Information is power, and City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba is keeping a tight grip on information regarding his recommended 2023-2024 fiscal year budget, which he has named “Going Forward Together.”
Judging from the first budget work session, a better name for Jaiyeoba’s recommended budget would be, “Follow Me and Don’t Ask Questions.”
Early in the budget work session, Mayor Nancy Vaughan asked that the budget presentation be posted on the website so councilmembers could view it, or that the members of the City Council be given hard copies of the presentation.
Later in the meeting, Vaughan informed her fellow members of the City Council that the presentation had been posted to the website. But it was evidently taken down after the meeting, making it inaccessible to the public and members of the City Council without the forethought to download it during the brief period it was available.
During the meeting, Councilmember Tammi Thurm said, “I think part of what this points to is that the format of this budget does not really give clarity or insights into what the budget really is. We don’t actually get to see where the money is going,”
She added, “Next year, how can we present the budget in a different way in a way that we can really see what we are spending our money on.”
Councilmember Zack Matheny noted that on May 11 he had requested a comparison of the budgets of several departments over the past five to 10 years and had not received it.
Matheny said, “When I asked for that two weeks ago, I kind of did want it.”
Jaiyeoba replied, “I reviewed that this morning and I think I may be ready to share it with you.”
Evidently, Jaiyeoba was not ready to share that information with Matheny because on Thursday, May 25, Matheny still had not received that report and requested it once again from Jaiyeoba.
If the City Council can’t get information about the budget, what chance does the public have of getting information?
WTF??!! Do your job council. If you vote to approve this budget without knowing what’s in it you are not performing the major function of your elected job. You are the city managers boss. Start demanding the information. All of you give the impression of weak, feckless people who are unwilling to do your job.
Hummmm, I thought the city council was his boss ??? What a bunch of spineless people this city voted into office. Trust me , I only voted for one of them.
Jaiyeoba replied, “I reviewed that this morning and I think I may be ready to share it with you.”
What kind of wishy-washy answer is that? What does he need to do to be ready to give requested information to a member of the council, his boss? Getting a five or ten year budget comparison could be put together on excel by any competent staffer in very little time (depending on the level of detail). And this assumes they don’t already have such a report, which they should.
Is Jaiyeoba just stalling because the numbers tell us something negative? Or he needs time to make a few edits to hide something? Or maybe he just hopes Matheny will give up and not press for it? We need a city manager who can work well with the council.
The city should just fire this guy. He couldnt even do his previous job so Greensboro hired him!?!
Between him and Skip Alston people arent gonna be able to afford to live in GSO.
They noth NEED to go!!!
We have Increasing different kinds of crime and yet cutting law enforcement personnel. Does that make ANY sense. Increase law enforcement. Increase financial penalties and $ support for the law breakers. Let’s protect innocent victims of murder, unsafe drivers, robbers. Seems we do more for the guilty than the innocent, tax-paying public
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matthew 7:15
Past time for him to pack up and move to another city that he can put the screws to!!!! We have had enough!!
It sure is starting to look like the city council is losing control of the city manager.
FIRE HM!!!
Please tell me why the city council thinks City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba is worth $280,000 a year?
They don’t. They gave him a raise to $300,000 a year.
And that’s not all. I believe he also gets some kind of supplement which used to be $12,000 added to his salary, on top of other non-financial perquisites that have value.
This guy’s a real parasite.
…..as well as a bevy of “assistants” to do the lion’s share of the work.
Hmmmmmm. At $57,000 per, how many officers can the GPD hire?
No surprises here. Please explain why this so called city manager is still here. Seems sketchy with information , hiding facts that should be shared, does not listen to council and must think all citizens make his weekly salary. Council ,you can and must do better for all the citizens of Greensboro and stop the ridiculous waste and high taxes. Right now you are sucking the hind tit on the boar. Wake up and throw the pixie dust away.
Perhaps the city council, which seems to like spending money on consultants and “studies”, should hire a forensic accountant and really see what Fearless Leader Tai is trying to foist on Greensboro.
If yhe budget does not meet the council’s approval or represent the wishes of the CITIZENS they should give him a do-over and tell him to get it right.
How much insolent, arrogant insubordination from their employee will the City Council tolerate before they decide to fire him?
Smoke and mirrors !! Every citizen should be contacting city council members every day demanding they fire this mistake of a manager they hired. Every day that he stays here he is further damaging the city, especially the police department. When you keep defunding the police, there will be no one available when you really need them. I really don’t believe that this is what the majority of the citizens want, I know I don’t.
Maybe by next year coumcilmember Thurm will have new city manager and will then see her budget.
No insubordination limit. The Dems are all in it together.
Only the voters can stop this. So whose fault is it?