shorter. They answer to you guys. They don't make decision policies. They all need to realize and be reminded you guys are not council. You might sit at the dais to have your meeting, but that's about where your power stops. Everything goes to you or to the council.
Speaker 3:And I think you know, on our part as a city and I think all of us on council have called for this better, better training, and I can say this as somebody who served as a commissioner. I didn't really know what I was getting into until I was there. I wasn't sure if being on library board meant I was going to look at library policy 24-7 and send recommendations to council, which wasn't entirely the role right All the books.
Speaker 3:Exactly. You don't really get a good, I think, explanation until you're there and doing it and it's a little bit of trial by error which, on council, I would say the inverse. We get a really comprehensive explanation of what we're going to be doing on the dais and I think a of our commissioners, um, have a lot of ideas and once we tell them, well, this is kind of the avenue to do it, they're very much more amenable to that. It's just they don't maybe know. And also, you've ever seen the brown act boy talk about something that's clear as mud for folks well, it's gotten a lot with the good old Brown Act.
Speaker 2:But I remember and that's the public doesn't understand, right, committee members can't talk to one another, commissioners can't. It's real limited on who you can talk to and how that word gets around. But again, I find some of the commission members. It's kind of like. I read every application. When you guys decide to put somebody on a board, that's what I do in the middle of night. I read everybody's. You know some of those resumes are, are presidential material, right? Some of these people are doctors, you know, and they're they're way over for what you're going to be doing for the city of Burbank.
Speaker 3:And it's interesting because there's there's ways, right. One of the things I and we discussed this a little bit during our meeting on the boards and commissions. I actually don't mind that we had the transportation folks come to us last and be like we want this in front of us. To their credit, both of the folks who came forward they ride e-bikes. They ride bikes. They're crazy about them. I learned through our staff report things like the fact that actually the two legal electric bikes go 20 miles per hour. It's the third classifications from. They already know that, they know the ins and outs of that.
Speaker 3:I would actually love to get feedback from them whether I'm going to agree with it, whether I'm going to make the decision on it. That's, that's where it's up to us as counsel. But a lot of these folks are, like you shared a very well versed. I mean, we've had PhDs on sustainability. Yeah, that I thank God we have them because I'm not a PhD in environmental engineering, right, and so getting the info from them is helpful and I will say I welcome the pushback sometimes. Sometimes they send in letters saying we actually disagree with your decision based on this, this and this.
Speaker 2:That's usually the sustainability commission, isn't it?
Speaker 3:And you know what? I'm their liaison, I think that's along with our vice mayor, with Tamla Takahashi, and we sit there and we just let them talk because we agree with them. You know, doing their own process. The only time we would ever chime in is if they say you know well what has council said on this, and it's just a point of information, council has done this. Our job is to be very neutral there, and so if they then want to send a letter to council saying they disagree with something we've done, absolutely they're prerogative their first amendment right to do. And then it's up to us to decide if we say, hey, listen, there's something to this, or if we say we know why we made our decision, thanks for your input, and that's their advisory role.
Speaker 1:It's part of the process, which is what we need to have is a you know we're able to listen to everybody and then make a decision one of the suggestions I will say I made and I I during our boards and commissions meeting.
Speaker 3:I said this and it was taken into the the minutes and the motion is one thing that's helped steer sustainability. I think going back to the commission because, like you said, I don't know power is the right word. I think they have a lot of scope, because you can argue that sustainability is everything, but then that also becomes kind of a murky process, like then what is your responsibility? What do you do? And so one thing that has really worked for them is their staff lays on Ken, who came in and was like okay, I'm new to this, but what I'm seeing is we need orientation here. They created a set of goals and now they're going off of those goals, so they have a lot more of a goal-oriented and focused mindset.
Speaker 3:These are the 10 things we're focusing on. Anything that comes outside of that may be discussed, but there's always at least one of them that says, well, that's not one of our priorities may be discussed, but there's always at least one of them that says, well, that's not one of our priorities. Let's go back to our priorities and I suggest that every commission set up their goal, so that they can tell us these are our priorities, this is what we want to talk about, and that helps staff to know okay, this is coming up to council, or this commission is probably going to tell council this and that we were all working more effectively together, because a lot of these commissions could go like nine ways.
Speaker 2:I do feel sorry for some of our city department heads that are staffers and because when you're working with a group of citizens, they're probably getting thrown all sorts of stuff. It's kind of like a video meeting people yes, very well-meaning, and some of them are very you know sharp. That's very well-meaning and some of them are very you know sharp and I think, like you said, maybe, like you said, a guideline when people apply for the job you know, or apply for the commission, they need to know what that commission really does. And is this a commission? You just want to get on a commission or do you have some input or some background that will help you? Yeah, um, we need to move on here, okay, well, no, there's one other thing. Go ahead. I'm gonna tell you right now. You're not allowed to ride an e-bike or anything with two wheels, at least for the next four months oh, absolutely not for the next six months I uh, yeah, no, absolutely not.
Speaker 3:I'm not getting on anything with wheels.
Speaker 3:That is an main vehicle at this point, unless they have training wheels yeah, and I will just say this for folks we are creating, uh, not only coming back with policies and regulations on all of these types of devices, but one thing that was really important to counsel, especially after receiving the presentation, realizing wow, there's a lot of misinformation, there's a lot of things we don't know. Why would we expect our community to know? It's the education on what is an electric bike, what is an electric scooter, what are the categories. And if you're a parent right now listening to this, thinking what do I do, I would encourage you actually to go to one of our local. In the meantime, before we get this education campaign going, go to one of our local bike shops. The gentleman from Stoltz Bikes called in last night. They know their stuff. If you are like my 16 year old wants an electric bike, what do I do? Talk to these folks.
Speaker 2:They're more than happy to tell you don't mean to interrupt you, but maybe go to one or two. We have a whole mess of great. Don't just go online, yeah, and order from what's that big company? Or amazon, oh yeah, that's right. Um, you know, and that they don't give you, you know? Know you get a pamphlet. Yeah, you don't learn from doing it. And then let your kid go out and go to the end of the block and crash.
Speaker 3:We have a lot of interested bike folks, bike groups in Burbank, and everybody in them is more than willing to talk and tell you. I know when, when I talked to them, they were like, well, this is what you'd like for your own kid as a starter bike. Because I was sitting up there thinking, oh my gosh, as a parent, do I want my child on any bike at this point? But the reality is kids are going to want to be on a bike. There's ways to shop around for the safest bike and these classifications. If you go to somebody locally here who can tell you about them, they'll explain it to you. They'll explain what not to get and they'll also know what's legal and not legal on our streets. And if you're listening and this goes out to the guy who zipped by me today while I was taking a walk down the street scooters, e-scooters are not allowed in the city of Burbank on our sidewalks, so please, get off the sidewalk.
