Some city officials might have been forced to loosen their belts a
few notches Thursday afternoon, thanks to the annual city employees'
potluck behind City Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parcher Plaza was
transformed into a backyard barbecue for the event, complete with
patriotic decorations, sizzling meat on the grill and side dishes
like macaroni and cheese, potato salad, cornbread, chili, salads and
desserts. City officials who are known for their suits and ties were
instead clad in aprons, holding barbecue tongs and preparing food for
about 1,000 employees. As always, the Management Services booth's
tri-tip sandwiches were a hot commodity, especially with City Manager
Jim Starbird, Councilman Bob Yousefian and Assistant City Manager Bob
McFall, with a red, white and blue scarf tied around his head,
cooking the meat. Glendale Water and Power's carne asada, with GWP
Director Ignacio "Nacho" Troncoso behind the grill, was a favorite
among employees, who lined up around the plaza for a taste.
Activities also included an egg relay, won by McFall and Deputy City
Manager Yasmin Kamria, a pie-eating contest, won by firefighter Ed
Marquez and employee Arin Sanatgar, and line dancing.
