Ken Pulskamp is Executive Director of the California City Management Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on the California city manager community those focuses on professional advancement and support for its members. Ken has over 35 years of award-winning experience in local government administration, and has served as City Manager in Santa Clarita and Burbank. Though he officially retired from the city manager profession in 2012, Ken is still a sought-after leader in the local government space.
Recently, the City of Palmdale asked Ken to fill in as Interim City Manager in anticipation of their own City Manager, Dave Childs, retiring in June 2015. CBJ talked with Ken to learn more about “coming out of retirement” for a second time and what he looks forward to most about this new venture.
Q: You retired in 2012, but in the three years since, have served as an interim City Manager in Burbank and taken on the Executive Director role at CCMF. Now you are adding Palmdale to the mix. Did you expect retirement to be this busy?
Retirement is a funny thing. With people living and working longer, I think there is really a spectrum of work phases in life that professionals now advance their careers through. I am lucky to have had a great career where I met some thoughtful and effective people. I did not want retirement to take me away from those relationships. With the flexibility of retirement, I can be more selective about doing work that is both personally compelling and intellectually interesting, and that is exactly what I have done each day since retiring.
Q: How did you and the City of Palmdale come to discussing you taking the helm as interim City Manager?
The phone rang and I answered! My experience in the city management profession is that, usually, the retiring city manager provides a name or two for the council to consider engaging to fill the void until the council can complete a recruitment. Retired city managers are often a good option for interim work because the retiree can flex to the short-term work and will not apply for the open position.
Q: How does taking on the work at Palmdale impact your role at CCMF as Executive Director?
It helps. The City Management profession changes quickly and, while I have the fortunate vantage point as the Executive Director at CCMF to keep in touch with the profession, there is nothing like being in the trenches to keep one current. Ultimately, the work in Palmdale will make me more effective in the work I do for CCMF.
CCMF President Wade McKinney and Vice President Ken Striplin lent their support without hesitation when I informed them that I was being considered for this interim role. I think they saw the benefit to having an Executive Director who was back in a city hall on a regular basis. The Palmdale position should last about six months — long enough for Palmdale to move forward with a new City Manager.
Q: What is it about the interim City Manager position in Palmdale that interests you the most?
I’ve been a longtime neighbor of Palmdale in Santa Clarita. One of the benefits is that Palmdale was in great hands with Dave Childs, so there is no “cavalry to the rescue” needed here. Palmdale is a large, populous city with a lot of moving parts. The local leaders have done a great job connecting with their community and growing a culture of respect and positivity–just take a look at their Facebook Page sometime. It’s going to be a pleasure serving there and helping the Council and community find someone to fill the permanent City Manager role.
Q: This isn’t your first time stepping in as Interim City Manager. How do you feel your past experience in Burbank will help you in Palmdale?
Some people might think I’m just a glutton for punishment for “heading bank into the trenches,” but the city management profession will always be a passion of mine. Having been a Deputy City Manager, an Assistant City Manager, an Interim City Manager, and a City Manager, I already know the kinds of challenges and tasks that City Managers have to handle. Just as with Burbank, I feel I’ll be especially helpful in the search for Palmdale’s next City Manager.
Q: What is next for CCMF?
CCMF is doing great! Wade has been a strong President and really helped up grow membership and better connect the organization to other local government organizations throughout the State. The Board has been clear in their goals to grow members, add new resources for our members, and better connect with academia, so our members should expect to see all that happening in the coming year.
Professional city management has a positive impact everyday in communities across California, and we have certainly seen what can happen when professionalism and living up to our profession’s high ethical standards is missing. Coming on the heels of a great city manager like Dave Childs, I know Palmdale recognizes the value of the profession and will make a wise choice for their next City Manager. That is exactly the kind of decision we hope every council makes when hiring or evaluating their City Manager: ethics and professionalism are priority number one.