Speaker 2:I think that was the biggest thing that everybody took from it. I don't think any of us have never walked down a sidewalk or somewhere that yeah as a kid flies by is drive down cliborne, any of the border streets of burbank.
Speaker 1:you see all these scooters left there because as soon as you get to burbank their geo shuts them off and people and people are stuck. You see them all over Clivemore and everything it's pretty funny.
Speaker 2:But I remember that council meeting when they were talking. I remember David Kriski up there. I think he lost a little hair then when they were talking about those scooters coming into town and now he has a pretty good agreement with all those scooter companies that you know you're not coming into Burbank. You remember that council meeting? It went for hours, oh yeah. And then we were worried about seeing street corners, like you do in North Hollywood and LA. There's 20 of them piled up. Well, we haven't seen that yet.
Speaker 1:Drive down to Clyburn. Right here You'll see 304. But on the west side yes, okay, burbank side I want to move on to solar a little bit. Solar power for houses.
Speaker 1:I was thinking about going solar and then you guys came up with new guidelines and it seemed to me to be a lot less incentive than it was before. I also know that we own our own power company, so is it in our best interest to stop selling power? If everybody starts going solar, then what do we do with our power company? So to me it's a slippery slope. To a point we have the benefits of our own power, but on the other hand, if everybody's not using it, what's going to happen? I was very confused, in all honesty. I watched the whole thing because, like I said, I was very interested in going to solar. I'm not now because it sounded like all the incentives are gone and it didn't sound like the city really is pushing it. Plus, there's no incentives from the city to go. We get a new washing machine or a new window, we get all kinds of rebates. You go solar? No, there ain't nothing for you. So just to try and throw it out there, what? What was the thinking about?
Speaker 3:this whole thing. So it and solar is, you know, bless mandeep and the folks at bwp, because it's it's hard out there. Solar is one of those markets we relate to the game to solar as a city and in some ways I can't blame us because it is not a lucrative thing and what we tell people is remember, burbank Water and Power is a publicly owned utility. All of us in this room are part shareholders in Burbank Water and Power, the entire city is, and so they're not in it for a profit ever. And when you have something like solar at the rates we were at before, it was unattainable, it was untenable for us. It was we were losing money and essentially our other rate payers were subsidizing the solar customers. So that gets really hard too, because we also have very strict federal regulations that say you can't do that. You can't have one class of rate payers that's essentially being subsidized by the rest of people and that's kind of, I think, the most common man's way.
Speaker 3:I can explain it because that's how I ended up. You know understanding it, because reading the thing too and talking about wattage and talking about you, know this percentage and you know why we're lost, craig, it's because it's like the stock market. If you've ever been in the room where our utility buys water and power, it's like being on Wall Street. It's intense and they're playing that game all day so that we can have decent rates. And don't get me started on water, because at least we have good buying power in in the electrical world and we're we're you know we're as much a seller as a buyer. We're, we're good there in the water world. We have no water rights from Absolutely. If folks don't know, ladwp has all the rights to the water rainwater that fell.
Speaker 1:One of our reporters, Lynn Lipinski, actually went on the deal.
Speaker 3:She was sitting right next to me.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, they went together, they went together and Ross and I have taken that trip, also Thanks to Marcia, thanks to her years ago. Thanks to Marcia Ramos Marcia's amazing for shedding that truth. I was in school with both of them. Yeah, people, we don't get our rainwater. All that rain we're getting, it goes to LA, not to Burbank.
Speaker 3:If you ever see me in the community and I have a little bit of a salty face when somebody says, oh, thank God, we needed that rain, I'm like, well, we're not getting the water benefits from it Because of that. We have to be really aggressive as a utility to protect all of the rate payers Right. And so we have just reached solar works in an interesting way. Don't ask me what the exact percentage is, but when you hit a certain tier of solar customers, you can go into that buying tier, which is what we finally hit. And so for our utility, it just made sense to be there and, yeah, it's not as much of a benefit to the solar client. I wouldn't say it's no benefit, it's not as much of a benefit.
Speaker 3:And one of the things I know we got in the weeds with that conversation. But one of the things that uh, constantine and I were calling for was, if it's going to be confusing already, can you at least because the utility had a different schedule for for folks for solar rates than for, uh, regular electrical rates? We just asked them put them on the same timeline at the very minimum, so folks understand this is when your solar rate goes up and this is when your electrical rate goes, so that it wasn't like oh well, I have to pay attention to when electrical rates go up in July, but then I have to pay attention in September when solar goes up.
Speaker 1:It just gets messier, there was one statement made by a speaker that said when the power goes out in Burbank and you're on solar, you lose your power also, and I didn't know that. I thought that your solar would then just take over. And let's say there's an earthquake or something, okay, well, I've got solar, I'd still have power. But according to that and not one person talked about that Afterwards I'm going I wonder if that was true. But that was one of one reason I said no, I I really don't want to say if I'm not going to have power because the city loses power, then what's that's the good of having my own power unit and batteries and everything else? What? What good is it then? You know?
Speaker 2:but I will say, the good part about that is magnolia power plant. We have our own people. A lot of people don't realize we don't get power from any outside agency. We create our own. But we sell a lot. We sell a lot, right, uh, thanks to may rest in peace ron davis of his idea of building that and and would prove, you know, I mean we sell a lot of that, you know, and in other cities paying us.
Speaker 3:But if we lose power, if everybody else is down, everybody comes back up because and and we're, you know, again trying to make another another finance reference here but diversify your, your investments, right? So we actually our utility is also looking at different types of of investments in power solar yes, it, it sounds environmental. It's not the only environmental way, right? We're on our eco campus. We're testing that new battery. That battery over the summer can power about 300 homes. So if there's something where we have an issue and power goes down, we have that back. We also have solar, we also have the power plant. So, with all these different types of power streams, that's how we make sure that we're never fully out.
Speaker 1:I'm going to tell you the thing that electric cars, all these things I get it, sustainability and everything else. But what happens in 15 years when all these batteries in the cars they don't work anymore, the batteries in the store, where are we going to do all those batteries? They're going to go to landfills. They're going to go to play. You know we don't have. You know we're going to actually have a problem when it comes to all those used batteries that we have Is that, while the technology is good, it's not where it should be as far as sustainability for the used batteries.
