(WBIR - KNOXVILLE) The search for a new Knoxville-Knox County Public Building Authority executive director may already have come to an end.
Officials appear ready to appoint the authority's current director of property management – Jayne Burritt – to the post. The move comes about a week after current and longtime CEO Dale Smith announced he is stepping down as of Jan. 1.
"In a meeting yesterday with both mayors and their staff, they suggested that the board consider Jayne Burritt to be named the PBA administrator effective January 1, 2016," PBA board Chairman Winston Frazier wrote to board members on Friday. "For now the search committee will stand down, and I look forward to seeing you all at the next scheduled board meeting to discuss this request."
Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero recommend the CEO, but the board makes the final decision.
Burritt joined the PBA in early 2008 and helps oversee security and maintenance for about 1.5 million square feet of facilities, including parking garages, World's Fair Park and the City County Building. She is over roughly 100 employees and a $12 million budget.
Prior to working for the PBA, she managed corporate real estate for First Tennessee Bank and was a facilities manager with CB Richard Ellis, and has 20 years of experience in property management.
"I'm extremely excited," she told 10News. "I'm honored that they would want me to take that role. It's key to work with our clients – the city and county – and I've been fortunate to be able to work alongside their efforts."
Burritt said she wanted to continue aligning the authority's goals with the two governments to "work along with them and support whatever they want."
She said right now the city has put an emphasis on downtown street enforcement and the county has picked up more facilities that the PBA is managing, so she will also focus on those efforts.
She added: "Property management is a core we want to build on. My goal is to keep that up and improve it."
The 11-member board will vote on her appointment at its next meeting Sept. 15.
Smith told 10News on Friday: "I am really pleased that Jayne has been endorsed by both mayors. She is a great leader and manager."
Smith, who earned $194,000 in salary, told WBIR 10News that he decided to step down for a number of reasons. Foremost, though, he planned to retire in a year or so but he also had to appoint someone to replace Jeff Galyon, the authority's former director of property management.
Smith said it made more sense for a CEO who was going to be in place for a while to be the one to appoint a replacement for Galyon.
Plus, he said, 16 years on the job "is a long time."
Burritt said the PBA has taken applications to fill the post, but officials are holding off at this point. She said she wants to see how many projects are on the horizoon, and "right now there's not that many."
She said it might not be feasible to put someone in the position if there's not enough work for them to do.
"It really depends on the number of projects we have," she said.
The PBA during Smith's tenure managed and completed some $500 million in construction projects for the city and county. The largest is the Knoxville Convention Center and World's Fair Park projects, completed in 2003.
Other projects are: the East Tennessee Historical Center expansion and renovation, Regal Riviera Cinema, Hardin Valley Academy High School, Powell Middle School renovation, Knoxville Station Transit Center, as well as a number of senior centers and branch libraries constructed for Knox County.
