THOUSAND OAKS : Building, Safety Dept. Director Replaced

A 17-year veteran of the Thousand Oaks Building and Safety Department took over as the department’s interim director Monday. The previous director was removed from his duties last week.

David Hueners will lead the office until a permanent replacement is found, City Manager Grant Brimhall said.

Hueners’ predecessor and former boss, Barry Branagan, wrote to his staff Thursday that he had been “relieved as the director of the department, effective immediately.” He said in the memo that he would return to work in January as an employee of the city, although in a different job.

His memo gave no reason for his removal, and Brimhall declined to discuss it, saying it was a personnel matter.

Brimhall said Hueners had filled in for Branagan in the past while Branagan was on vacation.

“He’s very knowledgeable about the department, the people there, and what the issues are,” Brimhall said.

Hueners, who had previously been in charge of permit processing, said Monday he had spent the day trying to get up to speed with the duties his new position entails.

He said he was sorry to see Branagan go. “I’ve been working with him for a long time, so it was very sad to see,” he said. “We’re just trying to keep going.”

New leadership is just one of several possible changes at the Building and Safety Department. Brimhall has proposed folding its personnel and functions into a new city department that would enforce city codes.

By combining code-enforcement workers from several current departments, Brimhall said, the proposed Neighborhood Enhancement Department could improve the city’s response to such problems as poorly maintained buildings or blighted properties.