Speaker 2:It's funny you say that because it's kind of like airplanes. I had a job once to photograph old airplanes. There is an airplane mortuary out in Mojave Desert, yeah, in the graveyard. I went out there. I was hired to shoot. There's literally planes out there, or more, and you can go in them. It just blew me away.
Speaker 1:But what happens to old airplanes? When they fly them there and take keys and walk, they can actually use those some of those again because of the way the air is out there right in the desert, and in three or four years they can usually still fire one of some 47s and bring it back or something.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it's well, same thing with our batteries and so forth. How, yeah, but the batteries that's used up.
Speaker 3:It's done yeah, and then here's the thing I agree with you, craig, that we look. Electric cars are actually great if, as a consumer, if you have somewhere to plug them in, if you have the capacity to buy one because they're still low pricey, and if you are going, you know the short distances or are traveling somewhere longer where there's batteries and charge or chargers along the way. So there's a lot of considerations still that a consumer would have to make, and one of the things that, as a utility, we actually brought to DC was we have to think about all of these things with common sense too. I know there's a push in California to push consumers to go towards electric cars. I understand that. I understand that gas is, you know, rough. I still think the state and the federal government, if they want this, should provide more incentives to folks to switch because, yeah, and what happens when it comes to Nebraska?
Speaker 1:How many charging stations are you going to find in some of these states? They don't care about.
Speaker 3:You got to bring in the infrastructure before you're asking. You can't put this on the little guy, you have to put it on the government and on the larger corporations. Let them build that infrastructure, then ask us all to go buy these cars. It puts more faith right. And then the other thing is one of the things we were advocating for is as a utility, we should not be the focus.
Speaker 3:I feel like in many ways we and this is across the nation, many of the government entities, specifically utilities have been told you have to go green first and in many ways I get that. Like are the things we're testing on our eco campus. But what our storm showed us is that, yes, we can have an electric fleet, but we are that utility is the one actual group of people that needs those gas powered vehicles in an emergency. So does fire, so does police, but we need to have those in reserve and we need to think. We need to work smarter, not harder. Right, right.
Speaker 3:And I think as state we should not be focused on oh, let's penalize or let's look at BWP, because they have those like 17 gas powered vehicles, while the entire consumer group of the state of California is not buying electric. Let's look at putting in the infrastructure. Let's put the pieces in so that consumers feel comfortable. Let's find a way to make those cars more affordable, Because I can tell you right now I would love to have an electric car. I can't afford to give up my car right now and switch my car and find somewhere to charge it. It's really hard. So I don't know if that's my soapbox. And let's make it easier for the consumer, please.
Speaker 1:Nuclear power. 40 years ago we had all these nuclear power plants and now we're finding out. Maybe not a good idea back then. Oh, it's clean energy. Nuclear power it's good. Clean energy not going to pollute yeah, but what do you do with those nuclear rods that are all used up where?
Speaker 2:are they going to go? Your point was very good. You have to think of a police fleet fire department that has to have in the south pass, they just go all electric yeah, they're trying, they're testing, you know, but again, when you have to rotate out and charging and all, there's a lot of stuff that I mean.
Speaker 3:And call me crazy, but maybe our emergency systems are not where we should start, right? Yeah, I don't know. Radical idea.
Speaker 2:Well, you want to move on to what you got for us. What about you know we? I think, um, we had brought it up and you were going to do your homework. Um, do you love doing homework? I know, love homework. We're going to talk about to blake that he has to give you a certain amount of time to give you let you do your work. The olympics are coming up. Yeah, you're right down the road. Literally, literally. What are we doing in our city?
Speaker 3:so I'm prepared. I'm glad you asked that, ross, because this also came up. You know we talked about it last time and around the same time I think it was either two days earlier or two days after I was at skag. For folks who don't know, that's the southern california associationments. I'm our representative for Region 42, which is just a numerical, fancy way to say Glendale and Burbank, but I sit on that board and it's really fascinating because they bring regional issues from all across Southern California, and so, of course, the Olympics was one of the first topics we discussed on my time on the California, and so, of course, the Olympics was one of the first topics we discussed on my time on the board, and the representative from the committee talked about all the ways cities can get involved. What are we doing? Sign up here? And, of course, the very interesting idea to make it all this is an idea from the mayor of LA to make it all bus, bus transportation. So essentially, there's not going to be parking at the games.
Speaker 1:we will see how that goes, but on our end, as a city of burbank, yeah, she might go to guam during the olympics and nobody told me we're having the olympics okay, craig, maybe that's the time to take the bike, right, yeah, but the one thing that got me thinking like, where do we sign up?
Speaker 3:What do we do? Our staff, once again, is ahead of the curve. So I had thought like, well, do we have Olympic facilities? How can we get involved? What is our role here? And, of course, staff has already started talking to the airport. We've already started looking at, you know, the hotels for at least that tourist piece. Right, you can make your airport a LA-28 designated airport, which we should be. I think folks who don't live here don't know this, but trust me, if you're listening, you will prefer to fly into Burbank?
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, exactly yeah, and we'll have a brand new replacement terminal, yeah, and that'll have a brand new replacement terminal, yeah, and that's one of the things we're looking at right, that tourist aspect, because I think in many ways Burbank is much better suited for that than even the city of LA. I'm sorry I'm going to toot our own horn here. If you're coming in for the Olympics also, come stay with us, come take the Warner Brothers tour, come look around Burbank, come see some history we have a lot of that nice piece here. We are the media capital and you can get a lot of that in and then take your bus over to LA to watch some Olympic games.
Speaker 2:Well, that and the soccer in there, don't? We have several Olympics, the soccer in there.
Speaker 1:I think our pools are also Olympic-sized pools Verdugo and McCambridge. Well, they're replaced from McCambridge and uh, verdugo and mccambridge.
Speaker 3:They could be well, they're replacing mccamber, is that spur? You know teams and that's one thing we've considered, but I I think what I want to talk about in the bulk is that the city, when I asked them, they said we already have a plan. So the city has already extended offers to the la 28 organizers to host para olympic athletes. If you've been paying attention in burbank, a lot of the ribbon cuttings have been going to his mayor. A lot of the things that we've been talking about are our adaptive sports.
