By Brandon HENSLEY

Before everyone could get to the drinks and Christmas treats in the back of the room, some had to say goodbye while others said hello during the Dec. 16 Crescenta Valley Town Council meeting.

Inside the La Crescenta Library community room, a jam-packed audience saw the newly elected council members take office while the outgoing members shook hands and were commended for a job well done.

The CVTC elections were held in November. Dr. Young Suh, Harry Leon, Odalis Suarez and Charly Shelton were the newly elected officers. Current president Cheryl Davis and Charles Beatty were reelected.

L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich was there for the installation of the new officers and to bid farewell to the old ones.  As Antonovich said each of their names, Frank Beyt, Kim Mattersteig and Kevin Kroeker stood up from their seat on the council and shook hands with the supervisor, and then received a plaque commemorating their service.

Outgoing councilmember Silvana Casalegno was not in attendance.

“This is a very community-involved entity and I really enjoyed being a part of that,” said Mattersteig after the meeting.

Mattersteig has been a part of Crescenta Valley for seven years, and a part of community service since 1991.

“This is actually something that’s always been in the back of my mind as something I wanted to aspire to, to serve on a council,” she said.

“I have learned of different organizations, and the different ways to become involved in the community, and the different things that are out there in this particular community that I can put my skills and knowledge into and also learn from them and grow.”

New councilmember Young Suh is an anesthesiologist and has served on missions around the world to assist with eye surgeries. Suh has been president of the Korean-American Federation of Los Angeles and president of the Korean-American Federation of Southwest states.

Suarez graduated Cum Laude from USC. She has a law degree and her own firm in Glendale. She is also a former commissioner on the Glendale Design Review Board.

Before the installation of the new members, Davis gave her president’s year-end report, where she touched on the highlights and lowlights of the past year, including last winter’s flooding, the drive to get a dog park open, and the opening of the La Crescenta Library.

“It’s beautiful, and it’s the center of our community,” Davis said of the library.

Davis said the theme for the council was ACT, which stands for accountability, communication and teamwork, “and we continually challenged ourselves to not do things a certain way just because that’s the way it’s always been done.”

Davis also thanked those who played a major role in safety during the rainy season last year.

“So a very special thank you to our first responders; Public Works, the Sheriff’s Department, L.A. County Fire and the CHP for remaining so vigilant and keeping us safe 24/7,” she said.

The next CVTC meeting will be held Jan. 20 at the La Crescenta Library at 7 p.m.  It will feature Glendale Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Richard Sheehan, Glendale Community College President Dawn Lindsey and Board of Trustees member Ann Ransford.

  cvtc, Mike Antonovich