CRESCENTA VALLEY

WEEKLY

THE FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

VOL. 1, NO. 16

DECEMBER 17, 2009

By Mary O’Keefe

CV Town Council president Steve Pierce, with two other council members, will end their terms of service tonight.

The Crescenta Valley Town Coun­cil will conduct its monthly meet­ing at 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, Dec. 17 in the cafeteria at Rose­mont Middle School. During the meeting the council will install three recently elected regular council members and three alter­nate members.

The council will also be saying goodbye to former members Liz Arnold and Joyce Lauterback and to president Steve Pierce who is leaving the council after four and a half years.

“It is interesting. When I first got on the council, not much was going on. We would have an oc­casional fundraiser,” Pierce re­flected.

Not known for sitting still, Pierce was equated to the Ener­gizer Bunny when he was recent­ly awarded Man of the Year by the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“We changed the council,” he said. “I guess I became an activ­ist.”

The council is an elected body and acts in an advisory capacity to the L.A. County board of su­pervisors. During Pierce’s tenure the council has gained in power and respect. Pierce said that the town council is lucky that it has the ear of Los Angeles Supervisor Michael Antonovich. “We have a county body [L.A. County board of supervisors] that listens to what we request and makes sure things happen. That is the real value of the council,” he said. The council works closely with the supervi­sor’s office on issues that concern the unincoprated area of Los Angeles County.

An example of the council pushing for what it feels the community needs includes large projects like the new La Crescenta Library and smaller projects that have big implications like a four-way stop at Briggs and Mountain ave­nues. A traffic study found there was not significant traffic to warrant the signs. The corner is the entrance to Moun­tain Avenue Elementary School and the council did not agree with the study and contacted Antonovich’s office. The four signs are now up and have made driv­ing and walking to Mountain Avenue safer. The council’s “Don’t take no for an answer” attitude was also exhibited at several streets near other schools where safety routes and better traffic signage have since been installed.

“We found that if you don’t go through the proper channels and assume some­thing is going to be done, it won’t be,” Pierce said.

Other organizations have the ability to contact the supervisor’s office and re­quest something for the community but Pierce said because the council is an elected body the response is different.

“Each organization in the community has different levels of power but I think the town council is at the lead,” he said.

Antonovich was complimentary of Pierce and his contributions for the last several years. “As [president] of the Crescenta Valley Town Council, Steve has been an effective leader for the com­munity. I appreciated his hard work rep­resenting our residents, working with our office and his participation at meet­ings of the board of supervisors. I wish him continued success in the future,” the supervisor said.

Some of the power behind the council in the last four years has been Pierce’s seemingly never-ending energy. He can be seen at almost every organization and event including Crescenta Valley Park Senior’s Garden, Movie Night at Two Strike Park and sandbag filling.

Cheryl Davis has served on the council with Pierce for the last two years.

“Peo­ple said that during the fires they saw his little Mini Cooper [vehicle] driving all over town,” she said of Pierce’s con­stant presence.

Pierce could also be seen through the smoke cleaning the freeway entrance at La Crescenta Avenue, an­other project.

Davis said people might not be aware of all that Pierce has done and does in Crescenta Valley.

“He was one of the forc­es behind saving the CV Fireworks. He also took over the Montrose Parade a few years ago when it looked like it was going to end.”

She praised his leadership before and after the Station Fire.

“He brought everyone together for the county flood control meeting. Every agency was there and about 150 to 200 people showed up. Every question was answered that night and people were given phone numbers to contact for help,” she said.

Pierce said he was pulling back on his volunteer work to spend time with his family adding, “But I will still be around.” He is looking forward to not having to attend every executive and council meeting.

“I was in meetings four times a week. I am not going to miss that. What I am going to miss is getting things accomplished. I am going to be sad leaving,” Pierce said.

  crescenta valley, CV Town Council, steve pierce