City of Reidsville Press Release – Release Date May 19, 2025
Reidsville Announces Staff Re-Organizational Structure
May 19, 2025 – The City of Reidsville is reclassifying an existing position to become the Assistant City Manager for Public Safety (ACM-PS) designed to enhance and unify the City’s public safety and municipal service efforts. This position will play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and well-being of Reidsville’s residents and visitors.
As of May 19, Reidsville Fire Chief Joshua Farmer will begin his new duties as ACM-PS/Fire Chief. In addition to overseeing the City’s Fire Department, Farmer will also head Building Inspections, Building Permitting, Engineering, and City Facilities Maintenance. Currently those areas have been overseen by Planning & Community Development and Public Works departments. As the City is experiencing growth at an exceptional rate, this change will allow the Planning & Community Development Department to focus on planning and zoning issues associated with the upcoming residential and commercial growth, according to Reidsville City Manager Summer Moore. Also, a considerable amount of decision-making in Building Inspections and Permitting revolves around public safety, she added. Farmer’s experience with fire and building codes is a plus in this new role.
“This is a significant step in our ongoing commitment to the safety and service of our community,” Moore said. “By consolidating these critical departments under a single leader with the expertise and vision to guide public safety initiatives, we are building a stronger, more resilient Reidsville.”
The Reidsville City Manager also noted that currently no one single person is the primary contact for all City-owned and maintained facilities. Farmer will be able to review vendor contracts and determine if a more cohesive and cost effective facilities maintenance plan can be developed Citywide.
“Chief Farmer is a natural fit for this reclassified position,” Moore said, adding that his experience with fire and building codes is a plus in this new role.
“I am excited about taking on this new challenge in my career and serving in this new capacity,” Fire Chief Farmer said. “I look forward to working with staff and community members to capitalize on public safety opportunities that will make Reidsville a top choice for current and future residents, visitors and business owners.”
A native of Reidsville, Farmer graduated from Reidsville High School. He has been a full-time member of the Reidsville Fire Department since 2014. In June of 2017, Farmer was promoted to Administrative Fire Captain for the City of Reidsville. Three years later, in December of 2020, he was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief/ Fire Marshal. On July 1, 2023, he was selected after a competitive process to be Fire Chief after the retirement of Chief David Bracken.
Farmer has an Associate’s Degree in Fire Protection Technology from Guilford Technical Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from East Carolina University and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the fall of 2023. He is also a graduate of the Chief Officer Executive Development Program. Since 2013, Farmer has acquired 17 State certifications pertaining to fire, police, and emergency medical services. For the past seven years, Farmer has also been a part-time Police Officer with the Reidsville Police Department. He and his wife, Eboni, and young daughter, Reagan, live in Reidsville.
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