Sacramento City Council makes history with approval of new city manager
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- Sacramento appointed Maraskeshia Smith as its first Black woman city manager.
- Smith brings experience from Santa Rosa, Stockton, Oakland, and Cincinnati roles.
- Her three-year contract includes a $399,000 annual salary, pending city approval.
Sacramento made history on Tuesday morning with the appointment of its new city manager Maraskeshia Smith, making her the first Black woman to hold the position.
Smith’s appointment was announced at a Tuesday morning press conference and marks the end of a nationwide search that began earlier this year. The appointment fills one of City Hall’s most influential roles.
As city manager, Smith will oversee nearly 6,000 employees, manage an operating budget of $1.6 billion and sit alongside City Council members at their meetings. Smith, a native of Kentucky, is expected to begin work on Jan. 5 and receive an annual salary of $399,000.
“I promise to break down silos, build bridges between departments, across neighborhoods and with neighboring jurisdictions,” said Smith on Tuesday. “Only through true partnership can we unlock the full potential of the Sacramento region.”
The press conference came after a closed session meeting held by the City Council, during which the elected body unanimously voted to appoint Smith. There were 97 applicants for the position.
“We undertook a transparent and inclusive process that will focus us on getting the right person and we feel like we have that right person right now,” said Councilmember Rick Jennings, who led the committee charged with the recruitment process.
Smith will relocate to Sacramento from Santa Rosa, where she was the city manager for nearly four years. Before then, Smith was the deputy city manager in Stockton and assistant city administrator in Oakland. She spent about 10 years working for the city of Cincinnati before coming to California.
“We have great confidence that she is going to help us move forward with a city on the rise,” said Mayor Kevin McCarty.
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Sacramento launched its nationwide search in January after the City Council declined to extend former City Manager Howard Chan. The decision followed a tumultuous final year marked with criticism about his salary and decision-making.
Chan, who had served in the role since 2017, earned $789,147 in total wages last year — the second highest among all California city employees. About half that pay came from cashing out leave hours.
Smith’s proposed contract will be voted on at the City Council’s Oct. 14 meeting. The contract would be for three years and pay an annual salary of $399,000.
Per the contract, Smith will also receive a $50,000 temporary housing allowance, a $500 monthly car allowance and a $150 monthly technology stipend. She will be given 96 hours of sick leave, 80 of vacation pay and 160 hours of management leave.
If terminated, Smith would receive nine months of base pay.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 10:07 AM.
