By Mary O’KEEFE

At tonight’s (Thursday’s) general meeting of the Crescenta Valley Town Council [CVTC] Stuart Byles will moderate a discussion among the candidates vying for seats on the council. The election for the CVTC takes place on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11.

Elected members of the CVTC act as the liaison to the fifth district supervisor on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; currently that is Kathryn Barger. The CVTC focuses its attention on the unincorporated area of LA County-La Crescenta/Montrose. It sponsors several committees, including Traffic Safety and Land Use, the latter keeping which keeps a watchful eye on development, both commercial and residential, in the area.

Barger’s predecessor, Michael Antonovich, actually created 27 town councils, which CVTC is part of, in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

As an example of town councils’ importance, in 1990, a developer proposed a large new development in the rural Fifth District community of Leona Valley. The development was opposed by a local homeowners’ association; however, another group of property owners favored the development and claimed to represent the actual voice of the community. Antonovich suggested that these property owners form a town council, and encouraged people from all viewpoints to run for the council. He felt that letting the community decide through a democratic election was the best way to find who represented the voice of the area, according to an article in Castro Valley Matters.

In November, candidates will be running for six seats – three regular and three alternates. As of press time there are only four candidates running for those seats. When those elected take their seats at the start of the new year, the CVTC president will assign community members to fill any open seats.

“The Council has made great strides in the community,” said Dede Mueller, CVTC member who is part of the Election Committee.

She added the CVTC has worked, and continues to work, with law enforcement on traffic safety issues. Members work closely with Glendale Unified School District and local non-profit organizations in the community. Recently a successful pancake breakfast was held that raised funds to help the council continue its work in the community and support the CVTC scholarship fund for local high school students.

Elections will be held on Nov. 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Luke’s of the Mountains, Sadler Hall, 2563 Foothill Blvd. at the corner of Rosemont Avenue.

Voters must live in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles-La Crescenta/Montrose.

The candidates running for office are: incumbents – Chris Kilpatrick, Jeffrey Rodriguez and Frieda Baghdassarian, and returning is Daniel Kim.

The monthly meeting of the CVTC is tonight at 7 p.m. at the La Crescenta Library, community room, 2809 Foothill Blvd.