Contact: Denise Turner
Phone: 336-373-2002

City Creates New Assistant City Manager Position to Address Critical Needs

GREENSBORO, NC (February 3, 2010) – Addressing one of Greensboro’s most critical needs, City Manager Rashad Young announced today the creation of a new senior-level position to oversee the City’s public safety programs. The new position will also oversee the City’s personnel and human resources needs.

“It is clear to me that City government will best meet the needs and expectations of Greensboro residents by quickly and aggressively addressing the concerns that have challenged our organization,” said Young. “I believe that both our public safety and human resources departments will benefit from the focus that a specialized assistant city manager can provide.”

In assuming the position of city manager almost four months ago, Young received a clear directive from Greensboro City Council to address the challenges in the Greensboro police department, as well as the numerous discrimination and retaliation complaints from various departments in the City’s organization.

“This new position is critical to getting our City government on the right course,” said Young. “I understand the impact that creating this position has on the budget challenges facing the City, but I believe this is the best move to ensure we have the right processes and systems in place to support our service delivery missions.”

Young is filling this new position with the appointment of Michael Speedling as interim assistant city manager for public safety and human resources. Speedling, who has served as the City’s director of security since 2007, will assist in the oversight of activities for the City’s police, fire and human resources departments, as well as Guilford Metro 9-1-1.

He was selected for this position because of his extensive background in emergency services and preparedness, which spans more than three decades. Before joining the City, Speedling retired as a special agent with the federal government. During his service, he held several positions with the Office of Special Investigations, including director of plans, director of criminal investigations ,and chief of the operational support branch.

Speedling, a retired major with the US Air Force Reserves, also has extensive experience as a police officer, having worked in the cities of Baltimore and Washington, DC for 10 years as a special weapons and tactics team member, patrol officer, and undercover officer. He also worked as deputy inspector general for the US Environmental Protection Agency, where he supervised criminal investigations, planning and analysis, human resources, and mission systems. In this capacity, he managed a $54 million annual budget and oversaw development of the organization’s five-year strategic plan.

“We are fortunate to have Mike serve in this role. He has a strong background with proven leadership experience and knows how to make tough decisions,” said Young. “Mike has demonstrated commitment to our organization and community, and I believe our city will be well-served by having him in this interim role as we quickly move to fill it on a permanent basis.”

Speedling will continue to oversee the City’s security division in addition to his new duties, and will have an annual base salary of $105,000 during this interim period.

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The City works with the community to improve the quality of life for residents through inclusion, diversity, and trust. As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a professional staff of 2,800 employees who maintain the values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect. The City is governed by a council-manager form of government with a mayor and eight council members. For more information on the City, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov or call 336-373-CITY (2489).