Auburn City Hall is undergoing a rare leadership transition as longtime City Manager Jeff Dygert prepares to step down, paving the way for Jennifer Haines to take over the role this summer.
Dygert, who has served as city manager since 2016, announced his retirement last year, prompting the Auburn City Council to look internally for his replacement. Haines, currently the city’s director of planning and economic development, was named assistant city manager and will officially take over in June.
“I appreciate Jeff and the council giving me this opportunity to transition in this way so that I can dive a little deeper into the details,” Haines said during an appearance on Inside Government. “I’m doing a lot of learning, drinking from the fire hose.”
Dygert, who will leave office at the end of May, described the transition as smooth. “I don’t feel like it’s a huge lift for staff or for the city,” he said, emphasizing Haines’ extensive experience.
Haines has worked for Auburn since she started as an intern more than 30 years ago. She steadily advanced through the planning department and was named director of planning and economic development in 2017. A graduate of Houghton College and Syracuse University, she has been deeply involved in Auburn’s economic development initiatives.
Beyond the leadership shift, the city faces key challenges, including infrastructure projects and economic development efforts. Auburn is moving forward with a major housing initiative on Dunning Avenue, a $23 million project that will bring 70 market-rate townhomes to city-owned land. The city is also working with Cayuga County officials to establish a unified economic development strategy after the closure of the Cayuga Economic Development Agency (CETA) last year.
On the financial front, Auburn’s budget planning process is underway. While revenues, including sales tax, remain stable, officials are closely monitoring expenses, particularly rising healthcare costs.
Meanwhile, infrastructure remains a pressing concern. The city’s arterial road system is in need of repairs, but state funding has remained stagnant since 1987. A long-awaited reconstruction project has been delayed to 2026, while North Street—another key thoroughfare—has been removed from the state’s repair schedule entirely.
As Haines prepares to take over, she said her priorities will include strengthening Auburn’s economic development efforts, maintaining fiscal stability, and addressing critical infrastructure needs.
“I’m interested in leading the city into these opportunities,” she said.
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