BURBANK–Members of the Armenian National Committee of America— Burbank met with city Councilmember Dave Golonski and Vice Mayor Jess Talamantes on February 15 and 17 respectively. Armond Aghakhanian, Electoral/Political Committee Chair, organized the encounters. ANCA—B members Ara and Shoushan Boyadjian were present, along with members of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS)—Burbank Houri Tavitian and Nora Boyajian.
These marked the first two of a series of meetings with Burbank elected and appointed officials that will take place to discuss issues relevant to the local Armenian community. ANCA—B hopes to encourage open dialogue between elected officials and the community.
ANCA—B members took the opportunity to share information about past and upcoming activities. These included the voter registration drive, Armenian Genocide commemoration, “Rebirth Scholarship,” and new ACF Burbank Youth Center. Also, they described the partnerships and working relationships among Burbank nonprofits, like ANCA—B, ARS and Homenetmen.
“We wanted to make it clear that the Armenian American community will continue to be an integral part of Burbank civic and business life, especially as we celebrate the City’s centennial. We hope that through similar meetings we can continue discussing issues that concern not only the Armenian community of Burbank but all the residents of this great city,” said Aghakhanian.
Dave Golonski is celebrating his 18th year as a member of the Burbank City Council, where he has served as Burbank’s Mayor three times over the course of his tenure. Since joining the Council in 1993, he has served on numerous critical committees tackling issues related to youth, homeless services, housing, and infrastructure.
With a 32-year career of dedicated service as a Burbank firefighter, Vice Mayor Jess Talamantes was elected to the Council in 2009, but his community involvement has always been strong. While he spent many years on the frontlines in public safety, he also worked the sidelines as a coach to Burbank’s young athletes. His attention to youth programs and commitment to their success continues to this day.
The Armenian National Committee of America— Burbank advances the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of its Armenian community and promotes increased Armenian-American civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.
