Opinions vary on resignation

In the days following Stacey Murphy’s resignation from the Burbank

City Council, some people were pleased she had stepped down. Others

thought she should have stuck it out while criminal charges against

her are pending. And still others are positioning themselves to take

her spot on the council.

Murphy, 47, resigned Tuesday, four months into her third term on

the Burbank council. In her resignation letter, she explained that

her personal issues shouldn’t be a distraction to the council doing

city business.

“Thank goodness,” said Nancy Petzold, a 40-year Burbank resident

of the resignation. . “She should have resigned the first day she was

arrested, because of the bad name the media had given Burbank because

of it.” Murphy pleaded not guilty Aug. 25 to one felony possession of

cocaine charge and one misdemeanor child endangerment charge in

Pasadena Superior Court.

She was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to

appear in court again on Sept. 28.

Murphy’s decision to give up her seat must have been a tough one,

Glendale City Councilman Dave Weaver said.

“I know as a councilman that it’s tough to voluntarily give up

your seat,” Weaver said. “But I presume it was made for the reason

she stated, for the best interests of her family and the city.”

John Vickson, a Glendale resident who has followed the case, was

of the opinion that Murphy should have stayed on the council and that

perhaps there has been a rush to judgment against her.

“I’ve never met the lady, but when this happens in other

professions they might suspend you but you don’t resign,” Vickson

said. “I think she deserves a second chance. We’ve all had one at one

time or another.”

Burbank resident Elisabeth Moore called Murphy’s case sad and

tragic and wondered what if perhaps she hadn’t been involved in a bad

relationship.

Police were led to Murphy during an investigation into her

longtime boyfriend Scott Schaffer and allegations he had sold

handguns to a gang member in exchange for cocaine.

The longtime councilwoman and former mayor was arrested July 13

after police found cocaine, three handguns -- registered to Schaffer

-- and 900 rounds of ammunition in her Burbank home on Lima Street,

where she lives with her 12-year-old son.

Glendale resident Beatrice Castillo agreed that Murphy did the

right thing in stepping down.

“I don’t think it does anyone or any city good to have someone

like that around,” Castillo said.

With Murphy’s resignation tendered, officials will begin

organizing a special election.

The city’s charter requires that a council seat with more than 16

months remaining in its term must be filled through a special

election.

The council is expected to call for the special election at its

Sept. 13 meeting and the election is required to take place within

120 days, city officials said.

Murphy was re-elected to her third term in the February primary

election with 60% of the vote.

Michael Bergfeld, who received the third-highest vote total in the

general election in April, was unsure if he was going to try for a

council seat.

“I am deeply saddened by the circumstances she finds herself in,”

Bergfeld said.

In the four-candidate April election, incumbents Dave Golonski and

Marsha Ramos were re-elected while Bergfeld received 4,962 votes and

Vahe Hovanessian trailed with 3,533 votes.

Hovanessian, an attorney, said Wednesday he will definitely run in

the special election.

His goal is to keep his base active and expand his voting strength

in order to gain the council seat, said Hovanessian, who was also a

candidate in the 2003 primary election.

“I still maintain I have a duty to give back to the community,”

Hovanessian said.

“I can do a good job and have an interest in the issues. I look

forward to it. I look forward to one day being elected and serving

and showing people there are those in the community who want to do

their part.”

QUESTION

Do you think Stacey Murphy made the right decision in resigning

from the council? E-mail your responses to o7burbankleader

@latimes.comf7; mail them to the Burbank Leader, 111 W. Wilson Ave.,

Glendale, CA 91203. Please spell your name and include your address

and phone number for verification purposes only.

* MARK MADLER covers Burbank City Hall and the courts. He may be

reached at (818) 637-3242 or by e-mail at mark.madlerlatimes.com.o7

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