Dublin City Manager Linda Smith To Retire

DUBLIN, CA - Dublin City Manager Linda Smith will retire in October, the city announced Thursday. Smith has been city manager since December 2019, and has spent a total of 15 years working with the city.

Smith started with the city in 2009 as assistant to the city manager, focused on economic development and public information. In 2013, Smith was named assistant city manager, and became city manager in December 2019, just 75 days before the start of the pandemic.

During that time, she led both the city and served as chair of the Alameda County City Managers Association, where she helped navigate closures and restrictions. Smith led the city’s economic recovery efforts during the pandemic, including facilitating a program that provided $2.68 million to support local businesses and residents in need.

During Smith’s five years as city manager, the city amassed a $120 million surplus that was used to fund capital projects and bolster reserves. She also oversaw the approval of more than 730 units of affordable housing; negotiated two new school sites that saved the district $69 million in land costs; led negotiations to bring the Kaiser Campus, Zeiss Innovation Center, and Persimmon Place Shopping Center to Dublin; initiated efforts for the Downtown Dublin Preferred Vision; and helped create create the future Fallon East Economic Development Zone.

Smith led the development of the Don Biddle Community Park, Fallon Sports Park, Phase 3; the all-abilities Imagine Playground at the Dublin Sports Grounds; and the future Cultural Arts Center, Iron Horse Trail Nature Park, Wallis Community Park, and Sunset Park.

Smith is a member of several organizations, including the International City Management Association and the Municipal Management Association of Northern California. She is currently president-elect of the Dublin Rotary.

“Working for the City has been an honor and privilege over these last 15 years. This community, even during its stages of growth, has kept its connectivity and small-town character,” she said in a statement. “I am so proud of the team we have here serving this community and I know that the great work will continue on behalf of the residents and businesses.”

“Linda has had such an incredible impact on the City of Dublin over the last 15 years. Her leadership of the team and her leadership in the community are well known. It has been my great pleasure to work with Linda over the last few years and we are a better community because of her service to our residents and our businesses,” Dublin Mayor Michael McCorriston said in a statement. “I have no doubt that Linda will continue to make an impact after leaving Dublin.”