City of Greensboro Organizational Changes
November 6, 2003

Greensboro City Manager Ed Kitchen today (Thursday) announced a number of organizational changes taking place at the Executive level.

Effective immediately, Assistant City Manager Mitch Johnson will begin serving as Deputy City Manager. In this new role, Johnson will act as City Manager during Kitchen's absences. He has served as Assistant City Manager since March 2000 and his primary areas of responsibility have been Technology, Finance, Police, Water Resources, Environmental Services, Information Systems and Transportation. As part of his new position, Johnson will also begin overseeing the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, a change prompted by the 2001 KPMG study that was postponed pending full staffing of the City Manager's Office.

"This change will provide for a clear number two person when I am not available and I have great confidence in Mitch," Kitchen said.

In addition, Assistant City Manager Robert Morgan will add temporary Planning Director to his duties beginning December 1, 2003, when current Planning Director Tom Martin retires. Since the position is integral to the organization and the search for a new director may take up to 4 months, putting Morgan in the role will allow the department to move forward until the position is permanently filled. In Morgan's previous position as Town Manager of Carrboro, NC, he was integrally involved in planning services as part of his regular duties.

Kitchen decided not to burden any existing Planning staff members with the Acting Director duties since they are currently carrying out the intense demands of the Comprehensive Plan. Kitchen also announced that the current vacant position in the Executive Office will be used for an Economic Development Program Manager position to assist Assistant City Manager for Economic Development Ben Brown. "I want to place even more emphasis on a proactive role for the City in support of economic development and dedicating this vacancy to that support should help a great deal," said Kitchen. The position is currently being advertised and should be filled in early 2004.