Burbank's new mayor looking forward to a great year

As I begin my term as mayor, I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues on the council for giving me the honor to serve our community in this role. While I feel a sense of both pride and humility, my strongest feeling is a sense of urgency. Twelve months is not a long time and there is...

Where has common courtesy gone?

I’ve noticed a creeping lack of civility overtaking our society.

Council should think of safety of residents

I came across an article in the Burbank Leader that both concerns and infuriates me. (“Split council OKs transitional living homes,...

Typo gives reader a lift

Got a kick out of a new word on the front page of the Leader this morning (subhead to “Language class could be a...

Is purpose to educate, or to raise funds?

I must have a lifelong misunderstanding. I was under the impression that the goal of education was to educate the individual.

In defense of the DeBell Golf Club

As president of the Burbank Senior Men's Golf Club, I find I must respond to the continuous rants of Molly Shore in the Burbank Leader Mailbag relative to the DeBell Golf Club.

Golonski's departure a sad event

It was a sad day in Burbank when Dave Golonski was not re-elected to the City Council, a public servant who had served for more than 20 years.

He's tired of smelling cesspool

Is it just me, or is anyone else getting tired of smelling that open cesspool at Burbank Boulevard and the Golden State (5) Freeway?

DeBell should be converted to dog park

Burbank City Council members and city management personnel continue to insist that the money-losing DeBell Golf Club will one day become solvent (“DeBell is given another reprieve by council,” April 27).

Council should seek independence

Being selected by colleagues on the City Council to be the next vice mayor or mayor has absolutely nothing to do with votes garnered in an election.

Why they opted out of school testing

Good to see bull taken by horns

I commend those involved in two major decisions for the good of Burbank.

An honor that is long overdue

Two years ago a Mailbag contributor wrote that Councilman David Gordon didn’t have the right to serve as vice mayor or mayor because he came into office with fewer votes than council members Dave Golonski and Jess Talamantes (“Passing over Gordon makes sense,” May 15, 2011).

Congratulations and thank you to Burbank officials

I would like to send out a congratulations to Bob Frutos, David Gordon and Jesse Talamantes on their election wins, as well as a sincere thank you to Dave Golonski for his years as a council member and mayor of our great city.

Opposed to special interests in Burbank elections

If I believed in evolution, I’d fear we are devolving into apes with clubs, the clubs being words.

Why transportation study is needed

Re: “Too many studies, too little service,” Paul Dyson, Mailbag, April 6. While Paul Dyson correctly notes that there is too little train service in this region, it must be...

An election post script

I would like to congratulate Jess Talamantes and David Gordon for their victories on Tuesday night’s general election. It was a hard-fought campaign and they deserved to win. I would also like to express my appreciation for David Golonski’s 20 years of service to our city. Dave, you...

A hauntingly unsafe intersection

After more than eight years, a directional signal hasn’t been installed at “five points,” the intersection of Burbank and Victory boulevards. I’ve done everything I could possibly think of peacefully doing to have the sign installed.

Too many studies, too little service

I understand from previous reports in the Burbank Leader that the Airport Authority has contracted with consultants to conduct a ground access study at a cost of about $1 million.

Time for fresh blood on council

I see with the election drawing near, Golonski’s army is on the move. Wow. His soldiers are getting worried and on the attack. They bring David Gordon down and say what a bad council person he is. What a joke.

Incumbents voted for bonuses

For those of you still undecided about the upcoming election, I would like to remind you that Dave Golonski and Jess Talamantes were two of the council members who two years ago voted to give away huge bonuses to several city employees at a time when we were in the worst recession in 75 years.

City needs Dave Golonski

I am writing this letter in support of Dave Golonski, who is up for reelection to the Burbank City Council.

Candidates and year-round swimming

I've written to the Leader previously on year-round swimming at the public pools and it would be interesting to know about the City Council candidates’ positions on this issue.

New reservoir explains leaking water hydrant

The March 23 edition of the Burbank Leader included a letter to the editor asking why water was being released from a fire hydrant. Burbank Water and Power (BWP) is well into...

Proud of city's compassion

I grew up and went to school in Burbank and have always thought highly of the town. I would like to share an experience I recently had with the city of Burbank. With so much negativity in the press, this is most refreshing.

Ferguson is unqualified for Burbank school board

So he is young, born in Burbank and gay but what are Steve Ferguson's...

