Tuesday, Feb. 1 was new Greensboro City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba’s first day at the head of the City of Greensboro government.

Unlike the previous three city managers, Jaiyeoba is new to Greensboro, having come from Charlotte where he was an assistant city manager and director of the planning and development department.  In order to familiarize himself with the city, Jaiyeoba announced that in the coming weeks he will be holding a series of listening sessions throughout the city.

The first “Talk with Tai: City Manager Listening Session” will be held at the Smith Active Adult Center at 2401 Fairview St. at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8.  Along with its indoor facilities, Smith is also home to six of the most popular outdoor pickleball courts in the city.

Two other listening sessions have also been scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 9 at noon at the Central Library at 219 N. Church St. and Thursday, Feb. 10 at noon at the Barber Park Event Center at 1502 Barber Park Dr.

Jaiyeoba plans to hold two listening sessions in each of the five City Council districts, with one in the afternoon and one in the evening.  Residents can attend the listening sessions in person, with limited capacity, or view them online on the city’s YouTube channel.  Questions can be submitted through the YouTube channel’s comments.

Face coverings will be required of all those who attend a listening session in person.

The remaining listening sessions will be announced as the times and locations are finalized.

Jaiyeoba is a native of Nigeria and has a bachelor’s degree in geography and a master of science degree in urban and regional planning form Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.  He is also a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management in leadership. 

Prior to working in Charlotte, Jaiyeoba served as the director of the Sacramento Regional Transit District and was the director of planning and development in Grand Rapids, Michigan.