Meet the council candidates

As six candidates vie for two spots on the Glendale City Council, the April 5 election campaign trail has been relatively quiet.

Now, with the slate of public election forums starting to take over the calendar in the coming weeks, the candidates will be forced to stake out their positions on a range of issues facing Glendale.

City officials are already bracing for a General Fund budget gap of as much as $10 million for the next fiscal year as employee pension and health-care costs continue to rise amid stagnant revenues. The City Council is expected to begin budget meetings early this year as it works to fill a significant budget gap for the fourth year in a row.

The group of six — which includes two incumbents, former City Councilman Rafi Manoukian, a City Hall activist, security guard and perennial candidate — touch on some of the issues in their responses as submitted to the Glendale News-Press.

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John Drayman

Age: 52

Occupation: Glendale City Councilman

Political Experience: current Glendale city councilman, former mayor of Glendale, former chairman of the Glendale Redevelopment Agency; current vice chairman of the Glendale Redevelopment Agency; current member of the Glendale Housing Authority; former member of the Arroyo-Verdugo Subregion Steering Committee to SCAG; former delegate for state Sen. Carol Liu; former president of the Montrose Shopping Park Business Improvement District; current City Council liaison to Glendale Unified School District; former vice president of development for the Alex Regional Theatre; former board member and treasurer of the Glendale Regional Arts Council; current member of the Glendale Humane Society.

Endorsements: Assemblyman Mike Gatto, Rep. Adam Schiff

Why are you running for Glendale City Council?

In the last four years, Glendale has enjoyed the stabilization of its residential neighborhoods, increased economic development and the promotion of its local history. I have had a direct hand in innovating this path forward and want to see the process through.

What sets you apart from other candidates?

I believe in making local government work for Glendale residents. I have always had a talent for solving tough problems, such as reforming our design review process, reforming our appointment process for board and commission members, saving Chevy Chase Branch Library and sponsoring an ordinance to limit cell towers in our residential neighborhoods.