By Ryan Hagen
San Bernardino County Sun
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — The city has a succession plan to replace the city manager who’s resigning Dec. 31, if the City Council approves it Monday: the top cop will be the top leader for a month, then Burbank City Manager Mark Scott takes over.
Both Police Chief Jarrod Burguan and Scott are listed as interim appointments on Monday’s agenda, with Burguan to start Jan.?1 and Scott on Feb. 8.
Scott announced his resignation from the Burbank position in November.
It only makes sense to fill the time until Scott can take over from Burguan, who’s been acclaimed for his handling of the Dec.?2 terror attack and its aftermath, said Councilman Rikke Van Johnson.
“Like Council member (Virginia) Marquez was saying, he’s a rock star,” Johnson said Thursday. “He’s more than qualified, for one, and it’s only for a month’s period of time. And it’s also a savings for us as a city to do that.”
Burguan would be paid $19,104.88 per month, not quite $1,000 more than he now makes as police chief (with benefits, the proposed city manager salary works out to $322,412 in yearly compensation), according to a staff report. Hiring someone who wasn’t already a city employee, by contrast, would mean continuing to pay separate salaries for the police chief and interim city manager.
But Councilman John Valdivia said that, while he has great respect for Burguan, his plate is too full at this time.
“Jarrod Burguan needs to be focused on policing issues, and there are multiple issues he needs to interface with, cleaning up this entire traumatic event,” Valdivia said. “So I don’t think his view needs to be distracted by management of the city at this time. I like Jarrod — he is a gentleman, he is a leader, but … his full focus and attention needs to be on the protection of the city.”
The Police Department does have a full plate, but command staff are well-prepared to keep things running smoothly for January, Johnson said.
Other cities have also chosen police chiefs to fill in as the top unelected official, including in Colton in 2014 (before the city began rotating department heads in the role) and Rialto in 2011.
Burguan has been with the San Bernardino Police Department since 1992 and police chief since early 2014. He has a master’s degree in management from the University of Redlands.
Burguan and Mayor Carey Davis did not return calls Thursday.
Parker has been city manager since February 2013, but agreed to resign in exchange for one year’s salary — $229,976 — and health benefits. The Nov.?16 closed session vote to accept that deal was 4-3, with Council members Marquez, Henry Nickel and Jim Mulvihill opposing, according to City Attorney Gary Saenz.
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