"In April, District 6 Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, who was serving as interim mayor at the time, fired Leigh Hanson, his chief of staff. Hanson had originally been hired by Sheng Thao and stayed on Thao was recalled and indicted. The impetus for Hanson's pink slip was the public uproar about notes that she took during a meeting that included a pejorative term for Black people. Hanson said the meaning of the notes was being misconstrued,"
"Erin Roseman, the director of Oakland's Finance Department, left her job last summer shortly before the city finalized its budget. In June, the city administrator fired LaTonda Simmons, an assistant city administrator who had served the city for 23 years, including as city clerk. In September, Assistant City Administrator Harold Duffey left Oakland to work as city manager for the Bay Area city of Brentwood."
"In October, Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced he was leaving his post after less than two years on the job. The department is being led by Interim Chief James Beere until the mayor hires a permanent replacement. Mac Muir, the head of the civilian oversight body that investigates police misconduct, also left the city last year. Antonio Lawson, counsel to the Community Police Review Agency, took over as interim leader."
A mayoral change in Oakland coincided with substantial turnover among senior municipal officials in 2025. Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins fired chief of staff Leigh Hanson amid uproar over meeting notes that included a pejorative term, and then removed several other holdovers. Key department leaders departed or were dismissed: the finance director left before the budget was finalized, a longtime assistant city administrator was fired, and another assistant city administrator became city manager in Brentwood. The police chief resigned and an interim chief was named. Civilian police oversight leadership also turned over, and parks leadership moved to an interim director.
Read at The Oaklandside
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