It’s long and detailed, and we recommend it:
A side note.
We’ve been noticing a big trend lately with the application packages that are being submitted for these various boards and commissions. Apparently it’s no longer Ma and Pa Kettle (or a concerned mom and dad somewhere) who want to serve the City on these often influential advisory committees and jurisdictional bodies.
What we’re seeing now are extensive two- and three-page resumes from individuals who already have a serious professional stake in what ever the business is at hand. They’re almost all either career workers in these very same fields or bureaucratic movers and shakers such as grant writers and project coordinators.
Is this just a coincidence, or are these individuals somehow being encouraged to apply for the open seats? Maybe the better word is “groomed”…?
A Planning Board member who also happens to be a city planning or development professional? That’s no problem for Burbank, apparently. What happens though when everyone is on the same page professionally is that you basically end up with an unfortunate circle-jerk of common interests.
So is this just another LinkedIn notch for these applicants, or is there something else going on here that’s a bit more contrived, or perhaps bureaucratically self-serving and even sinister?
Instead of the Organization Man or Woman, we’d much rather have a retired grandma or grandpa who has nothing to do with the field and just wants serve their community without having some kind of built-in agenda or professional prejudice. Or, who won’t act like an automatic cheering squad for the nature of the group’s business.
In other words, how come we can’t we get regular people in these groups? Burbank used to.
Burbank, California 
It’s good to see Fronnie back.
Why? She’s a one-note follower who is unable to handle comments on her website. She can’t handle any type of opposing viewpoint and gets quite ugly should you bring one up – now impossible to do on her mostly “today’s weather” blog.
Why does the banner of the City Council show say “Thursday “, July 17”?
Because if it’s Tuesday, it must be Thursday.
Perhaps Leadership Burbank is the groomer?
They are THE groomer. A consortium of local real estate and corporate interests.
They make no bones about it, either. Reading their literature, you’d think they were the only way to go.
I think the pro-business/development mentality at City Hall has pretty much won the day. Wouldn’t it be overkill to continue to groom people? That’s all that’s willing to volunteer these days. Everyone else doesn’t care, doesn’t vote, etc…Of course, Nixon won in an historic landslide but still felt compelled to bug the ND headquarters so what do I know.
Like that great line I always repeat about when I heard Pauline Kael get asked if she thought the big film studios were paying off local film critics to get good reviews.
“Goodness gracious, no,” she said throwing her head back with a laugh. “Why in the world would they do something like that? They don’t have to!
The people applying for these positions all have their butt cheeks contracted. It’s that new burning desire in Burbank to feel important. Getting ahead doesn’t begin to explain these people.
I read the article you referenced by Fronnie. When I think of Magnolia Park, I think of one big food truck. Those idiot merchants get everything coming their way. They’ve appealed to one crowd and lost their money base. Boo! Hoo! Bunch of idiot losers.
Jeff, l am a merchant in Magnolia Park.
I agree with your comments.
M. P. M. A. has changed the image of
Magnolia Park . It will be very
difficult to get advertising and events
to appeal to a larger customer base.
It’s almost criminal what has gone on.
I have a family to support!
Magnolia used to be a beautiful street. Real businesses Theaters bars neon. It turned into this shit hole antique boutique row when they left. When Halloween is your busiest time of year that’s a joke. All these buildings across the town are on there 3rd generation inheritance they want the cash. Pickwick the Stables they want out the only way to stop it is buy it yourself.
The only shit hole I see on Magnolia is that huge
filthy thrift store.
There are only a few antique shops left and they seem
pretty nice. Boutiques are moving in.
Also , I see a strange abundance of shops specializing
in weird oddities , gems and readings.
They’re paying a fortune in rent.
Yeah, this soothsayer thing is big now.
From three or four really good Magnolia Park bookstores to … this.