Durham City Council Meeting – March 3, 2025
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Durham City Council Meeting – March 3, 2025
The City Council met on Monday, March 3, 2025, at 7:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included ceremonial recognitions, council announcements, adoption of the consent agenda, and a public hearing on a street closing. All votes were unanimous.
Ceremonial Items
- GoDurham Million Milers Recognition: Three bus operators were honored for achieving one million or more accident-free miles. One operator reached two million miles over 24 years of service. Others recognized were Wanda Dunn (14 years), Trenton Jones (13 years), and George Williams (18 years).
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation: Mayor Pro Tem Middleton read a proclamation declaring March 2025 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The proclamation cited an estimated 53,010 colorectal cancer deaths and 152,810 new cases in the U.S. in 2024. A 36-year-old survivor, Chris Bigger, spoke about the importance of screening and research funding.
- Girl Scouts of America Day Proclamation: Councilmember Caballero read a proclamation declaring March 12, 2025, as Girl Scout Day in Durham. Girl Scout Ruby Benson spoke about the organization’s impact, noting over 50,000 Girl Scouts in North Carolina.
Announcements by Council
- Councilmember Cook reported on the budget retreat, highlighting prioritization of fare-free transit, a homelessness strategy consultant, and expansion of the HEART emergency response team. She also announced that white flag shelters would be open Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday due to cold weather.
- Councilmember Baker discussed the budget retreat and the upcoming budget public hearing on March 17. He also attended the Bull City Stop the Gun Violence Vigil and the Durham Workers’ Assembly meeting, sharing worker solidarity quotes.
- Councilmember Caballero celebrated the grand reopening of Wheels roller skating rink (sold out all weekend) and noted a Shabbat for refugees hosted by Judea Reform Congregation, which sponsors refugees from Afghanistan.
- Councilmember Freeman acknowledged Women’s History Month and noted that only two women have served as Durham mayor in over 150 years. She requested and received an excused absence for Thursday, March 6.
- Councilmember Rist encouraged colorectal cancer screenings, thanked the mayor pro tem for the League of Municipalities town and state dinner, and praised the Wheels reopening as a model of community engagement.
- Mayor Pro Tem Middleton echoed the importance of addressing gun violence, stating it is the city’s top issue. He also welcomed the Delta Sigma Theta sorority members in attendance.
- Mayor Williams announced the State of the City address, upcoming budget hearings, and a partnership with Duke Orthopedics and Johnson & Johnson to fund a barbershop-based gun violence prevention program. He also noted that 300 federal workers in Durham have been laid off or furloughed due to federal cuts and that he would be traveling to Washington, D.C., with other councilmembers to advocate for the city.
Consent Calendar
The consent agenda, comprising 20 items, was adopted unanimously (7-0). Key items included:
- Appointments to the Planning Commission (Evan Bradley) and Human Relations Commission (Kaleigh A. Greener).
- Receipt of the Procurement Card Performance Audit, 2024 attendance reports for boards/commissions, Discover Durham’s 2024 annual report, and the Housing Appeals Board fiscal year 2024 annual report.
- Adoption of an ordinance amending the FY2021-2022 CDBG grant project ordinance for $2,222,885.67.
- Authorization for a CMAR agreement with C.T. Wilson Construction Co. for the Public Works Operations Center Renovation (preconstruction services up to $220,000).
- Several transportation and infrastructure contracts: modifications to master agreements for multimodal safety improvements on Guess Road, city-maintained roads, and the two-way conversion of Roxboro and Mangum Streets; a second amendment to the GoDurham fixed-route transit management contract with RATP Dev USA (up to $3,335,000, revised total $264,879,849.51); receipt of the GoDurham FY2024 annual report; and governing agreements for 2025-2028 transportation on-call engineering services.
- Construction contracts: Carolina Civilworks Inc. for 2025 water and sewer point repairs ($11,313,560) and FY25 unscheduled pipeline repairs ($2,318,667.50); Teraflex Group LLC for Albany, Peachtree, Gattis waterline replacement ($1,668,069) and FY25 unscheduled pipeline repairs ($2,386,425).
- Receipt of the 2024 Fourth Quarter Crime Report (with additional information requested at the February 20 work session).
- Amendment to a stormwater web portal maintenance contract ($25,000, revised total $101,000).
Public Hearing – Clegg Drive Street Closing
A public hearing was held on the request to permanently close the entirety of Clegg Drive to allow for construction of a multifamily residential development. Staff planner Jaleesa Harris presented the staff report, and the applicant’s representative, Matthew Carpenter of Parker Poe, answered questions about the project’s compliance with subdivision standards. No members of the public signed up to speak. The council then voted unanimously on two motions:
- To permanently close Clegg Drive.
- To amend the Place Type Map of the Comprehensive Plan to designate the recombined parcels as Mixed Residential Neighborhood.
Key Outcomes
- All consent agenda items adopted unanimously (7-0).
- The two motions for the Clegg Drive street closing passed unanimously (7-0).
- Councilmember Freeman’s excused absence for March 6 was approved unanimously.
- The council will hold a budget public hearing on March 17, 2025, and continue budget discussions.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening, everyone, and welcome to City Hall. Um good to have everybody here and have a few guests here tonight. Shall acknowledge them in just a moment. Um, but for now, I'd like to call this meeting to order at 7 p.m. And if you will, join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. I now pass it over to Councilmember Freeman for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. It's our practice to stand to salute the flag and say the pledge together. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America. Thank you. Madam Clerk, will you please call the role? Sure. Mayor Williams. I'm here. Mayor Pro Tem Middleton. I'm here. Councilmember Caballero. Here. Councilmember Cook. Here. Councilmember Freeman. President. Councilmember Rest. Here. Thank you. Thank you. At this time, I am going to pass it over to Councilmember. Mayor Pro Tim Middleton to uh for our first celebration item. Thank you, Your Honor, and good evening to you, to my honorable colleagues on the dais to all in chamber with us tonight and to our neighbors and friends on whatever platform you may be watching. Good evening and thank you for joining us tonight. I have the privilege of uh reading very serious proclamation, a proclamation for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, which affects so many Americans and people right here in our Durham community. And I'm going to ask Mr. Chris Bigger to come forward from the Durham Colorectal Cancer Community and Duke Cancer Institute, if he's here. Come on up, buddy. Thank you for being there. Absolutely. Proclamation. Whereas colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with an estimated 53,010 fatalities in 2024, a slight increase over increase over last year's estimated, estimated 52,550. And whereas in 2024, approximately 152,810 individuals in the United States were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Of these cases, an estimated 106,590 will be colon cancer and 46,220 will be rectal cancer. Colorectal cancer affects men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, with increased risk as individuals age, particularly those aged 45 years or older. And whereas historically marginalized populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, are disproportionately impacted by colorectal cancer, with African Americans experiencing higher incidence and mortality rates. Colorectal is often preventable, treatable, and beatable, and increased screening can save lives. And whereas Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity for organizations and health practitioners in Durham to promote awareness of screening, increase access to screenings, and advocate for those affected by and surviving colorectal cancer. And whereas the City of Durham encourages individuals to discuss family medical history with their health care providers, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and undergo recommended screenings to decrease to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer and increase survivorship rates. Now, therefore, I, Leonardo Williams, Mayor of the City of Durham, North Carolina, to hereby hereby proclaim March 2025 as colorectal cancer awareness month in the City of Durham and urge all citizens to observe this month with appropriate actions such as screenings. Witness my hand and the corporate seal of the City of Durham, North Carolina, just the first day of March 2025. Leonardo Williams, Mayor. I want to thank Mayor Williams and all of City Council and the citizens of Durham.
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