Photo: FLLewis / Media City G — Burbank City Council member Emily Gabel-Luddy joined the council majority in supporting the Talaria project October 14, 2014
Burbank City Council member, Emily Gabel-Luddy, has not called a news conference for the media, sent a letter to the Burbank Leader, nor issued a press release, but make no mistake about it, she’s running for re-election. Actually, Gabel-Luddy pretty much announced her intention to seek another term at the October 14 city council meeting. The focus of that meeting was the Talaria project, so Gabel-Luddy’s remarks about the coming 2015 Burbank Municipal Elections may have slipped beneath the radar. However, a review of those remarks shows the incumbent has clearly made that all important decision to campaign for re-election.
On the October 14 agenda, a request to approve an agreement between the city and Martin & Chapman Co. for services in the 2015 elections. Gabel-Luddy asked city attorney, Amy Albano, if she should abstain from voting because”… I’m the only council member running for re-election.” Gabel-Luddy was told it was okay to vote on that agreement, but she probably should skip voting on a later item, a resolution establishing the cost of candidate statement fees for the 2015 Municipal Elections.
However, when it came time to vote on that resolution BOTH Gabel-Luddy and Gary Bric recused themselves. What? For months now, Bric has been acting as though this is his swan song. He reportedly has told folks in the community he’s not going to run again. Bric says he decided not to vote on the candidate statement fees saying, “technically we’re both up for re-election.”
Did Bric give himself some wiggle room to jump into the race? Maybe. Or perhaps he was just trying to follow the proper proceedure. So Gabel-Luddy is running for re-election. As for Gary Bric, well, we’ll just have to wait and see. In any event, there will be two city council seats, plus three school board seats, on the February 24 Primary Election mail in ballot. The period for candidates to file nomination papers opens next Monday, November 3.
