New City Manager Pat West and I share something in common….we both love the Potholder Cafe on Broadway. As Mr. West gets ready for his big splash as City Manager, he took some time to answer questions from the lbpost.com.
Q: What do you see as the city’s biggest challenge as you begin your position as City Manager?
A: I see as our biggest challenges in the area of infrastructure. This basically includes supporting our Public Works Department in dealing with our streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters and street trees. Our Public Works department has presented us with a 10-year master plan. As a City we must be extremely serious about providing the resources to accomplish this master plan.
Q: What excites you most about Long Beach?
A: Long Beach is a great City. What excites me most about Long Beach is its great diversity, its beaches, its neighborhoods, its commercial districts and in sum, it’s character. Having served as the Community Development Director and the Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency during the past 2 years, I have had the opportunity to visit all areas of our community and to meet with numerous neighborhood, community and civic groups. I have always found each group has nothing but the best in mind for our entire community. All in all, Long Beach truly is an exciting City.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you learned as City Manager in Paramount?
A: Perhaps the most important lesson I learned in Paramount is that you can accomplish wonderful things by having a vision and sticking to that vision through thick and thin. In Paramount, while the City Council changed over the years, each councilmember was always totally committed that Paramount could truly evolve into a community each resident would be proud to call home.
Q: What message would you like to convey to City employees as you begin your new job?
A: If I were able to convey a message to City employees as I begin this new adventure, it would be to believe in Long Beach. We are a great City and a great organization. We have endured 3 years dealing with the elimination of a structural deficit and while we must continue to be watchful of our financial resources, we should never shrink away from continuing to provide the best and highest quality service to the citizens of Long Beach. We have some of the most dedicated and loyal employees anywhere and each and every one of us should be proud of the contributions made in our community.
Q: What do you think the role of CSULB and LBCC should be in Long Beach?
A: As a City, Long Beach should work as closely as possible in partnering with our colleges, CSULB and LBCC. To use a phrase from Dr. Alexander, Long Beach should have a “Town and Gown” relationship with it’s colleges. Colleges can serve as the heart and soul of a City and Long Beach is blessed by having two such wonderful institutions. The City already is actively working with both Colleges in the areas of workforce housing, creating more of a downtown presence, promoting the Arts, and beautifying the PCH corridor near the LBCC Pacific Coast Campus working with President Eloy Oakley.
Q: Who is your professional mentor?
A: I have several friends that I am proud to consider as professional mentors. At the top of the list would be former Paramount City Manager William A. Holt. Additionally, I would add former Garden Grove and Norwalk City Manager, Richard Powers, who now serves as the Executive Director of the Gateway Cities Council of Government. I would also consider Jim Hankla a mentor along with Jim Ruth, former City Manager of Anaheim and of course, Jerry Miller.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Long Beach?
A: This is a tough question to name my favorite Long Beach restaurant. That said, I will take a stab at it. I will list several in no particular order: Café Piccolo, Madame Jojos, Pasta Al Dente, the Skyroom, the Potholder and Huffs. As you can see, my wife, Madelyn, and I love to go out for dinner or breakfast!
Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: Regarding my free time, I enjoy doing anything outdoors.