Ashod Mooradian announces bid for Montebello City Council

PanARMENIAN.Net - Montebello City Treasurer Ashod Mooradian has formally announced his candidacy for City Council. An attorney with an established history of serving his community, Mooradian looks forward to leading the city into a more thriving future.

“In these uncertain times, when families are torn apart and our democracy is at stake, more than ever we need leaders who will roll-up their sleeves, find new solutions and bring transparency, accountability, and real change to our city. I want to lead Montebello forward through to new and brighter opportunities for small businesses, while ensuring that our families have the affordable housing they need and that our children are safe. I believe my leadership background and determination will get us there,” Mooradian stated in his open letter announcing his candidacy.

Growing up in the city invoked in him a deep sense of family and community responsibility. As City Treasurer, Mooradian introduced a series of changes and reforms that have made the office more transparent and accountable to its constituents. Upon his appointment in 2016, he worked closely with the finance department to ensure that the receipt and disbursements of city funds and other property are handled efficiently and transparently. He also led efforts to make the treasurer’s office a part of the City Council’s budget deliberations, planning, and approval process.

His strong ethical values saw him appointed to the State Bar of California as a prosecutor. Involved in many critical cases filed by the bar against offender attorneys, Mooradian played a key role in protecting the public from lawyers who violated their ethical duties and obligations.

Mooradian also supports and is a part of a number of civic and charitable organizations, including the American Heart Association, the Armenian Relief Society, the Beverly Hospital Foundation, the Friends of the Montebello Unified School District Foundation, Kiwanis, LACDP, the Montebello chapter of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the Montebello Armenian Cultural Foundation, the Montebello Chamber of Commerce, the Montebello Citizen’s Patrol, the Montebello Police Officers Association, the Red Cross, the SEIU, and the Montebello Firefighters Association. He is also Vice President of the East Los Angeles College Foundation and a current member of the Board of Trustees of the Montebello Holy Cross Cathedral. Previously, he also served on the board of the Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region.

Even his professional life Mooradian has dedicated his career to community service and enhancement. For two decades, he has worked as an attorney, using his knowledge to help the underserved. He opened his first law office in Montebello in 1999, practicing family and adoption law and advising families through some of the most challenging times of their lives. He has also donated much of his time to providing free legal services to community organizations. Recently, he contributed more than 30 hours of pro bono services to found the Montebello Police Foundation, which has already received more than $70,000 in donations for equipment, training, technology, and gap funding.

Mooradian’s contributions also extend to the classroom. For many years, he has shared his legal expertise with elementary and high school students, teaching them about the Constitution and the justice system. He also began a mock trial program for high school students in order show them how criminal and civil proceedings work, as well as to prepare them for participation in a mock trial competition against high school teams across Los Angeles County.

In addition to his legal background, Mooradian is experienced in the public sector, particularly when it comes to economic development. For many years, he served as the Executive Director of the Figueroa Corridor Partnership, a Business Improvement District created by the City of Los Angeles Community Development Department and local business owners in a public-private partnership designed to revitalize and promote growth in an entire section of downtown Los Angeles.

Mooradian wants to further his contributions with his election to City Council, where he can better apply his commitment, dedication, and expertise to the future progress of Montebello. He firmly believes that, with the support of the community, he can be the voice and driving force that moves Montebello forward.