Guilford County Manager Marty Lawing is resigning.
Lawing was hired by Guilford County in 2013 to be the county’s top administrator.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote to accept Lawing’s resignation at the board’s Thursday, Dec.17 meeting after a closed session that’s being held to discuss personnel matters. The details of his departure have been worked out and Lawing isn’t expected to attend what will be the commissioners’ last scheduled meeting of the year and Lawing’s last as Guilford County manager.
The primary reason the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and Lawing are parting ways is that they now don’t see eye to eye on many issues. In 2013, Lawing was hired by a Board of Commissioners led by a conservative Republican majority. However, in the November 2020 election, Democrats took control of the Board of Commissioners and chose Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston to lead that board.
Alston and Lawing have had many disagreements over the years and that is one reason for the separation.
Republican Guilford County Commissioner Alan Branson said Thursday afternoon that he was very displeased with Alston. He said Alston is the one behind Lawing leaving.
“Marty’s gone,” Branson said, adding that the move was almost entirely Alston’s doing.
“Skip’s a rogue and he has always been a rogue and he will die a rogue,” Branson said.
Branson also said that the board’s two new Democratic commissioners were led by Alston to go along with Lawing’s resignation.
“They are just puppets on a string,” Branson said, “They are puppets on Skip’s string.”
Branson said that Lawing had been an exceptional manager and Guilford County was crazy to drive him away.
One source high up in Guilford County government said that the terms of the resignation and Lawing’s exit package had been agreed to in the days leading up to the Dec. 17 meeting.
Such a sad day for Guilford County. Marty Lawing is a true gentleman and a wonderful asset to our county’s government. His expertise as our county manager will be missed in many ways by the citizens of Guilford County. Mr. Lawing was one of the hardest working employees that Guilford County has seen. God’s blessings to Mr. and Mrs. Lawing.
My understanding is that others are leaving as well. Few will shed a tear over Lawing’s departure. Even conservative staffers have very little respect for him. Sadly we can always do worse and it appears Skippy will see to that. He’s looking for yes men/women/trannies/whatevers. Anyone who will ignore the staff and obey and represent his wishes. Pretty much the same as fellow commissioners. Grier won’t be his pick because he’s a highly respected hard worker that genuinely cares about the needs and recommendations from staff and makes decisions objectively. He would never sacrifice his integrity to please a damn politician. Hold on to your knickers, its going to be an interesting ride folks.
I have a Christmas wish list… Come on Santa open that exit door!
Seems to me Guilford is losing a lot of good people, whether by petty politics, or one-shot voting.
Thank God! What a horrible, strange and incompetent man. Good riddance!
You and Joe Waters should be locked in a room to duke it out about what kind of person Lawing is. You can’t both be right.
I have known Marty for over 40 years and have known him to be one of the most honest and professionally capable men of our age. Guilford County is losing a true steward of our tax dollars.
Skip is a racist!
Branson insults and name calling and saying he knows what others are thinking is rude at the least and not constructive.
Isn ‘t that a kick in the pants. Skip is barely in charge and the Dominoes began to fall.That must not speak well of the KING SKIP.I am sure that taxes will have to go up to offset the money Skip will start giving to his friends.I tried to remind some that if and when Skip was in charge things would began to happen.He is just a typical Democrat that loves giving away hard earned money that the average person pays.Why can’t the people of the county see that Democrats only want Power,they don’t work to help the average people of the county .Not to be the ruler of the county. We can make a difference in 2years by voting out those rascals.