The move was made to increase the accountability of commissioners by tying their performances more closely to the council members who appoint them.
The new system mirrors what was done last year for the city’s two Design Review boards.
The Civil Service Commission, which is governed by the city Charter, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California representative are not a part of the process.
Each council member will make one appointment per board or commission. As a part of the streamlining, the City Council also voted to downsize the Arts & Culture Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women from seven members to five.
The vast majority of current commissioners indicated they would like to retain their positions, while almost 40 other applications were submitted, according to the city clerk’s office. The city’s Building & Fire Board of Appeals was the only commission not to receive new applications.
Newcomers vying for a spot include Zanku Armenian, a board member for the Armenian National Committee’s western region, for the Glendale Water & Power Commission. So did Peter Fuad, president of the Northwest Glendale Homeowner’s Assn., and former City Council candidate Edward Lafian.
Former Glendale Community College Board of Trustees candidate Christine Rodriguez joined Lafian in applying for the Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee.
City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian said the application turnout was about average except for the Arts & Culture Commission, which saw 17 applicants, including its seven current commissioners.
“That is probably the most we’ve had for that,” Kassakhian said.
