The City of Greensboro issued a statement on Thursday, March 7 refuting what Mayor Nancy Vaughan and Councilmember Tammi Thurm have said about the resignation of former City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba.
Vaughan was quoted in the Rhino Times stating, “The city manager violated an internal policy that other employees have been fired over, and that’s why I didn’t vote for any severance.”
Thurm was quoted in the News & Record as saying that she opposed the severance package for Jaiyeoba “because he resigned due to a violation of policy that other people have gotten fired for.”
This is the “City of Greensboro Statement:”
“In response to recent media reports alleging violations of personnel policy by former City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba, the City of Greensboro wishes to clarify the facts.
“The City did not initiate an investigation into any purported violation of personnel policy by the City Manager.
“Consequently, without an investigation, no determination can be established regarding any alleged breaches of personnel policy.
“Furthermore, the City of Greensboro is bound by strict protocols and state statutes regarding personnel privacy. As such, the City is legally unauthorized to disclose details surrounding the resignation of the City Manager or provide verification on the circumstances prompting his departure.
“The City of Greensboro remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and accountability in all aspects of its operations.”
In response to that statement, Vaughan said, “The City Council is limited by law on what it can disclose. While there was no investigation, based on confidential information that we received, it is my opinion that there was a violation of personnel policy.”
City Councilmember Zack Matheny expressed outrage over the “City of Greensboro Statement.”
Matheny said, “I absolutely wholeheartedly disagree with the city statement and I am disappointed that they would make such a claim without consulting the City Council.”
He said, “For the city to come out and make that statement is simply wrong.”
And he added, “Its unbelievable. I don’t know who has the authority to make such comments without the authorization of the City Council, and what they state is incorrect. Whoever wrote it needs to tell us why they felt the need to send that out.”
Matheny called the statement “stupid” and added, “I have to disagree with the city’s statement since it is simply incorrect.”
Matheny also agreed with statements made by Vaughan about the resignation and said, “He did not resign because of anything related to the body-worn camera videos and the 911 calls. It has zero to do with anything related to that.”
So, on one hand you have three members of the City Council publicly stating that Jaiyeoba resigned because of a violation of city policy, and the “City of Greensboro,” whoever that is, saying that is incorrect.
It would appear the story of Jaiyeoba’s resignation is far from over.
Just wondering. Have Greensboro city officials been having managerial retreats with the leaders of Sparta N.C.?
Seems both entities have trouble scratching each other’s back. Grifting is so much easier without taxpayers watching their shenanigans.
Whi get severance pay when they quit a job?
The city wouldn’t release a statement without approval of the city attorney. And he reports to council. I think Chuck got some explaining to do.
The city was saved from having to do an investigation into the manager’s illicit “affair” because he resigned so technically speaking, the city is correct.
They can still do an investigation and it needs to occur with an outside firm. The police department completes investigations after the employee leaves all the time. It covers their ass. Zack, Nancy, Tammi get an outside firm, fire whoever released this statement (sounds like Tai wrote it) and get the rot out.
“It would appear the story of Jaiyeoba’s resignation is far from over.”
Come on John. Do you seriously believe the Imperial Council lead by Her Highness is going to be open and up front about all this? A group that has turned obfuscation into an art form?
They will find Jimmy Hoffa’s body before we get the real, true story.
Nancy may well push for an investigation because: she has been “double crossed” by Jai. No doubt, he wrote the statement (or perhaps the city attorney). I thought his resignation was effective immediately. We have an acting city manager. He wouldn’t have issue that, right? First the council was covering up and blocking transparency. Now city employees are doing it. It shouldn’t be too difficult to determine who wrote the statement and authorized its release.
Sounds like council needs to demand another resignation.
This is a sex scandal, plain and simple. There would be much less confusion, disagreement, and coverup for anything else. If it was money, they would just say he mismanaged funds. If it was incompetence, that would not be a secret. Only sex scandals are kept “secret” to this degree. You can just tell by how all this nonsense is playing out. You might as well just come out with it “in the name of public interest and transparency” or whatever else you want to call it. We all already know based off of how you’re acting. You just look like a clown car going over a cliff into a dumpster fire.
From my friend in Charlotte, this affair was identical to the reason the manager had to leave Charlotte, with NO severance but females in tow. Maybe Greensboro should do a better job of vetting new hires. Private investigators would be a great idea over headhunter firms.
Will DEI allow that?
BIngo. Among investigations should be a review of how the hiring decision was made and the vetting process. GSO keeping this quiet will allow this man to just continue his randy games somewhere else.
Why an employee’s violation of policies have privacy protection?
Love how the first sentence of the city’s press release immediately lays the blame at the feet of “the media,” as though this was all some mistake by reporters, as though the mayor and a councilwoman didn’t make IDENTICAL statements to the media about the reason for the manager’s resignation. The person who wrote that press release should be ashamed. A lot of people should be ashamed, actually.
Oh and the intergovernmental liaison, Latoya Crawford, has scrubbed her Twitter account, so that’s probably the female in question. This ain’t that hard folks. Cover ups leave more trails than a herd of slugs on the sidewalk.
Good detective work! Thanks.
Bingo! Love your analogy. Reminds me of this. . .“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Seems as though the council is trying everything they can to get rid of the dumpster fire they created. Would be nice if we were getting ready to vote on the council in elections, but I suspect Greensboro voters have good memories and will use them next time we vote. I think they ALL need to go because of their inability to manage, giving money to unworthy causes, etc.
