NEWS

Town Manager Jamie Justice at a Town Board Meeting in late 2025. (News of Davidson photo)

DAVIDSON, NC – After nearly three decades of service in local government, Town Manager Jamie Justice announced on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, that he is planning to retire on June 30, 2026.

Since November 2015, Justice has led the Town of Davidson with a focus on strong financial management and budget excellence, transparent communication, and active community engagement. He has also prioritized succession planning to ensure continuity and stability in town government.

During his tenure, Justice has demonstrated exceptional leadership, advancing the Town’s affordable housing initiatives while prioritizing employee retention, mobility and infrastructure improvements, historic preservation, sustainability, and overall quality of life. He guided the Town through several significant milestones, including the sale of Continuum (cable company), adoption of the 2020 Comprehensive Plan, voter approval of general obligation bonds for parks, greenways, and roadways, and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also oversaw major civic investments, including the renovation of the historic Davidson School into the Davidson Town Hall & Community Center, improvements to the Russell B. Knox Public Safety Building, and the rehabilitation of the historic Davidson School Gymnasium. Most recently, he worked closely with regional partners to advance the legislation authorizing the 1-cent transportation sales tax, which was approved by the NC General Assembly and ultimately by voters.

“Davidson has been a special place to work and to serve the community,” said Justice. “I would like to thank the current and former elected officials and town staff. Without their efforts and support, none of these things could have been accomplished.”

Justice began his local government career in 1997 as Town Manager for the Town of Troy, NC. He then served as Town Manager in Mooresville and Assistant Town Manager in Matthews before coming to Davidson in November 2015. He has a B.A. in political science from Methodist University and a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) in city/county management from Appalachian State University.

In addition to his role as Town Manager, Justice has been an active member of the Davidson Rotary Club since 2015. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and served an extended term as Club President for 1 year and 9 months (21 months total), stepping up without hesitation when the current president had to step down early.

Even after this extended leadership role, Justice continued to serve. He mentored the incoming president and took on the responsibility of leading the Giving Tree Village, the Davidson Rotary Club’s largest annual fundraising initiative. Justice was recognized as the 2024-2025 Rotarian of the Year.

“Having a Town Manager like Jamie has been so very important to our Town”, said Mayor Rusty Knox. “His professionalism, work ethic, knowledge, and leadership go beyond measure. He has made me a better leader while building a remarkable team that has helped keep Davidson the special place it is. Jamie is the example of leaving a place better than you found it.”

The Mayor and Board of Commissioners will begin their search for a new town manager.