TITLE
Recommendation to confirm the appointment of Linda Tatum to the position of Assistant City Manager effective June 20, 2020. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Section 301 of the City Charter provides the authority for the City Manager to appoint an Assistant City Manager with the confirmation of the City Council. I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Linda Tatum as Assistant City Manager effective June 20, 2020.
As you are aware, the Assistant City Manager provides a uniquely important role in supporting both the City Manager and various functions of the City Manager's Office. The Assistant City Manager must also be able to fully perform the duties of the City Manager in the absence or incapacity of the City Manager. In my view, Ms. Tatum is highly qualified to fulfill the duties of the Assistant City Manager. She is currently the Director of Development Services for the City, where she oversees Planning, Building Safety, Code Enforcement, Housing and Neighborhood Services as well as the Long Beach Community Investment Corporation (LBCIC), which provides funding for affordable housing development in the community. Some major accomplishments during her tenure in the Development Services department include:
• Funding of hundreds of new affordable housing units throughout the city, through the LBCIC.
• Unprecedented level of new development in Downtown Long Beach, including mixed use development and thousands of residential units, hotel rooms and commercial spaces.
• City Council approval of the updated Land Use Element and Urban Design Elements which will guide the city's physical development over the next 20 years.
• Planning, entitlement and construction of the new Civic Center and entitlement of the private mid-block development.
• Update to the Historic Preservation ordinance and restart of the City's historic landmark designation and Mills Act contracts.
• Development of new Midtown and Southeast Area Specific Plans.
• Studies and plans for reuse of the former Boeing C-17 site as the Globemaster Corridor Specific Plan.
Ms. Tatum holds a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning and has over 30 years of private and public sector planning experience. She started with the City as the Planning Bureau Manager in 2015 and was appointed as Director of Development Services in 2018. Prior to her service in Long Beach she served as the Acting Director of Economic and Community Development and Planning Manager for the City of Inglewood. She has also served the cities of Culver City and Santa Ana.
STATEMENT OF URGENCY
The confirmation of the new Assistant City Manager is requested on June 16, 2020, to ensure a smooth transition.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 16, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER