Parks director moves up in city

Ryan Carter

After three years as director of Park, Recreation and Community

Services, Mike Flad is moving up. Flad has been appointed assistant

city manager and will begin his new duties effective today, City

Manager Mary Alvord said Tuesday.

“I think he is the right person at the right time,” said Alvord,

who selected Flad last week following a lengthy recruitment process.

“I think he has got a wealth of experience that varies from a stint

in finance to risk management.”

Flad, a 37-year-old Burbank native and graduate of John Burroughs

High School, has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from

UCLA and a master’s in public administration from Cal State

Northridge.

“I am absolutely thrilled with the decision, and look forward to

assisting Mary and the department directors in continuing to provide

the highest level of municipal service,” he stated in a press release

issued by the city.

Flad went to work for the city in 1988 as a trainee while still in

college. He moved from police cadet through several positions,

including workers’ compensation director. He was named Burbank parks

director in 2000, following a brief stint as assistant city manager

in Ukiah, Calif.

Alvord said that job gave him a sense of what it means to run a

city, and when he returned to Burbank he immediately gained the favor

of city department directors. Alvord said the trust of the city’s

executive team played a significant role in his appointment.

Flad will be responsible for managing the city’s day-to-day

operations along with capital projects and neighborhood issues,

Alvord said. Flad will be paid between $10,303 and $12,518 per month.

Between now and the end of the year, Flad will work with Interim

Assistant City Manager Dave Newsham on making the transition.

Newsham has been the acting assistant city manager since March,

when Alvord succeeded Bud Ovrom as city manager. Ovrom left to become

community development director for the city of Los Angeles.

Eric Hansen, deputy director of the city’s parks department, will

serve as director until a replacement for Flad can be found. Hansen

is not interested in being the permanent director, city officials

said. Alvord said a recruitment process will ensue, and could last

until 2004.