Photo: FLLewis / Media City G — Burbank City Manager threatens to resign over failed vote at city council meeting November 16, 2015
Burbank City Manager, Mark Scott, has the town buzzing again. Actually the dust of confusion and shock has not really settled from Scott’s abrupt resignation last month, uh, he changed it to retirement, no wait, it’s now apparently back to resignation! Last Monday, the San Bernardino Sun reported Scott would be the “city’s interim manager beginning Feb. 8.”
The news of Scott’s selection by the San Bernardino City Council was first disclosed publicly in Burbank by a commenter on the Semichorus blog and Media City Groove, Tuesday. By that evening, a report about Scott’s new job was up on the Burbank Leader website. However, the Burbank City Council was made aware of Scott’s planned transition to a position in San Bernardino the day before.
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From: Scott, Mark
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 4:29 PM
To: City Council
Cc: Albano, Amy; Hess, Justin; Marotta, Sharon
Subject: San Bernardino
Although it is not officially approved yet, it is being reported in San Bernardino that I will become City Manager there after I leave Burbank in February. The SB City Council will address the matter this evening.
As you probably know, San Bernardino is in bankruptcy and has a massive workload involved in resolving their financial and organizational problems. I like the people there a great deal and have agreed to a one-year contract which has not yet been confirmed by the City Council. If confirmed, I probably won’t file for retirement for at least another year. This is good professional mission for me at this point in my life.
San Bernardino’s current CM leaves on December 31. For January, their Interim CM will be Police Chief Jarrod Burguan, who did such an impressive job during the recent shooting tragedy.
I’m sad to leave Burbank. Working here has been a blessing I will always value. I’m not a “going away party” kind of person, so I plan to just enjoy everyone to the max this next 6 weeks.
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When contacted by email, Burbank City Council member, Emily Gabel-Luddy, had this response to Scott’s new job and apparent flip flop on his retirement: “That’s their good fortune and he is entitled to change his mind.”
Scott has done a lot of mind changing in the past few weeks. Something that has apparently benefited him personally — and forced many in Burbank to see him in a new light.