Speaker 3:No city is set up like Burbank in our region for adaptive sports and it's one of the things that and again, I don't mean this in any disrespectful way, but we've seen a lot of talk about the Olympics this in any disrespectful way, but we've seen a lot of talk about the Olympics. City of LA is also responsible for hosting the Paralympics and the scope in that has felt very limited. They haven't created that committee. That's necessary, and so Burbank's on opportunity there saying hey, we're actually a leader in this, let us host the athletes, let us host the training grounds, let us lead.
Speaker 1:We should also point out that the Par paralympics are a week after the olympics end. The next week after they end, that's when the paralympics start, and if you think of that overall, that again crystal ball.
Speaker 2:You know our airport, I mean we have our own, you know, and we will definitely have a ton of new places on board to. You know lease and rent and so, like you said, there's tons of tour things. So, yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 3:And I really like that staff is thinking that way because it's innovative for us. You know, we could be like every other small city that right now is competing to say what do we have that we could host this viewing party or we could do this thing. That is in conjunction. We picked a very specific category and really we're equipped to host a lot of the Paralympic pieces. I mean, hosting athletes is a big deal and we have already applied to say we're qualified to do that, we're qualified to have Paralympic games in our city, and so that's really good for the city of Burbank because it's almost like we're taking ownership of a whole piece of the Olympics I'm just curious with that.
Speaker 2:is that several different departments, or do we have somebody within the city that is kind of spearheading that, or how is that so that? That play putty starting to form.
Speaker 3:That's a good question. It's that's a good question. It's primarily parks and rec, but it's going to be a team effort, right, because transportation has to be involved, because we have to work in. How are folks going to get over here? Um, we'll finally take the burbank bus somewhere you know what, from your words, from your lips to god's ears, craig I get in trouble with that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, I feel, and david kriski still talks to him. Yes, he does. I don't do it, kriski. Well, okay, that brings me up to another one that I see that I'm not sure the windstorms that we had back in January and everything kind of ripped apart our starlight Bowl and we've talked. That's a.
Speaker 1:I kind of brought this up, but to me the Starlight Bowl is a huge embarrassment to Burbank, I think.
Speaker 2:But now it's an opera.
Speaker 1:If you look at last year's lineup, it was all cover bands. You got bands like Foreigner or Supertrade. You got a lot of those old bands that are the cover bands, you know. You got bands like Foreigner or Supertrade. You got a lot of those old bands that are the real bands. You don't need to have a cover band of them and they're playing small venues all throughout Southern California.
Speaker 1:Why are we not even attracting those kind of bands to come to start with? But number two is and this is not on you in any way, but this is on our council for the last 30 years why did we let that facility run down so much that it got that one windstorm could really take it? Finally take it out. Why the upkeep not there? Because it's a hidden gem in this city. You know. It's such a beautiful location, it does so much, and then we only use it six times a year. And as for nothing, you know the Beatles cover band, you know, and then some fireworks and that's kind of about it.
Speaker 1:So I just think the council, the city, should say we need to either raise it or we need to really build it up and make it a very attractive. And yeah, it's going to take millions. Absolutely, it's going to take millions of dollars. Absolutely it's going to take millions of dollars. But sometimes there's certain infrastructure I think, that are important and unique to a city. So that's my soapbox for a second, the way I felt about it, because I think it's, I think it's, it's an embarrassment because it can be so much more, so great.
Speaker 3:I'm glad you bring that up, craig, because that's a good pitch to me now because I'm catching the ball. Um, that is something that, from day one, zazette mullins and I have been bringing up, and during last budget season we both talked about it. We we wanted that to get budgeted and it did, and so our last budget included the revitalization funds for the starlight bowl, and it was. I'm glad that it did, because look what happened now. And here's the thing I am gonna give you some annoying positivity. Please do. This is an opportunity.
Speaker 3:I actually think justin and the folks in the city manager's office made the right decision, saying we're not going to have the season this year because it's it needs work yes, I would rather stop what we're doing and just then, rather than say, oh, let's just uh, fix the repairs and and bring in like a hasty last minute season and get those cover bands I've been looking at, instead they're saying we're gonna shut down for a whole year and we're actually going to do the revitalization that we've budgeted for. It's there in the books. Do I think we needed a windstorm to show us that? No, but I think the windstorm did show us just how bad condition the Starlight Bowl was in. And also I will say that that's 50 percent of it. The other 50 percent is man man. Those were some nasty wins and in that specific area, if folks were not familiar, yes, oh, that it was a canyon so that brings me to a good question, and I know you're very supportive of our local media.
Speaker 2:We have a ton of people. We have lighting people, we have sound people, we have carpenters, we have drapery people. We we have lighting people, we have sound people, we have carpenters, we have drapery people. We have all these people that are hurting for work. Can we any way look at working at the bowl, get it going and use some of our local talent, these people that right now, yes, they're building 16 new stages at the ranch. It won't be occupied. I talked to my son today. Nobody is working in the industry. It's very slow, really rough. Maybe we can get some of our local people. We have volt lighting.
Speaker 2:You know they're burbank people, burbank based. They can light up the white house, they can light up the starlight bowl. I mean, we have sound people in our own community that instead of I know you have to go out for bids and now that's what gets me. You gotta, you know, spread the wealth. But I think why don't we start using burbank people? Get them employed, use them. You know not that I don't like la people or lindale or whatever, but we have our own people that I would love to see hear them go. Yeah, I worked at starlight bowl last week doing something or something, and maybe it's just some way we can get the local workforce and and definitely when it comes, you hit the nail on the head with rfp.
Speaker 3:when it comes to the reconstruction of it, we have to, by law, go on an rP, go out for a bid, do that process and just knowing the little bit that I do, I have friends that are carpenters and friends that are in the industry working a lot of these kind of set construction jobs. It's a little different than what's happening when you're revitalizing something like this. So we do have to go out for a construction company there for something much bigger. But looking at the future, that's one of the things that council brought up, because before we knew the bull was going to be completely out of commission, we were already having these meetings about the revitalization and the city has hired a consultant who has worked on revitalizing other projects to meet with all of us on council, to meet with Parks and Rec, with the commission, with community members, and start asking us what do we want to see? And I can confidently say that I know my colleagues on council said we want to see something new that involves our entertainment industry.
Speaker 2:Well, ok, I guess what they've decided to do is community concerts for the summer they're thinking about putting. You can't bring 4,000 people into a neighborhood. You know that has to be spaced out. But again, there is work there that we can get local people. I don't want to count the holiday in the park. We rented stuff. We rented toilets, we rented lights, we rented radios. We rented them from Burbank companies. I wanted to make sure that the money stayed right here in Burbank. And again, when we're doing these little, whatever we're going to do this summer let's hire some of these local people that have been unemployed. You know that can help and work and do things. I just think it's a way to.
