Administration

City Manager 

Wilmer Melton has been employed with the City of Kannapolis for 25 years serving previously as the Director of Public Works and Assistant City Manager for the past six years.  

A native of Kannapolis, he graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management and completed the Municipal Administration Certification from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Melton has served on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s National Drinking Water Advisory Council as a Special Government Employee which advises the Administrator on matters and policies related to drinking water quality and public health protection. He was also a member of the National Rural Water Association representing the State of North Carolina.

He has served in numerous professional and civic organizations including Immediate Past President and former National Director of the North Carolina Rural Water Association, a Gubernatorial appointee to the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Directors, Past Vice-President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cabarrus County, Past President of Cabarrus County Habitat for Humanity, Cabarrus County Meals-on-Wheels, Past President of the Kannapolis Rotary Club and a former Paul Harris Fellow. 

Prior to his service with City, Melton had extensive experience in the construction and land development industry. 

Deputy City Manager 

Eddie Smith has 26 years of NC local government management experience, serving as Deputy City Manager since 2005. He has direct responsibility for Police, Fire and the two Assistant City Managers. Prior to Kannapolis, he served as Town Manager in the Town of Elkin and Town of Lake Waccamaw.

His leadership roles include being a Past-President of Kannapolis Rotary Club and several Chair positions for the NC City & County Managers Association, where he currently serves as 2nd Vice President; he also contributes his time as a member of various community board’s including - Cabarrus Rotary, Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA; and previous committments with Cabarrus Area Crime Stoppers, Cabarrus Academic Learning Center, and Upward Basketball. Eddie holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Public Administration, both from Appalachian State University, as well as a certificate for participation in the NC Municipal Administration Course and Public Executive Leadership Academy, both through UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Assistant City Manager 

Tina Cline is a native of Rowan County and is a graduate of Pfeiffer College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She also graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Government City and County Municipal Administration program.

She is active in a number of non-profit and professional human resources organizations including serving in many leadership positions. Most recently she was the President of the North Carolina Chapter of Public Sector Human Resources Association, and as President, Secretary and a board member of International Public Management Association – N.C. Chapter and Vice-President and President of the Cabarrus Personnel Association. As a member of Grace Lutheran Church she has served as a church councilmember, secretary, social ministry chair, and on the personnel advisory committee. She has also volunteered with Rowan Helping Ministries, the United Way, the American Red Cross as a Board Member and Special Olympics as a Host Town Coordinator.

Assistant City Manager 

Kristin Jones is the Budget and Strategy Director. She has been with the City since January 2020. She was previously employed by Cabarrus County as the Budget Performance Manager and the City of Kannapolis as a Budget and Management Analyst. Kristin graduated from Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration. She has a business minor. 

Kristin is a certified budget officer through the North Carolina Local Government Budget Office. She completed the UNC School of Government Municipal and County Administration. She also completed the leadership course through the Professional Development Academy. Last, she is a graduate of Leadership Cabarrus (class of 2022). 

She currently serves on the West Cabarrus YMCA Board of Directors and as a financial representative on the Rowan Cabarrus YMCA Finance Committee. 

She is a member of the ASU Local Government Chapter, NCCMA, NCGFOA and NCLGBA.  

City Clerk

Pam Scaggs is the City Clerk. As clerk Pam is the primary public records custodian for the City. Pam has previously served as the City’s Planning Department Administrative Assistant since 2015 and has 30 years of high-level administrative experience. Pam completed the North Carolina Certified Municipal Clerk certification in 2023. She is a North Carolina Notary and an active member of both the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks, having served on the State Certification Committee in 2023. Her previous administrative experience includes working in the banking industry. A native of Greenville, Pennsylvania, she attended Edinboro University.

City Attorney 

W. Andrew Kelly joined the City of Kannapolis in 2025. He is previously served as a Senior Assistant City Attorney with the City of Charlotte where his focus is on real estate and economic development matters city-wide. While working for the City of Charlotte he was one of the lead attorneys working on the City’s agreements with the Charlotte Hornets, Carolina Panthers, and the revitalization of Eastland Mall, collectively representing more than $1 billion of economic development investment. 

A native of Winston-Salem, Andrew graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.A. in political science and received his juris doctor from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law with a concentration in intellectual property.  Andrew began his career in San Francisco where he worked in entertainment law and remains licensed to practice law in California. He returned to North Carolina to begin his municipal law career at John G. Wolfe, III & Associates in Kernersville, where he worked in private practice which included a variety of matters including contracted legal support for the Town of Kernersville. He also served as an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Greensboro.  Andrew is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and the Mecklenburg County Bar Association and a Fellow of the International Municipal Lawyers Association.

Economic Development and Management Consultant 

He began working for Kannapolis in 1995, first as the City’s Planning Director and then as Assistant City Manager. He has been involved in the dramatic change of Kannapolis over the past decade with the transformation of the community from a textile-based economy to a regional economy with expanding roots in biotechnology and tourism. This transformation included the development of the North Carolina Research Campus in partnership with David Murdock/Castle & Cooke, Cabarrus County and several state universities.

In 2015 Mike played an integral part in the negotiations to purchase approximately 50 acres, and eight blocks of downtown buildings for approximately $6 million.

With this purchase Mike led his management team and others to develop a strategic downtown master plan which has resulted in a three-phase approach for the Downtown Revitalization Project: replacement and construction of infrastructure and streetscape; the construction of Atrium Health Ballpark and a mixed-use district, VIDA, with a new parking deck.

Under his leadership the City of Kannapolis survived the closure of one of the State’s largest companies, the layoff of more than 4,000 employees, two major droughts, the Great Recession including stagnant revenues and a global pandemic. Through all those challenges, Kannapolis has found a way to prosper and become one of the top cities in North Carolina and the U.S.

Leaning on his City Planning background, Mike implemented a strategic plan for growth throughout the City. He systemically used best practices to ensure Kannapolis capitalizes on its strategic assets such as six interstate interchanges, plentiful land in and around the downtown area and areas preserved for industrial investments. He ensured the City’s commitment in infrastructure improvements along the I-85 and Kannapolis Parkway corridors where people and companies are now investing in significant residential and commercial development. During his tenure, the City now facilitates six thriving industrial areas that are home to numerous companies including two Amazon facilities, Prime Beverage, Gordon Food Service, Haas Racing NASCAR and Formula One Teams, Rebel, and Chick-fil-A Supply and more than 7 million square feet of industrial space.

The Charlotte Business Journal has recognized Mike as one of the Top CEOs in the Charlotte Metro Region and one of the “Power 100” which identified the 100 key players shaping the Charlotte region since 2000.  Mike was also awarded the James D. Prosser Excellence in Government Leadership Award by the Centralina Regional Council of Government.

Over the past thirty years, his community and regional involvement have included numerous boards and support of advocacy groups such as:

Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation, Cabarrus Chamber of Commerce, International City and County Managers Association (ICMA), NC City and County Manager’s Association (NCCCMA), Chair of the Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County (WSACC) , Kannapolis Rotary Club (Past President), Kannapolis Education Foundation Board of Directors, N.C. Music Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Foundation for the Carolinas – Cabarrus, Board of Directors, Cabarrus Arts Council Board of Directors, and the United Way of Cabarrus Board of Directors.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, his professional career has included positions with the City of Charlotte, the City of Cape Coral, FL, the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, and Vice President of Benchmark, Inc.

Mike and his wife, Kelly, have two adult children, Tyler and Rachel.