The Covington Board of Commissioners has appointed Sharmili Reddy as the new City Manager. Reddy is currently the Executive Director of Planning and Development Services (PDS) of Kenton County, an agency serving 20 local jurisdictions including Covington. PDS manages functions like building codes, community development, infrastructure engineering, geographic information systems, planning, zoning, and code enforcement.
Reddy will take over from Ken Smith following his resignation. Her tenure begins on August 18. She has a background in regional collaboration and community engagement and previously served as the City Administrator of Fort Mitchell for five years.
Reddy's appointment marks a historic moment as she becomes the first woman and woman of color to hold the permanent City Manager position in Covington. Mayor Ron Washington emphasized their quick decision-making process due to Reddy's qualifications: “We moved with urgency because we knew we had an exceptional candidate in Sharmili Reddy. She is smart, collaborative, and already deeply committed to serving Covington."
Expressing her gratitude for the opportunity given by the Board of Commissioners, Reddy said: “I want to thank the Mayor and Commissioners for their trust and confidence in me. I’ve had the privilege of working with Covington for years in my role at PDS, so this role felt like a natural next step.”
The city also acknowledged Public Works Director Keith Bales for his interim service during this transition period.
Covington's government structure will change from a City Manager model to a Mayor-Council system starting January 1, 2027. Until then, the City Manager remains responsible for daily operations.