City Manager’s assistant takes job in Crescent

Assistant to the City Manager Janet Smith has accepted the position of City Manager for the City of Crescent, Oklahoma .

Smith began working for the City of Ponca City in March, while completing her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. She also has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Religion from the University of Mobile, in Alabama.

Prior to coming to Ponca City, Smith worked as an Administrative Specialist II for Edmond Electric and as a Carl Reherman City Management Intern for the City of Edmond. She has held many positions that required supervision and oversight of employees, budgets and corporate issues, as a prior business owner.

“Smith’s position with the City of Ponca City was a temporary position, with a tenure of 18 to 24 months, as the position’s primary function was to provide support to the City Manager, while gaining knowledge and experience to obtain a career in municipal government," City Manager Craig Stephenson said . "As a member and immediate past President of the City Management Association of Oklahoma, CMAO is pleased that the University of Central Oklahoma now provides a Master of Public Administration program. CMAO encourages the on-going development of professional city managers in Oklahoma, which it turn helps cities and towns across Oklahoma prosper.”

Smith said, “I am so grateful to Ponca City for the knowledge of municipal government gained in my time here as part of the City Manager’s office. The professionalism that I have experienced from the administration to the governing body is a credit to civic governance. I am leaving Ponca City better equipped for the leadership role that I will be assuming in Crescent because of the positive experiences that I have had here.”