In what is expected to be a hotly contested race, seven candidates will vie for two open council seats in the April elections. They include: incumbant Gino Roncelli, Sheng Chang, Mary Dougherty, Charles Chivetta, Vince Foley, James MacDonnell and Mark "Mickey" Segal.
Most of the seven candidates competing for two seats for the City Council support adopting a floor-to-area ratio, or FAR, in an effort to halt "mansionization."
Westfield Group has vowed not to donate to City Council campaigns in the April 2006 election, joining mall rival Rick Caruso and Caruso Affiliated, who made a similar pledge in September.
The City Council wants to finish its review of the Caruso outdoor mall project before the April council elections. Opponents to the development feel the Caruso project is being fast-tracked through the approval processes for political reasons.
In a Council meeting frought with political tension, Gary Kovacic was chosen for his second term as Mayor, and new-comer Mickey Segal was named Mayor pro tem.
StemCyte, in Arcadia, is working to develop a donor bank for stem cells from umbilical cord blood, which is less controversial than embryonic stem cells.
For the first time, the majority of the candidates in this April's City Council elections are Chinese immigrants. Seven candidates are vying for the three open seats. The candidates are Mayor John Wuo, Sheng Chang, Sho Tay, Shao Hua Wen, Peter Amundson, Bob Harbicht, and Pamela Blackwood.
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.
City councils from Arcadia and Sierra Madre met in a joint session to discuss federal lobbying efforts, the Gold Line Rail project, water and open space.
Council member Gino Roncelli is unable to vote on race track decisions due to a conflict of interest. Some rival candidates for council question whether he should run for re-election.
There are seven people running for two seats in the April 11 Arcadia City Council election: Sheng Chang, Charles "Chuck" Chivetta, Mary Dougherty, Vincent J. Foley, John S. MacDonnell, Gino Roncelli and Mark "Mickey" Segal.