City Clerk

The City Council this week decided on a schedule for appointing interim replacements for the elected positions of city clerk and city treasurer as the women who currently hold those offices prepare to retire next month. Beginning May 14, applicants who feel they are qualified will have an opportunity to apply through June 1, although appointments could be made before then, officials said. City Clerk Margarita Campos and City Treasurer Donna Anderson are retiring on June 1 and July 7, respectively - roughly a year before their terms are set to end in May 2013.

The Burbank City Council this week decided to appoint interim replacements for City Clerk Margarita Campos and City Treasurer Donna Anderson - both of whom plan to retire from their elected posts early - rather than hold a special election. Campos and Anderson, who each have held their elected positions for more than a decade, will be retiring on June 1 and July 7, respectively - roughly a year before their terms are set to end in May 2013. Campos, who has worked for the city in various capacities since 1974, said in an interview that the time was right for her to go. “The time comes in everybody's life when they need to make a decision in their personal life,” she said, adding that it was about priorities.

Carolyn Berlin In the Saturday, March 26-27 issue of the Leader, you asked for recommended changes to the Burbank City Charter. Below are three suggestions and comments: 1. The elected city clerk should be given more latitude and responsibility in carrying out election responsibilities. As our elections official, the elected city clerk should be able to interpret the municipal code regarding elections. If there is an ordinance that calls for an election under certain circumstances, our city clerk should be able to call for an election by the people.

Karen S. Kim BURBANK -- The deadline to register to vote in Burbank's city elections is Feb. 12, two weeks before the primary on Feb. 27. Burbank residents can fill out a voter registration form at the city clerk's office in City Hall between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In an attempt to encourage voter turnout, the city clerk's office will remain open until 8 p.m. Feb. 12 to host a voter registration party. Punch, cookies, lawn signs and flyers advertising the election date will be available to anyone who registers after hours.

The city is accepting applications for appointment to the Charter Review Committee. It is anticipated that the committee will have 11 members who will meet as often as necessary to complete a review of the city's charter, and make specific recommendations for changes. Any changes to the charter must be placed before the voters. Applications can be picked up at the city clerk's office at City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave. The forms are also available on the city's Web site, www.ci.

Director The City Council is accepting applications for Burbank's Metropolitan Water District Director. Burbank is one of 27 agency members of the district, which meets every second Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. in Los Angeles. The four-year term starts Jan. 1. All city board, commission and committee members serve without compensation and must be registered voters living in Burbank. No one can serve on more than one board, commission or committee.

Karen S. Kim BURBANK -- As the four top vote-getters in Burbank's primary head to the general election inApril, the first order of business was deciding whose name would appear where on the ballot. Candidate Marsha Ramos' name will appear first on the general election ballot. Howard Rothenbach's, Dave Golonski's and Gary Olson's names will follow. The ballot order was determined by a drawing in the city clerk's office, where a representative of each candidate was asked to draw a number.

According to Will Rogers Dec. 1 column, "... and 2+2=4, Shaq is tall, water is wet," he seems to think that the elective process is better than the appointive process, at least in the case of city clerk. I'm not sure he's correct. Margarita Campos seems to be highly qualified for the position. Many times, elections are popularity contests. We've seen that verified by the results of previous elections for the Burbank City Council and the board of education.

With one eye on the Burbank city manager's seat and, of course, a heavy heart, Judie Sarquiz, daughter of former Burbank Mayor Larry Stamper, departed from the city clerk's office for the final time last week and carted her belongings to her new office in the Financial Services Department. Stumping for the elected office of city clerk in January, Sarquiz gushed, "I really love what I'm doing. I feel as if I'm giving back, and in a lot of jobs you can't do that."

I feel it was wrong of Mr. Kramer to resign. This act is similar to the time when the former city clerk (Judie Sarquiz) resigned. Why do these people run for an office, then take a position in City Hall that pays well and gives them the benefits they don't receive as elected officials? You feel cheated and wonder why you vote. I also feel what Mr. Kramer has done in light of the problem with Measure A is a great disservice to the residents of Burbank.

