Special City Council Budget Request Hearing - March 24, 2023

This special meeting of the Durham City Council continued the budget request hearing, focusing on 11 items previously categorized as "yellow" (requiring further discussion). Councilmembers deliberated each item, with the goal of reclassifying them as "green" (submitted to the city manager for consideration) or "red" (not included for the upcoming fiscal year). The meeting lasted approximately two hours and was facilitated by the city's innovation team.

Discussion Items

• City of Durham Mentoring Alliance Collaborative Pilot Program (Councilmember Hyman): Proposed to enhance community partners who mentor youth and create a one-stop shop for updated mentoring information. Discussion centered on whether this should be a directive to the Office on Youth or a budget item. Some councilmembers expressed concern about adding a new FTE, while others highlighted the need for accurate and accessible information. The city manager noted that the county already maintains a similar list. After debate, the council modified the proposal to remove the FTE and instead allocate up to $50,000 in city funds, with the expectation that county and school partners would match. The item was advanced as a green.

• Community Conversations Reboot (Councilmember Johnson): Proposed to restart a resident engagement program that brings residents, city, county, and school district staff together for in-depth budget discussions. Estimated cost: $163,000 for one year. Councilmember Freeman expressed concern about adding workload to already stretched staff; Johnson clarified the program would be contracted out. Councilmember Williams suggested aligning it with an existing engagement contract. No final decision was reached during this segment, but the item remained under discussion.

• Community Design Lab Pilot (Councilmember Williams): Proposed to establish a brick-and-mortar community design lab for solution-focused engagement. Williams agreed to withdraw the proposal and instead incorporate the concept into the Community Conversations reboot, noting it could be a hosting site. The item was effectively merged with the previous item.

• Durham Symphony Orchestra (Councilmember Williams): Proposed $100,000 recurring for the Durham Symphony Orchestra to support salaries and concerts. Councilmember Freeman worried about setting a precedent for direct, ongoing funding outside the existing competitive arts grant process. Councilmember Williams indicated willingness to reduce the amount. Mayor Pro Tem Caballero and Councilmember Johnson supported the idea as a sustained investment in a city-named institution. The item was not finalised; further discussion was deferred.

• Employee Ownership Technical Support Pilot Program (Councilmember Johnson): Proposed $15,000 over two years to contract with a nonprofit to support employee-owned businesses. Some councilmembers saw overlap with existing programs (e.g., the trades apprenticeship pilot, the "Built to Last" initiative). No final vote was taken; the item remained undecided.

• Grassroots Violence Prevention Efforts (Councilmember Hyman): Proposed to create funding for grassroots violence prevention programs. Councilmember Freeman argued that several existing budget items (e.g., guaranteed income, Marshall Plan) already address this. Hyman agreed to withdraw the request if she could see the funding elsewhere. The item was not formally red-circled but discussion indicated it might be covered by existing initiatives.

• Home Ownership Education Pilot (Councilmember Hyman): Proposed to create a home ownership education program. After hearing that the Forever Home Durham program already includes home buyer training and counseling, Hyman withdrew the request, satisfied that the work is being done.

• CIP Fayetteville Street Planning Group (Councilmember Freeman): Requested that items from the Fayetteville Street Planning Group be moved into the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Extensive discussion ensued about historic disinvestment in the Hayti/Fayetteville Street corridor, the Marshall Plan (already green-lighted at $10 million), and other funding sources. Councilmembers disagreed on whether to commit additional dollars immediately or first obtain a comprehensive picture of current and planned investments. The council agreed to pause, directing staff to prepare a holistic funding and project map for the corridor before making further decisions. No vote was taken on this item.

Key Outcomes

• Mentoring Alliance: Modified and advanced as green (no FTE, up to $50,000 city share, matching expected).
• Community Design Lab: Withdrawn and folded into the Community Conversations reboot.
• Home Ownership Education: Withdrawn, since the work exists in Forever Home Durham.
• Grassroots Violence Prevention: Effectively deferred with the understanding that existing programs may cover the intent.
• Fayetteville Street Corridor: No decision; staff to return with a complete investment overview.
• Remaining items (Community Conversations, Durham Symphony, Employee Ownership) were not resolved; they will be addressed when the council reconvenes.
• Total green-lighted items as of this session (including previous decisions) amount to $10.9 million one-time, $1.4 million over two years, $750,000 over three years, and $2.8 million recurring—totaling approximately $15 million. The largest single item is the $10 million one-time Marshall Plan.