Speaker 3:Go ahead Tout holiday in the park. We love holiday in the park here.
Speaker 1:Yes, we do. One of the reasons I brought this up is that the history of Burbank when it comes to old facilities as a baseball guy, I remember all of Stadium Huge history. New York Yankees played there. It was, and they let it deteriorate and go down and down and down. Then we had an earthquake and I said, oh yeah, you know that earthquake. Now it's just, we just gotta tear it all down because they never maintained it.
Speaker 1:And I've seen that happen with the starlight pool. Now, you know it's. Those are the old mystery, you know, a doomed repeat type thing. And that's bothering me is the fact that I just don't want to see the Starlight Bowl become what happened to the Olive Stadium, you know, and that's. And then bringing bands in, and ever since we had a council member probably you've not heard, but Jim Richmond was back in the seventies and he did not like the bands that came in because they weren't morally, whatever you know. They said a bad word to one of their songs or whatever it was, you know. And so we had the big lawsuit because we had an outside professional company bringing in these great entertainment acts. Who happened?
Speaker 2:to be a Burbank resident. That was a funny story.
Speaker 1:And so now we had, we had, they sued the city and of course one, because Jim Richmond's morals are not for everybody. So it seems like we've been scared ever since then to do anything big up there and make it our own again.
Speaker 3:And I'm glad you bring up council and council priorities. I think one of the things and one of the reasons I ran for city council was a quality of life piece right, I. I think obviously if you don't have public safety and housing in your platform somewhere, you're not paying attention. But a lot of people stopped and were like what do you mean by quality of life? They're like what? This sounds so puffy, this is like a fluffy and like feel good. I'm like no, you don't understand.
Speaker 3:Like, growing up here I had access to a lot of those things. The 4th of July show was so much bigger than what it is now. We had the Ikea movies in the summer. Those are the things I remember more than anything and the reality is, yes, families are going to remember the things, the very technical things that we do that affect them obviously rates and things like that.
Speaker 3:But the reason you moved to Burbank, the reason you remember growing up in Burbank, are these community events and for a long time we had a city that was focused on economic development and didn't feel like community development was in line with that. And I am so glad to know that everybody that's on this council, because I look at all of your campaign websites, but everybody that's on here now had that in their platform. They had community, some form of community engagement, some form of quality of life, something on there. They talked about Burbank on Parade, they talked about the Starlight Bowl and they talked about making sure we have events in Burbank and community events that are high caliber that people can enjoy, and so I think we're also looking at a very different council that's not just looking at how much money can we make out of this, or is this? Is this financially worth it? It's well, is this financially worth it, and is it also a community investment?
Speaker 1:But I think that's right there. Let me make one point real fast, and I want Ross our next show we do. I want Ross to come in and lead this conversation about all the roadblocks the city puts up to anybody running an event. Now that nobody wants to run events in the city anymore because it's so difficult, it's so expensive. There's so many know, ross, and I see next time we get you in here, it's be a great topic for us. I don't want to get into it now because we're about done, but I want to get that topic next time. So, ross, I want you to put on your list to to um good discussion. You know, and it's we're so lucky to have you in here and be able to talk to you, not only as an elected official but as a fellow resident. I mean, it's a world of difference.
Speaker 3:I always tell people and I think, craig, you asked me this like two years ago on the mic. It was one of my first podcasts and you said now that you've been on there for a year, what do you think? Can you sleep at night making those decisions? And I said yes, because I think what people need to understand, different than Congress, different than the Senate, different than the presidency for sure, city Council is so much more niche that I know the decisions I'm making immediately affect my mom, my dad, my brother, my husband, my kid.
Speaker 3:You know everybody that is in my orbit, my friends, the people I went to school with. These are not just like a hundred and five thousand constituents. No, these are my friends, these are my neighbors, these are the people I live with every day. And I think you feel that so much closer when you're in local government. So I can tell you that everybody on that dais feels that way and takes all of the decisions we make super seriously. Now, when it comes to the roadblocks and the money, that has been one of my living annoyances well, we'll bring it up next time.
Speaker 1:I don't want to do that I don't get ross going, because ross is.
Speaker 3:Uh, I will make one plug, though I will make one plug, quick plug. Uh, we know it's getting more expensive. A lot of that is not something we can control. A lot of that is you know. I mean it's so unfortunate, but things like 10 years ago we were not thinking about somebody driving their car into a car, absolutely. You know safety concerns, sure, a lot of that. And one of the things this is my quick plug One of the things that I put forward last year in our budget was a community grant to make sure that folks like holiday in the park, folks like pride, folks like you know anybody, a girl scout who wants to do a community project and is asking the city how can I get funds?
Speaker 3:Well, here's a pool of money for you and I know at first folks were like, oh, do we really want to put 50k? I would 100k. If it was me right, I would love to increase that, and this year is a pilot. So if you're listening and you're interested and you think you have a 501c3 project, please, please put it forward, apply it's on our website and, even if you apply incorrectly, if you do it soon enough, staff will reach out to you and talk to you. I want to see those applications come in so our city staff can see our community is engaged. We want to host these events, we want to do these things and we need money to do them. I know it's a start.
Speaker 1:We need help. Yeah, we need help to do them. That's funny, don't find us a whole thing, but we do need help, and that's what the whole thing is.
Speaker 2:You. So afternoon holiday in the park for the last several years and one of the joys that I get out of it is watching the kids and all the families, families and I talked to people that have moved into Magnolia Park and that's why they moved into Magnolia Park. We put on things and we need to continue. It's healthy for our community to put on. We are still a safe community to put on Holiday Inn Park and attract 40,000 people for a couple of hours or do Burbank Con Parade or whatever. We need to continue to do those because I find when you you know, I witnessed it People that live on the hill haven't seen everybody down in the valley and at Holiday in the Park. What are you doing all year? You know, and it's just yeah, to me after.
Speaker 3:COVID, we need a socialization, oh big time and you know it's funny, one of the things that it's been for my family I don't get to see, even though they live around the corner. I don't get to see my parents all the time with my busy schedule Although Sundays are for the family, my mom has that very reserved. But one of the things we all look forward to is holiday in the park and not to tug at heartstrings a little bit. But one of the first things Blake and I talked about after finding out we were expecting and being really excited to bring our little one places was holiday in the park. He said can you imagine and we talked about this at the last holiday in the park but can you imagine that next year we're going to be here with a six-month-old walking around and that was so sweet for us. You know that's community for us. I'm excited to take her community is.
