Resolution 41-22
To: Members of Dublin City Council
From: Cathy De Rosa, Vice Mayor (Chair of the Administrative Committee)
Date: August 16, 2022
Re: Resolution 41-22 - Authorizing the Appointment of a New City Manager and
Authorizing the Execution of an Employment Agreement
Summary
In my capacity as Chair of the Administrative Committee, I am bringing forth the following
discussion regarding the City Manager position. As you will recall, in the fall of 2020 City
Manager Dana McDaniel shared with Council that he would like to retire from his role as City
Manager after 33 years of distinguished service and outstanding leadership to the City of
Dublin. We are so fortunate to have had Dana’s leadership and his passionate commitment to
“all in, all the time” service for more than three decades. We are a better community because of
his leadership.
In December 2021, Council launched the City Manager selection process, and after conducting
interviews with several of the nation’s leading public service executive recruiting firms, Council
entered into a contract with Affion Public to assist us in our work.
Between January and March 2022, leadership from Affion traveled to Dublin and conducted
dozens of interviews and held many group meetings with a wide and inclusive set of community
stakeholders. Those interviewed included City Staff and City Staff leadership, resident
leadership from our active homeowner and civic associations, leadership from many of our
outstanding community partners, leadership from Dublin City Schools and Tolles Career &
Technical Center, resident members of our Community Boards and Commissions, executives
from Dublin’s Business Community and City Council members.
Guided by these discussions, in early March 2022, Council composed a position profile for the
future City Manager, and a regional and national search was launched.
Council’s goal throughout this process has been very clear – listen to the community, hold true
to our vision of being the Global City of Choice, and identify an outstanding leader who is
skilled, prepared, and committed to partnering with our amazing City staff, our community, our
business and school partners and Council to make certain that Dublin remains the very best
community in the U.S. to live, work, play and learn.
After an extensive national search, our Executive Search firm partner engaged with dozens of
interested individuals from around the region and the country and provided City Council with a
strong slate of qualified candidates. Council has had the opportunity to conduct interviews with
the finalists.
City Council
5555 Perimeter Drive • Dublin, OH 43017
Phone: 614-410-4400 Memo
Memo re. City Manager Appointment
August 16, 2022
Page 2 of 3
At a special meeting held on August 2, 2022, Council unanimously approved a motion initiating
contract negotiations with Megan O’Callaghan for the position of Dublin City Manager. I am
pleased to report that these contract negotiations have successfully resulted in the Employment
Agreement that is before Council for consideration. O’Callaghan will assume the role of City
Manager on October 1, 2022. In order to further facilitate the transition, Dana McDaniel will
continue to work in an advisory capacity until February 1, 2023.
O’Callaghan has been serving the City of Dublin since 2014, when she was hired as the City’s
Public Service Director. She is currently the Deputy City Manager/Chief Finance and
Development Officer, a position she has held since February 2021. She has successfully
formulated and executed strategic plans in areas including Finance, Development, Economic
Development, Building Standards, and Transportation & Mobility, a new division she created in
2020 to advance the City’s Connected Dublin initiatives and align them with comprehensive
transportation and mobility management strategies. She was a key member of the City’s
executive team during the COVID-19 pandemic, developing safety and personnel protocols,
guiding staff to continue providing essential services and leading Dublin’s development and
economic development initiatives.
Prior to her promotion, she served as the City’s Deputy City Manager/Chief Operating Officer
and Director of Public Works. During her time in those roles, she oversaw many City
departments and divisions including Engineering, Street & Utilities Operations, Fleet & Facilities
Management, Park Operations, Parks and Recreation, and Asset Management. O’Callaghan was
responsible for planning and executing the City’s Capital Improvements Program, which
included many highlights such as her passionate involvement, oversight and project
management of the Dublin Link pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Scioto River. She has
demonstrated a commitment to innovation and technology, including the successful launch of
the popular GoDublin customer service application and request system and the SnowGo system
that provides residents with real-time snow removal information.
Prior to the City of Dublin, O’Callaghan worked at the City of Columbus and Ohio Department of
Transportation (ODOT). She is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she earned
her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree. She also attended Capital University Law
School, where she earned her juris doctorate and graduated magna cum laude.
O’Callaghan fosters rich professional relationships with many City of Dublin partners including
Franklin, Union and Delaware Counties, ODOT and the City of Columbus, to name a few. She is
Vice President of the Northwest 33 Council of Governments, a member of the Mid-Ohio Regional
Planning Commission (MORPC) and serves on the Dublin Chamber of Commerce Board of
Trustees and the Dublin City Schools Business Advisory Council.
O’Callaghan also is a Dublin resident who enjoys being actively involved in our community and
has a vested interest in ensuring its future as the most sustainable, connected and resilient
global city of choice.
Memo re. City Manager Appointment
August 16, 2022
Page 3 of 3
Recommendation
I recommend approval of Resolution 41-22, appointing Megan O’Callaghan to the position of
City Manager and authorizing the execution of the attached employment agreement.