Burkland no longer interim

The biggest news item at the Chico City Council meeting Tuesday (Feb. 5) was also the shortest: the announcement that Dave Burkland (pictured) had been unanimously appointed city manager. He got a standing ovation when it was made.

Burkland has been serving in that position on an interim basis for five months, after holding the assistant city manager position for nearly two years. He succeeds Greg Jones, who took a similar job in Hayward to be closer to his grandchildren.

Burkland’s appointment returns the city to a tradition of hiring managers from within city government that goes back decades. Before Jones, both Tom Lando and Fred Davis became city manager after serving as assistant city manager. Together they served more than 40 years.

Burkland has lived in Chico since 1975, has a master’s degree in planning from Chico State University, and has worked for the city since 1992. Before that, he spent nine years with the Community Housing Improvement Program.