CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of the key visionaries for Charlotte's development is moving on to a new role in Greensboro.
The Greensboro City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, Dec. 21, to hire Taiwo Jaiyeoba as city manager effective Feb. 1, 2022. Jaiyeoba's annual salary is set at $280,000 and he succeeds David Parrish, who resigned from the position on June 30 and Chris Wilson, who has been serving as interim city manager.
Jaiyeoba currently serves as the assistant city manager is Charlotte and director of the Planning, Design and Development Department.
He was able to attend Tuesday's meeting with Greensboro officials via Zoom. He is currently on vacation with his family and will be formally introduced during the Jan. 18 city council meeting.
While Greensboro's national search landed on Jaiyeoba, he says he is thankful for the time spent in Charlotte.
"While my family and I are excited about this new opportunity in Greensboro, we appreciate the years spent with the City of Charlotte. I want to thank City Manager Marcus Jones for his leadership and friendship, and along with the Mayor and Council, for the roles they all have played in helping to prepare me for my new role in Greensboro. I also want to thank everyone in the Planning department and across the city for their excellent work, commitment, and friendship over the last many years. The City of Charlotte is in excellent hands," Jaiyeoba said in a statement email to WCNC Charlotte.
Charlotte's city manager also praised the efforts of Jaiyeoba and said he'll be an asset for Greensboro.
“I’m excited for Taiwo and his family and I know he’s going to be very successful in Greensboro," Johns said. "It’s a bittersweet moment for us to see Taiwo leave, but I’m proud of the work that he’s accomplished here – particularly in the team that he built, and I’m grateful for his friendship and for his service to the residents of Charlotte.”
Charlotte Deputy Planning Director Alyson Craig will step up to an increased capacity with the move.
"Alyson has been a tremendous asset for the City of Charlotte since she joined the team in 2018 and through the UDO process, she has proven herself to a be great leader for the department and the city," Jones said. "Myself, Taiwo and everyone else has come to rely on her expertise and I’m excited that she is stepping up to help ensure a smooth transition for the department, as well as keep us moving forward on the Policy Map and UDO.”
Craig also thanked Jaiyeoba for his leadership with the department.
As a department, he and I have built a great team of talented and passionate professionals and I’m looking forward to leading the team as we work with City Council, the community, and other stakeholders over the next several months on the Policy Map and UDO and move these two important parts of the City’s long-term vision forward," Craig said in an email statement.
Greensboro officials touted Jaiyeoba's accomplishments over the past three years in Charlotte, including the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, the Unified Development ordinance, the Transit-Oriented Development ordinance, Corridors of Opportunities program, and the proposed multi-million-dollar Transformational Mobility Network plan.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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