Five candidates are in the running for three open seats on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council in the 2024 General Municipal Election on March 5.
The Outlook Valley Sun asked these candidates — Quemars Ahmed, Keith Eich, Stephanie Fossan, Rick Gunter and Jeanne Hobson — to answer the same set of questions to give the community an opportunity to learn more about them and their thoughts on various issues. Whichever candidates emerge victorious will join Mayor Pro Tem Michael Davitt and Councilman Kim Bowman on the dais and serve a four-year term with a monthly stipend of $300.
A forum is scheduled for Jan. 29 at Flintridge Preparatory School’s Norris Auditorium at 7 p.m. for the community to learn more about the candidates.
Q: Why are you running for City Council?
Ahmed: I’m running because I love this city. I was born and raised here and have seen what this city can do when it is at its best. But for too long the City Council has been stagnant and not held accountable. It has delegated or abandoned the responsibility of making important decisions on key issues. The result has been headline after headline about how the city is failing to meet its obligations, tax dollar after tax dollar wasted, and now we face ongoing lawsuits. In the process, children, young families and seniors have been left behind. New residents of the city are struggling to find community here and older residents are struggling to stay here. We must change how things are run.
Eich: I love our community. My wife and I moved here because it’s a small town that is safe, friendly and family-oriented. We wanted to raise our children in a community where education and hard work are valued, and there are opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. I’m running for re-election because I want to preserve how special our town is while also wanting to advance our municipal government to stay modern. I’m an engineer, a technologist and a businessman. I have spent a career digitizing and improving processes. I can and have made a difference. Our city now accepts credit cards, and we have systems for residents to do more with permit requests and even get a reservation for one of our parks or fields. I am hoping to serve you for another four years to do more.
Fossan: I am running for City Council to bring dynamic and pragmatic leadership to La Cañada Flintridge. I love this town and the sense of community it has provided to me and my family. I’m motivated to run because I believe we can be more proactive about building the La Cañada of the future with strong outreach, communications and long-term strategic planning.
Gunter: I’ve focused on service my whole life. I’m called to make my little corner of the world a better place because I was here. Being a City Councilmember is where I can make the greatest local impact. I’m about making systemic improvements with lasting impact. I led the first ever joint School Board and City Council meeting to discuss strategic planning; I led the fix to take our building department away from the County, reducing reviews from months to just 10 days; I’m working with the city manager to create better information and education on our annual budgeting. I’m running again because there is more to do.
Hobson: I have resided in La Cañada Flintridge for 27 years and raised four children with my husband, Mark, enjoying our excellent schools, wonderful organizations and beautiful neighborhoods. After my 18-year career at The Walt Disney Company as Senior Vice President, where I was directly responsible for $2 billion in revenue, I focused my time on giving back to the community. I am a city commissioner on the Parks and Recreation Commission and have served on the YMCA of the Foothills Board of Directors for 10 years as board chair, treasurer and interim CEO. I love our city and want to apply my knowledge, experience and skillsets to make this a better city today and tomorrow.
Q: What issues are most important to you and what are your stances on those issues?
Ahmed: Manage housing, protect the environment, improve safety, implement transparency and accountability. We need to involve our residents at the earliest stages of planning and create specific, measurable goals for the city and its staff. We can and must be a city that facilitates housing in a responsible way so teachers and firefighters who work in our city can afford to live here, along with seniors and young people. We must have the leadership to follow through on our climate action plan, so we leave a healthy city for generations to come. This includes focusing on the effects of our climate problems, like emergency planning for fire and mudslides, protecting our trees and air quality, developing walkable areas, and creating more green spaces.
Eich: Public safety is top of mind. It’s a complex issue, and we need to do more. We have added more than 50 license plate readers around town and an additional Special Assignment Deputy this year to our patrols. The good news is that we are catching more criminals, the bad news is that more crimes are happening. Sadly, even if we catch criminals, they aren’t being prosecuted. We need to do more as community members by protecting ourselves with Neighborhood Watch Groups, locking our doors, having motion lights, and in general, securing our town. We need to add more patrols, especially focused on home burglaries and retail theft. Lastly, building a relationship with our county district attorney to prosecute these criminals. I’m working on all three of these with our Public Safety Commission, our Sheriff, and our city staff.
Fossan: As a four-time and current LCUSD parent, and longtime volunteer, I bring strong relationships with LCF schools and will ensure the city works closely with the schools on issues of importance to all residents, including traffic around school sites, efficient use of joint-use lands, and collaborating to create more recreational space.
In the course of this campaign, I’ve been received enthusiastically whenever I’ve mentioned strengthening the city’s outreach capabilities. La Cañada residents are smart, experienced and have great ideas. The city should engage with those ideas to build a long-term strategic plan, developed with extensive input from all facets of our community.
I will focus on wildfire risk and implement recommendations in the city’s Climate Action Plan. La Cañada should take a leadership position in the Foothill communities to lobby the state to help reduce wildfire risk and educate homeowners on how best to prepare for climate emergencies.
La Cañada’s seniors deserve more focus from the city, including support for those who want to stay in their homes, increased communications around services, and an active outreach campaign to better understand their challenges and opportunities.
Safety and security are core requirements for a strong community. I will work closely with the Sheriff to ensure appropriate staffing and training for those working in our diverse city, and to provide support for Flock cameras and other proven law enforcement techniques.
Gunter:
- Local Control: We are having to work harder to stay the same. Regional and state agency agendas don’t consider a town like La Cañada Flintridge. We need experienced and skilled local leaders to protect us from poorly written one-size-fits-all laws from the county and state.
