Mayor Quan Pledges to Work With Libby Schaaf During Transition

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said Thursday that she will collaborate with Mayor-elect Libby Schaaf during the transition period until Schaaf takes office in January. Schaaf, an Oakland native who has been on the City Council the past four years, said tonight that Quan called her on Wednesday to congratulate her on her victory and offer her full support.

Schaaf said it was Quan’s idea to have a joint news conference at City Hall today where Quan let the community know that she is committed to having “a good transition and a productive relationship” with her. Quan spoke of her accomplishments in her four years as mayor and Schaaf said, “I’m appreciative of the foundation that she has built” for Oakland.

Schaaf said her “first order of business” as mayor will be to hire a new city administrator, as Oakland has been without a permanent city administrator for many months. Formerly retired city administrator Henry Gardner has been the interim city administrator since June. Schaaf said she will conduct a national search for a new city administrator and hopes it won’t take too long.

She said she believes Oakland will attract many top candidate for the job because it is “an incredibly exciting place with many exciting projects and great energy.” After Quan was elected in December 2010, she didn’t hire a new permanent city administrator until June 2011, when she picked Deanna Santana, who didn’t start work until Aug. 1, 2011. Santana left the city administrator’s post in early March.

By Bay City News

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