By Brandon HENSLEY

The last Crescenta Valley Town Council meeting of 2016, held on Dec. 15 inside the La Crescenta Library community room, saw fresh faces introduced to council as well as familiar ones saying goodbye.

Newly elected L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger swore in members Charles Beatty, Brandon Lee, Harry Leon, Aram Ordubegian, Kyle Studebaker and JoAnn Stupakis who were chosen in last month’s town council election.

Barger and others also presented certificates of appreciation and flowers to outgoing members Cheryl Davis and Dr. Joseph Suh. Davis served nine years in council, including time as a president, while Suh was on for six years. Davis was instrumental in the implementation of the dog park at Crescenta Valley Park.

“You’ve been invaluable to this community, for our entire council,” President Leslie Dickson said to Davis. “We’re going to be sad to see you go. Thank you so much.”

Dickson called Suh a bridge to Asian Americans in the foothill community, and someone who always helped out with prayer breakfasts and cultural festivals.

Stephanie English, formerly the spokesperson for the L.A. County Fire Dept. and soon to be the justice deputy under Barger, also gave  Davis and Suh a sweet sendoff.

“I’ve always appreciated your professional demeanor,” she said to Davis. “You have a way of working; you have a target, you know what you want to accomplish and you do it so seamlessly and so well, and you are truly going to be missed.

“Dr. Suh, you are a quiet, genteel, intelligent man who I’ve enjoyed working with, and [appreciate] all your work in the community,” English said. “I know it has been greatly appreciated.”

Calvin Chock, president of the CV Chamber of Commerce, and Mary O’Keefe, representing The Fire House, Crescenta Valley High Prom Plus and CV Weekly, also presented Davis and Suh with certificates. Chock also recognized English with flowers and a certificate of appreciation for her years of working with the community.

The November town council election saw a slight increase in the number of voters who cast ballots, but it still wasn’t the turnout councilmember Mike Claessens hoped for. The two-day election, held on Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19, had 2.4% of the community vote, or 281 voters in an area of 12,000 residents.

“We need to do a better job of getting out there,” Claessens said, while adding there was little voting in the afternoon on Saturday.

“I think we may want to cut that to 3 o’clock if no one is there,” he said.

Also at the council meeting, CHP gave a report on the ongoing I-210 freeway construction. There have been many speeding tickets written and daily accidents on the freeway, and people may not know that the speed limit in those construction zones, between Lowell Avenue and Ocean View Boulvard, is currently 55 mph.

The next CVTC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the La Crescenta Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta.

  Brandon Hensley