- Public Safety: We are a safe place for families and no level of crime is acceptable. We must strive always to use the best tools, research and technology to make our future safer still.
- Resident Service: I believe that small government and excellent service go together. Our contract cities model works well but requires thoughtful attention to make sure we’re always serving the changing needs of our residents in the best way possible.
Hobson: - Education: Broadening our collaboration and strategic partnership with the school district is essential. Both entities need to work cohesively to maximize the potential of our community and ensure our kids thrive.
Public Safety: I will work to enhance our partnership with our CV Sheriff’s Department, local fire stations and community stakeholders to ensure our city is the safest. - Emergency Preparedness: Update and implement our city’s Local Hazard and Mitigation Plan. Establish clear objectives and goals through community input, subject matter expertise and City Council support that lays the foundation for safety measures the city and its citizens must employ during a disaster. Clearly communicate this plan through education and city support.
- Climate Action: Support the city’s Climate Action Adaptation Plan by implementing the comprehensive strategy and “Top 10 Biggest Bang for Your Buck” actions outlined in the plan.
Q: On the ballot in the March 5 election is the La Cañada Flintridge Essential Services Measure, or the Sales Tax Measure, which would increase the local sales tax to 10.25% if approved by voters. What is your stance on the measure?
Ahmed: Locally controlled funds are the most direct and important dollars in government. By passing this measure we will have a tremendous opportunity to strengthen our community and we must have a City Council that commits to using newfound revenue for resources that will help all residents. This includes our community center and future recreation areas. We must properly prepare for future threats and emergencies and create a city that gives young people and seniors a chance to stay here and thrive.
Eich: I support this measure wholeheartedly. While I’m not too fond of increasing taxes, this is a unique situation where it’s first come, first serve, and it is highly likely another government agency will get this money — so it’s not a question of if, but when. Therefore, given we have an opportunity to keep the money local instead of elsewhere — I’m voting YES on Measure LCF, and I hope you will join me in doing so.
Fossan: I support the tax measure because it ensures the funds stay local and gives La Cañada valuable resources to move our city forward. If passed, it will be critical to use the money in ways that align with our community’s goals and aspirations. This will require transparency and strong communications.
Gunter: I support the sales tax measure. In our 47-year history, La Cañada has never imposed local city taxes. All but a small fraction of the taxes we pay go to county, regional, or state budgets never to return here. Our past city leaders have done an amazing job taking care of our city with limited resources, but our needs have increased while the costs have gone up. This measure is a way to ensure that our hard-earned tax dollars stay 100% local. It’s a way for us to meet important needs, like increased patrols and technology for public safety; like shorter road maintenance cycles; and like enhanced opportunities for family recreation that is plentiful and safe.
Hobson: Based on my research, I support the Sales Tax Measure. I would work to ensure that the incremental funds would be used to better prepare for and respond to 911 calls, crimes, fires and natural disasters, increase neighborhood patrols, keep parks and public areas safe and up to date, and better maintain our streets. Our current sales tax rate is 9.5%. Most Los Angeles County cities, including our neighbors, have raised their rates to 10.25%. From its incorporation in 1976, our city has never raised the sales tax rate. This increase would bring us in line with our neighbor cities and provide needed funds to enhance city services. In addition, approximately 30% of the increase would be paid by visiting nonresidents.
Q: What makes you uniquely qualified to serve the city of La Cañada Flintridge?
Ahmed: I was born in Verdugo Hills Hospital and graduated from La Cañada High School. I have never considered any other place my home. I have an educated, informed and modern perspective on city governance and what this community can do for younger and future generations of residents. My professional experiences as an attorney, a teacher and editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review have prepared me to work collaboratively with the City Council and the many organizations in this dynamic community in the pursuit of our goals for our city. Please come meet me, reach out to me, or visit my website at quemarsforlcf.com, and please cast a vote for me by March 5.
Eich: I’ve proven I can do the job. I’ve served on a Commission first and learned the ropes. I’ve had great mentors from previous City Councils who have guided me and taught me many things. I’m the only candidate with three school-aged children. I have a unique and diverse background — technology, engineering, education and business. I listen, and I lead with common-sense solutions. I volunteer locally in several organizations. After all is said and done, I want to leave this place better than when I got here. I won’t stop trying. I hope I have earned your trust and your vote.
Fossan: As the only current LCUSD parent in the race, I am well-placed to represent school families. Additionally, my professional career has given me a strong skillset. My government experience includes serving as a U.S. diplomat in London and Beijing, and I have worked as an executive in the technology sector for more than 20 years. Locally, I have volunteered extensively, having served as president and on the board of the La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation, as trustee of the LCFEF Endowment, as co-chair of the 2017 School Bond Committee, and as co-president of the Choral Parents Association. These experiences give me strong qualifications and a unique perspective to bring to City Council.
Gunter: I served eight years on the Planning Commission and four years on the City Council — so I bring extensive local government experience. I am or was in leadership with many community organizations including St. Bede Catholic Church, LCHS Boosters, Friends of La Cañada Baseball and La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses — so I have demonstrated sustained community engagement. In my professional life, I am a commercial architect focused on land use and development issues in California — so I am uniquely qualified to deal with Sacramento on housing issues. I have led multiple companies and startups — so I bring a business sensibility to government challenges.
Hobson: I offer a unique blend of business career success and community and civic service. My corporate management experience, extensive volunteer involvement, and experience with the city as a commissioner have well prepared me to serve on our City Council. I am also the only candidate to be endorsed by all five City Councilmembers. I have demonstrated the proven leadership, results and civic service needed to ensure a positive future for the city we all love.
First published in the January 18 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