The City Council this week decided on a schedule for appointing interim replacements for the elected positions of city clerk and city treasurer as the women who currently hold those offices prepare to retire next month. Beginning May 14, applicants who feel they are qualified will have an opportunity to apply through June 1, although appointments could be made before then, officials said. City Clerk Margarita Campos and City Treasurer Donna Anderson are retiring on June 1 and July 7, respectively - roughly a year before their terms are set to end in May 2013.

The Burbank City Council this week decided to appoint interim replacements for City Clerk Margarita Campos and City Treasurer Donna Anderson - both of whom plan to retire from their elected posts early - rather than hold a special election. Campos and Anderson, who each have held their elected positions for more than a decade, will be retiring on June 1 and July 7, respectively - roughly a year before their terms are set to end in May 2013. Campos, who has worked for the city in various capacities since 1974, said in an interview that the time was right for her to go. “The time comes in everybody's life when they need to make a decision in their personal life,” she said, adding that it was about priorities.

The City Council will consider appropriating $225,000 for a private consulting firm to help conduct the Feb. 24 and April 14 municipal elections. Martin & Chapman Co. will provide election supplies, services and consultation to help facilitate the elections for three seats on the City Council, the city clerk, city treasurer and two members of the school board. The primary election is scheduled for Feb. 14, with the general election set for April 14. WHAT TO EXPECT The council will likely approve the contract.

CITY HALL — Six amendments to the Burbank City Charter — which are up for voter consideration on the general election ballot — are drawing both resistance and support from the community. The proposed changes came after seven months of work from a 15-member Charter Review Committee, which the council tapped in November 2005 to review the 90-year-old document and submit recommendations for possible modifications. The charter provides a blueprint for local government and is often referred to as the city's constitution.

BURBANK — With just four days until the ballots for the all mail-in primary election are counted, about 5,000 votes have already reached the City Clerk's Office. That amount is about on par with the number of ballots submitted by this point in previous elections, City Clerk Margarita Campos said. Burbank has about 50,000 registered voters, she said. In the last two primaries 10,000 to 15,000 votes were cast. "We usually see quite a few come in the last couple of days," she said.

Many of the activities operated in our park and recreational areas really are public-private partnerships in one way or another (think tennis at McCambridge Park, the golf course, the Colony Theatre and The Castaway). Perhaps we should take a careful look every few years to review where we are with them to ensure that we don't push them to a point of diminishing returns when fiscal and neighborhood quality of life values are considered. What do you suggest? A lot of city business is covered in closed meetings.

Group is set to work on reviewing, revamping the document controlling city functions, organizations. DOWNTOWN BURBANK -- The city's Charter Review Committee will get to work beginning Monday on a revamp of city functions and organization that could reform city government. Recommendations of the 15-member committee will be put before voters for approval in the 2007 election. "Anything we write, it's not only for us [on the committee]," committee Chairwoman Carolyn Jackson said.

Freedom of speech not 'squeezed' out I find David W. Gordon's community commentary, "Public comment is under siege," May 18, most interesting with respect to free speech at Burbank City Council meetings. After learning the City Council's agenda on May 24 included the consideration of adopting new building standards in R-1 and R-1-H single-family residential zones, I believed this was a meeting not to be missed. I am not a regular at City Council meetings, but I observed that every person who submitted a card to the City Clerk was given the opportunity to speak.

Mark R. Madler With the city's first all-mail ballot primary behind her, City Clerk Margarita Campos is hoping the second go at the system on Tuesday will go smoother. Voters will select two City Council members from a field of two incumbents and two challengers and two new school board members from a field of four. For the general election Tuesday, Campos has doubled the number of workers who verify ballots with a signature comparison, sort the ballots by precinct and inspect them for damage so they can be scanned properly.