Gordon is a distraction

I will never understand why some Burbank citizens see David Gordon as their hero, a true man of the people. I see him as a distraction, keeping the other council members from taking care of city business in a balanced and timely way.

Gordon not suited for government

How many times have we read a line like this in the paper? “The sole dissenting vote was cast by David Gordon.”

Gordon was thoughtful, helpful

You showed your bias by printing the picture of David Gordon with the caption underneath suggested by your reader, Carolyn Jackson.

Gordon gets writer's respect and vote

I am responding to a letter (“David Gordon is bad for Burbank,” Mailbag, March 20) from Carolyn...

Golonski's experience is important

There has been a lot of talk about the election of returning council members and I am tired of names being bandied about without information behind opinions.

Why is the city wasting water?

I'm curious why the city of Burbank encourages water conservation for its homeowners, even asking them to landscape with native drought-resistant plants, when on Bel Aire Drive and Magnolia Boulevard, an out-of-service fire hydrant has been spewing water into the sewer system at the rate of 5...

Golonski is the ultimate insider

The ultimate outsider is now the ultimate insider, and it's time for him to go. Dave Golonski is a nice man, and certainly is devoted to Burbank.

Time for Golonski to go

I was surprised to read a recent letter in the Leader criticizing Councilman David Gordon for his behavior during City Council meetings. While I don’t agree with Gordon on everything, from the council meetings I’ve attended, it’s clear that he’s the only incumbent who...

People are behind Gordon

A recent Mailbag item had a laundry list of criticism of David Gordon without any factual back-up. This is the type of misinformation Golonski gadflies have been writing for the past 20 years of his tenure.

Choosing optimism over fear

I'm writing today in response to and in agreement with Carolyn Jackson's letter regarding Councilman David Gordon. The problems she cited, though enough to hopefully dissuade some from voting for Gordon, are only a part of the reason I find myself so dissatisfied with his City Council tenure.

Golonski is the right choice

I have known Dave Golonski for 20 years, since he first beat me for a seat on the Burbank City Council. I can truly say with no reservations that the voters made the right choice in electing him.

Tabet is the right candidate

A January letter to the editor authored by well-known community members stated our schools are “in need of strong, mature leadership from people who understand how to work within a budget, people who have worked with parents, and have personal experience in working with children and their...

Easter eggs and political posturing

City needs Golonski's expertise, experience

Dave Golonski has been our councilperson for the past 20 years. During that time Burbank has flourished while other cities have floundered.

Nos and a shared vision for Burbank

I have known David Nos for nearly 10 years through various business and social circles. He is a rational, reasonable and considerate individual who shares my concerns for the future of Burbank.

Criticism of Burbank city clerk is misplaced

It was extremely disappointing to read your critique of the Burbank city clerk’s office regarding the February election (“City...

David Gordon is bad for Burbank

I had the honor to serve as chair of the 2005-06 Burbank Charter Review Committee, a panel of 15 City Council-appointed volunteers, including now councilmember-elect Bob Frutos. Members of the committee dedicated more than 500 hours of volunteer time to this effort. The council had mixed reactions...

Golonski does his job well

Your correspondents' attacks on Dave Golonski raise some interesting points. How is it that Golonski has kept his seat on the City Council for 20 years?

The downside of Burbank's school bond

Kelly Corrigan writes (“Battle won, district preps to issue...

Ferguson needed to take action

I am writing to share my concerns with the recent actions of Burbank school board candidate Steve Ferguson.

Voters must kick Golonski out the door

The primary nominating election held on Feb. 26 spoke volumes to Burbank City Hall watchers. In case you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past few weeks (or sitting in traffic waiting to park at Costco), here’s the latest: The three candidates who garnered the majority of votes were...

Time for City Council change

In my mind, it is necessary to unseat City Council members Dave Golonski and Jess Talamantes to have a fair, democratic-way attitude on the council.

Leader Editorial: Mobile ads are driven out of Burbank

Whether they are an eyebrow-raising push for “Hot Topless Maids” or a pitch for more socially acceptable businesses such as a car wash, signs attached to vans, trucks or trailers that are used solely for the purpose of advertising have been banned by the City Council.

Kaye is digging in the dirt

At previous points in columnist Ron Kaye's long and storied career, he would have embraced a maverick like Mike Gatto.