By Ceoli Jacoby
Kenneth Young began his tenure with the City of College Park Sept. 27, becoming the first person of color to head the Office of the City Manager.
Young took over for assistant city manager Bill Gardiner, who had served as interim city manager since the resignation of Scott Somers in December 2020.
“[Young] has great success leading public organizations and will help us reach our strategic plan goals,” Gardiner said in a Sept. 21 press release.
Young previously held positions in the governments of Loudoun County, Virginia, the Town of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and the City of North Las Vegas, Nevada.
Most recently, Young presided over a $141 million budget and the supervision of 175 employees as the county administrator of Goochland County, Virginia.
“The Council and I are thrilled to welcome Mr. Young to College Park,” Mayor Patrick Wojahn said in the press release. “With his decades of experience in local government, he will bring vision and skillful management as we move forward through these challenging times.”
According to the press release, Young is credentialed by the International City/County Management Association. He is also a member of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators, where he previously served on an executive board.
“Being a black man certainly gives me a different perspective and approach than the majority of other City Managers, who are predominately white males,” Young wrote in an email to Stories Beneath the Shell. “I am getting up to speed with the issues of urban renewal and restorative justice as it relates to the city and its history.”
Young does not have a personal connection to the city, he said. He applied, however, because “College Park is a great community that was in search of a good leader.”
During his tenure, Young said he hopes to foster “a vibrant, forward-thinking city with a welcoming community that celebrates our history and diversity.” Additionally, he will strive to promote “innovation, connectivity and sustainability.”
Young’s installment follows the hire and subsequent termination of Natasha Hampton. Hampton was scheduled to become the new city manager on June 1.
Hampton wondered in an Aug. 2 press release whether her termination may be a result of sexism, racism or her role in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settlement with her previous employer. The City of College Park maintains the decision resulted from discrepancies in the information she provided during the candidate review process.
When asked about Young’s plan to restore transparency to the office of the city manager, City Communications & Events Manager Ryna Quiñones deferred to a previous City statement from June 4. The statement noted that Bill Gardiner would continue as interim city manager until the position was filled, which they expected to be by the end of summer. Young’s installment is on schedule with their prediction.
Featured image: Kenneth Young (pictured) began serving as College Park city manager on Sept. 27. Young is the first person of color to head the office. Photo courtesy of the City of College Park.