Decision 2014 – Municipal Election in Arcadia – April 8

The All Mail Ballot General Municipal Election will be held in the City of Arcadia on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, for three (3) Members of the City Council (Full term of 4 years ending April 10, 2018) As a public service we are running the candidates’ statements in this issue so voters have a better understanding.

Burton Brink

Hello,
I am excited to be running for Arcadia City Council and I want to be YOUR voice!
The reason I am running for Arcadia City Council is that I love the city of Arcadia. I want it to continue to be a great place for our families and businesses to grow.
Growing up in Arcadia, I feel it is an honor to serve my hometown and to give back to the community where I grew up. Our family has lived in Arcadia since 1967 (47 years). I love this city and we are not going to leave it!
I attended Highland Oaks Elementary, Foothills Jr. High (now Middle School) and graduated in 1982 from Arcadia High school. I was an Arcadia Police Explorer from 1977-1982. My mother, Carolyn Brink, served on the Arcadia Planning Commission from 1977-1981. My parents taught me to serve the community you live in. That is one of the reasons I chose my career in Law Enforcement, where I have been with for over 25 years with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. This is the reason I also want to serve the great people of Arcadia on the Arcadia City Council.
I want to make sure we continue to move forward and keep our focus on making our city a safe place. The number one responsibility of any city council is public safety and Arcadia definitely is no exception. I want our police and fire departments to have everything they need to do their jobs so we are protected and safe.
I want to make Arcadia a place for people to come to and spend their money at our businesses. I want to see our businesses thrive and grow. I want to them become a great place for families and residents to come to. I want to see us continue to revitalize and improve all the areas of the city. There are so many great things on the horizon for our city.
I want to see our schools continue to get the support they need to keep our kids learning and become our future leaders.
I am a board member on the Professional Peace Officer Association’s Charitable Foundation and the Star and Shield Foundation’s Charitable Foundation.
My roots are deep in our community from my childhood and now as a resident. I feel that I’m a great fit for our diverse community and can bring new ideas to our challenging problems.
I hope you will join me in wanting what is best for the city.
I am endorsed by: Supervisor Mike Antonovich; Bob Sanderson, Retired Chief of Arcadia Police Dept.; Rick Sandona, Retired Capt. Of Arcadia Police Dept.; and numerous citizens and other organizations.
Thank you,
Burton Brink
Brink4Arcadia@hotmail.com Burton Brink Brink4Arcadia P.O. BOX 660862 Arcadia, CA 91066-0862

Roger Chandler

Roger Chandler, a 42 year resident of Arcadia, was first elected to the Arcadia City Council in 1986. He has served 16 years on the council, including three terms as Mayor. He last served in 2012 and left the council due to term limits. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from USC. In 2004 he was recognized as a top fifty distinguished alumni at the 50th anniversary of Temple City High School.
Retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement, he served as a Pasadena Police Cadet, Lieutenant in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Chief of Police for the Los Angeles City Housing Authority. In 1999-2000, as Mayor, he provided leadership for the construction of Arcadia’s new police station, which opened in 2003. Also, during his years in office the city built the community center, a new library, new public works facility, two fire stations, and updated infrastructure, including seven new water wells and seven new reservoirs.
Roger Chandler for Council Committee 2530 Lee Avenue, Arcadia, California 91006 626-446-5942

Sho Tay

My wife and I have lived in Arcadia for 30 years. We raised our children here and it’s where we call our home. As any homeowner would strive to improve their home, I feel the same about Arcadia.
I’ve served on organizations such as the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation, Arcadia Chinese Association, Arcadia Masonic Lodge, Boy Scouts Lucky Baldwin District, Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, Arcadia Historic Society and the LA County Arboretum. I now wish to serve the people of Arcadia and improve our City on a larger scale.
As a successful entrepreneur and retired businessman, I carry the skills and knowledge to serve on the Arcadia City Council. My dedication and track record of service to Arcadia earned me the Chamber of Commerce Citizen of The Year award for 2011.
I am committed to:
o Improving the quality of life for our residents.
o Improving transportation for our elderly and physically challenged residents.
o Improve traffic around schools.
o Advocate a balanced budget by promoting sensible growth and preserving our longstanding businesses.
I pledge to be your voice and together we’ll carry Arcadia into a brighter future. You can always reach me at 626-447-2935. Please check out www.arcadiacity.com for more information.

Tom Beck

My wife Jeri and I moved to Arcadia in 1985. We found Arcadia to be an exceptional community to raise our four children because of its’ excellent schools and opportunities for extracurricular activities. My volunteer activities have involved Arcadia schools, Arcadia youth sports, Arcadia Methodist Hospital, and my neighborhood homeowner association.
I will bring my legal, business, and financial experience as your independent and common sense representative on the Arcadia City Council.
Since submitting my nomination papers, I have met with numerous City Officials and community leaders to privately discuss the important issues and determine how we can work together to make our great city even better. My private meetings have included:
o City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto (issues included budget, water, street lighting and repair, and crime)
o Chief of Police Bob Guthrie (issues included home burglaries and allocation of police resources)
o Community Leader David Lee (issues included how we can best unify our residents and improve our sense of community)
o Community Leader Dorothy Denne (issues included what our Seniors want and need and how they may be assisted)
o President of our Downtown Business Association, Matt McSweeney (issues included what our new Downtown Arcadia Community Benefit District is trying to achieve and ways this promising program can be exported to our other business districts, particularly Baldwin Avenue and Live Oak Avenue)
My vision for Arcadia:
o We must keep our police, fire and paramedic services strong. Neighborhood safety must be our first priority.
o We must keep our schools at the top. This benefits us all, even if our children are no longer in the school system.
o We must be fiscally wise and always have balanced budgets and adequate reserves for future unforeseen circumstances.
o We must provide exceptional programs for our Seniors and youth.
o We must maintain our cooperation between our city and schools.
o We must evaluate all future developments to ensure they will be consistent with maintaining our quality of life.
o We must keep a strong code enforcement to maintain and improve the aesthetics and integrity of our city.
I am ready and eager to get to work on your behalf. You have 3 votes on your mail-in ballot. I would appreciate one of your votes.
Thank you.
Tom Beck
For more details, please visit Beck4Council.com

Paul E. Van Fleet

Age: 55 Occupation: Insurance Claims Representative
I am running for city council because I want to contribute my skills and talents to help keep Arcadia the little piece of paradise that it is.
16 years ago in 1998, I decided to put down my roots in Arcadia and make it my home. I made that decision only after living in multiple cities in the U.S.A. North -East, South, South-West and Taiwan. In Arcadia I found a city with all the good things cities are known for, good medical facilities, good entertainment and economic opportunity. In Arcadia I also found a small town with all the good things a small town is known for great schools, safe streets, good government and kind outgoing people who really care about others.
Degrees BA 1980 Geography, 1983 Economics Rutgers University and Chinese cultural and language classes at PCC with work experiences including restaurant management, ISPs, Dotcoms and insurance have allowed me to build a vast skill set that is a good fit for this position.
I want your VOTE. Please see my website www.paulvanfleet.com for a more detailed introduction statement.

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