With All Best Wishes for the Holidays and New Year!

Dear Crescenta Valley Friends,

Let me start this month’s column by congratulating all seven candidates who ran in the Nov. 16-17 Crescenta Valley Town Council election. We had a tremendous turnout with 567 votes counted among 287 ballots. So many, in fact, that we had to run out and print additional ballots!

The results for the 2018 election, as certified by Election Committee Chair Aram Ordubegian, are as follows: Michael Claessens re-elected with 23% of the vote, Sophal Ear re-elected with 20.2%, Desiree Rabinov re-elected with 16.4%, Carin Hoffman elected 14.9% as first alternate, Donna Libra elected with 11.2% as second alternate, Jeffrey Rodriguez elected with 7.2% as third alternate, and Charles Beatty at 6.7%.

I look forward to working with the newly elected and returning members of the town council to make the Crescenta Valley fulfill its potential as “A Community That Cares.”

But first, some thanks are due. Foremost to Election Chair Ordubegian and to Councilmembers Kyle Studebaker and Daniel Kim for helping with the election. Kyle’s brownies were the talk of the town as were the medians (more on those later). Appreciation goes to Cheryl Davis, Danette Erickson, Anne McNeill and Steve Goldsworthy who also participated and helped with the processing and the count.

Speaking of the medians, aren’t we all happy they were done on time? On Dec. 3, Supervisor Kathryn Barger led members of the town council in a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was attended by Councilmembers Claessens, Griffin, Kim, Rabinov and me. CV Sheriff’s Station Captain Chris Blasnek and field representative Vickere Murphy from the office of State Senator Portantino were also on hand.

One larger median by Sunset Avenue has succulents, but no trees. This is to allow emergency utility workers access to lines beneath the median. The utility lines could not be moved and trees could not be installed at this location because tree roots impede access.

The town council is aware that the Craftsman font, which was chosen by LA County for the library, is difficult to read. The medians were also designed by LA County and the County presented our median monument sign in harmony with the library sign.

The question has been asked about lighting of the medians. All of the medians’ entry and exit signage have lighting that is fully functional now. The medians were designed to allow for holiday lighting once the foliage has matured. It takes three years for the trees to grow to where they will not be damaged by holiday lighting. This is something we can all look forward to in the future.

The median project was a collaboration of the town council through many years. It started 14 years ago with Steve Pierce of the CV Chamber of Commerce talking with residents and storeowners. The concept has been developed by each subsequent Council into the medians we have today. I want to thank all councilmembers who volunteered and stepped up to bring medians to La Crescenta over the years. Huge thanks to Supervisor Kathryn Barger and the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Works for the grant, design and implementation of these medians in our community.

Speaking of different medians, the center median on the I-210 is 100% complete and crews have begun removing K-rails at various locations. Once this work is complete, final striping will be scheduled if the temperature is 50 degrees or above. There will be long-term closures. Current Interstate Highway 210 conditions are available by visiting http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/display.php?page=i210.

Councilmembers Ear, Griffin, I and others were present at the Christmas tree lighting, which was sponsored by Supervisor Barger. Many councilmembers, including Ear, Claessens, Kim, and I, were present at the Armenian Culture Center’s Christmas party and open house. Councilmembers Stupakis, Ear, Griffin, Studebaker, Claessens, Kim, newly elected alternate Donna Libra and I participated in the Montrose Christmas Parade.

Join us at our next town council meeting on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. at the La Crescenta Library community room, 2809 Foothill Blvd.

Let me end by once again welcoming our newly re-elected Councilmembers Ear, Claessens and Rabinov, and our new alternates Carin Hoffman, Donna Libra and Jeffrey Rodriguez, and by wishing you, our beloved community, a very prosperous and Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a wonderful New Year!

Harry Leon is president of the Crescenta Valley Town Council.