A new leader took the reins for the City of Dublin on October 1 and she’s a very familiar face to the Dublin community. With a long history of serving Dublin residents, Megan O’Callaghan is eager to step into her new role as City Manager and continue the progress Dublin is known for.
What Does a City Manager Do?
Some people might confuse the term “city manager” with “mayor.”
Dublin is governed by the city council and manager working hand-in-hand. Council members are elected. O’Callaghan was not.
“In my role as city manager, I am appointed by council as the chief administrative and law enforcement officer for the city and responsible for carrying out long-range policies and providing the day-to-day operations of the city,” O’Callaghan said.
The mayor and vice mayor are selected from within the pool of elected council members to each serve a two-year term.
The Right Person for the Job
So why did city council members pick O’Callaghan?
She’s no stranger to the community. In fact, she has been with Dublin for more than eight years, having previously served as Dublin’s deputy city manager, chief finance and development officer, and director of public works.
Her experience includes overseeing most of the departments and divisions in the city, including economic development; planning; finance; engineering; street and utilities operations; fleet and facilities management; parks and recreation; and asset management.
O’Callaghan 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.
Her responsibilities in the past also included planning and executing Dublin’s Capital Improvements Program (which allocates funds for new and existing infrastructure in the city), including the project management for the award-winning Dublin Link pedestrian and bicycle bridge.
If you enjoy that, thank her.
“I’ve worked collaboratively with Dublin residents and the talented Dublin staff at all levels and in all facets of the city,” O’Callaghan said. “I understand the opportunities that we have as a city and everyone’s dedication to providing outstanding service and quality of life to our community.”
In short, she was able to hit the ground running.
A Global City of Choice
Dublin’s sixth city manager shares a vision with council members: Ensuring Dublin is a global city of choice that is the most sustainable, connected and resilient.
“To support that vision, we actively pursue partnerships and innovations that will enhance the quality of life for our community,” the newly minted city manager told Columbus Underground.
Circling back to her vision of Dublin being well-connected, she said leaders use state-of-the-art infrastructure, convenient transportation, and expanding broadband access to help meet that goal.
“We’re looking to provide competitive access to broadband internet services of at least 10 gigabits for 100% of Dublin, including every neighborhood and residence,” O’Callaghan said.
If you live or work within the city limits, that means you.
Dublin is part of the Beta District, which includes the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor. According to its website, the Beta District is about “building an ecosystem that provides an ideal platform for innovative companies of all shapes and sizes.”
On her end, O’Callaghan said city leaders are “exploring and implementing various multi-modal transportation options within the city, including motorized scooters, electric bikes, a bike-share program, and our Dublin Connector shuttle service for seniors, residents with disabilities, and our business community.”
Residents Celebrate Inclusion
The new city manager, who took over from Dana McDaniel, acknowledged that diversity and inclusion remain top priorities for residents of Dublin.
“Dubliners care about preserving the past while we continue to work together as a community and all of our stakeholders to plan for the future,” O’Callaghan said.
The city is comprised of residents representing more than 100 countries; an astounding 90 different languages are spoken by students who attend Dublin City Schools.
In 2020, city leaders created a community task force to combat social injustice, intolerance, negative stereotyping, and discrimination.
The following year, Dublin City Council established the Community Inclusion Advisory Committee to continue the work of the task force. During this time, the city adopted a non-discrimination ordinance, creating city-level protection for people experiencing discrimination or bias.
Crunching the Numbers
One of her first priorities since taking the city manager’s desk has been finalizing the city’s capital and operating budgets. Every year, the city council examines its Capital Improvements Program.
Without a doubt, those capital projects wouldn’t be able to budge without Dublin’s operating budget, which provides wages and benefits for the city’s staff, along with funding for everything they need to carry out day-to-day operations, providing the services, amenities, and programming city residents enjoy.
Exciting Economic Development
Leaders continue to draw new businesses into the city while also helping existing ones flourish and grow.
And it’s a mission O’Callaghan continues to fuel.
“It has also been important to reach out to our local, regional, and state partners to ensure that Dublin continues to be a leader in collaboration and visionary development and initiatives,” she said.
Speaking of economic development, she shared that more than 4,300 businesses and their 70,000 employees are based in Dublin.
“We offer an environment and amenities where smart, innovative organizations and people can realize success,” she said, calling out the city’s commercial space, available land, robust infrastructure, globally recognized fiber optic network, and workforce.
“The city’s economic growth and continued success are the results of development, strategic planning, and aggressive efforts to attract and retain high-quality and diverse commercial development,” she said.
Dublin is where some of the world’s most famous brands call home, including Wendy’s and Cardinal Health. That’s in addition to almost 3,000 small- to medium-sized businesses that are equally important to the community, she said.
City leaders are currently piecing together plans to revitalize Dublin’s Metro Center legacy office park.
“We spent the last 15 years collaborating with our partners in Union County, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and Ohio Department of Transportation to fund improvements to the U.S. 33/S.R. 161/Post Road interchange, to meet the needs of future development in our West Innovation District, which is anchored by The Ohio University Dublin Campus,” O’Callaghan said.
On top of all that, cultivation continues at Bridge Park, where more commercial and residential spaces are being added into the mix.
“It’s become a leading tourist attraction and one of the most sought-after office destinations in the country,” she said.
Bridge Park has attracted a professional workforce and national brands like Hagerty, as well as home-grown companies like Updox.
Getting Personal
Outside of her new role, O’Callaghan is a Dublin resident with two children. She and her family love going to the Dublin parks, riding bikes on the paths, and attending as many city events as possible.
“The kids are involved with everything from soccer to swimming to scouts, and they both love their elementary school,” she said. “I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to build a wonderful career and serve the community I love to call home.”
O’Callaghan is also a registered Professional Engineer and an attorney in the State of Ohio.
Prior to joining the Dublin team, O’Callaghan worked as deputy director for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and also as deputy director of the City of Columbus Department of Public Service.
Learn more about Megan O’Callaghan by visiting dublinohiousa.gov.
For more information, visit popup.dublinohiousa.gov.
Our technology series is presented by our partners in the City of Dublin.
Dublin is a city of more than 47,000 residents located just northwest of Columbus, Ohio. The City of Dublin Economic Development team has a vision to make Dublin a Midwest IT Magnet through business leadership and sustainable workforce development. This commitment goes beyond short-term skills training to include long-term strategic and cultural support for the entire Dublin business community. Dublin is one of America’s Top 20 Creative Class Cities and is home to more than 20 corporate headquarters, an entrepreneurial center, 3,000+ businesses, world-class events and the urban, walkable Bridge Street District.