Photo by Stephanie Mohan
In a press release on Thursday, the Sonoma City Council announced its selection for new city manager: Linda Kelly, age 41, current town manager of Fairfax, in Marin County. Mayor Stanley Cohen said, “The city council is very pleased that Linda has accepted the City Manager position. Her positive leadership style and management experience will serve the city well as we address the key issues facing Sonoma in the coming years.”
Kelly graduated from Cal State L.A. and earned a Masters in Political Science from U.C. Riverside, as well as a Certificate in Human Resource Management from U.C. Santa Cruz. “It’s a privilege to be selected for this position,” Kelly said. “My family and I want to become an integral part of this remarkable city, and I will be doing all I can to support the City Council in achieving its goals.” Kelly and her husband Gary have two children, daughter Jamie, age 10, and son Jesse, age 3.
The new city manager has nearly 20 years experience in local government. Before going to Fairfax two years ago, she was Assistant to the City Manager of Atherton for five years and has held staff positions in Sunnyvale, La Puente, and Long Beach. Kelly has also been serving as executive officer of the Ross Valley Fire Service, which has 27 employees and provides fire and emergency response for some 22,000 residents.
Outgoing city manager Mike Fuson, who will retire at the end of the year, was not directly involved in the selection process, but noted that, “Watching the process, it worked out really well. It says something about the community here that it attracted such a good number of applicants.” In Petaluma, meanwhile, the search for its new city manager was just extended 2 months, in order to allow further interviewing; that job pays $195,000 a year. The contract for Kelly, expected to be ratified at the December 5 city council meeting, calls for a $141,000 annual salary.
Fuson was asked what advice he might have for the incoming manager. “Based on her experience and where she’s been, I wouldn’t presume to give her advice,” he replied, noting, “The ideal overlap with city managers is about five or ten minutes. There needs to be one person in charge.”
Kelly on community –
City government is the level of government closest to the people, and one thing I seek is greater opportunity to interact with the community we serve. In Fairfax, I implemented new ways of reaching out and keeping what we were doing relevant and fresh for people – I started a city blog, and I held office hours in local coffee shops. I enjoy reaching out and providing people with ways to be heard and informed. There is an organic dynamic to each town, and that’s what fascinates me about local government. Each city is unique, and honoring that uniqueness and tradition while integrating new approaches is what keeps me energized about public service.
Kelly on challenges –
I think the issues of our age, faced to some extent by all California cities, are fostering financial stability and making progress on environmental sustainability, while managing growth in a fast-growing state. The process of addressing these will need to tap the ideas and resources of the local community as well as consider what’s already working elsewhere. Economic uncertainty and energy vulnerability at the national and state levels make our work that much more imperative. Our collective challenges are growing in number and complexity, and we must be open to new approaches to addressing them.
Kelly on inspiration –
I originally became interested in government service through the influence of my father’s experience. He came to this country during the Hungarian revolution of 1956 seeking political freedom of expression and a better life. If I can help do my little part to maintain my corner of this country a place of open ideas and liberties and equality of opportunity, then I will have carried forth the values he risked his life for the chance to enjoy.
