GARNER – The Garner Town Council appointed Jodi M. Miller to be the town manager in a unanimous vote on May 28 during the Council’s regularly scheduled work session.
Ms. Miller, who joined the Town as an assistant town manager in February 2022, had been serving as interim town manager since March 1.
“We are extremely proud to be able to promote from within our own team,” Mayor Buddy Gupton said. “Jodi is a proven performer with over a quarter of a century of municipal experience. Twenty-four years of that has been in a leadership role. Two years have been here in Garner, where she has won the respect of our staff, residents and our Town Council.”
Since joining the Town, Ms. Miller’s main departmental areas of focus have been Budget, Finance, Human Resources, Public Works, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources (PRCR) and liaison to Garner Fire-Rescue.
Ms. Miller has taken leadership roles in several key Town initiatives including Garner Fire-Rescue merger efforts and discussions; implementation of a pay-and-class staff compensation study; enhancement of employee benefits including paid parental and caretaker leave; oversight of 2021 Bond Program project designs for Yeargan Park, South Garner Greenway, and a new White Deer Park playground and splashpad; and improvement and modernization of internal budget, human resources and fleet processes.
Ms. Miller said she looks forward to leading Garner during its next chapter of sustained growth and prosperity.
“It is an honor and privilege to be appointed town manager for the Town of Garner,” Ms. Miller said. “I appreciate the Town Council’s confidence and support as I embark on this new role. Garner is a thriving and growing community with talented and dedicated municipal staff. I look forward to our continued work together in making Garner a great place to be.”
Ms. Miller previously served as deputy manager for Durham County, where her areas of responsibility included emergency services (Fire Marshal, Emergency Management and EMS) and emergency communications (in partnership with the City of Durham), as well as Durham County’s Youth Home and Criminal Justice Resource Center. She also served as liaison to the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Durham Detention Center, Durham County Courts and the N.C. Forest Service.
As a deputy manager with Durham County, Ms. Miller helped lead implementation of a major organizational transformation that emphasized a strategic governance approach using metrics and data as the principal drivers for decision-making. In addition, she played a key leadership role in updating Durham County’s strategic plan and capital improvement plan.
Before joining Durham County, Ms. Miller served as deputy city manager for the City of Williamsburg, Va., for 16 years where she was inspired and encouraged by now-retired City Manager Jack Tuttle to pursue a career in public management.
Ms. Miller sits on numerous professional and community boards including the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Credentialing Advisory Board and the North Carolina City and County Management Association Sustaining Membership Committee.
Ms. Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in public administration from Tech’s Center for Public Administration and Policy. She is an ICMA credentialed manager, as well as a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Senior Executive Institute and the University of North Carolina’s Public Executive Leadership Academy.
Mayor Gupton cited not only Ms. Miller’s extensive professional background but also her leadership style as a key reason for her selection as town manager.
“The best one-word description of Ms. Miller’s approach is ‘proactive,’ ” Mayor Gupton said. “If you are not serious about having a thing done, do not mention it to Jodi, because she will make it happen.”
