There are many reasons both personal and professional for my longevity. But I believe it comes down to this: I have never considered my career to be that of a
city manager. I have always considered my career to be “
The
City Manager of
Rolling Hills Estates
!”
I have always taken great pride in that title. And for many good reasons, as you will see as you read on.
THE COMMUNITY
The community itself is an oasis set against the sprawling Los Angeles metropolis spreading out across the basin. With its equestrian heritage, iconic pepper trees, scenic corridors, natural canyons, panoramic views, outstanding parks, miles of trails, and countless recreational opportunities, Rolling Hills Estates is a model of the ideal rural small town lifestyle.
Those who first incorporated the city in 1957 had a vision to protect the community from overdevelopment with a premium placed on the preservation of natural open space. Throughout the decades that vision has faced many challenges but I believe that the council, staff and community as a whole have been successful in preserving and enhancing the foundation upon which Rolling Hills Estates initially incorporated.
I have been continually impressed with those from the community who volunteer their time and talent to maintain the unique character of Rolling Hills Estates. These include homeowners’ association board members, youth sports and activity organizers, senior citizen assistance groups, city commissioners and committee members, volunteers on patrol and environmental stewards among countless others. Their dedication and love for the community knows no bounds.
THE CITY COUNCIL
A city manager serves at the pleasure of the city council and the relationship among and between them can be fractious unless there is a firm understanding and appreciation of the distinct roles each has in successful governance. The most important factor in my longevity is that the voters of Rolling Hills Estates have continually elected to the city council servant-leaders whose only wish is to give back to the community as a response to the many blessings they have enjoyed here.
Communities and organizations have established cultural norms. The norm in Rolling Hills Estates is one of cooperative effort to achieve well-reasoned goals for the benefit of the entire community. Creating and maintaining this culture cannot be accomplished without the strong commitment of the city council.
I have deep affection and respect for all of the council members with whom I have worked throughout my career in Rolling Hills Estates, and appreciate their support for city staff and me, their commitment to the community, their willingness to listen, learn, deliberate effectively and ultimately lead with great wisdom.
THE STAFF
The city manager is the appointed professional chief executive of a municipal corporation. As a part-time volunteer board, the city council sets policy, but leaves the administration of that policy to the city manager. Carrying out of council policy is ultimately undertaken by professional staff who report to the city manager.
It has been my great honor to work with highly motivated, exceptionally talented and extremely dedicated team members who take the word “service” to heart every day. Without their efforts, any success I have had in my career at Rolling Hills Estates would have been impossible.
HIGHLIGHTS
It is axiomatic that the most effective form of government is that which is closest to the people it serves. I entered a career in local government because I wished to make a direct positive contribution to the lives of others. Most of those with whom I have worked entered the field for similar reasons.
There are any number of ways in which one might measure the everyday positive impact of local government. Did your trash get picked up this week? Is your favorite park a clean and safe place for your children to play? Was that pothole down the road patched? Did the paramedics arrive quickly in a time of medical emergency? If we have done our job, these things are almost taken for granted.
But there are some pivotal moments when a creative-thinking and quick-acting local government can make community-defining decisions that will endure long after anyone remembers how things came about.
There are some such moments that I can recall over the past three-plus decades. These include:
- The complex and delicate negotiations that took place over the course of only a few weeks between the city, the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy and the Chandler family which resulted in the establishment of the Chandler Preserve at no cost to the city;
- The partnership with a local home builder that resulted in the creation of Highridge Park, again at no cost to the city;
- Construction of the western portion of Palos Verdes Drive North to complete the design features established at the eastern portion of the city thirty years prior, utilizing competitive grants and restricted funds to minimize city general fund contributions;
- Creative thinking, design and financial negotiations on the part of the city, the Chandler family and the Rolling Hills Country Club with respect to development of the old Chandler Quarry/Landfill which saw the property repurposed as a state of the art golf course and luxury residential neighborhood at least half a century sooner than expected, with the added bonus of millions of dollars in special donations coming to the city from the principals for use in enhancing equestrian and recreational facilities throughout the city;
- Establishment of the Peninsula Holiday Parade of Lights, which has become an annual community-wide celebration of the holiday season;
- Early identification and action on the part of the city to minimize long-term negative budget impacts of public pension costs resulting from the Public Employees Retirement System overly optimistic expectations of return on investment; and
- Consistently sound budgeting practices which allowed the city to weather the great recession with little to no noticeable loss of service to the public.
THE FUTURE
I wish to thank all members of the city council with whom I have worked during my career for their support and friendship. They have provided an unwavering atmosphere of teamwork and comradeship as we have sought to preserve the unique character of the community while adapting to the changing needs and expectations of our residents.
Succession planning has been an on-going priority for our organization, embraced at every level. As such, the city council expects to appoint Assistant City Manager Greg Grammer as the next City Manager. I have great confidence in his abilities and firmly believe that the organization I leave behind is well suited to continue the tradition of excellence we have established in Rolling Hills Estates.
Respectfully,
Douglas R. Prichard
City Manager of Rolling Hills Estates
