Environmental advocates spoke out against cuts to Greensboro’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience at Tuesday's city council meeting.
Greensboro recently eliminated three positions from the office, including the Chief Sustainability Officer role.
It’s part of the city’s larger efforts to lower costs amid financial scrutiny from the state.
The office was created in part to help Greensboro transition to 100% renewable energy by 2040.
Elizabeth Chartrand, a member of the city's citizen-led Community Sustainability Council, asked officials to reinstate the employees.
“We consider this a huge step backward and sends the wrong message that the city of Greensboro does not really care about the sustainability goals of protecting our natural resources," she said.
Other speakers said the decision was at odds with council members' stated support for Greensboro’s environmental initiatives. City Manager Trey Davis stood behind the cuts, saying they were needed to “strengthen the city's fiscal position.”