Glendale’s director of community services and parks Jess Duran announces retirement
He calls himself a fixture at Glendale City Hall and after nearly four decades working there, Jess Duran, director of community services and parks, is retiring.
In 1978, he was first hired as an administrative analyst. Glendale was strictly a bedroom community back then and had a much less ethnically diverse population than today, Duran said.
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He thought his new job was contracted to last only one year, but additional federal funding kept the position going. Then came promotions in the former Community Development and Housing Department before crossing over to the parks department as its director in 2011.
“It’s always been my identity, that’s who I am, I’m the guy who works for the city of Glendale and so not having that identity anymore, I’m going to have to figure out who I am,” Duran said.
Between his time heading the Community Development Block Grant program and overseeing the parks department, he played key roles in the realization in many programs and projects.
Duran founded the Glendale Summer Youth Employment program — now known as the Glendale Youth Alliance — and played a role in establishing the code enforcement program and helped form the city’s first emergency shelter and acccess center for the homeless in 1996.
He was also instrumental in development of the joint-use Edison Pacific Community Center in 2004.
“That’s one of my most major accomplishments,” he said.
That was followed by the Adult Recreation Center, Pacific Park Pool, Maryland Avenue Park and two new trails at the Glendale Sports Complex.
City Manager Scott Ochoa called Duran a trailblazer for the city of Glendale, and he blended his years of experience by bringing homeless care services and the Verdugo Job Center under the auspices of the parks department, thus creating a human services division.
“I think the only thing we’re going to miss more than Jess’s institutional knowledge is his heart,” Ochoa said.
As for deciding to step down, Duran said he felt the time was right and that he’s confident in the leadership team he will leave behind.
In March, the City Council approved a $16-million strategic plan for how to spend development-impact fees on local parks, a report Duran and his team compiled, but one he won’t be around to see executed.
“I feel like I’m abandoning the department and staff,” he said. “I’m leaving these projects behind, but I have high expectations the team will be able to finish them up.”
Duran said his only regret is falling short of opening a new soccer field during his tenure as head of parks, but three new fields will be part of the strategic plan that was adopted by council members.
He will step down on July 5 and on the following day, Onnig Bulanikian, community services administrator, will be promoted as interim parks director.
Duran said not having to come in to City Hall every day is going to be a major change for him, but it will also be a great opportunity to make up all the long hours he’s worked to his family.
He has a wife, two children and two grandchildren, with whom he said he’ll spend more time.
Aside from that, he’s got an answer lined up when he’s asked about how his retirement will play out.
“People ask me about that and I tell them I need to retire to plan my retirement,” Duran said.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
