Alvord tapped for city's top job - Interim city manager gets council's vote to take position permanently, faces budget woes
By Laura Sturza, photo by Jill Karnicki

Interim City Manager Mary Alvord - whom the city plans to court to take the job permanently - says she is up to the task of not only following the blueprint left by her predecessor, Bud Ovrom, but to leave her own mark as well.

Her goals that follow Ovrom's include revitalizing downtown, completing the South San Fernando Park Project and securing grand funds for a new Central Library and renovations at the Northwest Branch.

"We have a lot of balls in the air that are going to keep me busy for quite awhile," said Alvord, who was Ovrom's assistant city manager.

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to begin contract talks with her to assume the city manager's post permanently. A Burbank native Alvord would be the first woman to hold the job in Burbank's history.

She is taking over a city that faces the budgeting challenges with unknown state cuts and projected budget deficit for the city next year, which Alvord will be working to balance.

"The next two to three years, we are going to be fiscally constrained," Alvord said. "A lot of bigger projects we won't be able to pursue."

Those include plans for the Development and Community Services Building, which are on hold. But Alvord aims to keep services to residents untouched.

She is also considering how to maintain a strong executive team, since several members will be eligible for retirement in a few years. Alvord plans to retire in three years. Alvord plans to retire in three to four years.

"We have got to get our young talent ready to take over the organization," Alvord said.

"Once it was very clear [Bud] was going to go, I had several weeks behind the wheel to take [the job] out for a test drive," said Alvord, 53. "It felt right."

Alvord has already received support from others in the city to be its new leader.

"She has the experience, knowledge of the city, and maturity of judgment to do that job," said Ron Davis, Burbank Water and Power general manager. "We may have to face a lot of cuts . . . she knows all of our programs, the people who run them and the constituency they serve. Who better to help you prioritize programs?"

Alvord's career with the city started 33 years ago, working her way from a junior recreation leader to her job since April 2000 as assistant city manager.

The council could have sought outside or internal applicants for the job, or made a direct offer to a candidate they selected without formally recruiting. But the time and money involved in conducting a search, the learning curve an outsider would have to navigate and Alvord's qualifications were cited by council members as reasons to choose her.

"I think she's going to do a great job and she's going to look after her city," Councilman Dave Golonski said. Alvord's monthly salary range as assistant city manager was $10,303 to $12,518. As city manager, she will earn between $12,092 and $14,692.

An interim assistant city manager - someone who has worked for the city - is scheduled to be announced next week, Alvord said. She declined to give further details about who she plans to place in that position.