Herman Prepares to Hand Over the Gavel

When Ken Herman joined the Glendora City Council in the wake of the city’s controversial 2002 recall election, Herman, Cliff Hamlow and Gary Clifford formed a changing of the guard – a new political majority that had been focused on new development and city growth.

Nine years later, Herman leaves his post as mayor and welcomes two new city council members and one incumbent back to the dais. The 20-year resident of Glendora is prepared to hand over his gavel to the next mayor of Glendora during Tuesday’s City Council meeting at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 116 E. Foothill Blvd.

Herman began his career in Glendora government as part of the Planning Commission, and ran for city council during the recall election that ousted council members John Harrold, Richard Jacobs and Paul "Sonny" Marshall.

Since assuming the mayoral post following Harrold’s recall, Hermann has taken pride in the major development projects completed during his term, such as the Glendora Marketplace, Diamond Ridge and residential complexes on Elwood and Route 66.

After nine years, Herman decided not to run for re-election to spend time with family, many of whom live in Henderson, Nevada. Herman said he and his wife will now divide their time between Nevada and Bend, Oregon.

Herman talks to Patch about his reflections on the past nine years of his term and his hopes for the future of Glendora.

You came in after the recall election in 2002. You were part of a new changing of the guard and established a new political majority. Tell me about that time and how it has shaped future Glendora policy.

It started out with the Marketplace. The majority of the council, I would say all five of us, saw the vision that something needed to be done as far as bringing sales tax revenue to offset the expense side of the budget.

At the time, we all rallied around that theme. We wanted to encompass within that theme good quality development, whether it be residential development or commercial development. We wanted it to be high quality and that’s pretty much the theme we rallied around. We had the opportunity to build Louie Pompei Park which we all rallied behind and that became a tremendous success. The end result is something that is unrecognizable to what it used to be. We also rallied around the Diamond Ridge development (on Gladstone Street). That’s where the AMC theaters are, Best Buy, Staples, Chilies and all those restaurants are.

All this was sparked and ignited from what we heard from the community. They wanted destinations within the borders of Glendora. They wanted the stores, they wanted more restaurants to go to, so we listened to that. We had the opportunity to have Diamond Ridge in our community and even other residential development like the arboretum on Foothill and Grand. These are what we consider to be high quality and top-notch developments that would enhance positives of the community.

The recall was a very divisive time for the city. Can you tell me how the city has coped since then?

The mechanism that was replaced by the council that you have now, was one that was not really of the philosophies of the citizenry of Glendora. It was more negative, it was more destructive, it was divisive and it was less transparent than what you have now. We replaced the John Harrold regime – Dick Jacobs, Sonny Marshal and John Harrold. I think you have seen clear evidence of that point to now that anybody that has attached themselves to that philosophy has not had a chance to be on this council. I am referring directly now to Kristin Parisi who has ran three times and was defeated, and recently Erica Landmann-Johnsey who has embraced herself around that regime and was also defeated.

So, there was a positive platform we have stood on that was a direct 180-degree opposite of what we’ve replaced. John Harrold came in when he was elected and appointed as mayor, and fired basically all committees and commissions that were there prior to his election. I think people don’t like radical changes, so the community went against him and said, 'Don’t do this,' but he did it anyway.

The new council replaced that, and brought order and positive, constructive growth to the city and what you see now is evidence of that.

What would you say has the city accomplished over the last 9 years of your term?

Some of the developments that I’m really proud of are obviously the Louie Pompei Park, Diamond Ridge, the enhancements that were made to the Marketplace in bettering the auto dealerships, the project on Route 66 and Elwood, the arboretum, the titles that we have already granted to developers that have already bought property in Glendora. The Business Improvement District that we voted on and has improved the Village enormously. They have attracted much more people to the Village. For instance, the Wine Walk was a great success.

Also, we have the projects that are out of public eye—the infrastructure, the water system, the replacement of the infrastructure related to the pipes that deliver water to the citizens, as well the sewer system that has been enhanced and developed. So, there has been a lot of stuff that has been done and people don’t recognize that because they don’t see what we do underground. There are pipes in our city that’s 100 years old. We’re having blowouts everyday and water is coming through the asphalt, so we’re in the process of replacing the entire water system. This is a lot of stuff the citizens don’t see, but when they get up in morning and see their water running, they’re pleased with that.

What would you say to citizens who feel that these public works projects – particularly the road conditions – are not being improved fast enough?

Well, I can understand the impatience of individuals because I am also an impatient person myself. I like to see things done overnight. But frankly, things like that don’t happen overnight. They have to be planned, they have to go through the administrative efforts to get them on the drawing board, and approved and get the plans and blueprints and necessary items. I am sensitive to what the people comment on, but things have to be done correctly, because if things are not done correctly, then all the people will complain about the incorrectness of those projects that now have to be redone. So things have to be done correctly and they take time.

Also, the projects that are on the drawing board and are budgeted are done based upon the priority level. If you look at Gladstone, a lot of people are very unhappy with the potholes and the unevenness of driving down Gladstone. But the problems of what we have to deal with is mainly underneath. We don’t repave the top and six months later tear it up and fix the pipes underneath. It’s just a waste of resources and a waste of time.  

As the redevelopment continues to be debated in the state, the city waged its own battle for redevelopment when it lost a lawsuit against the county. What do you think is the future of redevelopment in Glendora, and what would it mean should the governor get his way?

It would be disastrous because clearly the resources that we get from the redevelopment agencies would cease to exist. For instance, the projects planned for Route 66 would be in jeopardy. This is another example of the state taking money from the taxpayers of local municipalities, whether it’s Glendora or Glendale. It’s not right and it should not occur. The state's problems should not be ours. We have planned very prudently the financial budget of our city. Because the state has not done their duty, that responsibility should not be passed down to us. All that does is keep cities from providing what the affected citizens want.

Being in local politics, you’ve had your share of critics. One of the main divisive issues has been feelings that the city does not listen to all of its voices. How would you respond to that?

All I have been concerned about is that the majority is happy, and that is what democracy is about, bottom line, that the majority of the people are pleased. And there are always going to be a couple people that you have seen that are going to be continuously the critics and are always going to be unhappy and always be the destructive mechanism of society – always pointing out the wrong, always pointing out the opposition, always pointing out the destructive tools and who are always, quite frankly, going to lead very unhappy lives. Their unhappiness is not going to affect the way I make my judgments. But they are entitled to their opinions, and I can listen to them if they are themes that should be recognized, and most of them are not—they have been fabricated or grossly exaggerated.

With Tessitor the only councilman from the recall era left, what do you think of the new council leading the city?

I feel good. I feel great. I feel like the new council is going to continue to maintain the theme of previous councils -- that is being positive and constructive. They won’t come in with their own agendas and they’ll listen to what the citizens’ desires are. I am very pleased to turn over the gavel to presumed new Mayor Doug Tessitor, I will be very pleased with the new Pro Tem and I will be very pleased with the other two new council members. The citizens should be congratulated because they have again voted for the right combination of people to lead the city in the right direction into the future.

What are your final thoughts as you sit on the council one last time during Tuesday’s City Council meeting?

Of course I’m going to miss it because I really loved what I did. I am so tremendously honored and humbled by the citizens that have given me their trust and awarded me the responsibility that I have embraced. I am certainly going to miss it, but life goes on and I feel very good about my decision. I have no regrets at all.