Citing the need to “insulate” the regional airport authority from the politics of the City Council, Yousefian said he would step down from the commission 2 1/2 years after being appointed to the seat.
Yousefian also announced that he would step down immediately as chairman of the city’s Redevelopment Agency and refuse his appointment to the Southern California Assn. of Governments board as a way to cut ties to the full City Council.
In doing so, Yousefian said he would devote the remainder of his term to focusing on the needs of Glendale residents, rather than the political dictation of his colleagues via their appointments to his former posts.
“I want to be a free man,” he said.
His announcement did not elicit a direct response from the dais beyond a request from Mayor Ara Najarian to schedule a report on nominating a replacement for the vacated commission seat.
Leadership of the Redevelopment Agency will cede to its vice-chair, Councilman John Drayman, until the council appoints a replacement.
Yousefian’s resignations were the culmination of building fallout over his tirade at a Sept. 25 council meeting that was laced with expletives and accusations of dishonesty among city staff members.
A second outburst at the end of the meeting prompted the city manager to escort Yousefian to a back room.
His colleagues pointed to the episode as a glaring example of what they said was a history of unruly behavior that had mired the effective movement of city business on the dais before giving their vote last week of no confidence for his service on the airport commission.
Based on their admonishment of his behavior, a vote on his removal from the commission was expected to be successful as well.
