The Glendale City Council has unanimously appointed lifelong Glendale resident — Leandro Baldenegro — to represent the Ocotillo District on the council.
“It feels special,” Baldenegro said. “Things are falling into place, professional life at work, personal life and then now this political life. I’m kind of getting used to it. It feels good. I have outstanding people behind me supporting me. I’m not nervous, scared or worried. I’ve always had confidence, not arrogance, in my abilities and skills.”
Baldenegro was officially sworn into office on April 23 and will serve the remainder of former Councilmember Jamie Aldama’s term through December 2026.
Baldenegro was born, raised and still lives in Downtown Glendale. He graduated from Apollo High School, attended Arizona State University and is now a welder for the Glendale Elementary School District.
According to Baldenegro, he has thought about joining the school board or city council for a long time and always said he would do it if ever given a sign.
“This was a sign,” Baldenegro said.
“It doesn’t happen like this all the time, and this is the best opportunity for me to make that move.”
There are a few experiences that Baldenegro feels will aid him in his new role as a councilmember. The first one being what he learned when he attended Our Lady of Perpetual Health from first to eighth grade.
“There was a strict, healthy understanding of science and religion,” Baldenegro said. “I learned the healthy balance of right and wrong, good and bad, the morality of things and not being selfish and greedy.”
He added that he has worked in retail for 12 years and at the school district for 17 years. Baldenegro said that both of those experiences have taught him important lessons in managing time, personality conflicts and dealing with the public. Working for the school district, Baldenegro noted, also opened his eyes to the importance of voting and how he was truly being affected by everything going on around him.
“That taught me to make sure that I understand, I do my own research, I don’t just listen to whoever is in my ear,” Baldenegro said.
“I think all of that has kind of molded me into who and what I am today. I’m a pretty simple guy, but I have a lot of little complex nuances. I keep private, but I just make sure that I’m pretty even keel.”
Baldenegro’s main hope for what he is able to achieve while in the role is making the Ocotillo District — which he refers to as “the beautiful Downtown Glendale” — better and safer. One of the ways he hopes to do that is by starting a program that he calls Walk With a Cop.
“I’d like to try this thing where (residents) walk with a cop in the neighborhoods and don’t look for crime,” Baldenegro said.
“We’re just going for a walk and we’re just going to talk about whatever we’re talking about. And this is to get people in the neighborhoods comfortable with seeing a policeman in their neighborhood without freaking out. … I’ve always grown up with a healthy level of respect for police officers specifically because I don’t fear them because there’s nothing to fear from them. The (police officers) know the bad guys, I want them to know the good guys, too.”
For the city of Glendale overall, Baldenegro aims to improve the communication and the information provided to residents.
“The last thing I want to do is lie to them, the last thing I want to do is give them a story, and we just have to be honest with them,” Baldengro said. “I mean right now I’m in a position where I have the ability to say, ‘Look I just got here,’ but that’s going to wear out quickly. So, I have to be cognizant of making sure I’m following up on things.”
The incoming councilmember looks forward to continuing the efforts of former Councilmember Aldama, while putting his own spin on things and building his own relationships.
“I hope to be able to continue on the things he was doing well either similarly or through different avenues,” Baldenegro said. “And then if there were some stones along the way that he wasn’t able to complete, maybe fresh eyes, ears and a different perspective can help those things. Maybe I can build different relationships with not only the people in the district but also on the council.”
Family is very important to Baldenegro and the biggest influence in his life.
“I’m looking forward to using my mom’s model,” Baldenegro said.
“She said, ‘Be kind to everyone but don’t take anyone’s crap.’ So, I’m going to be kind to everyone because that’s what I do, I’m just going to have to be careful of how I take backlash or pushback. … I need to be careful to bridge gaps and just get along so that we can understand each other.”
Baldenegro encourages the residents to be patient with him and give him time to achieve what he hopes to do, which is make them proud that they have somebody they can trust and talk to.
“I will listen and try to do what I can that’s best for the district but also what’s best for the city,” Baldenegro said. “I look forward to helping everyone.”