Speaker 2:You're right, handley, I, I hear it. We um I don't know if you have heard um, I don't think I'm breaking any records or telling anybody, but I'm the interim president of Magnolia Park Merchants as of two weeks ago and we're looking at doing Holiday in the Park. It's already, I think, november 21st next year. We're looking at doing some family maybe started a little early for families that have kids and strangers, because that was some of. We're listening to the feedback we heard from people. Some we want to do stuff for some autistic kids because sometimes it's too loud and too. You know we're we're working on all that. But we're changing. Jeff and I. We have Jeff who ran it last year, uh, gonna run it for me this year and we're thinking maybe starting an hour early for those families, make it family time the first hour and then, you know, the kids start coming out, the older kids, the football, the baseball kids and so forth, maybe go a little later so it could.
Speaker 2:We're working on all that. We're. We're, we listen to what everybody's saying, but I talked to so many people that they love burbank because of and that is now the event of the year is holiday in the park. You know we're doing actually the only event of the year. Well, we're trying to come up with some others. We're working on a pbid for now for magnolia park and all sorts of other things. We want to do more because, again, I remember Bebop in the park. They put a huge stage at California Magnolia and had a band playing in the dance floor. That's what Burbank people want, Like the beer, the chili cook-off at the Fire Department.
Speaker 3:And we're getting more events. Craigig, don't sleep on wine walk. I know that's for the grown-ups, but they very much enjoy it. The grown-ups need some fun too. All I all I do is wine again next year.
Speaker 2:Boom somewhere, yeah, somewhere, oh there we go, and next year the wine walk will be the day after I'll be in the park, the 22nd next year. So you want to go to the next question for us? Um sure I have got to know him. Um, have you be good for you to ask this? Have you met our new police?
Speaker 1:chief.
Speaker 3:I have. I've actually known him for a little bit because he was our neighbor in Glendale right before this. Yes, he worked for Glendale PD and so I think you know that was one of the first good green flags if we will that I had with him. He knows Burbank. He also grew up in the area, spent his time, I believe, doing a paper route in Burbank. So that's really good for us because, you know, one of the things that folks need to understand when they come here is the kind of tight knit community we are. I think and then sometimes I get dinged for this, but I think it's true Burbank is both a big city and a small town. We have an airport, we have 105,000 residents and somehow 90% of those folks know each other.
Speaker 1:That's the unique part, right?
Speaker 2:You grow up here here, you die here, yeah, and you know what, when you dial 9-1-1, you talk to a human being and you're guaranteed to see somebody within three minutes, no matter what. You know um, because the reason I say um, you know, it's good to hear your first impressions of my um. He is, uh, gonna make a lot of changes, I know within our police department. He's young. I think it will be a big change and I'm looking forward to working with him. Good choice from. I will say that Courtney and Justin is great and I would say they did their homework. I know they interviewed like 85 police officers to ask them what do you want in the chief? And they really did their homework.
Speaker 1:And we were very lucky to have a city manager, a system manager that we have. They are hidden gems in the city. They are, they're Oz, but the guys behind the curtain, they are, without doubt.
Speaker 3:They're wonderful. And the one thing I will say is Courtney has really gotten out there in the community. People will talk about how great she is out there and she's excited to do it. And Justin, I will say if you've never seen Justin during an emergency which I got to see firsthand during the winds he really turns into like a command center himself, which is really great. You want that kind of calm, steady hand behind the wheel when you're in a natural disaster. So we're lucky to have both of them.
Speaker 3:And the one thing I will, I will tell folks about the new chief, which I think gave me a lot of peace of mind, if nothing else. Uh, I didn't get to be there for chief albanese's goodbyes in dc, so of course I had to reach out to him and was like I want to see you and give you a little gift and goodbye and hug, cause he's been such a mentor for me since, since before day one, he's been wonderful and a good sounding board, and so I went in to to see him his last day, on Friday. We had a great chat, amongst other things you know, about parenthood, about the city, about what he's going to go do now in his retirement, and we talked about the new chief and when he described him, he said you know, I think he has a good head on his shoulders. He's a young person who's ready to stay for a while and he is somebody and one of the only candidates who, when the chief.
Speaker 3:These are the things I think you should do to succeed, not go do this. These are things you should do. He did each one of them to a T, and that's what you want out of your chief Somebody who's taking the role seriously, and it's great to get somebody in there. I keep joking with Justin. I'm like well, you got a young mayor, now you want all young department heads.
Speaker 2:Well, you know if you think about it, you got the he, his E team, and I said I wrote Justin a note. You know his E team is a pretty darn good crack E team, but with Q on board, um, and it's no secret, glendale just hired 25 new police officers. I know that's one of the things that he's coming in here with is we need more officers, we need to get the numbers up. He's just forward thinking and it'll be different. Nobody likes change. I think we all go through it. But you know what I think, people, in the long run, he will be available in Glendale. He's at every community event. Yes, and I think we will see that. So is Mike Albanese, but I think we'll see Q out. Rafael Quintero.
Speaker 3:And absolutely he's got big shoes to fill, but I think we picked the right guy. You know, chief Albanese is my gosh. If every department in America had a chief like Chief Albanese, we'd be in a much different place.
Speaker 1:His history is amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's phenomenal and just the way he leads. He leads community first. He's very community oriented, and that is one of the things we looked at in hiring a new chief and I think we found that.
Speaker 2:And I was with him last Thursday in fact, and he is looking forward to April rolling along. He has his vision, him and I talked. We've already exchanged text messages back and forth and we've talked photography-wise, what you know, some things that I'm going to work with him on but I think we're going to see some fantastic things.
Speaker 1:Well, we've got a little longer, we're kind of going, but what a great conversation so far tonight. That leaves us with one thing, and of course that's the famous what is on the mayor's mind? So I give you the time you want as much as you want, because it's the internet and it goes forever. So but what's on your mind? What do you want to put out?
Speaker 3:Careful never give a politician time. Don't never tell a politician you got all the time in the world. They'll go on forever.
Speaker 2:Well, wait, wait the mayor's mind to the kids. So do we get to ask you where you registered for? Oh no, I can't oh my gosh have you thought about that yet?
Speaker 1:I'm sure you know. Yeah, we get a lot of baby shower gifts. I'm sure people start flying in?
