At large Greensboro City Councilmember Michelle Kennedy resigned by email at the Tuesday, August 17 virtual City Council meeting.

After taking role for the virtual meeting Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said, “I have a letter from Michelle she is not on the Zoom call tonight but she did send me an email to share with City Council.

“Dear Mayor Vaughan and my fellow citizens,

“It has been my great honor to represent the people of Greensboro as an at large member of the Greensboro City Council.

“I have worked hard over these last few years to live up to the expectations that voters had when they elected me that is why it is bitter sweet that I submit my resignation from Council effective today August 17, 2021. 

“I am sorry to be leaving before the end of my term.  However I am excited to continue the work of building a better community for all Greensboro residents.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve.”

After reading the letter of resignation, Vaughan said, “We must accept Ms. Kennedy’s resignation.”

Councilmember Yvonne Johnson made the motion to accept the resignation and it passed on an 8-0 vote.

There was no discussion about why Kennedy resigned by email before the meeting and also no comments by councilmembers about how much they had enjoyed working with her or how much she would be missed.

After the vote Vaughan said, “We will talk about how that position will be filled at a later date.”  And that was the extent of the discussion about Kennedy who was elected to the City Council in 2017.

The City Council will have to vote to appoint someone to fill Kennedy’s position for the remainder of her term that ends after the 2022 general election which will either be April 26, 2022 or May 17, 2022.  The date of the general election won’t be known until after the March 8, 2022 City Council primary.

Several knowledgeable sources confirmed before the City Council meeting that Kennedy would be resigning in order to accept the position as the Director of the Neighborhood Development Department.  If Kennedy accepts that position she will go from being, as a member of the City Council, Interim City Manager Chris Wilson’s boss to being Wilson’s employee.

Kennedy did give a hint in her resignation letter about her future when she stated, “However, I’m excited to continue the work of building a better community for all Greensboro residents.”