“It is my understanding that it has become likely that the State will act soon to eliminate Redevelopment Agencies throughout the state and end redevelopment. This would include the elimination of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency.

I probably have as many questions as you [do] about what will happen and how this will unfold. It is a certainty that cities across the state will mount a legal challenge. How things will progress and ultimately shake out is anyone’s guess.

The City continues to take action to protect as much work of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency as possible. The elimination of redevelopment in Culver City will affect us all. The Culver City Redevelopment Agency stimulates revitalization and affordable housing in our City. It does so by fully funding twenty three (23) positions while partially funding over twenty others and supports its share of other City operations by offsetting approximately $2 million in general fund expenditures. So, the loss of redevelopment will add additional burden to the structural deficit our City already faces; all the more reason why we must urgently confront our fiscal shortfall.”

The end of redevelopment will significantly change the shape of our local government. Keep reading Culver City Crossroads for more information.

Mr. Nachbar is the current City Manager for the City of Overland Park, Kansas, a position he has held for over ten years. Overland Park’s population is over 173,000 residents. Mr. Nachbar’s long, distinguished resume, includes serving as City Manager for the cities of Albany and Patterson in California. He also served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Tucson, Arizona prior to coming to Overland Park. Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach praised City Manager Nachbar, stating, “I want to say congratulations to John. He has served Overland Park very well, helping us become an economically stronger community.”

Mr. Nachbar’s notable career with the City of Overland Park includes his instrumental
role in opening the state-of-the-art Overland Park Soccer Complex; building and
financing the Overland Park Convention Center and Sheraton Overland Park Hotel; and
completing Vision Metcalf, a $1.1 million analysis and plan for the redevelopment of the
Metcalf corridor, a prominent street in Overland Park.  Mr. Nachbar looks forward to
bringing his expertise to the Culver City community.  In anticipation of his role as City
Manager for Culver City, he notes, “Culver City is a thriving community on the Westside
which has benefited greatly from redevelopment efforts in the 1990’s. My family and I
are excited to return to California, particularly to this vibrant City.”

Welcome to Culver City, John. This is the part where you blink your eyes and look around, and realize you are not in Kansas anymore.

In a telephone interview with Culver City Crossroads, Scott offered that “it was all personal, family stuff. That’s what’s really driven the whole thing.”

Scott and his wife Carol have been living on seperate coasts for the past six months, with Carol still in Spartanburg, the South Carolina city that was Scott’s previous post. While trying to find a base that they could both work from, Carol’s search for employment in California did not lead to Culver City as a likely headquarters.  With family located in central California, in the Fresno area, and aging parents who need more time and attention, Scott felt that they both needed to be closer to home.

“I just feel badly that I put everyone in Culver City through this; it was not ever my intention to take the job and leave it so abruptly. ” Scott said on the afternoon of Feb. 8,  with a catch in his voice that sounded sorrowful. “When I made the choice to take the job, the situation seemed quite different, and I certainly did not foresee it all turning around this fast.”

Hie sense of connection to Culver City was “very deep, and I just feel badly that this is now my time to leave. I would never have accepted the position (of City Manager) if I had any idea I would have to resign after such a short time.” Scott does have another position that he has accepted, but was not at liberty to say more about it. While hopeful that the council will accept his proposal to remain through April, Scott said “we’ll just have to see what the council feels is the best way to go.”