Speaker 3:Yeah, definitely from friends and family, and definitely technology has made that much easier than I think in the old days. But what's on my mind right now? Joking and not joking. I'm hungry. That's really on my mind right now.
Speaker 1:I'm always hungry.
Speaker 3:That's also my plug. Craig and I are always hungry, so soon enough you'll get to see a podcast with us trying some new eats around Burbank, so stay tuned for that.
Speaker 2:Greg had. We stopped at a place right across from City Hall today.
Speaker 1:Very good cheeseburger.
Speaker 2:I was very impressed and there was a crust from the 3rd and Orange Grove the brand new.
Speaker 1:There used to be a deli there, and now it's, yeah, moore's Deli from the police station.
Speaker 2:It's open now. It just opened last week. And he had a burger that I asked him and he said Very good, Good burger, Flavorful burger.
Speaker 3:I've been looking at. That's where the Chibo was right. Yeah, okay, yeah, I've been kind of listening.
Speaker 1:I'll go in. You had margarita. No, what did you drink? No, I had a pina colada. Iced tea Without alcohol, lemonade, oh wow. And I had first squeeze. Yeah, there's no alcohol there, it's just, you know. But it was amazing and I had a little kick to it and everything else. It was really.
Speaker 3:Now I know what I'm eating before council next meeting. Yeah, this is right across the street. Yeah, so that's one thing that's on my mind. I definitely want us to talk about our different eats in.
Speaker 1:Burbank and bring some attention to our local businesses. We're going to do a podcast on it. We're going to do it down the rabbit hole.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so stay tuned. But other than that, I think what's on my mind right now? If you're looking at what's coming up on council, we're going to start talking about the budget very soon and that's something to watch. I will throw out. I know folks are concerned about some of our rates going up, some of the parking costs that are coming to downtown.
Speaker 3:I really urge you to watch these budget conversations because Burbank has been incredibly fiscally responsible over the years and it's the reason that, unlike some of our neighbors and unlike many cities in America, after COVID, we have a budget surplus which we can rarely say, and what that means is we have money for a rainy day. But like everybody, you know, like all of us individuals and like every other city, we are starting to pinch pennies because that budget surplus if you look at our charts start taking a look in April every year it gets tighter and tighter and tighter and there is a deficit in our forecast. So if you're wondering what's going on with these costs, why are they increasing? We're trying to make sure that, for the benefit of everybody, we actually don't hit the deficit. We want to find creative ways to make sure that the city's general fund stays sustainable.
Speaker 1:Is that because of funding the pensions down the line? That's?
Speaker 3:one part of it, but it's just costs in general. I mean it is crazy how some of our insurance as a city has gone up Everybody's has right so we're facing the same thing. Everybody else is without. Really, we're not a business. We don't have a revenue stream, right so, and a lot of things in Burbank have been free or we haven't raised the cost in a long time and at the end of the day, that has been to some detriment, because if we don't keep the rates at what's happening in society, then we can't provide things.
Speaker 3:I mean, that was one of the things we worried with, with, like, the rate hikes for BWP. I have the chart in my office if you want to see it. We are still the lowest utility in the region. You folks, we all pay a lot less than folks in LA, than folks in Glendale, and we want to keep it that way. But we also don't want to reach a point where we're at this deficit and we have to say, well, now we have to shut down the utility and we're going to be at the mercy of the county. Now we have to God forbid shut down fire or police and we're at the mercy of the county.
Speaker 2:But you know we get from the same people the complaint oh we don't want you to build anymore, we don want you to build anymore, we don't want to grow out. But if you want that three minute when you dial 9-1-1, we got to get heads and beds and bed taxes, that that we have a class one fire department, we have what now? Four guys on each rig so they're safe. We have a slew of new officers coming on board. That's where some of that money you we're not getting it from the studios because that job slowed down, but the other things that you guys are doing. The new place that you're thinking about, that's going to be built out by the Marriott. You know we have several around town, the Fries Project.
Speaker 3:That's money that will go into that fund 100% and you know if I can leave the residence with anything, it's change is hard. I know change is hard. We all experience it, I am. Folks will tell me often like, well, I don't know, are you living next to the construction? I am living next to a construction site right now. My house is rattling. You know I feel you. Change is hard. But I will tell you what I tell folks when they say I don't want anything to change in Burbank. I hate to tell you this. The sobering truth is that that's impossible. Things will change, no matter what we do. Things will change. But what we do have the ability to do as a community is decide how they change and basically be the stewards of our own destiny and say, well, I know this is going to change somewhere or another because there are forces beyond me that can control that, but I can't have a say in how it changes. I can't have a say in how my, what direction my community goes.
Speaker 1:And in the future and that's what I hope we can we can all focus on- we had a city manager 30 years ago maybe named Bud Obram, which of course we have a party in after him now, and when Lockheed was going to start shutting down, he diversified a lot of our cities so that our tax base would not, if Lockheed left, we would not become a desolate city and become a ghost town. So he started, you know, as he brought in you know, Price Club that became Costco. He brought in different industry into Burbank and retail and started building hotels up. So we would have a way of, you know, offsetting all that. And 30 years later, thank goodness he did, but we may be on another, you know, another crossroads again, because, in all honesty, studios are not what the studios used to be. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3:And look, anybody who knows me knows that one of my biggest focuses during my mayorship is really, really supporting our studio economy, getting filming back in Burbank, doing our small piece right, because we're not the state we can't make a film tax credit, but we can send letters directly to newsom, directly to every legislator, saying the film tax credit is our economy. If you vote no, you're voting no on burbank. You're crushing us and we can push really hard. But there's also things we can do locally to incentivize filming here and so we're starting to look at those things down the line. I don't say too much, we're starting.
Speaker 1:We just saw two big, uh, you know two big thing about big boy, a huge commercial last week for three days I mean lights. It was just all shut down and today we were. I drove by, uh, frank's and another huge crew out there again at frank's today, and that's all. Frank's is a restaurant anymore, it's just a studio location now, I think.
Speaker 3:I'm so happy to see that. Billman, Burbank yes, please and use our vendors. Get your flowers, your catering, your supplies, your costuming here in Burbank. That's what we need.
Speaker 1:I know you won't know this, but I'll just say this when somebody comes in to get our filling permit in Burbank, do we have a list of all those vendors that we can say, hey, these are the vendors we'd like you to use that are local by you know? I know a lot of people already have their guy locked in, kind of, but do we have a list of those vendors? Or I'm getting a webpage.
