Reading’s community development director to retire | Reading Area

READING, Pa. – The City of Reading’s community development director is retiring.

At the conclusion of Monday’s Reading City Council meeting, Managing Director Jack Gombach announced that David Barr has announced he is retiring from the position of community development director, which he held for a year since July 2025.

Gombach said Barr’s last day will be on Friday and that Mayor Eddie Moran appointed Gombach as interim director.

Barr is a native of Reading but spent the majority of his career serving in key roles in managing construction, energy, and facility planning with the U.S. Department of State.

He retired from the Foreign Service in 2022 and has since continued supporting diplomatic housing and construction projects.