Goldsboro administers oath to Matt Livingston as city manager

Mayor Charles Gaylor formally administered the oath of office to Matt Livingston in a morning swearing-in ceremony at City Hall, making Livingston the city manager of the City of Goldsboro. The mayor said the council previously offered Livingston an employment contract, which he accepted, and the oath followed that action.

The appointment capped a period in which Livingston served as interim city manager for 14 months and worked through two budget cycles, Gaylor said. “It’s the distinct pleasure to be able to welcome everybody to officially swear in Mister Matt Livingston as the city manager of City Of Goldsboro,” Gaylor said during the ceremony.

The nut of the event was administrative continuity: Livingston has been leading operations in an interim capacity while the council completed an interview and evaluation process and extended a contract offer. In brief remarks after the oath, Matt Livingston pledged to continue collaborating with residents and city employees. “Goldsboro is a great place to live and work,” Matt Livingston said. “My pledge to you is to continue to work as hard as I can to help build the life here that people want and work together with everybody.”

The ceremony included an invocation by Archbishop Slater and was conducted with a member of the city clerk’s office assisting in administering the oath. After the formal oath, the mayor invited attendees to a reception in the large conference room and noted that a press availability had been scheduled later. Gaylor outlined council priorities he expects the manager to advance, naming a parks and recreation master plan, a business development plan and a land-use master plan as examples of ongoing work the city intends to use to guide growth.

Council members and local officials were present for the ceremony; those named in remarks included Councilwoman Jamie Taylor, Councilman Chris Boyette, councilmembers Matthews and Weeks, former council members Taj Pollock and Greg Vats, and representatives identified as Colonel Losey and Chief Hammer. The ceremony did not record a council vote at the event itself; Gaylor said the council had already moved to offer a contract that Livingston accepted prior to the oath.

The swearing-in completes the administrative step of taking the oath and positions Livingston to lead the city’s next phases of planning and implementation. The mayor and Livingston said they intend to pursue responsible growth and to prioritize reinvestment in neighborhoods, with follow-up work on financing options such as tax-increment financing and bonds mentioned as issues for future planning.