Burbank taps top executive of Fresno to be new city manager

After a six-month search, the City Council on Tuesday reached an agreement with the current city manager of Fresno, Mark Scott, to fill Burbank’s top post, officials announced.

In his current job, Scott oversees a staff of 3,100 municipal employees and a city with an annual budget of more than $1 billion, according to Burbank city spokesman Drew Sugars.

Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy said that out of all the applicants, Scott emerged as the top candidate with a “rock-solid knowledge and understanding of being a city manager.”

Scott spent two decades working for the city of Beverly Hills, 14 of which were as city manager, Sugars said.

He has also served in the top post for the cities of Spartanburg, South Carolina and Culver City.

Scott has a master’s degree in business administration from Stanford University and is a 35-year member of the International City Management Assn., Sugars said.

The news comes after months of closed-door City Council meetings and a series of public forums to discuss the “ideal candidate.”

The council is slated to consider the contract next week, officials said.

Scott was not at the meeting and could not immediately be reached.

Since December, Ken Pulskamp has filled the top position temporarily, stepping in after former City Manager Mike Flad’s decision in September to step down from his post for a position in South Gate.

Scott will be taking the helm of a city emerging from the burdens of an economic recession, and one that continues to deal with the ramifications of a Police Department racked by allegations of excessive use of force by some its members.

Scott LaChasse was recently named police chief after bring brought on three years ago, on an interim basis, to help oversee reforms and steady the ship.

Executive search firm Peckham & McKenney spearheaded recruiting efforts for the city manager.

--

Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter:@atchek.