Durham City Council Meeting Summary – April 28, 2025

The Durham City Council met on April 28, 2025, at 3:45 PM in a work session that included citizen comments, discussion of pulled consent items, and two major presentations: proposed water and sewer rates for FY2025-26 and the Durham Central Park Concept Plan. No formal votes were taken on the major items; the meeting concluded with the settlement of the consent agenda and public hearing items.

Consent Calendar

• Routine approvals and unanimous actions included administrative appointments (Citizens Advisory Committee, Board of Adjustment, Environmental Affairs Board), departmental contracts (temporary staffing, governmentjobs.com software, Carver Street Extension, pavement management services, CDW licenses, Moffat Pipe water line replacement), and public hearing items for annexation and zoning change.
• Items pulled for discussion: Item #6 (2025 Durham Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Park System Plan), Item #9 (Pavement Management Services contract), and Item #11 (CDW software licenses).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Aisha Abdullah Ali (CEO of Summit Environmental Resources) expressed full support for making Durham climate-change disaster prepared, emphasizing the need for community-level training and evacuation strategies. She offered her corporation's services to conduct training classes.
• James Chavis (representing PAC One) urged the council to stop waiting for a disaster and to support the initiative. He noted that Durham County responded in three days with a proclamation, while the city and school board have not replied. He invited council to attend upcoming community meetings.
• Chris Perlstein raised concern about a near-miss incident involving four pedestrians and the lack of engineering solutions for road safety. He stated that Vision Zero goals are not being met and that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. He called for prioritizing safer street projects in the budget.
• A caller (name not given) complained about 18-wheelers and box trucks parking on Dakota Street near a school, as well as speeding. She reported unhelpful responses from the non-emergency police number and requested city officials to witness the conditions.

Discussion Items

• Pulled Item #6 – 2025 Durham Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Park System Plan: Several speakers addressed the condition of Elmira Park tennis courts (cracks, poor drainage) and urged investment. Dale McKeel (Recreation Advisory Commission) read a statement strongly supporting the Half Penny for Parks and Trails Fund and the increased funding from the property tax adjustment. Chris Foster, Melvin Talbert, Katarina Raher, and Mike Gallagher emphasized the safety, historical, and recreational value of the tennis courts, with Gallagher specifically requesting professional drainage in the scope of rehabilitation work. Councilmember Cook shared photos of the court damage. Council directed staff to consider requests.
• Pulled Item #9 – Pavement Management Services Contract (ST335C): Dale McKeel (speaking for himself) questioned the accountability of the inspection contractor, citing issues with pavement markings on Martin Luther King Parkway (insufficient bike lane buffers) and premature peeling of pavement preservation treatments on several roads. Tasha Johnson (Public Works) responded that the same consultant has been used previously, that peeling issues are being monitored and attributed to subsurface conditions rather than workmanship, and that contractual recourses exist for workmanship issues. Council asked for follow-up on buffer inconsistencies.
• Pulled Item #11 – Contract with CDW for VMware Licenses: Councilmember Cook asked Dwayne Kendall (Technology Solutions) about the historical sharing of licenses between Police and City Hall, the five-year refresh cycle, and the eventual move to cloud-based services. Kendall explained the efficiencies and that this may be the last major on-premise hardware refresh.
• Presentation – Proposed Water and Sewer Rates FY2025-26: Don Greeley (Water Management) presented the rate proposal, citing an overall 8.5% increase driven by rising construction costs (80% increase over four years) and the generational Jordan Lake project (estimated near $1 billion). The plan includes tiered rates for conservation, a continuation of the hardship fund ($150,000 annually, with $100,000 already used), and a focus on affordability for the lowest three tiers (covering 75% of customers). A typical tier-1 customer (1,080 cf/month) would see a $2.41/month increase. Council discussed the Jordan Lake governance agreements, the need for a bond, state/federal grant possibilities, the conservation signal, and PFAS regulations. Councilmember Rist noted ongoing Jordan Lake One Water strategic planning.
• Presentation – Durham Central Park Concept Plan: Wade Walcott (Parks and Recreation) and Shweda (McAdams) presented a vision plan for Durham Central Park, developed through community engagement and aligned with the comprehensive park system plan. Key elements include enhancing the gardens (western parcel), activating the farmers market pavilion and Canopy Plaza, creating a festival street that can be closed for events (with collapsible bollards), a leveled great lawn with seating, expanded Mount Merrill play area with water feature, a stage, improved skate park, and ADA-accessible overlooks. Council expressed strong support for the plan, with interest in permanently closing Foster Street to vehicles, integrating the skate park, improving shade, and ensuring connections to future developments (e.g., DAP, affordable housing). Councilmember Baker and Caballero raised phasing and cost-sharing questions; staff noted three potential phases.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda and public hearing items (Items #1-13, #15-16) were settled for approval at a future meeting. No vote was taken on the individual pulled items or presentations.
• Council directed staff to address concerns raised on pavement management (accountability for markings and preservation failures) and to follow up on Elmira Park tennis court repairs.
• The water rate proposal and Central Park concept plan were received for discussion; no formal action was taken. Staff will continue work on governance agreements for Jordan Lake and phasing/cost-sharing for the park plan.
• Councilmember Rist committed to bringing an update on the Jordan Lake One Water strategic planning process to a future council meeting.
• The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:18 PM.