BRENTWOOD – To G. Harold Duffey, Brentwood is greater than only a place with an amazing high quality of life and faculty district — it’s “a marketing dream” to draw financial growth alternatives.
Duffey, poised to turn out to be Brentwood’s subsequent metropolis supervisor, mentioned town’s robust colleges, secure neighborhoods, and infrastructure are property to draw high-value companies and tech corporations.
“Look at the school district. Look at the real estate, the ability to live here. You have great parks, great streets, a beautiful community, high quality of life,” mentioned Duffey in a neighborhood meet-and-greet session on Monday. “Those are things that I can help market to ensure that Brentwood becomes everything it wants to be.”
Mayor Susannah Meyer mentioned among the many key points she and fellow metropolis councilmembers typically obtain suggestions on is having extra native jobs obtainable as residents need to face lengthy commute instances.
Meyer, who moderated the session on Monday, mentioned main objectives for the Metropolis Council are to “mitigate growth within the parameters of state mandate,” and convey extra jobs to town whereas sustaining Brentwood’s high quality of life.
“So that was something very important for us to look for in researching candidates and looking into that process. It was very important for us to talk with people that were also interested in looking into how do we bring more jobs here,” mentioned Meyer.
Duffey, who beforehand served as an assistant metropolis administrator in Oakland, was chosen as the highest candidate for the Brentwood metropolis supervisor place after an in depth nationwide search to fill the place. It had been vacant since April.
The Brentwood Metropolis Council is anticipated to formally vote on his contract subsequent week.
With greater than three a long time of expertise in native authorities, Duffey has been a metropolis supervisor in Grand Terrace, Compton, and Oroville.
As a metropolis supervisor, Duffey mentioned his position has all the time been to do three issues: repair, plan, and construct.
In contrast to cities corresponding to Compton and Oakland, the place he needed to step in instantly to deal with crises corresponding to near-bankruptcy or a crippling ransomware assault, Duffey mentioned Brentwood “is not broken,” because it has a robust monetary mannequin.
He mentioned his focus shall be on prevention and planning, noting that town’s working income and bills are “getting closer and closer.”
“What we have to do is make sure that we think about how we grow the city, to ensure that one, there is a price for the quality of life that you currently enjoy … do nothing and you will not have that quality of life,” mentioned Duffey.
Duffey additionally spoke about his expertise navigating political pressures, including that his job as a metropolis supervisor is to supply unbiased, factual knowledge and suggestions aligned with the Metropolis Council’s objectives.
“I cannot recommend a bad decision based on political pressure,” mentioned Duffey.
Duffey addressed his position throughout the investigation that resulted in a felony indictment in opposition to Oakland’s former Mayor Sheng Thao, an investigation through which he offered key proof to federal investigators.
Duffey was subpoenaed by investigators and the U.S Lawyer’s workplace to testify earlier than a grand jury.
“The grand jury asked me about Mayor Thao. I told them the truth, and that was it. Any law-abiding citizen would do exactly what I did,” mentioned Duffey. “I’m really very sad that happened, and I’m sad she made the choices, but as a city manager, and this was the time I was interim manager, I’m responsible to tell the truth.”
Initially Revealed: October 22, 2025 at 10:56 AM PDT
