Following several months of interviews, the Reno city council has finally come to a decision about who the new city manager will be.
Her name is Sabra Smith Newby and she was one of two finalists for the job.
Newby has formerly worked with the city of Las Vegas and has served under Clark County management as well.
Wednesday’s decision to vote for Newby was unanimous; however that may not have been the case had finalist Mark Scott not publicly withdrawn from the race before the vote. Scott was under the notion that the council was still divided between himself and Newby.
"I don't believe that I’ve really sold myself to you and I know that I haven't been sold on the job myself,” said Scott.
His decision to step down came only minutes before the final vote. Mayor Hillary Schieve expressed her appreciation for Scott’s bravery.
"We really appreciate the honesty and I think his heart really wasn't in this process," said Schieve.
Newby however, was dedicated to the process and for that reason she was unanimously selected for the job. After the decision, Schieve admired Newby’s resume.
“She has extensive experience working in one of the largest counties in the country and we're very excited to have her,” said Schieve.
As for Newby, she says as the new city manager she wants to bring more transparency to the city council and plans to voice her opinions more than her predecessor.
"Try and bring together, staff and the council, help the council find their voice and their direction and move forward in a cohesive way," said Newby.
Sabra Newby
Mark Scott
