CAMBRIDGE — Sandra Tripp Jones is the one. The selection of the new city manager concludes several years of divisive discussion, a petition drive, a search committee, and a final City Council choice. The search committee appointed by the Council initially plowed through 60 applications, narrowed those down to 12, then to six. At that point, the search committee interviewed the six candidates in person. They were not just paperwork, they were now personalities.

Working closely with an experienced consulting firm, they sorted out the finalists through their histories, resumes, and interviews. The committee narrowed their selection down to three and the finalists toured Cambridge, met employees, and met the Council who would decide who would become city manager. They chose Sandra Tripp Jones.

Mrs. Tripp-Jones is an experienced city manager. She worked 24 years for the City of Santa Barbara, a city of 80,000 on the California coast. She served the last 8 years as City Administrator under the Council/Manager form of government. Most recently she worked for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in the International Division as Afghanistan Programs Director, managing large development contracts dedicated to local government capacity building. She has an MPA in public administration from the University of Kansas. Mrs. Tripp-Jones is married and her husband is The Rev. Doctor David Jones. They have 4 children and 2 grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Jones recently moved to Dorchester County from Arnold, MD.

"I am honored and delighted to join the Mayor, City Council, City Staff and community as Cambridge’s first city manager," said Ms. Tripp-Jones. "The Cambridge area is our new home, and we chose it because of its vitality, natural beauty and strong sense of community. In preparing for this position, I have learned that Cambridge takes pride in its creativity, award winning programs and projects, and its concern for preserving Cambridge’s quality of life while planning for economic growth. I look forward to meeting community members and staff, tackling current challenges, contributing to this community’s future while honoring its rich past. I am grateful to the Mayor and Council for this unique and exciting opportunity."

“I am thrilled to welcome Ms. Tripp-Jones to Cambridge,” said Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley. “I think she is a perfect fit for our city. She is professional as well as personable!”

A contract has been signed and the Banner will soon be able to give you a more complete picture of the new city manager, who will be a powerful voice in the running of our city. Ms. Tripp-Jones will start work on November 30, 2015.