The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has withdrawn its application to build a new terminal on the site of a former Lockheed B-6 plant and has put the land up for sale. The airport’s latest move essentially puts expansion talks between the city of Burbank and the nine-member Authority back at square one, even though a smaller swath of airport-owned land is now being considered for a new terminal. And the city is said to be close to approving the airport’s runway safety program. Meanwhile, voters, city officials and the commissioners themselves will likely keep a close eye on upcoming municipal elections in Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena. The outcome of city council races in the three cities could alter the composition of the airport’s governing board and its philosophy about expansion since commissioners are appointed by the city councils and all nine seats are up for reappointment June 1. Four Burbank City Council seats will potentially be up for grabs Feb. 27. In Pasadena, Commissioners Joyce Streator and Chris Holden, who happen also to be city council members, are up for reappointment for third terms. Streator is halfway through her council term and Holden is running unopposed for re-election. Two other Pasadena City Council members are up for re-election on April 17. In Glendale, City Council members Ginger Bremburg and Sheldon Baker both viewed by many in Burbank as hard-line pro-expansionists have chosen not to run in the city’s April 3 election. “We could have up to four new city council members in Burbank, theoretically,” said Burbank Airport Commissioner Charlie Lombardo. “And the elections in Glendale and Pasadena could change the total complexion of who’s on boards and commissions. We could end up with the same nine or nine brand new ones. It’s really what the new city councils think and if they like the direction of what has happened in the last few years.” In 1997, every Authority commissioner was re-appointed. However, by early 1998 Burbank had replaced two of its commissioners. Since then, two Glendale commissioners and one from Pasadena have left the panel. Ball in Burbank’s Court Howard Rothenbach, a Union Pacific Corp. inspector and founder of the anti-airport-expansion group, Restore Our Airport Rights (ROAR), is running for a seat on the Burbank City Council. ROAR recently submitted a petition to Burbank officials hoping to get an initiative on a special election ballot. The initiative calls for the city to demand the airport establish a nighttime curfew, flight caps and limits on expansion. Rothenbach called this an ideal time to replace council members he claims sold out Burbank voters with a 1999 settlement that allowed for a 19-gate terminal and no curfews. That plan has since been quashed by the Federal Aviation Administration. “I feel strongly that there will be a change in the Burbank City Council,” said Rothenbach. “Dave Golonski and Stacey Murphy won’t get re-elected, because they are responsible for that agreement.” Burbank Vice Mayor Bob Kramer is running for city treasurer. Should he lose, he keeps his seat on the council. Council members Murphy and Golonski are up for re-election. Rothenbach also said Commissioner Lombardo was not a favorite among Burbank voters, particularly ROAR supporters and could be on his way out if the election goes the way anti-expansionists hope it will. “I think he’s voted with the other cities, and I don’t think he does that good of a job and I know that he opposes our initiative,” Rothenbach said. Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver is running for re-election to his second term. He said he has “worked to strike a balance on airport concerns” and thinks Glendale voters and council incumbents are satisfied with their commissioners. “It’s no secret that Burbank does not like what Glendale does anyhow, and I’m sure that what Burbank would like is three commissioners in Glendale that would vote like Burbank does,” he said. Glendale City Council candidate Pam Ellis, also vice president of the Glendale Unified School District board, said it could be “time to wipe the slate clean.” “I think it’s essential that the process of building a new terminal move forward,” said Ellis. “It has seemed over the past years that we’ve not made much progress, and it may be that it could require changing personalities. I think there has to be some of that involved.” Representing Glendale, Commissioner and Authority President Carl Meseck has served five consecutive terms on the board. Meseck said impending city council races pose little threat to sitting commissioners. “Anything is possible, but the fact remains we’ve given (Burbank) everything we can possibly give them,” Meseck said. “So any way you cut it, the only thing we can do is move in the directions that we are capable of moving on runway safety and an alternative site. And in the meantime, I don’t think airport commissioners are going to be an election concern.” At Odds in Pasadena Pasadena Council Members and Airport Commissioners Streator and Holden have a long-standing reputation among Burbank residents and officials for butting heads with Burbank commissioners. Neither returned calls to the Business Journal for comment. Pasadena City Councilman Paul Little, serving his second term, said he has long pushed to have the elected mayor of his city serve on the commission and indicated he would do so again. “The mayor is supposed to have a citywide perspective and the airport expansion certainly has a significant impact on us here,” said Little. Unrelated to the upcoming council elections, Dios Marrero recently resigned as airport executive director. “Obviously, with all nine commissioners being appointed by the city councils, each city’s election is very important,” said Burbank City Manager Robert “Bud” Ovrum. “I can say the current commission from our point of view is very dysfunctional and difficult to work with. I think the resignation of the general manager after only a year on the job is just another example of the internal problems they are having.” Marrero discounted Ovrum’s characterization, saying commissioners have worked to strike a balance between airport concerns, community desires and the limitations imposed on Burbank by federal law. “I think the track record of the commissioners over the last four years is that they have been compromising by reducing the scope of the proposed project and trying to incorporate in the project appropriate noise mitigation measures,” Marrero said. Marrero replaced former Executive Director Thomas E. Greer in 1999. He intends to return to his previous post as director of finance and administration for the airport, once his replacement is named. Lombardo replaced former Commissioner John Flynn, booted out by a Burbank City Council vote in 1997 a few months after he replaced ousted commissioner Margie Gee. Commissioners Philip Berlin and Ingolf Klengler are both nearing the end of their second four-year terms. Glendale Authority Commissioner Gerald Briggs replaced Bob Garcin when the council chose not to reappoint him in 1998. Carl Povilaitis replaced long-time Commissioner Carl Raggio upon his resignation from the board in 1999. John Crowley replaced Bill Paparian in 1999 when his Pasadena council seat expired.