By Jason KUROSU

Glendale’s municipal elections are next week and Glendale voters will make various decisions about their schools, such as who will occupy the open seats on the Glendale Unified School District Governing Board and what will become of the much touted obligation bond, Measure S.

Another local school affected in these elections is Glendale Community College, as this election will determine the makeup of the Board of Trustees.

One familiar face in this year’s election is Anthony Tartaglia, who has served on the Board of Trustees for the past four years.

“I am running for re-election because I feel I can make a difference for our students. Although much has been accomplished during my first term on the Board of Trustees (the first, real budget reserve – 5%), the completion of an 1100 space parking structure, the hiring of Dr. Dawn Lindsay, superintendent/president-GCC, the establishment of the Verdugo Power Academy (brought $1.2 million in new revenue to GCC and has a hiring rate of 82%, and the establishment of the GCC Campus Beautification Fund), there is much more to be done.

“We need to finish the construction of the new building and improvements at the Garfield Campus, maintain our accreditation, and help guide GCC through a multi-year budget crisis brought on by the state’s fiscal problems.

“I am running because Glendale College needs stability and good leadership with proven results during these times of turmoil. I will continue to bring new resources to the college, maintain a level of excellence for our students, provide accountability, and make common sense decisions.”

One of the new faces to the ballot is longtime Glendale resident Vartan Gharpetian.

“I am married with three children, and they attend Glendale public schools. I own and operate a professional Real Estate brokerage firm in Glendale. I attended College of Marin and I am a graduate of Concord College.

“My community involvement first began when I was appointed as a commissioner in the City of Glendale. I served as a commissioner for four years, and later on I became a member of Green Building Task Force committee for the City of Glendale. Currently, I serve on the Foundation Board of Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Sheriff Lee Baca’s advisory board. I am the vice-president of D&M Educational Foundation, and a member of our local PTA.

“I am running for the college board precisely because of our bad economy and terrible budget situation. As a businessman and entrepreneur, I have first hand experience dealing with large, complicated budgets and deals that require careful negotiation with employees and labor.

“I am not an educator or a politician. GCC has an excellent group of faculty and professors who provide high quality education for our students. When I’m elected on the board, my priority would be to protect students’ interests and future, by addressing the accreditation issues currently facing GCC, balancing the budget in a fair and responsible way, and representing the College to our community in a more efficient way.”

Longtime Glendale resident Vahe Peroomian is a six year incumbent of the Board of Trustees.

“I have lived in Glendale for the last 32 years. I received my bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. in physics from UCLA, and work there as a research scientist, have a lecturer appointment and teach undergraduate physics and astronomy courses. I have won the UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy Outstanding Teaching Award for every year that I have taught. I have been an educator for more than 25 years, and have been a member of the faculty at the University of Phoenix for the last 11 years.

“During the last six years, I’ve served the community by bringing my passion for teaching and student success, my uncompromising integrity, and my attention to detail to the Board of Trustees, as a leader and, more importantly, as a team member. My training as a scientist, and my experience as an educator give me a unique perspective into GCC students’ needs. My experience in public works construction has been invaluable in the construction projects on campus.

“Having guided the college through last year’s budget cuts, and having overcome the declining college enrollment in the late 2000s, I am prepared to continue serving as trustee and leading the College to overcome the challenges we now face. I have strong ties to the community and strong and collaborative relationships with elected officials on the local, state, and federal levels. I will also continue to champion increasing student graduation/transfer rates, lowering textbook costs, increasing partnerships with community organizations, and launching a fully online degree program at the College.”

For more information on these and other candidates, visit glendalevotes.org.

  glendale college, meet the candidates