The Burbank Chamber of Commerce presented the annual State of the City Address and Luncheon with Burbank Mayor Nick Schultz, applauding Burbank’s rich history and commending the work of the city departments over the last year.
650 guests attended the luncheon on Wednesday, October 23rd at the Marriott Los Angeles Burbank Airport Convention Center. Organization leaders, government officials, school board members and staff, local business owners, and big corporations gathered for an informational address of where the city is at and what the future will look like.
Guests included employees from IKEA, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Providence Saint Joseph, Burbank Police and Fire command staff, Nickelodeon, the Burbank School Board and Superintendent, Hollywood Burbank Airport, the Burbank Arts and Education Foundation, Home Again Los Angeles, Chulada Spices, Burbank City departments, and much more.
The morning began with a welcome message from Burbank Chamber of Commerce CEO, Jamie Keyser, followed by an Invocation performed by ordained elder, Sam Kim, of the United Methodist Church. Guests rose as the US Army Color Guard entered the banquet hall for the flag presentation and students from the John Burroughs High School’s vocal group, The Neo Chromatics, sang a beautiful, spine-chilling, a Capella rendition of the National Anthem. Board Chair, Paul Herman addressed the seated crowd to give an update on the Chamber and to explain all that the Chamber of Commerce does for the City of Burbank, its residents, and business owners, providing a bridge to between the government and the community, all while driving economic growth. Herman addressed a comment from a city council member that previously called the organization “nefarious,” and passionately disarmed the allegation as he continued to share the beneficial and collaborative work the Chamber does in supporting Burbank’s small businesses, non-profit organizations, and community residents.
This year’s theme was “Our Future is What We Make it,” based on the 1985 film Back to the Future. “No matter the changes in the world around us, we can look back into the past and see a mirror of ourselves,” said Mayor Nick Schultz during a video presentation. “We sometimes think our parents are so different from us, but they were our age once too, and they strive to create a better world, a future for themselves, just like us. They were young and made mistakes just like us, but they also learned and grew from those mistakes, just like us.”
Mayor Schultz shared that Burbank City Hall has not physically changed much since its opening over 80 years ago and that residents still expect the same core values from their local government that they did then, including professionalism, transparency, accountability, freedom, peace, and prosperity. “Burbank has always cherished and protected the American dream, and we’re not about to stop now as we head into the future,” he added.
Burbank is home to over 103,000 ethnically diverse residents with an average household income of $126,000. During the day, Burbank’s population increases to 165,000 people working across the city. The Hollywood Burbank Airport serves six million passengers a year, and with the nation’s largest IKEA, the booming Magnolia Park merchants district, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and the busting Downtown Burbank, the city attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world.
Before moving into the future, Mayor Schultz addressed the crowd with pride while reflecting on the incredible work and achievements of the city departments over the last year. The Parks and Recreation Department has been working hard at completing their capital improvement projects that included new shade structures at ball fields and upgrading playground equipment to be more vibrant and inclusive. They also hosted the city’s first ever Adaptive Sports Expo, celebrating athletes of all abilities with activities like wheelchair rugby and fencing, and visually impaired Judo.
Burbank Parks and Rec. just recently unveiled a new mural at McCambridge Recreation Center titled, “A Community in Action,” as a tribute to Burbank’s eclectic past, present and future. With Parks and Rec. at the helm of the Burbank Animal Shelter, they recently held a discounted adoption fair that led to the homing of 190 animals.
Burbank public libraries also saw a successful year with over 900,000 patrons served and over 750 programs across the three facilities. This year the libraries partnered with Woodbury University to hold a Media Industry Expo and Job Fair that drew in 3,500 attendees seeking job connections in the media industry. The library is also in collaboration with Public Works for a potential new Central Library that will modernize and redefine the concept of a library in an urban community.
Mayor Schultz personally addressed Patrick Prescott and his team at the Community Development Department (CDD) for making significant strides in homelessness this year. The CDD has engaged and provided critical care for 429 residents and housing for 82 individuals through the help of local organizations like Home Again Los Angeles and the Burbank Housing Corporation. This year 370 housing opportunities were created through new home development projects and the approval application time dropped by nearly 72%.
In collaboration with the Burbank Housing Corporation, 60 affordable units are being facilitated which will be known as The Village at Fairview. The city has also committed to and approved the creation of a Homeless Solution Center that would act as a transitional shelter with 52 dwelling units that include a bathroom and shower. The center will also have services to help individuals with finding permanent housing, substance support, and mental health services.
The CDD has also implemented the San Fernando street reconfiguration, bringing San Fernando between Magnolia and Olive to a one way street, and improved access to the Metro station my adding a bike plan along Front street. They also streamlined the solar permit process to an online system that reduced the processing time from six weeks to one day.
Mayor Schultz addressed Burbank Police Chief Michael Albanese who is set to retire next year. “We are so thankful to you for your exceptional leadership and service in the Burbank community. Words cannot convey how much you mean to us and our appreciation for your service,” said Schultz. “You’ll be missed, but you’ll always have a home right here in Burbank.” The BPD have an impressive response time of two minutes and 59 seconds and have recently added a discrete police vehicle to transport individuals with mental health emergencies, as a way to provide compassionate care to those in need.
The Burbank Fire Department has also been busy this year and added a peak hour ambulance to station 14 as a way to boost transport capacity and ensure a quicker response time. The department also added a new aerial ladder truck featuring a 106 foot ladder and state of the art equipment. Additionally the BFD has launched a non-denominational Chaplain program to prioritize firefighter’s mental health, allowing them to best serve our community.
This year the Public Works department removed more than 3,600 graffiti incidents, filled 10,500 potholes, and resurfaced 14 miles of residential streets and alleyways. They have also rehabilitated the McCambridge pool, installed the Officer Matthew Pavelka flag pole and tribute, and designed and installed the Rotary Club Clocktower. Public Works have gone above and beyond their duties and showed true commitment to their community this year by hosting a Touch-a-Truck event for kids during summer school, brought in boulders for Japan Day at Muir Middle School, and donated a city bench out front of Bret Harte Elementary school in honor of the late Karyn Lombardo.
Lastly, the Burbank Water and Power department has been recognized in a lineman competition where Burbank took 1st and 3rd place. They have also seen a 31% increase in sessions at electric vehicle charging stations which brought in over a quarter million dollars in new revenue. 243 homeowners and five businesses have installed solar systems this year and 60% of the BWP’s general fleet has now gone electric, providing cleaner emissions across the city.
“Much like in the film, Back to the Future, where the future isn’t yet written, we know that we can’t move forward without reflecting on the foundations made before us. By looking to our past, we find the inspiration to set new goals, and to push the limits of what is possible,” said Mayor Nick Schultz who was proud to address the city’s financial concerns and accusations. With the help of the Financial Services Director, Jennifer Becker, the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget of $872 million has been meticulously balanced with a projected surplus for the next two years.
Mayor Schultz wrapped up the lunch by addressing that this may be the last time he stands before everyone in this capacity. “I want to acknowledge from the bottom of my heart what a privilege and honor it has been to serve this community on the council over the last four years. Burbank is a very special place. It’s truly been the opportunity of a lifetime to serve you. Whether you agree with me or not, I hope you never doubt for a moment that I took with great severity and understanding how important a responsibility it is to run a city like this.”
