For Immediate Release
July 30, 2021
BEAUFORT – The Town of Beaufort’s Town Manager John Day announced his plans for retirement to the Beaufort Board of Commissioners and Mayor this week. Day plans to retire in December of 2021. Department heads and staff were also notified of Day’s departure.
“Despite numerous hurricanes and a pandemic, Beaufort has experienced unprecedented success during John’s tenure as town manager,” said Mayor Everette (Rett) Newton. “Among his many accomplishments, John has led major efforts to clean up our waterways and has implemented a massive $31 Million repair of our infrastructure that has been neglected for decades. He has also provided immense stability through a five-year planning and budgeting cycle. John will be missed but he leaves behind an extraordinary legacy. Thanks to his amazing leadership, the future of Beaufort is very bright!” said Mayor Everette Newton.
Day began his career as Beaufort Town Manager in February of 2017. Appointed by and responsible to the Town of Beaufort Board of Commissioner, Day has served as the town’s chief executive officer.
“The Town of Beaufort has significantly benefited from having John Day as our Town manager,” said Commissioner Sharon Harker. “John’s many years of experience, knowledge, and expertise in local government have helped Beaufort face our many challenges to accomplish so much. I want to thank him for his hard work and dedication and all he has done for our citizens and staff. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
“I’m very proud of the many achievements during my tenure,” Day said.
Among them are:
- Tremendous improvement in the organizational climate and culture, as demonstrated by surveys conducted by the UNC School of Government’s Local Government Workplaces Initiative Workplace Climate Survey Project.
- A complete revamping of the Town budget, adding a Five-Year Financial Plan and a fully funded Five Year Capital Improvements Plan (while at the same time making the document easier to understand).
- The removal of derelict vessels and other marine debris from Town waters, the implementation of regulations governing those waters, and the creation of a Police Marine Patrol to enforce those regulations.
- The initiation of two very significant capital projects – the $3.7 million Street and Pedestrian Improvement Project (which is about 50% complete) and the $31 million Utility, Stormwater and Streets Improvement Project, which is currently in the engineering and design phase.
- Multiple technology improvements, including a new VOIP phone system, fiber connections between Town facilities, and enhanced enterprise system applications.
- Great improvements in equipment and service delivery, particularly in the Fire and Public Services Departments.
- The opening of the new and vastly improved Randolph Johnson Park.
- The creation and implementation of the Town’s first Hurricane/Emergency Operations Plan.
- Several important planning efforts, including the 2018 Small Area Plan, the 2018 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, and the currently underway Comprehensive Land Use Plan (which includes a Resiliency Plan) and Beaufort Harbor and Waterways Master Plan.
Day’s contributions are summed up well by a Town employee in response to his retirement announcement in an email to all employees: “I appreciate you and the way you treat people; your awareness, dedication, compassion, and humor – it’s rare and refreshing and it has made a big difference in the culture and attitude at the town. THANK YOU for leaving the town and her staff significantly better off than when you took over!”
Prior to his service in Beaufort, Day spent 30 years working in local government. He began his career at the Western Piedmont Council of Governments before moving on to the City of Lenoir as its first Human Resources Manager. After a short time in that role he was promoted to serve as the city’s Assistant City Manager.
Next his career led him to Cabarrus County, where he spent 20 years serving in a variety of roles from Budget Officer to Deputy County Manager before becoming the Cabarrus County Manager for 8 years.
After retiring from Cabarrus County, John spent four years working with the Center for Environment Farming Systems at NC State University before returning to local government management in Beaufort.
The Mayor and Board of Commissioners intend to begin their search for a new town manager immediately, using The Mercer Group Associates, an executive search and management consulting firm specializing in municipal and local government issues and needs. The goal is to hire a successor prior to Day’s retirement in December.