Three incumbents and one challenger square off
Tom Adams
Almost two years ago Monrovia gave me an opportunity to change the direction our city was headed in and I thank everyone for their trust. The time has passed quickly and now I ask for your trust again for there is much to do.
I am very proud that working together with the City Council and our staff these things are being addressed. We have our plan to Renew Monrovia in place and work is being done to bring our water systems, sewer systems, roads, curbs and gutters up to par.
We set out to talk to all of you to find out what you wanted in your neighborhood. As a result of that we have had the first major change of our zoning codes is years and now offer more protection to keep neighborhoods as the neighbors want them. You have a City Council that listens, listens to the needs of the community.
For the first time in over 6 years we are having regular meetings with our counter parts on the Monrovia Unified School Board. Our schools educate our children and we need to be able to work together with them, proudly, we now do.
At this point, Monrovia has more good things happening than it has had in years, more jobs, and better infrastructure, better working relationships with our community partners and stronger protection in our neighborhoods, securing a bright future. All you need to do is look around you and you can see the vast improvement in place. I would hope that we can keep this positive momentum moving, we will all benefit from it.
I respectfully ask you to allow us to continue this work and your vote!
Alexander Blackburn
It has been an honor to serve as your Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem. During my first term, my primary objectives were to make smart, fact-based, decisions for the community, root out cronyism and increase governmental transparency. I have accomplished much of what I set out to do, but more remains to be done. I now ask you for a second term so that I can continue the job that I have begun.
Some of the successes that I personally championed during my first term include opening the Wilderness Preserve, increasing General Fund reserves to $4.5 million (from less than zero when I took office), uncovering $447,765 of unauthorized staff spending, instituting a Council education policy to help ensure more competent leadership, scrutinizing our auditor selection process, establishing a discounted emergency supply purchase program, forming a community committee to study solutions to vagrancy-related problems and installing security cameras throughout our parks.
Beyond those measures I personally championed, I also buttressed measures that were broadly supported by the Council, including: opposing the federal land grab of our Preserve, instituting an infrastructure renewal program, passing stricter neighborhood compatibility and preservation ordinances and banning smoking in City parks.
The foregoing accomplishments were a good start, but there is more to do. For example, we need to work closely with law enforcement to address the statewide rise in crime that is starting to affect Monrovia. The council needs to work collaboratively with law enforcement to address these new threats, and needs to be prepared to allocate the resources necessary to protect our community. Additionally, Monrovia is experiencing unprecedented growth in its housing stock. We need to be diligent about studying the impacts of that growth on our infrastructure, and mitigating the negative impacts to the extent possible. These are just a couple examples of the many challenges Monrovia will face during the next four years, and I now ask you for a second term so that I can help find smart solutions to those challenges.
Mark Harris
I love the “any-town USA” feel about Monrovia. My wife and I love walking through Old Town and visiting the many shops and restaurants. Over the last couple of years, Monrovia has seen a twenty percent increase in crime, rise in the homeless population, and the once proud feeling of an “All America City” start to slip away. I think it’s time for a change and “A Fresh Start”. My main goal in running for Mayor is to make a positive difference for the City of Monrovia and help us become a greater place to live and work, and raise your family. I have only the best interests in the residents and business owners of Monrovia on my agenda.
I have been married for 22 years to my wife Stacy and I have one son Blake who goes to Arizona State University.
Since 2006, I have worked with my twin brother in the celebrity brand marketing integration industry providing celebrity product placement for award shows including charity events, the Grammy’s, the Oscar’s, the Emmy’s ABC’s “The Bachelor” Miss USA, Miss America, and many more. I currently co-host a radio show with my brother and have appeared on reality TV including “Storage Wars” on the A&E Network. Previously I worked in the banking industry for twenty five years where I managed the customer advocacy department at the eighth largest mortgage company in the United States. My schedule gives me the flexibility and time to commit to the issues and concerns of the city of Monrovia.
It will be my priority to make Monrovia a town you will be proud to call home and I appreciate your support. My name is Mark Harris and I’m running for Mayor.
Larry Spicer
I am a native Monrovian and an experienced, results oriented, community volunteer. My services include being a retired U.S. Army Veteran, City Councilmember, former Planning Commissioner, MAP Leader, Peace On Patrol and Watch Dog Dad for the Monrovia Public School District, American Red Cross and Tournament of Roses volunteer, to name a few.
I offer the entire community my promise to continue to be a problem solver and visionary planner by being accessible, listening to your concerns, partnering with schools, businesses and community groups; dealing with citizen and city staff concerns in a fair, factual and compassionate manner; listening and communicating openly; and being fiscally responsible so that our resources provide the services and programs this community needs now and in the future.
My first term as an elected member of Monrovia’s City Council has been rewarding and humbling. I have experienced teamwork and support that encouraged me to keep at the task. My focus has been centered on partnering with community, staff and business owners and I will continue to work on my goals to:
- Build better relations
- Make Monrovia a safer place
- Protect our environment and historical treasures
- Continue progress we are making on our infrastructure
- Maintain a balance budget and reserve fund with Audit Committee oversight
Monrovia has provided my wife and me a safe place to raise and educate our three children. Your support will afford me the opportunity to continue to work for All Monrovians so we can enjoy a secure and prosperous environment in our homes, our schools and throughout our city.
Monrovia has enjoyed much success over the years and I am proud to continue working on our residents’ behalf. Among those successful projects are the MAP leadership training program, the continuing projects that improve our city’s infrastructure, the art installations in Old Town, Station Square, Gold Line Train Station, and Maintenance Yard.
I believe history will show that we have spent our time and dollars wisely by investing in things that will sustain Monrovia for its current population and for generations to come.
