Durham City Council Work Session - April 10, 2023
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Durham City Council Work Session - April 10, 2023
This work session of the Durham City Council, held on April 10, 2023, opened with a moment of remembrance for city employee John Alore, who passed away the previous week. The council adopted two proclamations, approved a management priority contract amendment, and heard public comments on housing and ethics. Consent agenda items and board appointments were also approved en bloc.
Ceremonial Items
- National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 9-15, 2023) – Proclamation read by Mayor Pro Tem Middleton, accepted by Dwayne McIntyre, an emergency communications technician, and Tangela Walker, assistant director of the Durham Emergency Communications Center. The council invited residents to visit the center.
- National Community Development Week (April 10-14, 2023) – Proclamation read by Councilmember Caballero, accepted by Reginald Johnson on behalf of the Community Development Department and the Citizens Advisory Committee, highlighting CDBG and HOME program achievements.
Consent Calendar
The council approved the consent agenda (items 1–20 and 25) and public hearing items (21–24) by unanimous vote, with no items pulled for separate discussion. Notable consent items included:
- Item 12: Contract for cultural roadmap development with AMS Planning and Research (Mayor O’Neill noted her role as honorary co-chair but did not recuse).
- Item 15: Construction services contract for Beachwood Cemetery Expansion Project – Councilmember Holsey Hyman expressed concern that no minority-owned contractor or Black staff were involved with the contract.
- Item 14: Sidewalk Gaps 3 project construction contract.
- Item 16: Ordinance amendment for private drainage assistance hardship program.
Public Comments & Testimony
Four participants spoke during the citizens’ matters segment:
- James Chavis (in person) – Announced a community meeting on April 15 at Houghton to discuss SCAD (Durham’s Strategic Community Action for Diversity) and urged both supporters and opponents to attend, per the mayor’s request for inclusive dialogue.
- Glinda Ainge (in person) – Alleged long-term housing failures with a nonprofit landlord (DHA), including rent embezzlement, mold, and lack of fair housing resolution despite complaints to multiple agencies. She requested help from the council.
- Jonte Dunstan (in person) – Offered words of encouragement to Councilmember Freeman, Councilmember Holsey Hyman, and Mayor O’Neill, urging unity, renouncing violence, and asking staff to express mutual appreciation.
- Jackie Wagstaff (online) – Addressed the City Council Code of Ethics, alleging that some council members failed to abstain from votes on matters where they or their family had financial interests (e.g., participatory budgeting involving a council member’s mother-in-law). She promised to present a timeline at a future meeting.
Discussion Items
The council did not deliberate any major policy items beyond the consent agenda. Key procedural items included:
- Remembrance of John Alore – City Manager Page noted that Alore would be honored at Bike Durham’s Ride of Silence on May 17, 2023, at 6 p.m., starting at CCB Plaza.
- Excused Absences – The council approved (by voice vote) excused absences for Mayor Pro Tem Middleton on April 17 and for Mayor O’Neill on April 20 (work session), with Councilmember Freeman designated to preside on April 20.
Key Outcomes
- Manager’s Priority Item Approved – Contract amendment #3 with Kimley-Horn and Associates for the Lakewood Avenue SOAR and NC54 waterline replacements (Item 25) was approved by unanimous voice vote (moved by Councilmember Williams, seconded by Councilmember Caballero).
- Consent Agenda Adopted – All consent items (1–20, 25) and public hearing items (21–24) were approved en bloc.
- Board Appointments Confirmed – The following nominations were accepted:
- Durham City-County Environmental Affairs Board – Ben Goldberg (youth)
- Mayor’s Hispanic-Latino Committee – Victor Hiraldo
- Durham Workers’ Rights Commission – Bjorn Peterson (diverse background), Antonio Luster (largest workplace)
- Human Relations Commission – Nataskia L. Adams (African American)
- Durham Convention Center Authority – Matthew E. Colbridge
- Durham Planning Commission – Vickus Gurham
- Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority – Patrick Hannah (mayor’s appointment)
- Mayor’s Council for Women – Darcell Dillard (Ward 3)
- Next Meeting – The next regular city council meeting is Monday, April 10 (the same day as the work session). The mayor’s State of the City address will occur that evening.
Meeting Transcript
One minute to a broadcast. We are now streaming. Recording in progress. Good afternoon. Everybody. Welcome to the City of Durham's City Council Work Session for today, Thursday, April 6th, 2023, at 1 p.m. here in City Hall Plaza. We are on the four first floor in Council Chambers, and we are extremely happy to know that some of you have joined us in person. As well. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Mayor O'Neill. I am present. Mayor Pro Tem Middleton. I'm here. Councilmember Caballero. Here. Councilmember Freeman. Present. Councilmember Holsey Hyman. Present. Councilmember Johnson. Here. Councilmember Williams. I'm present. Thank you. Well, we start this day. Um this week has been a week of mourning for the city of Durham in the loss of one of our own who's been who have been with us for over 24 years. And we now call on our city manager once again to take time to recognize a life well lived. And a true public servant, Mr. John A. Lor, City Manager Page. As we as a City of Durham family continue to uh remember John, John Allure, uh this this week. Uh we have a picture cloud that is showing as a screensaver. So for those who can see that, uh, we we ask you to please look at John and all of the different ways that uh he was represented. I saw him actually recognized in um in in some of the media accounts that he was a he was a renaissance man. So this is sort of a uh a picture cloud of all of the different uh different ways that John John showed up, but one one of the ways he certainly showed up uh is in one on one City Hall Plaza. And uh just this week we we have been informed and would like to share um that during this year's annual ride of silence that is hosted by Bike Durham on Wednesday um May the 17th at 6 p.m. just prior to the ride. John will be honored and remembered among others who have also lost their lives while biking uh on on on on streets that that are shared uh with other modes of of transportation. Um the ride will start downtown, right downtown at uh CCB Plaza. So we we we wanted to announce that uh today. Uh and and we also wanted to send our sincere condolences to John's family, uh, including his work family, which most of the budget department is here in the chamber today, and we've been working together all morning, all yesterday, uh, on this very important work that we do together uh to bring to this community uh a balanced budget. Um also we would like to, and we believe that they're watching uh today, particularly send our sincere uh condolences, our thoughts and our prayers to uh John's daughters, Amelia, Grace, and Ava, and their mother Elizabeth Alore. So thank you, Mayor. Thank you, City Manager Page. I just want to know if the um technical people could give a shot of all of our budget staff who are in here today. If you could kind of pan, I ask them to stand as we uh salute and recognize them too. They lost a friend, a colleague, a person, and they are still working. It's been a very hard week for them. Um, and I just want you to know that we're standing with you for whatever you all may need, and there are really no words to say thank you.
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