HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/05/2024 05.B.i. Recognition of retiring Community Development Director Joan Davenport 1
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. B.i.
For Meeting of: March 5, 2024
ITEM TITLE: Recognition of retiring Community Development Director Joan
Davenport
SUBMITTED BY: Dave Zabel!, Interim City Manager
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
After approximately 37 years of distinguished service to the City of Yakima, Community
Development Director Joan Davenport is retiring effective March 15, 2024. Throughout the arc
of her service to the City, Yakima has increased in population to nearly 100,000 residents, an
increase of more than 50%, and in area from 13 square miles to 30 square miles today. Joan
Davenport has played an important professional, and ever increasingly influential, role in assisting
the Planning Commission and City Council in shaping the City as it has grown, in planning for its
future, and with countless members of the public in the implementation and facilitation of the
City's adopted plans, policies, and regulations.
As background, Director Davenport was hired by the City of Yakima as an Associate Planner in
August 1987, along the way Joan has consistently demonstrated herself to be a capable and
accomplished professional, resulting in her promotion to Supervising Associate Planner (1990),
Supervising Traffic Engineer (1999), Planning Manager(2009), Strategic Project Manager(2013),
and finally Director of Community Development in 2014 where she has served the past 10 years.
Aside from serving in numerous professional and leadership roles during the City's significant
growth in population and area, during Joan's nearly four decade tenure, she has worked on three
major Comprehensive Plans updates, dozens of Comp Plan Amendments; successfully
acquired millions of dollars in grants for the City; spent decades working on housing and
development efforts; and as a team-player working across departmental lines and responsibilities,
Joan served in major roles through some difficult times (snow storm of 1996, flood of 1997,
heartbreak of 9/11, and COVI D pandemic)and also some rewarding times (1994 and 2005 All
America City recognition).
This evening we take a few minutes to publicly acknowledge a dedicated professional, a true
leader who served the City with great distinction and to great effect over a long and productive
career.
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ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
City Manager will intro.
City Council will comment.
Director Davenport provided opportunity to comment.