By Ruth SOWBY

At the Tuesday night meeting of the Glendale City Council, Mayor Ardy Kassakhian congratulated the City on its Harrower Village groundbreaking that had councilmembers in attendance. The Village is a 40-unit, 100% affordable rental senior-housing project located at 912-920 E. Broadway and 117 S. Belmont Street. The Housing Authority has provided a total of $95 million in subsidies to develop the project, consisting of 14 studios, 25 one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom resident manager unit.   

“This is another Glendale project designed for our residents who need it,” said Councilmember Paula Devine.

Board and commission appointments were also announced at the meeting: Sona A. Tatiyants was appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women and Joseph Kaskanian was appointed to the Design Review Board.

The majority of the Council meeting was devoted to two action items:

Renewable energy. The Council is looking toward a targeted date for movement toward carbon free emissions. (That date is to be announced.) The goal is to achieve a certain percentage of renewable energy. That percentage was debated. This resolution on renewable energy passed unanimously with one modification: The oversight committee will be eliminated.   

Mayor Kassakhian commented, “I would like to see a more electrified system as a whole.”

Grayson Repowering Project. A motion was proposed directing Council staff to prepare the necessary actions and approvals for Council approval of the purchase and installation of five Wärtsilä engines for the Grayson Repowering Project. The Council agreed to move forward to decide on the number of engines. 

According to Councilmember Devine, “Probably three, not five, engines are doable. We have to be more aggressive on [these type of] projects.”     

The Council meeting ended with written and oral communication from interested parties from the community.