SMITHFIELD – The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation (DSDC) has fired their Executive Director. The board voted to replace Sarah Edwards as the executive director in January 2024.
Ms. Edwards was hired as the executive director in 2014.
According to the Johnstonian News, the DSDC Board voted to replace Edwards after a survey of Downtown Smithfield businesses called for a change in leadership. Some board members also lacked confidence in her leadership abilities.
We need someone to actually lead getting downtown like so many other small towns have done. We just visited Forest City they have gotten a few of the breweries in and opened nice restaurants/bars and the Christmas lights were awesome. People were walking around and eating. They were busy. It’s not that big of a town. Smithfield could do the same thing.
Is this really a necessary position? Couldnt the Town Council and/or Mayor perform these duties?
The position should be eliminated. The duties could easily be handled between the Town Manager, Parks & Rec, and the Chamber of Commerce.
The town focuses on developing places for food, entertainment, & housing but it’s focused mainly on adults! We need some development for our youth! They need places they can go to be entertained and keep them from being bored and getting into trouble. Smithfield offers nothing but movies for our youth! We have empty buildings that could be developed for places like Stars & Strikes or Urban Air in Raleigh. Our youth shouldn’t have to go that far to be entertained! They are our future and we need to help them be involved and invested in our community now!
She did a great job. Every event she put on was very organized and had great turn outs. The town of Smithfield is a joke and makes anything way harder than it needs to be. I’m thankful my business is no longer in the town!