“All right, Mr. DeMille – Guilford County is ready for its close-up.”
Guilford County Manager Mike Halford had quite a few bombshells in his proposed 2021-2022 county budget and one of the biggest is that, if he gets his way, Guilford County will for the first time establish a Public Relations Department at a cost of a half-million dollars a year.
Guilford County has talked for years and years about improving its public-facing image – think Wake County and Mecklenburg County-envy – and on Thursday night, May 20, Halford proposed to do that in a big way.
In his budget message to the Board of Commissioners on his proposed 2021-2022 budget, Halford stated, “Guilford County values transparent, open, and frequent communication. This includes active engagement with our residents and our internal team members. To allow the county to provide this higher level of service, the budget recommends allocating $500,000 to create a new Public Relations Department to enhance the county’s ability to communicate with, learn from, and, in turn, design more effective services for our residents.”
Fifteen years ago, the county’s public relations efforts were handled almost entirely by beloved former Clerk to the Board Effie Varitimidis and equally beloved Deputy Clerk Crystal Maurer. One of the biggest steps for creating a positive public image at that time was pulling out and dusting off an old podium with a county seal that officials began standing behind when they had a press conference. The county has added a few positions over the years meant to help out with PR, but this new proposal would up the game to a whole new level.
And it’s a very good bet it will make it into the final budget the commissioners approve next month. Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Skip Alston said after the meeting that he favors the move, so that’s a very good indication that it will happen.
The $500,000 annual expenditure will be used to add four new county positions – a public relations director and three support staff positions.
It will also cover “operating support to improve overall public communication efforts, to coordinate internal communications, and to develop consistent branding for the county.”
It’s somewhat ironic that former Guilford County Manager Marty Lawing fought for years to no avail under a Republican-majority Board of Commissioners to strengthen the county’s public relations operations – and now, in the first budget after his exit in December, the county will likely get exactly that.
Sure got their work cut out for them.If they could shield the public from exposure to most of the commissioners that would help alot.
People have values, government does not. Another layer of beauracracy for a half mil.
Excellent! The progressive county administration will have their very own Minister of Propaganda!
I hope the Minister of Propaganda brings plenty of lipstick to dress up the leftist groupthink.
Damage Control ..
It’s ways to late for Public Relations
Why? Oh, that’s right, it’s a way for Skip to justify a tax increase to fund a new department…one that has the potential to provide positive press for the Dems.
You can bet your sweet a_ _ Skip will ensure one of his supporters will be the new PR Dir.
Well now, this is something Greensboro has needed for many years now. “Guilford County has talked for years and years about improving its public-facing image” WOW that is one HUGE STATEMENT, they made. I say it has been needed to my knowledge for 40 years. The citizens who pay the taxes here, have been overlooked for over 40 years now. Growth 3rd largest city in NC, the 4th highest taxed county in the state. Bring in outside monies, has been their goal. The Arts and Parks and Rec, have been their main agenda. While a lot of citizens suffer at the hands of the City. The city knows of the annexation and city property tax fraud issue for over 20 years, and have done nothing to correct it.
People are spending 1000’s of dollars for french drains to protect their homes from flooding. When in fact, they are entitled to a storm drain, courtesy of the City. They charge a Rain Run Off Tax, that ensures us the citizens of this city on huge fact. The city will collect our rain water, meaning no ones rain water can run onto your land and flood you. PERIOD This department will come in handy really soon. The city has a lot of explaining to do. The city has a lot of citizens they own money to, even money for damages to your land or home from flooding. People are tired of having to call the city. I’m one of them! If the people who we elect to SERVE US, fail to do their jobs, then REPLACE THEM. 30k showed up last election to vote, out of 238k registered voters in the city.
The tax paying citizens of the City of Greensboro, have been forgotten for many years now. Just look around you, our roads are crap, the maze of utility poles on our main roads. Power outages, last night a car hit a pole on Lawndale and Lake Brandt Road. My power blinked a little after midnight. I checked their outage page to find 1 person out of power on Lawndale. Saw the reason why, let my home at 3:45am to go get pics. A rotten pole split in half. ODD thing is, got pics of this happening twice now. The top half of the pole was still hanging. Lines in place but the bottom of the pole was GONE. The pole was so dry rotten, it does not weigh nothing. That is why it stays in place. Both roads blocked, for over 6 hours, maybe longer. Our grid is rotten and we are headed for major long issues! I posted my pics on fb this morning, and said I bet when they go to repair this pole, my power will be shut off. My power went out at 6:30ish, hours after I said it would. Stayed out until 10:30ish this morning. I have been tracking car hitting poles for years now. It is sad finding them, because you know if no one got hurt, it was a miracle. I do pray for those wreaks when I find them. If I looked I could still find them daily, car hitting poles. Sad part here is, DOT says all poles should be 6 to 8 foot off all major roads. This written in the 50s and is still copied and pasted in those areas for days rules. It says, that gives the driver time to correct and get back on the road without hitting a pole. SO TRUE…..
You know if the City just ENFORCED the LAWS and Cherished it Citizens this would be a lovely City to live in. Right now it is a mess. This department needs to get voted on and passed, so the ones in office now can say they did something for the citizens. Before they get the heave-ho this next election.
Our homeless keep growing in numbers, still nothing done to help them.
The only problem is this will be a COUNTY PR position, not a City one, so it won’t do the City any good. Of course, it won’t solve any County problems either.
All city and government agents and departments are “PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENTS” They ALL should work to help us ALL have a quality city in which to live better lives. There should not be a need for another department to police ALL the other departments if ALL the other departments do their jobs in a manner that they should be doing their jobs. Hiring qualified persons in ALL departments will take care of the need for a separate public relations department. This is just another “give away money” scam.
I live near the intersection of W. Market St. & Guilford College Rd. I pass through it daily. For the last two glorious weeks, I haven’t seen a single worker, or machine. Barricade cans, broken pavement, exposed manhole covers, etc., extend in every direction.
The gate for the RR crossing has not been moved. This stuff has not been going on for several years. The City has mucho dinero to spend on their get (re)elected schemes, but cannot maintain the roads. They don’t even try.
Just make me King of Guilford County. I’ll put a stop to this merde.