Greensboro is eliminating 10 positions across several city departments starting in January, part of a broader push to cut costs after landing on a state financial watchlist. City officials say the cuts don’t necessarily mean 10 people will lose their jobs with the city, since some employees may be shifted into other roles instead.
Per city communications manager Savion Thorne, the city approved a workforce reduction affecting the 10 positions effective January 6, 2027, following a review of staffing levels and how responsibilities are organized across departments, according to the Greensboro News and Record. Thorne said the city declined to identify the affected employees or positions to protect employee privacy, though he noted that employee histories of specific city workers may still be provided in response to a public records request. The News and Record said it had submitted such a request for those employee histories. The city has not said how much the cuts and accompanying reorganization are expected to save.
A Separate Confirmation From State Public Radio
The position cuts were also confirmed independently by WFDD, which reported that a review of the city’s staffing and operations identified 10 jobs across several departments that will be eliminated in January in order to cut costs. Affected employees may be able to continue working for the city in a different role, the station reported. Senior Communications Specialist Dave Walters told the station the city would not be naming the individuals affected, and said Greensboro will continue reviewing spending and operations going forward. The News and Record separately reported that affected employees will receive career transition assistance.
Why Greensboro Is Under State Scrutiny
The cuts trace back to September, when the North Carolina Local Government Commission added Greensboro to its Unit Assistance List for repeatedly dipping into its fund balance, per WFDD’s earlier reporting. City Manager Trey Davis told council members in October that the commission was concerned about Greensboro’s repeated use of financial reserves for regular spending. The commission also raised concern that the city’s fund balance was below its 25% of total spending benchmark, according to the seed reporting.
Davis told council members that city staff was working to cut as much as $6.3 million from the budget, while separately telling FOX8 WGHP the city was working to eliminate $6.3 million in appropriated fund balance. As of October 23, officials said a planned $6.3 million use of fund balance was off the table, WFDD reported. The City Council plans to vote on budget changes on December 15, while Greensboro management staff plans to present a cost-saving plan to the council by December 15, per the seed reporting.
Fund Balance Has Lagged for Years
Greensboro’s ending fund balance for fiscal year 2025 came in just over $98 million, representing 22.9% of its total operating budget, according to Yes! Weekly. That outlet reported the city’s available fund balance has sat below both the Local Government Commission’s 25% minimum threshold and the city’s own 25% policy in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The city’s own goal is to reach that 25% fund balance, FOX8 WGHP has reported.
The shortfall isn’t new. Back in 2022, when Greensboro’s fund balance stood at just above 18%, the City Council passed a resolution committing to reach 25% by 2030, according to The Assembly. The outlet reported that the fund balance rose to 23.3% before falling back to 22.9% in fiscal year 2024-25, after the council tapped it to cover spending increases. Greensboro’s roughly 23% fund balance also lags well behind peer cities, The Assembly found, citing 63% in Winston-Salem, 46% in Durham and 101% in Raleigh.
City Leaders Defend the Cuts
Speaking Friday, Greensboro city officials said the planned position cuts were necessary, according to the seed reporting. Council member Adam Marshall said cuts are part of running a large-scale organization and that nobody likes them, adding that the city must operate more efficiently. Mayor Pro Tem Denise Turner Roth said the city should right-size government and find efficiencies while maintaining expected service quality, and said position cuts should reflect a thoughtful assessment of workloads and service needs. Turner Roth said she anticipates further adjustments to better align resources with service needs and reduce reliance on fund balance going forward.
Under the city’s structure, the city manager is accountable for staffing decisions, while the City Council is responsible for holding the city manager accountable for savings and performance, per the seed reporting. The city’s official statement posted on its website says strategies have already been implemented to close the fund-balance gap and strengthen its financial position, adding that the city has been diligently working, and will continue to work, toward its 25% goal. Under North Carolina’s personnel-file statute, G.S. 160A-168, city employee files are subject to inspection only as specifically provided by that section of state law.
