Joan Davenport Named Director of Community Development

In the 27 years Joan Davenport has worked for the City of Yakima, she has served in a variety of roles ranging from an entry-level Associate Planner to a Division Manager and as an acting Department Director. Beginning September 1st, Davenport will take on yet another new task as the City’s Director of Community Development.

“Joan has excelled in every assignment she has been given during her outstanding career with the City,” said City Manager Tony O’Rourke. “She has a wealth of experience and knowledge and has developed a strong reputation within the local development community. The City of Yakima is fortunate to be able to benefit from having someone of Joan’s caliber as part of its senior management team,” said O’Rourke.

After graduating from the University of Virginia in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning, Davenport took a job as an Associate Planner with Albemarle County, Virginia. In 1984, she was promoted to a Senior Planner position with Albemarle County. In 1987, Davenport moved across the country to take an Associate Planner position with the City of Yakima. Three years later, she was promoted to Supervising Associate Planner. In 1999, Davenport moved to the City’s Streets & Traffic Division to become the Supervising Traffic Engineer.

For a short time in 2008, she served as acting Streets & Traffic Division Manager before being tapped as the City’s Planning Manager in 2009. Davenport filled in as acting Community & Economic Development Director in 2011 while the City was undergoing a major organizational restructuring. As part of that restructuring, the new position of Strategic Project Manager was created and Davenport was chosen to fill the role.

The organizational restructuring also included the creation of the new position of Director of Community Development. Steve Osguthorpe was hired in 2012 as the City’s first Director of Community Development. He resigned in June of this year to take a similar position with the City of Mount Lake Terrace. Davenport has been serving as acting Director of Community Development since Osguthorpe resigned.

As Director of Community Development, Davenport will oversee the City’s planning, neighborhood development, code administration, animal control, and City Hall maintenance operations. Her salary will be about $122,000 a year.

Community Development Director – News Release