Meet City Council Candidate John Harabedian

Patch: Tell us about your early years.

Harabedian: I was born and raised in Sierra Madre.  My parents were raised in Arcadia, and moved to Sierra Madre 36 years ago because they loved its tight-knit village feel (and, of course, because there were no stop lights).  I attended and , and spent most of my free time playing sports.  The most memorable of these experiences was walking down the street on almost a daily basis to play baseball at Heasley and Dapper fields with my friends. 

Patch: Have you served on a leadership body before?

Harabedian:Throughout my life, I have always had a passion for civic engagement and tended to find myself assuming leadership roles.  For example, I served as Student Body President at St. Rita, and held similar student government positions throughout my time at Loyola High School and Yale University. This carried over to me serving as a Coro Fellow in Los Angeles before I attended Stanford Law School.     

Patch: Why are you running for City Council?

Harabedian: I am running for Sierra Madre City Council for three simple reasons.  First, I love this town and I have a vested interest in its future. My fiancee and I will be raising our children here, my entire family lives in town, and I want to ensure that the next generation grows up in the same safe environment that I did.  Second, Sierra Madre is facing significant challenges in the coming years, mostly due to the increased costs of the quality services the City provides coupled with the continued challenge of finding sustainable revenue streams.  And third, I have the experience, background, and skillset to make sensible decisions to guarantee that Sierra Madre remains a full-service town without financially overburdening its residents. 

Patch: What makes you right for the job?

Harabedian: I have experience in both the private and public sector, and I will draw on both in tackling the Sierra Madre's challenges.  As an attorney, I deal with complex questions on a daily basis.  I will approach my position on the City Council the same way I do my job: I will listen, study the relevant facts, and make informed decisions.  As a former policy analyst for the City of Los Angeles, I have experience working directly with police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders in protecting our community in a fiscally responsible manner. 

Patch: What will you do for Sierra Madre?

Harabedian: My top priority will be to ensure that Sierra Madre continues to deliver our own police, fire, and paramedic services.

The other large challenge facing the next city council is preserving Sierra Madre's downtown village.  As a lifelong resident, I have seen this struggle for the last three decades.  My goal on city council is to implement a General Plan that is based on the vision and ideals of Sierra Madre residents, one that both retains the integrity and aesthetic of downtown and encourages the growth of artisan and boutique retailers.  This will allow the City to increase its sales tax revenues while remaining the village we know and love. 

Patch: Any final words?

Harabedian: Lastly, I could think of no better way of giving back to my hometown, a place which has provided me with so much, than by serving on City Council.  Sierra Madre possesses one of the smartest, most informed, and passionate citizenries one could ask for, and as a councilmember I will draw on the experience and advice of all Sierra Madreans.  In return, I hope that they trust me to make the tough decisions on City Council.

All the City Council Candidates, as of January 9:

Two-year term:

Colin Braudrick

• Braudrick's Facebook Page

Chris Koerber

• Koerber's Facebook Page
• Koerber's Campaign Website

Four-year term:

John Capoccia

John Harabedian

• Harabedian's Twitter
• Harabedian's Facebook Page

Bill Tice

Gene Goss     

Patch will be posting more about the candidates in the coming weeks. If you have questions you'd like the candidates to answer, please send them (along with your name) to sierramadrepatch@gmail.com so we can prepare them for a future forum.