Speaker 3:What about our city webpage? So that's one of the things that we're looking at building and we do and I don't want to steal their thunder too much. The Chamber is working on some great things, but it's a collaboration there where we want to partner on offering a lot of these things to folks who come film in Burbank. We want to roll out the red carpet and welcome folks who are coming to film here. That's what I mean by taking ownership of being the media capital. We can't just say it in a name, we have to own it. So I'm looking at our website revitalization. I'm looking at partnering with the chamber to get these businesses on that list and as a specialty business that offers these services, and then giving folks tours who want to film here. Telling like this is why we're the place to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did a book for the city. I was hired by the city, by the head librarian had to be 45 years ago and she sent me out to create. I shot in alleys, I shot Most people don't realize where our water reclamation plant underground looks like a submarine and I shot that and we had, we produced a book, location and location and, and I remember I was, I shot so many different places You're good You're stint in scouting Ross.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly, and I remember I was. I shot so many different places.
Speaker 2:You're good at your stint in scouting Ross, yeah exactly, and I'll tell you they every time, and the reason for it was they really wanted to push. People don't realize in Burbank we have it all right here, folks, and so we, we started this show I got to you know about. We talked about this baby bump or something that you're mighty proud of and should be, and we're, you know, first burbank mirror to have a baby, and I can't wait to watch an office in office. Yeah right, I can't wait to watch some council meeting of the baby next to you. But so I think we should have a competition and for our next show, people should suggest baby names. Oh gosh, burbank would be glad to give out a my burbank cat, and we won't know the answer until maybe june or july, but then whoever wins will be glad to supply the app or kid, give us some name from someone oh my gosh, good way to end the show, oh I'll crush that crazy idea right now by saying we have a baby name picked out.
Speaker 3:Oh, and with the sage advice of many, many a mom who I I'm happy to take any and all advice because I have this is my first rodeo, but, um, most, most of the moms that I've talked to have said don't tell anybody your baby name. Everybody has an opinion, it's none of their business until your baby comes. And I am taking that sage advice.
Speaker 2:well, it's funny because, watching one of the award shows a week or so ago, I have a nephew, or my niece's son, his name Dash, and one of the award shows somebody named their kid or he said you know, my kid's name is Dash. I called my sister and I said there's more than one Dash in this country.
Speaker 1:What's our guy in charge of Doge, eli Musk? Have you heard the names of his kids?
Speaker 3:I can't pronounce that I just I don't know what's going on in. What is he thinking?
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's getting a little bit of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, From Craig and I, congratulations to you and Blake on you know. I know, uh, like you said, uh you've made it, uh that you've been working at it and so forth, and now you're going to be a mom and life will change. Forget going to being awake anymore. You should be on it all the time. Wait till you have that diaper on your shoulder and burp that kid and you get to learn all the things about putting a diaper in the microwave, to lay it on your kid's tummy, to settle their stomach. All those things you get to look forward to. I bet your mother's very happy.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah it there's some. All those things you get to look forward to. I bet your mother's very happy. Oh yeah, it's the first grandchild on both sides, so they're very happy, very spoiled. Congratulations. Also, thank you, and and I will say it's, it's exciting. And then Blake made fun of me. He was like you just had to have all the firsts, don't you? That's not why I did it. If folks know me, they know and this is a great thing to end on.
Speaker 3:In March it's Endometriosis Awareness Month. For folks who don't know, I'm very open about this. I suffer from endometriosis, which is a very, extremely painful condition. It's on one of the top 20 most painful chronic illnesses in the world and one in 15 women experience endometriosis and go undiagnosed for years because the only way to diagnose is going through the laparoscopic surgery. But you know it's categorized by really rough periods, even outside of your period. It's really rough abdominal pain. It's when you have an issue with the lining of your uterus which gets into reproduction and kids and boy. It's been a struggle and I've had my doctors tell me I don't know that you're going to have a little one. And here we are, so it's my miracle you can tell Blake down the road.
Speaker 2:I always use the word COD. You know what COD stands for. I always use the word COD. You know what COD stands for Call on dad.
Speaker 3:Call on dad.
Speaker 2:So down the road he gets to look for when your daughter needs money.
Speaker 3:Call on dad COD. I'm going to tell him and tell the young dads out there. It's not call of duty anymore, it's call on dad, all righty. But I will leave you with this for your viewers, I will. How about this question instead, ross, what is the number one baby item, newborn item that you swear by? I would love to hear.
Speaker 1:Let me know okay, I, I will not know that. No, will ever. But ross. Being a father, I'd say a smother towel or a rag, but I don't wow, okay, so people sending those those things and let her know what is it that she needs day one it's she's gonna find crucial that she never thought of before sleep I already don't get that, that's okay.
Speaker 2:You know what I? I having two granddaughters. I got to be with them yesterday and I will tell you, nikki, it is just being with these two granddaughters. I mean they fight and all that, but it's just so nice. I said to my son, they are just such a joy and that's what you're going to find real fast. Such a joy. You will go through school and watch your kid be up in choir or wherever there could be 100 kids, but there's only one kid you're watching.
Speaker 3:I feel like I'm already running because I was like, oh, when my kid goes to Burroughs. So you know, the last thing I'll say on all this baby stuff is, yes, I'm our first pregnant mayor and yes, it's brand new for all of us, our first pregnant mayor, and yes, it's brand new for all of us. But you know, it's funny. When I told the folks at the city, I was like, who do I even like at my job? It makes sense. But here I was like, well, I have no boss. Who's who do I tell that I'm, by the way, I'm expecting.
Speaker 3:And when I told all of our department heads, when I told Justin, my colleagues, colleagues on the council, all I got was excitement. Everybody was extremely supportive. Everybody was like, yay, a mayoral baby, yay, the city's baby. So this has really become a citywide effort and I couldn't be more grateful. I couldn't be more grateful for everybody's support, kindness, advice and just helping me through this process. We're all going through it together. So thank you, burbank, I appreciate you. I couldn't, I couldn't have picked a better place.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. There you go, very true. Well, I think we should wrap up with that. I do agree. Ross Benson and Mayor Nikki Perez. This is Craig Sherwood saying once again, long show tonight, but a great show. I really enjoyed our time tonight. I hope you did too. If you're driving right now, you have two hands on the wheel. If you're at home, hit that like button and all those subscribe button type thing. We always appreciate it and we will see you next time thank you for watching our my burbank video.
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