LEON WORDEN / SCVNEWS.COM

Community members interested in wishing outgoing City Manager Ken Pulskamp farewell are invited to attend a retirement event in his honor on Friday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. at the Activities Center at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex, located at 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway.

Tickets to the event are $35 per person and include dinner and entertainment, and can be purchased online at https://www.secure-santa-clarita.com/estore/.

City Manager Ken Pulskamp submitted his letter of resignation to the Mayor and City Council in November 2012, signaling the end of his 25 year career with the City of Santa Clarita, effective December 2012.  Pulskamp is retiring after 35 years in city management, the last 10 years as City Manager for Santa Clarita.  He came to Santa Clarita in 1988 as the Assistant City Manager and in 2002, was appointed as Santa Clarita’s second City Manager.

Pulskamp’s top achievements at the City of Santa Clarita, over the last 25 years include:

* Building a new City from the ground up including hiring staff and creating a City Hall.

* Pulskamp successfully guided the City through the recession ensuring financial stability, continuation of programs and services for residents, lowered crime rates, and completion of major capital improvement projects.

* Under Pulskamp’s leadership, Santa Clarita has a 100 percent track record for an on-time, balanced budget with a 16 percent reserve fund.

* Solving gridlock traffic issues in the City with the Cross Valley Connector and widening bridges and roads.

* A public safety program with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station that has resulted in the City’s lowest crime rate with proactive education, enforcement and community policing programs.

* Building a park, open space and trail system that spans the City.

* Creating an emergency response program and training that has stood up to 11 federally-declared disasters and improved emergency conditions in the City.

* A culture of transparency, ethics, public service and excellence at City Hall.

* Revitalizing Old Town Newhall, including additions of a new community center, Metrolink station, park, Veterans Historical Plaza, streetscape, events and infrastructure.

* Beautification projects City-wide through the creation of a landscape maintenance district.

* Development of a transit system that services almost 4 million riders annually.

* Environmental programs and facilities that reduce waste, improve air quality and promote a healthy environment.

* Creation of a robust economic development program that has attracted new businesses, added jobs, and helped make Santa Clarita a fiscal success.

* Dozens of regional, state and national awards for excellence under Pulskamp’s leadership.

For more information about Ken Pulskamp’s retirement event on Dec. 14, contact Corrina Knudson at 661-255-4939.