Janette Smith named Hamilton’s next city manager

Hamilton is hiring its first female city manager.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger announced during Wednesday night’s council meeting that Janette Smith will be appointed next week and will take over the city’s top bureaucratic job in May.

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Smith comes to Hamilton from Peel Region where she is currently the commissioner of public works.

Mayor Eisenberger says she was unanimously chosen by the steering committee as the “best candidate for the job.”

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He also describes her as “experienced” and predicts she will “serve our community exceptionally well.”

Smith takes over from Chris Murray, who was Hamilton’s city manager from 2009 until last year, when he left to become Toronto’s city manager.

Mike Zegarac, the city’s general manager of finance, has been serving as acting city manager since Murray’s departure.