Carrboro Town Manager Richard White III is leaving the town government for a new position elsewhere in North Carolina.
The Town of Carrboro shared the news on Thursday, saying White has accepted the role of Deputy City Manager with the City of Salisbury starting on November 6. He arrived in Carrboro in August 2021 after having worked for the City of Asheville, the Town of Elon, and the unified Athens and Clarke county government in Georgia.
“The decision was a difficult one, as Carrboro is a very special community,” White said in a release. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to return to Carrboro to lead the organization and to help move Carrboro forward. It has been an honor to assist the Town Council and to work with a dedicated and outstanding staff.”
This marked the second stint with Carrboro’s government for White, as he was an assistant to the town manager from 2000 to 2006. During his tenure as town manager, he helped complete and begin implementing the Carrboro Connects comprehensive plan, which projects and suggests 20 years of planning framework for elected officials. White also helped complete the financing for the ongoing 203 Project — a $41 million building that will house the Orange County Southern Branch Library and the town’s parks and recreation offices.
In its release, the Town of Carrboro also thanked White for his role in helping the community recover from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He oversaw the distribution and use of American Rescue Plan Act funding and helped develop initiatives to improve employee recruitment and retention.
“Richard has accomplished a great deal during his time in Carrboro,” Mayor Damon Seils said. “His work with the Town Council to develop strategic priorities, as well as his initiation of strategic planning processes with the Town’s staff, set the stage for achieving the vision of the Carrboro Connects comprehensive plan.”
While White has a start date with the City of Salisbury, he does not have an end date with the Town of Carrboro as of Thursday. The Carrboro Town Council will undertake the responsibility of the town manager, which is the position that helps implement the council’s policies through the town government’s staff. An interim is expected to be appointed during the search process for permanent candidates, according to Thursday’s release.
Photo via the Town of Carrboro.
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