Paul Krekorian leads final meeting as LA City Council president

After a standing ovation and kind remarks from colleagues, City Council President Paul Krekorian closed his final meeting as leader of the 15-member board on Wednesday, before Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson takes the reins starting Friday.

Krekorian, who represents the Second District, encompassing east San Fernando Valley neighborhoods, will leave the horseshoe in December due to term limits. As tribute to his many years on the council and leadership in the wake of a leaked audio recording that shook City Hall, Councilman Bob Blumenfield unveiled plans to rename two sites in honor of Krekorian — the Victory Valley Child Care Center at 6451 Saint Clair Ave., and the Valley Plaza Sports Fields at 6980 Whitsett Ave. in North Hollywood.

Blumenfield noted that Krekorian led efforts to establish and transform the two sites to what they are today.

“I couldn’t do the work for the next 79 days and I couldn’t do the work as council president, and I couldn’t have done the work as an Assembly member or anything else without the support, guidance and love that I’ve received from my wife, Tamar, for the last quarter of the century almost,” Krekorian said.

The councilman also extended gratitude to his staff. He added that when you become council president “you have a lot more stuff for staff to do, and you don’t get any extra staff.”

“To all my staff, I hope you noticed that a number of members of this council specifically recognized you and that’s because you do extraordinary work — not only for me, our constituents, but for the entire city of Los Angeles,” Krekorian said.

Voters elected the former state Assemblyman in 2009. Krekorian chaired the council’s budget committee, and led the city in recovering from fiscal challenges related to the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s a longtime advocate for the environment and for ending oil and gas drilling in Los Angeles, and initiated the city’s LA100 initiative to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. He spearheaded Tiny Homes and a Homeless Services Navigation Center in his district as well.

In late 2022, council members elected Krekorian to lead them following the resignation of former Council President Nury Martinez, who was recorded in a conversation with two other colleagues that included the use of racial slurs by Martinez.

Former Councilman Gil Cedillo, who represented the First District, was involved in the conversation as well as Councilman Kevin de León. The former lost his reelection bid against Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, while de León will be fighting for his seat in the November election against tenants rights attorney Ysabel Jurado.

“In October of 2022, when the city was reeling in crisis, and as I saw it, I had three basic responsibilities to you,” Krekorian said. “My responsibility was to help us to stabilize the ship in one of the stormiest times we’ve had in the history of the city, to begin the process of restoring confidence in this institution, and most important to uplift each of you and to help each of you do your job more effectively …”

Krekorian touted some of the council’s accomplishments in the last two years, including the following:

— independent redistricting reform;

— bolstering the Ethics Commission;

— creating a Charter Reform Commission;

— addressing homelessness and building more affordable housing;

— enacting stronger tenant protections; and

— preparing for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

Mayor Karen Bass joined the council to recognize Krekorian as well.

“President Krekorian assumed the council presidency during one of the most tumultuous times in LA.’s civic history — but his unshakeable resolve and clear vision for the future turned chaos into progress and moved the people’s business forward,” Bass said. “He will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders and public servants that the city of Los Angeles has ever known — not just for his leadership as council president, but for his work as assemblymember, as councilman, and for the work I know he will continue to do in the coming months and years.

“On behalf of Los Angeles, thank you Council President Krekorian for your outstanding contributions to Los Angeles and thank you for all you will continue to do,” she added.