By Mary O’KEEFE

There are ten candidates vying for six seats on the Crescenta Valley Town Council for the Nov. 6 election.

“Its great to have so many,” said Danette Erickson, CVTC member not up for election this year.

Those running epitomize the Crescenta Valley community, from a doctor from the Korean community to a college student.

CVTC has six seats open, three regular members and three alternate.  There are two incumbents running: Cheryl Davis, present CVTC president, and Charles Beatty.

The eight new candidates are:  Krista Smiley, Dr. Young S. Suh, Mike Claessens, Harry Leon, Odalis Suarez,  Thomas Pollock, Charly Shelton and Will Swick.

Some of the candidates were at a rainy Harvest Market on Sunday.  They met with those that braved the rain for fruits and vegetables.

Development and getting the word out about the town council were the main focus of those candidates.

For Suh it is a chance to bring the Korean community into the town council.

“I want to help families understand what the council does and how it is important,” he said.

Outreaching to the community and having one voice is important to Leon as well.  He has lived in Crescenta Valley for years and has witnessed the changes along Foothill Boulevard.

Public participation in the council is important, Leon said.

He has children attending CV schools and knows the important role the council can play in the future of the community as it grows and yet maintains the small town feel.

For Smiley this is a return to her volunteer and organizational roots. She has been on the council in the past.  She said her concerns are about development in the area like the building in the 2600 block of Foothill Boulevard.

“I was one of the protesters that was out there for the Moreton bay fig tree,” she said. “That is more than a tree it is a symbol of our community.”

Protestors charged the development next to the tree as contributing to its poor state.  The developers’ grading permit was suspended in August due to a discrepancy where the plans depicted the property as flat; the land has a steep grade.

Smiley said she wanted to join the counsel again to help keep the public informed on the development in the area.

Swick who could not attend the Harvest Market gathering said he wanted to run for counsel to let people know more about CVTC.

“The [main thing] is to let everyone know about the town council and what they do,” he said.

He has lived in the community for a total of 30 years and for a long time was unaware of the council.

Shelton, a 2007 graduate of CV High School now attending college, wants to bring awareness of the council and local issues to a younger generation.

“I think there is a section of our community that doesn’t feel like they have a voice. I would like to be that voice,” he said.

The first candidate forum will be tonight at the La Crescenta Library at 7 p.m. Another forum is planned for Oct. 27 at Dunsmore Community Room at Dunsmore Park at 7 p.m.

  candidates, cvtc