Your statement regarding Greensboro voters having good memories made me spew coffee through my ear canals. Just watch…if and when a city election is ever held again, every incumbent sitting on this Council will remain sitting.
Right. No reason to believe voters will change now. Hightower praised Jai and noted how the needle “really moved” with citizens in her district (meaning they like a person of color in leadership). Ain’t nobody voting out Hightower, Wells or Johnson. Or likely any of the others. Living in GSO is just gets more difficult each year.
Seems the citizenry of Greensboro is more capable of finding out what is wrong within city government than almost all local media,(NOT Rhino Times)! Puppet parrot press spouts all government taking points with ZERO investigation. As for the partying political DEI appointments, BOTH of them will more than likely walk away with many more taxpayer funds before the sordid story finally dies.
Pretend jobs for his harem, and a $78,000 goodbye for doing no work.
The Parasitic Sector is disgusting.
This is wild.
POPCORN!!! POPCORN!!! Hot buttery popcorn!
This is absolutely a time for the return of the Greensboro Troublemaker someone please send up the signal
https://www.reddit.com/r/gso/comments/1b9h3bw/city_manager_policy_violation/
“Sources from across the political spectrum are reporting that the city manager had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member that reports to him.
While reviewing text and emails related to public records requests, city staff uncovered text messages alluding to the affair. City council was notified on March 2 and events proceeded from there.”
This is the truth. It is sickening how he abused his power and received a substantial severance on his way out the door.
Here is some additional food for thought. This employee’s tweets are suddenly protected. Why would that be? https://twitter.com/lcaesarcrawford
SMH at some of the cluelessness in these comments. HR, State, Federal Law is actually pretty simple. If the city manager did engage in a “consensual” affair/situation or relationship, that would NOT have gotten him FIRED. Nor would it have been grounds to ask for his resignation. The subordinate would simply have been REASSIGNED! People get into workplace situations ALL THE TIME.
If he was let go, it’s because HE DID SOMETHING HE WASN’T SUPPOSED TO DO. Plain and SIMPLE.
You are very defensive about your interpretation of HR law and/or policy. His “relationship” could have been a policy violation. It doesn’t have to be as complicated as you seem to think. Also you have copied and pasted the same thing under a different article. Doth protest too much.
If the city manager did engage in a “consensual” affair/situation or relationship, that would NOT have gotten him FIRED. Nor would it have been grounds to ask for his resignation. The subordinate would simply have been REASSIGNED! People get into workplace situations ALL THE TIME. SMH at some of the cluelessness in these comments. HR, State, Federal Law is actually pretty simple
If he was let go, it’s because HE DID SOMETHING HE WASN’T SUPPOSED TO DO. Plain and SIMPLE.
Would the subordinate be reassigned if their job was fake to begin with? Asking for a friend. Allegedly.
*****
Doesn’t this demonstrate the presumption and arrogance of the bureaucracy? Some city bureaucrat unilaterally decided to issue a statement by “The City of Greensboro” – without so much as checking with our elected councilmembers who are supposedly in charge.
What hubris.
And he even remains anonymous!
—-
Trump is right. It is the fourth branch of government, the Permanent State or Depp State, that controls our country.
These people need to be put in their place.
Trump is the man to do it (which is why they are desperately trying to take him out).
Sad Sad what’s done in dark will come to light, all of this is just one big joke and laugh is on police chief, mayor and city counil, what you going to tell us next!!!!!!
Some other commenter suggested the City’s statement was written by Jaiyeoba himself, and that rings true.
People like him will manipulate the situation to their advantage, even anonymously.
Ahhhh……Greensboro truly is the most discombobulated city on earth. It seems to me if this is a “sex scandal” one could figure out who may have been involved by watching to see who leaves next…..or files a lawsuit…tik-tock….tik-tock !!
This the gang that can’t shoot straight!
So, I understand that we have a Mayor and also a City Council. But who is “The City of Greensboro”? Do we have a Minister Plenipotentiary or a Grand Poohbah who is the official designated to correct what the Mayor or the City Councilpersons publicly state? We had a City Manager who resigned, so obviously he is not “The City of Greensboro”. Is his deputy now “The City of Greensboro”? Maybe we need an ordinance clearly establishing, or better yet identifying the individual person who is “The City of Greensboro”.
We just need to keep things on the down low until he finds the next gig. Is Durham looking for a city manager?
So, we had an incompetent intergovernmental relations manager with no previous experience in intergovernmental relations. It is all coming into focus now.
The frustrating thing is: Jai has a disallowed relationship with a city employee, which would result in termination. And yet five council members voted to give him three months severance when he resigned. Who on the council offered up the motion that combined 1. accepting the resignation and 2. offering severance? This was a loaded ballot? Sounds like Hightower. My guess this was all done in the usual non-public session to discuss personnel matters. Who knows?
I find it hilarious the three black women on council were willing to give Tai a pass on the whole thing. I guess this speaks to how poorly they believe black men behave in general so it’s OK. Mary Kay is an at-large member and needs the minority vote to stay in office so there was no way she was voting to out him, plus, she has no spine. Hoffman is not running for re-election next term so she had no real skin in the game. She just wanted it to go away quietly . That ain’t happening!
I give props to Hugh Holston and yes, our Mayor. Both need minority voters to stay in office but chose to do what was right, and kick the manager to the curb.
Wow, so many comments!!! Good to see, but keep in mind, that dude was only a democrat installation, and it worked out as they all do. Another equity hire down the drain, funny if it weren’t such a sad statement about a town I’d lived in since 1967.