BURBANK LAWMAKERS CHOSEN : VOTERS RETURN 2 TO COUNCIL, ELECT 1 NEWCOMER.

Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer

Two incumbents and newcomer Stacey Murphy won outright in the race for Burbank City Council on Tuesday night in the city's municipal primary.

By capturing more than 50 percent of the votes cast, Mayor Bill Wiggins, Councilman David Golonski and Murphy will be able to avoid a runoff in the April 8 general election.

``It's a relief, and it's really exciting,'' said Murphy, saying she was shocked she was able to secure the seat in the primary.

Out of 9,089 ballot cast, Wiggins picked up 6,229 votes, Golonski 6,034 and Murphy 5,124.

City Manager Robert ``Bud'' Ovrom said he has never heard of City Council seats being swept in the primary. ``This has got to be the first time in the city's history,'' he said.

In the school board race, incumbents Connie Lackey and Denise Wilcox were the top vote-getters but will have to face challengers Trish Burnett, a 46-year-old school volunteer, and Tony De Felicis, a 39-year-old pastor, in the general election.

Lackey picked up 4,010 votes, Wilcox 3,439, De Felicis 3,074 and Burnett 3,361.

In the city clerk's race, Judie Sarquiz won the seat, receiving 5,820 votes to challenger Sharon Muravez's 2,666.

The primary, by all accounts, was quiet, especially by Burbank standards.

Ovrom said he's never witnessed such an uncontroversial campaign.

``There's hasn't been this rip-roaring debate,'' Ovrom said. ``Everyone has been concerned about the airport but I don't think (the candidates) have been particularly divergent on that issue.''

Blocking airport expansion was the main theme behind the campaigns of council members Ted McConkey and Bob Kramer, when they ran for their first terms in 1995. Since their electoral triumph, the entire five-member council has taken an anti-expansion position. McConkey and Kramer are not up for re-election until 1999.

Besides the airport flap, new council members are expected to grapple with growth issues, including how large the city's Media District should be allowed to grow in the face of increasing residential opposition.

Wiggins said the race this year has been much more ``low key'' than his first run for council back in 1993, when 22 candidates entered the primary. Local campaign finance laws also have changed the complexion of the races, he said. Candidates now can get maximum contributions of $250, as opposed to the unlimited contributions they could receive in the past, Wiggins said.

In the primary there were eight candidates, including Wiggins and Golonski, with three seats up for grabs. Councilwoman Susan Spanos, first elected in 1993, decided against running for a second term.

Golonski said the race, although quiet, was a good experience.

``I'm really happy to see everyone ran a really positive campaign,'' he said.

Golonski said the biggest issues facing the council now are resolving the dispute over the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport and diversifying the city's tax base.