City Clerk

Tim Willert After two decades with the city, Management Services Director John Nicoll is moving on. Nicoll is leaving next month to become chief deputy executive officer for Ventura County, where he will be responsible for labor relations and risk management. "It is an opportunity to expand my career," Nicoll, 54, said Thursday. "I get to focus specifically on something I enjoy, the labor relations aspect of government relations." Nicoll, who has been Burbank's director of management services since 1988, oversees the department's administration, employee relations and risk management divisions.

A former City Council secretary, and the person to whom City Hall officials have long given the task of following up on questions and problems from the public, was named this week as Burbank's new city clerk. The last clerk resigned a few months after she'd been reelected so she could take a better-paying, management-track job in City Hall. On Tuesday, the City Council voted unanimously to appoint Margarita Campos, a city employee since 1974, to serve the remaining term, roughly three-and-a-half years.

Many of the activities operated in our park and recreational areas really are public-private partnerships in one way or another (think tennis at McCambridge Park, the golf course, the Colony Theatre and The Castaway). Perhaps we should take a careful look every few years to review where we are with them to ensure that we don't push them to a point of diminishing returns when fiscal and neighborhood quality of life values are considered. What do you suggest? A lot of city business is covered in closed meetings.

Mark R. Madler With the city's first all-mail ballot primary behind her, City Clerk Margarita Campos is hoping the second go at the system on Tuesday will go smoother. Voters will select two City Council members from a field of two incumbents and two challengers and two new school board members from a field of four. For the general election Tuesday, Campos has doubled the number of workers who verify ballots with a signature comparison, sort the ballots by precinct and inspect them for damage so they can be scanned properly.

Freedom of speech not 'squeezed' out I find David W. Gordon's community commentary, "Public comment is under siege," May 18, most interesting with respect to free speech at Burbank City Council meetings. After learning the City Council's agenda on May 24 included the consideration of adopting new building standards in R-1 and R-1-H single-family residential zones, I believed this was a meeting not to be missed. I am not a regular at City Council meetings, but I observed that every person who submitted a card to the City Clerk was given the opportunity to speak.

Laura Sturza CIVIC CENTER -- While 21 city clerk hopefuls hotly pursued the recently vacated position, none could match the qualification of newly appointed City Clerk Margarita Campos' 27 years of service to the community. The Burbank City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to appoint Campos city clerk. "I am thrilled and honored that the council chose me to fill the unexpired term," Campos said. "I'm anxious to get to work." The position, which carries with it an $84,000 annual salary, became available when former City Clerk Judy Sarquiz resigned Oct. 12, leaving more than three years remaining on her four-year term.

Laura Sturza CIVIC CENTER -- City Clerk Judy Sarquiz will leave her post of four years effective Nov. 1, she wrote in a memo Friday to Mayor Bob Kramer and the members of the City Council. "It is with a heavy heart that I am today submitting my resignation," Sarquiz wrote. "I have had the opportunity to work with an excellent staff, executive management team and City Council." Sarquiz's current salary as city clerk is approximately $7,000 per month.

The office of city treasurer is one race Burbank residents won't have to worry about, with Debbie Kukta - the former school board member who was appointed to fill the vacated post - facing no opposition for her seat. Interim City Clerk Zizette Mullins, however, will face two challengers in the Feb. 26 primary, Nonna von Sonn and Maria Gloria Salas. Mullins was also appointed to fill the vacancy, and so is running for the first time. CITY CLERK CANDIDATES Zizette Mullins Age: 50 Occupation: interim Burbank city clerk Zizette Mullins was appointed as Burbank city clerk in June after a 25-year career working in multiple departments for the city of Glendale.

Laura Sturza CIVIC CENTER -- The process for replacing City Clerk Judy Sarquiz, who resigned Oct. 12, was clarified at Tuesday's City Council meeting. Since more than three years remain of Sarquiz's four-year term, it is up to the council to appoint her replacement by Dec. 1, pursuant to the city charter. The city will be accepting applications for the $84,000 position until Nov. 16, then applicants will be interviewed at the Nov. 27 council meeting.