Statement From Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan On LaTonda Simmons Hiring As Interim Oakland Assistant City Administrator:
“It is with great pleasure that I congratulate LaTonda Simmons, a native of Oakland, and our current City Clerk, on her appointment as interim Assistant City Administrator. LaTonda Simmons has served the City with exceptional professionalism and fortitude in her many years as City Clerk. She is well-respected state-wide and nationally for her wisdom and leadership. As Council President, I have also been blessed to share the meeting dias with LaTonda, and to closely experience her expertise and dedication, including working effectively with the public and a wide array of stakeholders. During the current pandemic emergency, LaTonda has provided incredible responsiveness, setting up and managing public meetings in a new online environment, and taking action to enable our meetings to move forward and to prevent ‘hacking’ and ‘zoom bombing’ from undermining public needs.
We are fortunate that her exceptional qualities and work ethic will now have further opportunity in the City of Oakland, as she moves into a new role in leadership in the Administration. I look forward to working together to improve Oakland’s response to vital public needs, and to ensure our city produces effective solutions to the current crisis, and actively works to provide the support systems our community, businesses, and residents need for a just recovery and healthier future.”