A City Manager’s job is to implement the vision of the City Council—but also to provide clear, measurable results that benefit residents. In a city our size, results should be visible. Here are a few areas where metrics matter:
• Infrastructure – Have road conditions, lighting, and city facilities improved over the past five years? Are projects completed on time and on budget?
• Community Services – Has the city expanded or cut services for seniors, youth, and low-income residents? Are there performance reports to show how many people are served?
• Public Safety – Are emergency response times getting better or worse? Are staffing levels adequate?
• Civic Engagement – Is the city engaging more residents in decision-making—or fewer? Are meetings accessible and well-publicized?
• Financial Health – Has the city stabilized its budget and built reserves, or are we still treading water despite high taxes?
These aren’t political questions. They’re practical questions. And in a community like El Cerrito, they should be easy to answer.
The Bottom Line
No one is expecting perfection—but we are expecting progress, transparency, and accountability. If a City Manager claims the mission is to “make people’s lives better,” then residents have every right to ask: Better how? Better for whom?
Karen Pinkos has held this role since 2018. That’s more than enough time to show measurable, community-wide improvement.
We love El Cerrito. That’s why we speak up. And it’s why we should keep asking questions—because our community deserves answers.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 