At the Tuesday, Aug. 15 City Council meeting, City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba explained why he had sent out a request for proposals to privatize the Coliseum Complex on Thursday, Aug. 10.
In the past, city councilmembers have strongly expressed their dismay at finding out what the city was doing in the news media.
A massive change in policy, such as deciding that the City of Greensboro would no longer manage the Coliseum Complex, which includes the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, is the type of decision that in the past would be made by the City Council.
However, after already sending out the RFP, Jaiyeoba said, “Before I give you the details of the RFP, I’d like to share some of the rational for why we issued that RFP.”
Jaiyeoba said, “The complex has become too large for any one individual to manage. Matt Brown has done an amazing job.”
He said, “Since I came on board a year and a half ago, I started discussing with Director Brown a pathway into a succession plan for him. And in exploring opportunities, what we found was that we were one of the few remaining cities that really still manage the way we do.”
In talking about the RFP process Jaiyeoba said, “Those interested in bidding can actually visit Greensboro, visit the site, not virtually, but really come to walk through some of the facilities and see what we currently have and also what we envision to have. We’ve talked about a music hall downtown. We’ve talked about a soccer stadium possible downtown.”
Jaiyeoba also said that beginning on Wednesday, Brown would be meeting with Coliseum employees one on one to answer any questions that they have. So it would appear that the members of the City Council weren’t the only ones left out of the loop on privatizing the Coliseum, the Coliseum employees were also.
Jaiyeoba said, “The council will consider this on Nov. 6.”
Lol…city council clowns hired the lose cannon called a city manager. A majority of citizens voted for the current crop of council members. You got what you voted for so enjoy. A joke from top to bottom.
Does the City Manager work for the City Council or does the City Council work for the City Manager? Sure seems like the later. Ever since he was hired, taxes have gone up and up. Seems like he has Carte Blanche to do whatever he wants. Sure hope voters make BIG changes next election.
This is why the state stepped in to protect our essential services
Now what could be the driving force behind this?
Hmmm, I wonder.
On the plus side, maybe gun shows would be allowed again
Power is a terrible narcotic, let’s see who wins this one. You can be certain it won’t be the taxpayers.
What is in it for Taiwo? City council going to receive any funds instead of the citizens of Greensboro? Something is just not right?
I love the new city manager.. Oh I didn’t tell you-I guess I didn’t want you to know. This guy is one slick person and this is all about money.
Short memories. Doesn’t anyone recall the disastrous fiscal position of the Coliseum prior to Mr. Brown’s arrival? Another question is did Matt request assistance or was that decided for him? By minimizing information to the City Council and eliminating the red tape, he has surpassed his expectations. This is one many wearing the hats of many and getting the job done. I think Jaiyeoba is jealous of Matt’s salary and stirring up a hornet’s next where one needs not.
You hit it. City manager doesn’t like the coliseum manager making more money than him.
Tai must have goat bleeping pictures of everyone on city council the way they bend to him.
Council you continue to let this guy make you look like fools. Hope you enjoy being the laughing stock. Although I do not believe that some council members did not know about this.
I first thought the rationale would be: “that’s the way we did it in Charlotte.” But no, it is more elementary: “that’s what everyone else is doing.” I don’t know if this is a good move or not. It could be. But what I know for sure is: Jaiyeboa doesn’t act very accountable to the council. This time it is withholding from the council a major initiative (requesting proposals to privatize coliseum management). The last one I remember: the council specified the new budget would include a certain level of raises for the police officers. Jaiyeboa did not do that in his budget. When asked, he stated that we didn’t have the money to do it in this year but could maybe do it some in the following years. In other words: I’m the boss. This was a bad hire by a bad city council.
Property tax raised past yrs, now stop picking up yard leaves. Now trying to get a new tax on prepared foods and beverages including the things we get at coffee shops, our take out at McDonald’s Wendy’s chick fila pizzas $5 chickens etc. they want the tax money to build pickleball courts. Have you heard about this? How many retired people living on social security and pensions will play pickleball? How many families working 2 or 3 jobs and taking children to snd from school will be playing g pickleball? The big golf facility being built near wendover is not being built by city tax. We have too many people working for us. Time to start eliminating some of the fancy departments set up in past year snd a half. We need an open meeting law put in place. People running this place do everything in closed sessions and all we get is brief notice after decisions are made. We don’t know who says what in discussions. Better when the meetings were live on tv and we knew what was happening. Time for new city manager to go. Ic we need city manager hire local.
GUARANTEED there are some local folks with deep pockets (who make considerable contributions in political campaigns) who are salivating at this opportunity
Something smells….
Go read the RFP is was written in a way for one specific company
This guy is a loose cannon. They need to reel him in. I would seriously dig into any analysis he had done on this.
Matt Brown has 30 years with city and is in his 70’s. Planning for his retirement is the most responsible thing city has ever done.
It seems to me Tai Jaiyeoba has quietly assumed the role of “King Of Greensboro”, he makes the decisions, calls the shots, and spoon-feeds his former boss’s information as he sees fit. “Since I came on board a year and a half ago, I started discussing with Director Brown a pathway into a succession plan for him”……so HE has been in discussion for an extended period of time, but no one on the council was aware of it? This might well be an excellent time to ask him to provide a complete list of all his other “discussions” to avoid another embarrassment like this.
I’m afraid you got it wrong Mongo…there’s nothing quiet about it. And the worst part is nobody seems to care.
I’ve spoken to several coliseum employees and they all assume they are getting fired. Lots of uncertainty. The rumor spread last week.
Great – I’m happy to see that Matt Brown has his retirement nicely taken care of…must be nice.
No one has even addressed what is happening to the rest of the employees at the Coliseum…we are the ones paying the price for Matt & Tai’s decision.
I have a bad feeling about this.
LOL!!!
Well done Hans!
So, is the substitution of “Rational” for “Rationale” a typo of the City Manager or the Author, or both? If it is the manager, perhaps we are paying him more than he is worth. If the Author, he should have “sicced [sic]” the typo in the original. If both they should each get, at a minimum, a better proofreader (chatbot, maybe?). Regardless, the RFP should, at a minimum, be focused on operating the City’s facilities as profitable entities rather than money-losing charities (like a certain museum requiring seemingly endless “forgivable” loans). If we cannot afford the cost of picking up leaves, then perhaps we should just sell these facilities to the private operator and use a small portion of the proceeds to pay for leaf collection for the next 50 years. Besides, isn’t composting the picked-up leaves saving the planet? Sounds a lot greener to me than all the events at the Coliseum…
It’s the…….TAI JABBERWOCKY SHOW!
It’s a farce they already know the company they want. They built the RFQ around that company that has ties to Brown this is all but a done deal. Vaughn will find a way to retain Brown and keep him involved across the city.