GOLDBORO, N.C. — Goldsboro Mayor Charles Gaylor recently introduced April Johnson as the city’s new Director of Development Services on WGBR, highlighting her local roots and professional expertise as key assets for the community’s future development.
“April Johnson is a hometown girl who went away for a while, worked on other commitments, finished up school and came back to work on things that will really make a difference,” Mayor Gaylor said. “I believe that April is going to be an inspiration within this community and come up with some awesome stuff in development services.”
Comprehensive Role in City Development
As Director of Development Services, Johnson oversees a wide range of municipal functions critical to Goldsboro’s growth and development. Her department manages inspections, building code enforcement, planning, land use planning, and community development initiatives.
“My department oversees how we grow, develop, and make the city a better place for Goldsboro citizens,” Johnson explained. Her background includes experience as a historic preservation planner and work in community development through non-profit organizations.
Johnson expressed enthusiasm about returning to her hometown, saying, “I’m excited for Goldsboro! I get to rediscover my city and begin to fall in love with it.”
“Elevate Goldsboro” Initiative Seeks Community Input
The city is launching a comprehensive planning process called “Elevate Goldsboro,” designed to engage residents in shaping the community’s future development. Johnson emphasized the importance of community participation in this initiative.
“We want the community to join us, and participate, and be engaged with how we envision the future of Goldsboro growing,” Johnson said. The planning process will address key questions about housing development, population density, transportation needs, and community resource protection.
Public Workshop Scheduled
City officials are inviting residents to participate in a community workshop on Wednesday, July 30th at City Hall. The event will be held in two sessions to accommodate different schedules:
- 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
In addition to the workshop, the city has made a survey available for community members to provide input on the planning process.
Building on Existing Assets
Mayor Gaylor acknowledged that while the city has valuable assets and cornerstone developments, organic redevelopment has not occurred at the expected pace. He emphasized the need for strategic, inclusive development that serves all residents.
“We have our pockets, our assets that we can kind of build off of, but some of the organic splash off redevelopment hasn’t really happened the way that we would have expected it to organically happen,” Gaylor said. “Now we know that we have some really good cornerstones they can build off of to help the development redevelop in ways that can be responsible and respectful for every demographic, every person, every price point.”
The mayor stressed the importance of maximizing the city’s potential across all areas. “We have to make sure the city is maximizing every corner of itself so the city can be the best version of itself that it can possibly be,” he said.
Concluding his remarks about the new appointment, Mayor Gaylor expressed confidence in Johnson’s ability to advance the city’s development goals: “April, you are a fantastic addition to make sure these wishes come true.”
How to Get Involved
Residents interested in participating in the “Elevate Goldsboro” planning process can attend the July 30th workshop or access the community survey online. For more information and to access the survey, visit:
