The Greenville, NC City Council is a seven-member body made up of a mayor, five district representatives, and one at-large member, all elected to two-year nonpartisan terms. It sets local policy for the city, adopts the budget, passes ordinances, and appoints the city manager who runs day-to-day operations. Greenville uses a council-manager form of government, which keeps elected policymaking separate from professional administration.
Who Serves on the Council
The most recent citywide election took place in November 2025, with every seat on the ballot. The current members are:
- Mayor: P.J. Connelly
- District 1: Arjenae Jones
- District 2: Tonya Foreman (Mayor Pro Tem)
- District 3: Seth Hardee
- District 4: Matthew Scully
- District 5: Les Robinson
- At-Large: Portia Willis
The mayor presides over council meetings but only votes when the remaining members are evenly split.1American Legal Publishing. Greenville, North Carolina Code of Ordinances – Sec 2-1 Composition and Duties of Mayor and City Council The Mayor Pro Tem steps in when the mayor is absent. Individual email addresses and contact details for each member are posted on the city’s official council page.2Greenville, NC. City Council
How the Council Is Elected
Five seats are tied to geographic districts, one is at-large, and the mayor is elected citywide. District representatives must live within the district they represent. Voters across Greenville elect the at-large member and the mayor.
Every seat carries a two-year term, so all seven come up in the same cycle. Elections are nonpartisan, meaning candidates appear on the ballot without party labels.3North Carolina State Board of Elections. 11/04/2025 Official Municipal Election Results – Pitt Because North Carolina law lets cities set their own governing structure, this arrangement reflects choices Greenville has made within the state framework.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Code 160A-101 – Optional Forms
What the Council Does
Budget and Taxes
Greenville prepares biennial budgets, with the full two-year budget adopted in even-numbered years alongside a financial plan for the following year.5Greenville, NC. Budget Ordinances and Amendments The council allocates money across public safety, infrastructure, parks, and community development, and it sets the local property tax rate. The city manager proposes the budget; the council decides what actually gets funded.
Ordinances and Zoning
The council passes local ordinances covering things like noise, nuisance standards, building codes, and business licensing. Zoning decisions are among its most consequential actions, controlling what can be built where. Greenville’s land-use authority also reaches beyond the city limits through extraterritorial jurisdiction, so zoning rules can apply to properties in surrounding unincorporated areas.6American Legal Publishing. Greenville, North Carolina Code of Ordinances – Sec 1-1-11 Boundaries of Extraterritorial Jurisdiction If you live just outside Greenville but within that zone, the city’s zoning rules still apply to you.
Appointments
The council appoints the city manager, who serves at its pleasure and can be removed at any time.7North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Code 160A-147 – Appointment of City Manager It also selects the city attorney and the city clerk. These are the most significant personnel decisions the council makes.
The City Manager’s Role
Michael Cowin has served as Greenville’s city manager since November 2023. State law defines the manager’s duties: directing all city departments, preparing the budget, attending council meetings, and recommending policy.8North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 160A Article 7 – Administrative Offices
The manager also holds hiring and firing authority over nearly all city employees and department heads. The city attorney is the exception, appointed by the council itself. The council sets direction; the manager executes it.
Attending and Watching Meetings
Regular council meetings are held at City Hall, 200 West Fifth Street. Agendas, minutes, and the meeting calendar are posted on the city’s website, and the City Clerk’s Office answers schedule questions at 252-329-4432. Typical agenda items include contract approvals, ordinance amendments, rezoning requests, and budget adjustments.
If you cannot attend in person, meetings stream live through the city’s Granicus portal, which also archives past sessions.9Greenville, NC. Streaming City Council Meetings The archive is useful if you want to see how your district representative voted on a specific issue.
Meetings include a public comment period, with priority given to speakers who live inside city limits. Arrive early to sign up, and prepare a focused statement, since time per speaker is limited.
One thing to know before you write in: correspondence with council members about city business, including your emails, is a public record under North Carolina law and can be requested by anyone.10North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 132 – Public Records11North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Email as a Public Record
Serving on a Board or Commission
Greenville maintains 18 standing boards and commissions covering areas including affordable housing, planning and zoning, historic preservation, environmental issues, public safety, recreation, and the Greenville Utilities Commission.12Greenville, NC. Boards and Commissions These bodies review issues in depth and recommend action to the council, which means members often shape policy before it reaches a formal vote.
To apply, submit a Talent Bank application to the City Clerk. The clerk forwards it to the mayor or the council member who handles appointments for that board. Applications stay on file for two years, so you don’t need to reapply during that window if a seat opens later. You can submit electronically through the city website, or contact the City Clerk’s Office at 252-329-4420 or clerk@greenvillenc.gov.13Greenville, NC. Talent Bank Application
Voting and Running in the Next Election
Because every seat carries a two-year term, the next municipal election after November 2025 will be held in 2027. Greenville’s elections are administered by the Pitt County Board of Elections, and you must be registered in Pitt County to vote. North Carolina requires registration at least 25 days before Election Day, though same-day registration is available during early voting.14Pitt County, NC. Pitt County Board of Elections
Anyone running for a district seat must live in that district and be a registered voter. Most municipal candidates in North Carolina must be at least 21 by Election Day. Because the elections are nonpartisan, no party affiliation or primary is required. Filing fees and deadlines vary by cycle, so check with the Pitt County Board of Elections for the specifics of the next race.