Burbank names interim community development director
A recruiting process conducted by an executive search firm yielded a top candidate to lead Burbank’s Community Development Department: Deputy City Planner Patrick Prescott.
The selection process involved three panel interviews with Burbank department heads and municipal executives from nearby communities, according to a recent statement from the city.
“During the vetting process, Patrick rose to the top,” City Manager Mark Scott said in the statement.
Prescott plans to take over as the department’s interim director in January.
He follows Joy Forbes, who left in summer.
Prescott, who holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Cal Poly Pomona, joined the city as a senior planner in August 2006 and was named deputy city planner in October 2012.
“His experience heading some of the city’s largest and most sensitive projects over the last 10 years makes Patrick uniquely qualified to lead the department,” Scott said. “I’ve been very impressed by his recent efforts to train and develop new members of the CD Department.”
Prescott will oversee building, planning, transportation and housing and economic development.
“I look forward to working with the City Council and the Burbank community to effectively advance the quality of life and economic opportunity in the community,” he said in a statement.
In light of Scott’s impending departure from the city government in early February, the appointment of a permanent department director will be left to the next city manager.
“While Patrick is well qualified for the permanent appointment, the final decision will ultimately be up to Mark’s successor,” said Drew Sugars, a city spokesman.
Assistant City Manager Justin Hess had taken over leadership of the department while the executive search firm sought a replacement for Forbes.
“Justin will no longer split duties; he’ll go back to being the full-time assistant city manager,” Sugars said in an email last week.
When Forbes left the city in June to become NBCUniversal’s vice president for global real estate planning and development, she became the seventh person to depart from Burbank’s Community Development staff within a year, Scott said at the time.
Pasadena had hired away three planners, while Irvine and South Pasadena wooed others with what Scott called “career enhancements.”
He said the opportunity to build a fresh team is the silver lining in the turnover.
The city has since filled all but a planning technician position in the department, said Amanda Okafor, a city spokeswoman.
Citywide, there are still two vacant department head positions in library services and information technology.
Assistant Library Services Director Melissa Potter is in charge of the library in the interim and a contractor is serving as IT director.
Soon, of course, another vacancy is expected when Scott leaves for San Bernardino to serve as interim city manager.
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Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com
Twitter: @chadgarland
