C. Lemoine Blanchard (October 16, 1910 – August 13, 1986) was a businessman who was a member of the
Los Angeles City Council from 1959 until 1963 and a board member of the national
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
.
Biography
Blanchard was born on October 16, 1910, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe W. Blanchard, Sr. He was brought to the
San Fernando Valley when he was a year old, was educated locally and, after graduating from high school, he joined his father's
North Hollywood
North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
firm, Blanchard Lumber Company, of which he later became owner. He was a "lifelong supporter" of the East Valley
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
and president of the North Hollywood
Kiwanis and the Al Malaikah
Shrine Temple.
["Lemoine Blanchard 2nd District," ''El Pueblo,'' August 25, 1961, in Los Angeles Public Library reference file]
/ref>["Funeral Announcements," ''Los Angeles Times,'' August 15, 1986, page 2]
/ref> In 1967 he was named to the national board of the YMCA.
He died August 13, 1986, in North Hollywood
North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
. He was survived by his wife, Frances; two children, Carol Sanders and Ross Lemoine Blanchard; a brother, Roscoe W. Blanchard, Jr., and two sisters, Dorothy Camp and Maude Humm. Funeral services were held in the First Christian Church of North Hollywood.[
]
Public life
Los Angeles County
Blanchard was a member of the Los Angeles County Housing Authority for fifteen years until elected to the city council in 1959.[
]
City Council
Elections
In the 1950s, Los Angeles City Council District 2
Los Angeles City Council District 2 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. The 2nd District began its existence in the Hollywood area but now covers much of the far eastern and southeastern portions of the San Fernando Valley ...
covered Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
and a "sizable portion" of the San Fernando Valley, generally west of Ventura Boulevard
Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east–west thoroughfares in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Ventura Boulevard is one of the oldest routes in the San Fernando Valley as it was originally a part ...
and extending north to Encino.
Blanchard ran for election there in 1959, and he ousted incumbent Earle D. Baker in the final vote. The next year, the 2nd District was divested of its Hollywood area, which was instead attached to the 13th District. Blanchard was defeated for reelection in 1963 by challenger James B. Potter, Jr.: Mayor Sam Yorty
Samuel William Yorty (October 1, 1909 – June 5, 1998) was an American radio host, attorney, and politician from Los Angeles, California. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the California State Assembly, ...
supported Potter and opposed Blanchard.["The City Elections," ''Los Angeles Times,'' April 7, 1963, page 5](_blank)
/ref>
Highlights
Blanchard was described as an "arch-foe" of Mayor Sam Yorty
Samuel William Yorty (October 1, 1909 – June 5, 1998) was an American radio host, attorney, and politician from Los Angeles, California. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the California State Assembly, ...
.["Blanchard Put on Airport Board by 9-6 Council Vote," ''Los Angeles Times,'' September 17, 1963, page A-1]
/ref> Some highlights of Blanchard's term on the City Council:
Zoo, 1959. He voted in favor of a contract with a nonprofit organization called Friends of the Zoo to operate a "Los Angeles world zoo" for fifty years, at the end of which time the Friends would turn it over to the city.
Monorail, 1962. Blanchard urged the city council to recognize "in principle" the concept of monorail to serve Los Angeles. He had just returned from a visit to Seattle, Washington, to inspect the Alweg
Alweg was a transportation company based in Germany known for pioneering straddle-beam monorails.
History
Alweg was founded by Swedish industrial magnate Dr. Axel Lennart Wenner-Gren in January 1953 as Alweg-Forschung, GmbH (Alweg Research Co ...
Seattle Center Monorail system there. He suggested appointment of "an outstanding Los Angeles civic leader" to serve as a negotiator in the council's dealings with the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Housing, 1962. He called on the council to oppose a state ballot proposition that would give the city Housing Authority permission to build homes for the aged and physically handicapped. He described it as "another scheme to establish state-financed public housing in California."
Control, 1962. He proposed a plan to eliminate citizens commissions that had control over municipal departments, thereby increasing the power of the city council at the expense of the mayor, who appointed the commission members.
Congress
Blanchard was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in November 1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Jan ...
. He lost by a slight margin to fellow councilman James C. Corman
James Charles Corman (October 20, 1920 – December 30, 2000) was an American politician who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1957 to 1961 and as a member of the United States House of Representatives between 1961 and 1981. ...
, a Democrat, 48.9% to 51.1%.
Airport Commission
In an "anti-Yorty act," Blanchard was appointed to the Los Angeles Airport Commission by City Council President L.E. Timberlake. who was acting mayor while Mayor Yorty was out of town on a European trip. The council confirmed the appointment by a 9–6 vote, leaving the mayor "furious" and promising to stop the appointment on his return.[ The action, however, was ruled legal by City Attorney Roger Arnebergh."Blanchard's Airport Job Upheld by City Attorney," ''Los Angeles Times,'' September 18, 1963, page A-1]
/ref>
References
Access to the ''Los Angeles Times'' links may require the use of a library card.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanchard, C. Lemoine
1910 births
1986 deaths
Los Angeles City Council members
California Republicans
20th-century American politicians
YMCA leaders