opinion

Monday, September 8, 2014

Talk of the Town: Magnolia Park parking dispute showdown

After a week off, the Burbank City Council is back in session tomorrow. The five council members have a busy agenda over the next few weeks. On the list, the showdown over the parking issues in the 3400 block of Magnolia Boulevard. After festering for months, the dispute has boiled over, resulting in merchants slinging harsh allegations at each other […]
Tuesday, August 26, 2014

City Buzz: Another candidate jumps into the 2015 race for Burbank City Council

Several potential candidates are quietly preparing or exploring campaigns for the 2015 race for Burbank City Council. This is the way it has worked in the past. Gear up discreetly behind the scenes in the spring and summer. Then usually, council candidates announce in the fall. Well, this time around not all of the candidates are playing by the old […]
Friday, August 22, 2014

Talk of the Town: Allegations of harassment and bullying in parking dispute

The dispute over parking in the 3400 block of Magnolia Boulevard has taken an ugly and disturbing turn. Over a period of several months, some of the merchants have spoken out and contacted city officials about parking problems along that block. At the center of the dispute is the coffeehouse/cafe, Romancing the Bean. No longer a sleepy street known only to […]
Friday, August 1, 2014

Guest Blogger Jackie Waltman: Burbank mayor position. Is it time for a change?

It may be time to seriously talk about the position of Burbank City Mayor.  For years the position of Burbank mayor has been largely ceremonial. The position has been conferred on a rotational basis to council members by their colleagues.  This practice sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. First off, I would like to say that any citizen who is willing […]
Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Talk of the Town: Burbank mayor selection

Some issues, like the debate over the selection of Burbank’s mayor, never seem to die. It frequently comes up in the spring when a new mayor is picked by the city council members. In the past, there have been some ugly episodes with certain council members being shut out of the rotation for mayor. Dr. David Gordon has been passed […]
Friday, July 25, 2014

Talk of the Town: A stare-down at Burbank City Hall ends

The stare-down between the Burbank City Attorneys Association and the Burbank City Council is over. The association blinked. City Hall sent out a news release yesterday saying: “Representatives of the BCAA advised the City Manager by letter on July 17, 2014, that their group is disbanding effective immediately and is withdrawing a lawsuit and several complaints with the Public Employees Relations Board […]
Monday, June 23, 2014

Talk of the Town: Burbank City Council, utility rate hikes, and labor costs

The Burbank City Council will again be crunching budget numbers tonight during a special city council meeting. At the June 10 meeting, the council majority shocked the over-confident staff by not approving utility rate increases for electric, water, refuse, and sewer. The vote was 3-2 with council members Emily Gabel-Luddy and Gary Bric voting for the rate increases.  Council member […]
Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Burbank Baskin-Robbins coupon confusion and scoop drama

The Baskin-Robbins at 1201 South Victory Boulevard in Burbank , the one with the drive through window, has been a favorite of the locals for ages. The ice cream is still yummy, but if you plan to try to redeem one of those Baskin-Robbins coupons at this location, beware of  scoop drama. I experienced it first hand last Sunday, June […]
Monday, April 21, 2014

City Buzz: Issues in Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters

There are growing concerns about some simmering issues in the Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters. This time around they do not involve the police mess — which still hangs over the BPD.  Instead, one of the issues deals with the building itself and the other, tension between the two city departments which share the building: police and fire. Roaches in […]