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Glendale: Yousefian Loses City Council Race

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  • Glendale: Yousefian Loses City Council Race

    YOUSEFIAN LOSES CITY COUNCIL RACE
    By Charles Cooper

    Crescenta Valley Sun
    April 10 2009
    CA

    One of the more controversial figures in Glendale city government will
    be exiting the scene as a result of Tuesday's election. Bob Yousefian
    finished fourth in the balloting for Glendale City Council with 6,654
    votes, as a newcomer to the council ran first for the second election
    in a row.

    Former city commissioner Laura Friedman topped the list with 8,497
    votes in complete semi-official returns, topping incumbent Ara Najarian
    by 31 votes. Najarian received 8,466, while incumbent Frank Quintero
    ran third with 8,120 votes. Two years ago, now Mayor John Drayman
    finished first.

    Friedman, who formerly chaired a design review commission, is a small
    business owner. She will be the first woman on the council since the
    retirement of Ginger Bremberg in 2001.

    Yousefian, now completing his second term, was informally censured
    by his colleagues for public comments in the past. He had briefly
    considered running for treasurer before deciding to run for reelection.

    He drew public attention for a verbal altercation with city manager
    Jim Starbird at the end of a public council meeting and proposed to
    his wife from the council dais during his first meeting as mayor. He
    also cast a symbolic "No" vote on the budget last spring. advertisement

    Mayor John Drayman said Wednesday he was very happy with the election
    results. He praised Friedman for running a positive campaign, and
    saluted Yousefian for his eight years of service to the city.

    Drayman said the Crescenta Valley was very active for the second
    election in a row, adding that he was pleased to see local residents
    recognizing the importance of city government in their lives.

    Some of the more active candidates in the election didn't fare that
    well when city residents cast their votes for three seats. Former
    Pasadena police chief Bruce Philpott finished fourth, activist Chahe
    Keuroghelian fifth and Vartan Gharpetian sixth.

    The rest, in order of finish, included Lenore Solis, Aram Kazakian,
    Michael Teahan, Edward Lafian and Aramazd Stepanian.

    Former mayor Rafi Manoukian's bid to return to the scene as treasurer
    apparently fell short, as he lost by 823 votes to incumbent Ron Borucki
    after leading much of the evening. City clerk Ardashes Kassahkian
    was unopposed for reelection.

    Measure U, a restructuring of the city utility tax, passed easily
    with 10,774 yes votes and 5,250 voting no. City officials maintain
    that the measure is revenue neutral and protects some $8 million in
    city revenues against legal challenge.

    A total of 866 provisional ballots remained to be counted Wednesday
    morning, along with a number of mail votes dropped off at polls
    on Wednesday. A total of about 55,000 votes were counted Tuesday,
    representing about 18,000 voters casting their three votes for council.
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