Greensboro city manager appointed to new post by Obama

The city of Greensboro announced in a press release this afternoon that President Barack Obama appointed City Manager Denise Turner Roth as the new deputy administrator of the General Services Administration. Below is the complete text of the release:

GREENSBORO, NC (January 7, 2014) – Greensboro City Manager Denise Turner Roth has been appointed by President Obama to serve as the deputy administrator of the US General Services Administration (GSA). She is set to start her new role on February 3.

Roth, who hails from Washington, DC, has worked for the City since 2008 and has served  in the roll of city manager since 2011. She says that the federal appointment gives her a unique opportunity. “This appointment will challenge me professionally, allowing me to focus my efforts on delivering cost savings and value across the federal government. And, it presents me with the special opportunity to continue my career in the city where I was born,”says Roth. “It’s bittersweet to leave Greensboro, a place that I’ve called home for 10 years now, and a city that I dearly love. The City of Greensboro is under strong leadership with its executive team and committed group of outstanding employees. I’m confident that the City’s goals will continue to be accomplished in the future.”

According to Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, Roth’s leadership will be missed. “Denise is a strong leader who has formed a great team of executives during her tenure,” says Vaughan. “She has improved many facets of our service delivery and has been a central figure in helping move the City forward on a number of projects from solid waste to the performing arts center. Her guidance has put the City’s government operations on a good path for the future.”

The GSA is responsible for managing government assets like equipment and buildings, along with coordinating acquisitions, overseeing historic property and creating technology solutions. GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini says Roth was selected, in part, due to her extensive background managing a wide array of government services. “Denise has an incredible track record of serving the American people at multiple levels of government and delivering effective and efficient services,” says Tangherlini. “Her leadership and experiences in management are just what we need at the GSA to continue to provide our partner agencies with the high quality service and savings they need in real estate, acquisitions, and IT.”

Prior to serving as Greensboro’s city manager, Roth led the City’s human relations, information technology, libraries, parks and recreation, and public affairs departments as an assistant city manager. She also oversaw the City’s communications efforts, providing strategic direction to the public relations, marketing, and community relations efforts.

Before joining the City of Greensboro, she served as vice president for governmental affairs at the Greensboro Partnership. At the Partnership, she played an integral role in the city’s economic and legislative agenda and successfully lobbied the state for $60 million to establish the NC A&T State University and UNC Greensboro Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering.

Roth’s career in public service began in Washington, DC. She started on Capitol Hill then transition into the role of special assistant for legislative affairs in the office of Mayor Anthony Williams. She also served in the role of public space manager for the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, where she secured and oversaw a $36 million revenue stream and managed public space access by major utility and telecommunication companies. She started in North Carolina as a district liaison and campaign manager for North Carolina Congressman Brad Miller

BREAKING: Greensboro reaches deal to keep Police Chief Ken Miller

The city of Greensboro and Police Chief Ken Miller reached an agreement for Miller to remain in his post with a $27,200 pay increase beginning Nov. 1. Rumors circulated rapidly about Miller's potential departure from the department when he posted on LinkedIn that he is eligible for retirement in a few months and would be available for work. Many saw the move as a power play to force the city to negotiate a salary increase, though the specifics of how the deal unfolded are unclear. 

Miller will now be paid $175,500, up from his current $148,311 salary. The city said the rate "offsets a separation allowance Miller would have received if he retired." Miller would have received about $38,500 in the allowance from the city if he retired in March of 2014, a requirement of the state's retirement system that is only available to law-enforcement officers, the city said.

City Manager Denise Turner Roth said in a press release that, “Under Chief Miller, the relationships between the police department and community have improved, crime is down across the city, and the men and women of our police department have focused on keeping Greensboro safe and secure." 

“The alternative would have been to allow Chief Miller to retire, pay the separation allowance, and start the process of finding a replacement," Roth said. "In weighing the best decision for the city, I have elected to have Chief Miller remain in his capacity and continue his and the GPD’s effective work. In doing so, we have reached a mutually beneficial agreement and increased his salary by approximately $27,000 (to $175,500 per year) to help offset the loss of the allowance.” 

Miller said he is "excited" to remain in his position and is looking forward to "leading the department into the future."

Charles Cherry has more choice words for mayor, city manager

Former Greensboro police captain Charles Cherry has developed a reputation amongst Greensboro City Council members for his choice words at council meetings to such an extent that they considered limiting speech and the public comment period at their meetings last summer. Mayor Robbie Perkins, a frequent target of Cherry's criticism, explained his thoughts about speakers like Cherry again this April:

"Frankly, the concern I have is that they are taking away from folks that really need our help," he said. "Some may want to come in and don’t because they don’t want to be in middle of acrimonious discussion." 

Today, the saga continues. In a dual complaint/public-information request to the city, Cherry wrote to "Deadbeat, Non Taxpaying, Looking for Preferential Treatment Mayor Perkins and the other eight members of city council." Cherry criticized Perkins' bankruptcy and non-payment of taxes, going on to call City Manager Denise Turner Roth "a corrupt stupid liar."

Cherry has repeatedly argued that the city refuses to investigate his complaints about police misconduct. Roth contends that the city has answered his requests and staff recommends that council not address Cherry directly because of his pending lawsuit against the city. 

There is another gem in Cherry's complaint, too:

"Robbie, never forget, I am strengthened by the Mighty God in Heaven. Greensboro, observe the power of a God-fearing man, as I mentally dominate, control and force this corrupt deadbeat mayor to do his job." 

He ends the letter by requesting the name, dates, result and amount of money spent on each pending or current lawsuit involving the Greensboro Police Department since January 1, 2010, including outside lawyer fees or estimated cost of staff time based on salary. YES! Weekly asked the city to release the results of Cherry's public-information request to us as soon as it is available to him. 

Cherry's case is one of many cited by a report, Our Democratic Mission, released by the Beloved Community Center earlier this year highlighting issues that point to a "subculture of corruption and double standards" in the police department. The center is holding a community meeting on June 13 to discuss issues related to the department.