"I want to let everyone know that Greenville means business," Connelly said. "Moving forward, we will focus on growing the tax base, maintaining and improving our infrastructure, and enhancing public safety in an effort to make our city more appealing to both businesses and families. We are on a great trajectory but we must be sure to partner with our local, state, and federal leaders to further advance our community to the next level. A strong emphasis will be placed on a joint effort to grow our community as a whole, not separate like we have seen in the past. If we truly want to take Greenville to the next level, we will work together to achieve greatness."

Monday's ceremony marked the beginning of two-year terms for Connelly and newly-elected Council members Kandie Smith (District 1), Rose Glover (District 2), Will Bell (District 3), Rick Smiley (District 4), William Litchfield (District 5), and Brian Meyerhoeffer (At-large).

In his opening address, Connelly said the City has laid the ground work for more than $600 million that has been invested in the uptown district during the past decade. He also noted that Greenville's low tax rates, low utility rates, and overall low cost of business are enticing for prospective businesses. Greenville can also boast valuable assets such as  ECU, one of only three in the country with a medical, dental, and engineering school, and Pitt Community College, he said. Both produce skilled graduates who are ready to jump into the work force, according to Connelly.

"We want Greenville to be the destination of choice for families and we want to keep our young professionals here, but we can only do that if the jobs are available," Connelly said. "Let's continue to build off of our recent momentum by utilizing the assets that are here and being proactive in our decision-making so we are competitive in securing new jobs and investment."