Interim city manager and former Roanoke Rapids Planning and Development Director Kelly Traynham was unanimously named city manager Tuesday night.
“I’m very excited about it,” she said today. “I’m grateful for the council’s confidence in me. Ever since taking on the interim role I certainly have had plenty of opportunity to determine if I was ready to assume my career goal.”
It has been a career path she has pursued for about the last 16 years, coming to Roanoke Rapids in 2011 as planning director and before that working as a planner in the municipal department of the Greenville-based Rivers & Associates.
She was also a code enforcement officer for the town of Wrightsville Beach in the planning and parks department.
Traynham said her immediate goals after being appointed the full-time city manager include getting to know employees better and scheduling a retreat or meeting with the city council to discuss their priorities and goals for the city. “I think the city needs a strategic plan in place. I think we need to be utilizing modern technologies to reduce costs and overall efficiencies of city services.”
Councilman Wayne Smith made the motion to hire Traynham as city manager following a closed session.
“I feel like she’s aggressive and can move the city forward,” Smith said today. “She’s got some good ideas. I think she’s good with the city employees and she keeps the council well informed.” Smith said he believes “it’s time for the city to look to the future and we have some good things that are happening. We got the American Rescue Plan money and there are things being worked on at the state level which could benefit the city. I think she will be good for the city and do a great job as city manager.”
Traynham replaces Joseph Scherer, who announced his retirement in June. She was appointed interim city manager in July.
She received a bachelor of arts degree in environmental studies from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2005 and completed her masters in public administration at East Carolina University in December of 2018.
The city plans to advertise for a new planning director.
