The Covington Board of Commissioners has appointed Sharmili Reddy as the new City Manager. Reddy, who is currently the Executive Director of Planning and Development Services (PDS) of Kenton County, will start her new role on August 18, following Ken Smith’s resignation.
Reddy has been with PDS, a public-sector agency serving 20 local jurisdictions in Kenton County including Covington, overseeing functions like building codes and community development. Before PDS, she was the City Administrator of Fort Mitchell for five years.
Reddy will be the first woman and woman of color to hold the position of permanent City Manager in Covington’s history. Mayor Ron Washington stated that they acted quickly because they had an exceptional candidate in Reddy. He praised her smart and collaborative nature and expressed confidence in her leadership abilities.
Reddy thanked the Board for their trust, expressing excitement about joining Covington during a time of progress. The City also acknowledged Keith Bales for his service as interim City Manager during this transition period.
Covington’s government structure is set to change from a City Manager model to a Mayor-Council system on January 1, 2027. Until then, the City Manager remains responsible for daily operations.
