ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WITN) – An Eastern Carolina city abruptly announced Thursday that its city manager will be taking administrative leave.

Keith Rogers Jr. has been serving as Rocky Mount City Manager since March 2023.

His leave is effective Friday. Peter Varney will be sworn in as Interim City Manager in the meantime.

Rogers came to Rocky Mount from Dumfries, Virginia where he served as town manager since 2019.

In the city’s brief email to WITN, no explanation was given as to why Rogers is taking administrative leave or how long it will last.