Selma Town Manager Elton Daniels who announced on January 9th he was resigning from his position has a new job.
Rocky Mount City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney announced Tuesday that Daniels will become their new director of Parks and Recreation.
Daniels last day in Selma will be February 12th. He will begin work in Rocky Mount on February 18th.
When Daniels announced his resignation last week he told WTSB News it was due to family issues. “My time in Selma has been enjoyable however, severe personal family issues necessitate that I vacate my position to focus on my family,” Daniels said on Jan. 9th. “I plan to continue my career as a public servant in a capacity that allows me to spend more time with my family, helping them recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Florence.”
On Wednesday, Daniels released a statement to WTSB saying, “What my family needs now more than anything is stability. I feel confident that my new position, as Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Rocky Mount, will provide that. As I stated before, I wanted to continue my career as a public servant, in a role that would allow me to spend more time with my family. Parks and Recreation meets that need. As a former collegiate athlete and someone who continues to be heavily involved in enhancing the quality of place for communities, this new position incorporates my interest in athletics and public service, all the while, providing the flexibility to spend more time with my family. As Town Manager, I’m on the clock 24/7. As Director of Parks and Rec, there may be late nights and travel involved but it pales in compassion to being responsible for all municipal functions around the clock, 365.”
“My mother, father (who are in process of making major repairs to their/our home due to damages associated with Hurricane Florence) and wife (who has being doing 95% of the work related to raising our child) all made sacrifices to get me where I am today. It is only right, that I do right by them and give them more of my time.”
“I am very thankful for the opportunity that Selma has afforded us. The community, at large, welcomed us with opened arms and continue to support us as we transition to this next phase. As stated before, I’m currently working with Council and Staff to ensure a smooth transition and I will continue to be a resource to the community moving forward.”
Daniels was hired as the Selma town manager on August 28, 2017. Previously he served as assistant county manager for Franklin County. While in Franklin County he helped obtain and administer several Parks & Recreation grants including a $250,000 conservation grant and a grant from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. While Town Manager in Sharpsburg, Daniels administered a $178,400 Parks & Recreation Trust Fund grant.
“I am enthusiastic about Mr. Daniels’ comprehensive knowledge of local government. As a former town and county manager, he understands all of the administrative aspects for both counties and municipalities,” said Mayor Small-Toney in a news release. “His direct supervision and hands-on work with departments like Parks and Recreation also provide him with the wide-ranging skills essential for this position.”
Daniels has a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He received the 2016 UNC-W MPA Alumnus of the Year Award. He is a member of the International City Manager Association and served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina City/County Managers Association.
