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Sacramento city leaders announce Maraskeshia Smith as next city manager
So good morning and thank you all for being here today. So standing before you today, I am filled with deep gratitude and humility as I accept the honor of serving as the next city manager for the city of Sacramento. This moment marks not only *** milestone in my professional career, but *** commitment in city leadership built on countless hours of engagement, collaboration, placemaking, and innovation. I want to begin by expressing my appreciation to Mayor McCarthy, Council member Jennings, chair of the personnel Committee, and every member of this esteemed council. Your selection for me in this role reflects tremendous trust, and I am truly moved by your confidence in my ability to serve this community. Please know that your faith in me is not taken lightly. I pledge to honor it with integrity, transparency, and unwavering dedication. I also want to extend my appreciation to interim city manager Lanny Milstein. Laney, your leadership during this transitional period has been exemplary. You answered the call to serve with grace, fortitude, and purpose, guiding the organization through change and uncertainty. Your steady hand and commitment preserve the city’s focus and unity. And you laid the foundation for *** smooth transition and I just wanna say thank you. Most importantly, I want to recognize the phenomenal employees of the city. You are the heartbeat of the city of Sacramento. Every day through your hard work, creativity and passion, you make it possible to deliver exceptional services to our residents, whether it’s repairing roads, supporting families, ensuring public safety, or nurturing our parks and green spaces. Your efforts are the foundation on which the city is built, and I look forward to working alongside you. To our residents, business owners, and volunteers, your commitment to Sacramento is the driving force behind the city. You inspire us to seek better solutions, more inclusive policies, and *** stronger sense of community. I am deeply committed to improving the lives of our residents and the prosperity of the entire community. Your voice matters. Your engagement is essential to the success of our city. To our community members and regional partners, I offer my full commitment to collaboration. Challenges such as homelessness, housing, economic development, and transportation do not exist in isolation. They demand that we come together, pooling our resources, strengths, knowledge to amplify *** greater impact. I promised to break down silos, build bridges between departments across neighborhoods and with neighboring jurisdictions. Only through true partnership can we unlock the full potential of the Sacramento region. Up on my official start date, the city manager’s office in close coordination with this governing body, we will begin scheduling *** series of listening sessions. These gatherings will be designed for you, our residents, business owners, and community members so I can listen and learn and connect with you directly. I wanna hear your priorities, your concerns, and your aspirations for Sacramento. City employees, you will receive that same invitation. I want to understand your remarkable work and how you’re laying the foundation to drive innovation, solve complex problems, and deliver essential services. Please know that your insights are invaluable. So in closing, I just wanna be clear, this is not just *** job for me. This is *** calling. I step into this role with humility, honor, and *** deep sense of responsibility. I am ready to serve this community, steward its resources and help guide its future. This is *** moment of opportunity, *** chance for us to all come together, dream boldly and continue to build *** city that reflects the best of who we are. Thank you, counsel.
Sacramento city leaders announce Maraskeshia Smith as next city manager
Updated: 9:44 AM PDT Sep 30, 2025
Maraskeshia Smith will become Sacramento’s new city manager after a months-long nationwide search. She will become the first Black woman to serve in the role. Mayor Kevin McCarty and city council members announced Smith’s appointment at a news conference Tuesday at the SAFE Credit Union and Convention Center, saying she’ll begin her job on Jan. 5. Smith most recently served as the city manager of Santa Rosa, and also has experience working as Deputy Director and Director of Public Works in Cincinnati, Assistant City Administrator in Oakland, and Deputy City Manager in Stockton.”This is not just a job for me,” Smith said. “This is a calling.”City officials launched a search for a new city manager position after deciding not to extend Howard Chan’s contract. However, he took on a role as assistant city manager a day before his contract was set to expire.In January, the city council appointed Leyne Milstein as interim city manager as it continued its search for a permanent position. Milstein will now return as assistant city manager. While Sacramento has a mayor as an elected official, the city manager oversees more of the daily operations and is appointed by the city council. When Chan was city manager, he had a take-home salary of $400,000, one of the highest salaries for the role in the state of California. However, the State Controller’s Office in 2023 reported he earned nearly $600,000 with a vacation payout.Under the role he assumed as assistant city manager, Chan’s salary is nearly $341,000 a year, the highest posted salary for that position.Milstein’s salary as interim was $352,000. The city states that nearly 100 people applied for city manager, and the final interviews were held earlier in September. McCarty and Councilmembers Karina Talamantes and Rick Jennings described Smith as the top candidate among those who were interviewed. Prior to the news conference, the city council will held a closed-door session where the new city manager was officially “considered,” according to a news release from the city. Officials also planned to hold a “priority and goal setting workshop” following the end of the news conference.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Maraskeshia Smith will become Sacramento’s new city manager after a months-long nationwide search. She will become the first Black woman to serve in the role.
Mayor Kevin McCarty and city council members announced Smith’s appointment at a news conference Tuesday at the SAFE Credit Union and Convention Center, saying she’ll begin her job on Jan. 5.
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Smith most recently served as the city manager of Santa Rosa, and also has experience working as Deputy Director and Director of Public Works in Cincinnati, Assistant City Administrator in Oakland, and Deputy City Manager in Stockton.
“This is not just a job for me,” Smith said. “This is a calling.”
City officials launched a search for a new city manager position after deciding not to extend Howard Chan’s contract. However, he took on a role as assistant city manager a day before his contract was set to expire.
In January, the city council appointed Leyne Milstein as interim city manager as it continued its search for a permanent position. Milstein will now return as assistant city manager.
While Sacramento has a mayor as an elected official, the city manager oversees more of the daily operations and is appointed by the city council. When Chan was city manager, he had a take-home salary of $400,000, one of the highest salaries for the role in the state of California. However, the State Controller’s Office in 2023 reported he earned nearly $600,000 with a vacation payout.
Under the role he assumed as assistant city manager, Chan’s salary is nearly $341,000 a year, the highest posted salary for that position.
Milstein’s salary as interim was $352,000.
The city states that nearly 100 people applied for city manager, and the final interviews were held earlier in September.
McCarty and Councilmembers Karina Talamantes and Rick Jennings described Smith as the top candidate among those who were interviewed.
Prior to the news conference, the city council will held a closed-door session where the new city manager was officially “considered,” according to a news release from the city. Officials also planned to hold a “priority and goal setting workshop” following the end of the news conference.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
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