Dr. Sheng Chang has been elected mayor of Arcadia. He is the first Asian-American mayor of Arcadia. In 1994, he was the first Chinese-American Arcadia City Council member.
Arcadia Mayor Dr. Sheng Chang said he plans to sue two business partners for libel over their charges that he embezzled money from the Access IPA medical group. Dr. Araceli Chanbonpin and Dr. Azucena Porrai charged in a letter that Chang improperly closed a savings account in the company's name at Bank of East Asia. The amount in the account was $421,483.59. Chang, who is president of Access IPA, said he moved the funds to Preferred Bank to establish more banking relationships for the company. When the other two doctors objected, Chang said he moved the money back to the Bank of East Asia.
Gary Kovacic is Arcadia's mayor for the third time. His first term was in 1998-1999 and his second term was in 2000-2001. In this, his third term, he is one of four out of the five Arcadia city council members rotating into the mayor's position during the 2003 Arcadia Centennial. The article includes biographical information.
As part of Arcadia's 2003 centennial celebration, each council member has served as mayor for a three-month period of time. Mickey Segal will lead the city for the last three months until after the April 13 City Council election.
The candidacy filing period opens Dec. 22 for two seats on the Arcadia City Council and for a newly configured city clerk's position. The terms for Sheng Chang and Mickey Segal will expire.
A Westfield poll shows four candidates in close contention for three seats in Tuesday's City Council election. The top four contenders are ex-Council members Sheng Chang and Bob Harbicht, current mayor John Wuo, and newcomer Peter Amundson.
City council candidate Sheng Chang accuses Mayor John Wuo of making the wrong decision in approving the resolution of necessity to begin eminent domain proceedings against Arcadia Self-Storage so that Rusnak Mercedes-Benz can expand. Wuo says Chang does not understand the proceedings.
Two incumbents, Sheng Chang and Mickey Segal, are seeking additional terms on the City Council. Businessman Sho Tay and former two-time Councilman Roger Chandler are hoping to unseat them.
One candidate for City Council, Sheng Chang, has signed a pledge issued by Arcadia First!, the Westfield-funded organization formed to defeat the Shops at Santa Anita mall. Chang opposes the proposed new mall project.
Arcadia City Councilman Gary Kovacic will take over as mayor at the next City Council Meeting. He will serve through October 21 and then the position will rotate to John Wuo (October 21-January 4), Mickey Segal (January 4-April 20). Gail Marshall was mayor through April 15 of this year. All council members are rotating to the position of mayor during the city's centennial.