Durham City Council Work Session - August 4, 2025

The Durham City Council held a work session on Monday, August 4, 2025, beginning at 10:00 AM in the Second Floor Committee Room at 101 City Hall Plaza. The meeting included announcements, public comments, a consent agenda with several items pulled for discussion, and a detailed presentation on the Upper Neuse River Basin Association (UNRBA) budget. The council also set the agenda for the evening general business meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously: Items 1-5, 9, 11-16, 18-19, and 22-24 were approved on consent. These included appointments to the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities (11 appointments), Durham Performing Arts Center Oversight Committee (1 appointment), approval of city council minutes from May-June 2025, several departmental contracts (e.g., West Woodridge Drive Infrastructure Repairs, Stantec water quality tracking, print/mail services with InfoSend, stormwater easements, lease of NCDOT property for American Tobacco Trail, Cornerstone learning management amendment, TruView background screening, Fierce Fellows grant, athletic booking agent with Fun2Ref, National Testing Network promotional testing, Carus bulk water chemicals, Freese and Nichols lift station upgrades, and Water Management facility expansion amendment). Item 20 (ERP implementation amendment) was referred back to staff. Item 3 (Recreation Advisory Commission appointments) was pulled for separate discussion and voting later.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jacqueline Wagstaff (Citizens' Matters): Expressed concern about statements made by the mayor regarding a mother and son allegedly stalking him, and questioned the mayor's residency. She also requested information about "protective housing" for residents in high-crime areas. The mayor responded that the situation has been publicly documented and declined to address the matter further in the meeting.
• Julie Messina (Founder/Event Director, Durham NC Parkrun): Celebrated 12 years of free weekly timed 5K runs at Southern Boundaries Park. Provided statistics: 564 events, 4,376 unique finishers, 26,803 total finishers, 293 volunteers, average time 31:20, range from 16 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes (including a stroke survivor). Parkrun is family-friendly and attracts tourists. No requests or demands were made.

Discussion Items

• Item 6 – NIS Human Relations Division Effectiveness of Case Investigations Performance Audit: Councilmember Caballero raised concerns about prolonged case closure delays. Germaine Brewington (Audit Services) confirmed the audit findings. Housing and Neighborhood Services staff reported that internal staff realignments are underway to address the issue. Councilmember Caballero requested a sooner update given upcoming budget considerations.
• Item 7 – Contract Renewal for FY26 Domestic Violence and Gang Violence Reduction Agreement: Councilmember Baker asked for context on the contract's origin. Ryan Smith (Community Safety Director) explained that the contract supplements state-funded Assistant District Attorneys, as the number of ADAs in Durham has not increased since 1999. District Attorney Satana Deberry (online) reported that the positions handle all misdemeanor domestic violence cases and support juvenile gang-related work. Councilmember Baker requested data on caseloads and outcomes; the DA noted that a new electronic court system has hampered data access. Councilmember Freeman expressed support for continued collaboration and restorative justice efforts.
• Item 10 – Contract with Stantec for Water Quality Pollutant Source Tracking: Councilmember Riss thanked staff for focusing on two of Durham's most distressed streams (Stirrup Iron Creek and an unnamed tributary to Rock Creek). John Loperfido (Environmental and Street Services) confirmed the streams have pollution issues. Councilmember Riss asked about public health notifications for polluted streams; staff noted that county public health handles such decisions. Councilmember Freeman inquired about recovering costs from a known private landowner polluting the stream at Burton Park; Michelle Woolfolk said options are being explored but not yet pursued.
• Item 17 – Contract for Administration of Phase Two of the Durham Small Business Opportunity Fund: Councilmember Riss requested that the contract include specific performance goals (e.g., number of businesses served, loans issued) to evaluate success. Kevin Dick (Carolina Small Business Development Fund) explained that loan amounts vary ($25,000–$75,000), making precise targets difficult, but estimated 18–40 loan recipients. For early-stage support (business tools), they aim to serve about 50 businesses. Councilmember Freeman cautioned against setting targets that could limit flexibility, emphasizing the program's reactive nature to COVID-19 harms. The contract was approved on consent later.
• Item 21 – Contract with WeDriveU for GoDurham ACCESS On-Demand Services: Councilmember Riss asked about the selection committee composition. Sean Egan (Transportation Director) replied that the committee included users and peer agencies, focusing on criteria like on-time performance and scheduling flexibility. The recommended contractor scored highest.
• Item 8 – UNRBA FY2026 Budget Presentation: Michelle Woolfolk presented on the Upper Neuse River Basin Association's work. Key points: Falls Lake is impaired for chlorophyll A (algae); nutrient levels have decreased since 2011 due to stage one rules. Stage two would cost billions and may not be feasible or sustainable. The UNRBA is proposing an investment-based option for existing development, wastewater, and DOT to allow off-site stormwater projects. The budget for FY26 is $767,000, with the City of Durham contributing $162,937.56. Council discussed challenges including shifting state goalposts, future wastewater discharge limits, and the need to communicate water quality status to residents. Social media education efforts (Instagram) were noted. The resolution to support the budget was later approved on consent.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved: All items on consent (except those pulled or referred) were approved unanimously. The consent agenda as settled for the evening meeting included items 1, 2, 4-19, 21-24 (with item 20 referred back to staff, and item 3 to be voted on separately).
• Item 3 (Recreation Advisory Commission Appointments): Councilmember Baker moved to reappoint Dale McKeel and appoint Gregory Williams, moving Williams to an at-large category. The council agreed to re-ballot with voting to close at 7:30 PM that evening.
• UNRBA Resolution: The council adopted the resolution supporting the UNRBA FY2026 budget and the city's contribution of $162,937.56. This was included in the consent agenda.
• Violence Interruption Discussion: Councilmember Caballero expressed interest in exploring a city-led violence interruption program (similar to Bull City United). Mayor Pro Tem Middleton noted ongoing conversations with county staff. Councilmember Freeman requested that the topic be placed on a future joint city-county meeting agenda. The mayor agreed to include it.
• Next Steps: The council will meet again later that day (August 4, 2025) at 1:00 PM for the general business meeting, which includes public hearings on items 25-29. The council also received a training on new voting equipment in the council chambers.