Welcome to the September 16th, 2025 meeting of the Greensboro City Council.

We are in the Katie Dorset Council Chamber.

Let the record reflect that all council members are in attendance.

We will begin tonight's meeting with a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Mrs.

Hoffman, would you lead us in the pledge?

Of the United States of America and to the Republic.

For which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Please silence any and all electronic devices.

If you must make or receive a phone call, kindly do so from outside the chamber.

The City of Greensboro strongly encourages resident input at our meetings.

It is the goal of the City Council that the Katie Dorset Council Chamber is a welcoming and safe space for all community members.

In order to speak at tonight's meeting, individuals must sign up to speak by 6 p.m.

If you signed up to speak online, you must let the courier know that you are in attendance.

Speakers may address specific consent or business agenda items with up to three minutes allocated for their remarks.

Zoning matters, there is a 15-minute presentation for both the proponents and the opponents of the rezoning and a five-minute rebuttal.

The speakers cannot relinquish their time to others, and the speaker order is determined by the presiding officer.

All speakers are expected to adhere to the rules of decorum.

Any inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in an immediate removal from the meeting.

Removal will result in a three-month suspension from in-person participation.

A second violation following the initial suspension will result in a six-month suspension.

A third violation or any instance involving physical altercations will lead to a 12-month suspension and may also result in criminal charges.

Individuals who are suspended will still have an option of participating virtually via Zoom, ensuring their right to free speech.

Items removed from the consent agenda for discussion will be placed on the next business meeting agenda.

Tonight's meeting does include closed captioning.

Depending on the length of the meeting, we may take a short recess around 7 30.

We're so happy that you are here.

If you have any questions, we'd love to talk to you after the meeting or at any other time.

Thank you so much for being here.

Yes.

And I do want to recognize Chancellor Martin.

It is so nice to have you back in our chambers.

I do think the item you're here for may be getting postponed, but I'll get to that in a moment.

But thank you so much.

It's great to see you.

Um the applicant has requested to continue H1 through H3.

H1 is a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for properties located at portions of 3725 and 3739 and all of 3751 McConnell Road, 35.68 acres, Mary Bell Tuttle and others, and item H2, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for portions of 3725 and 3739, and all of 3751 McConnell Road, Amanda Hodiern for Mary Bell Tuttle, Neil C.

Tuttle, and others, and item H3, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for a portion of McConnell Road right of way for the city of Greensboro.

This is to be continued to October 21 City Council meeting with no further advertising.

Do I have a motion?

Moved by second moved by Mrs.

Hoffman.

No, she was I was sitting right next to her.

She we haven't used that in a long time.

So we we have a motion from Mrs.

Hoffman, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

That passes unanimously.

Can you hear Mrs.

Hightower on her microphone?

Sorry, well, Hugh, you're gonna have to share your mic.

Oh boy.

Yes.

All right.

Now we have another uh we have two more requests to be continued items.

H7, H8 and H9.

H7 is a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for properties located on McConnell Road and Old School Road and portions of McConnell Road and Clapp Farm Road right of way, 109.55 acres, Esther Nancy and others, and item H6, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for properties on McConnell Road and Old School Road, Amanda Hodiern for Esther Erby Revocable Trust and others, and item H9, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for portions of McConnell Road and Clapp Farms right of way, City of Greensboro.

This will be continued to the October 21st City Council meeting without further advertising.

Do I have a motion?

Move items moved by Mrs.

Hightower and seconded by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed that passes unanimously.

And we have another continuance, which are items H 14 through H19.

H14 is a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for properties located at Banning Road, Centerfold Road, Oak Ridge Road, and others, 7.63, 763 acres, Tom Terrell on behalf of David Couch and others.

Item H15, a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property located at 3220 Pleasant Ridge Road, point nine nine acres.

Tom Terrell on behalf of David F.

Couch for Summerfield Real Estate Holdings LLC.

And item H16, a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property located at 6935 Summerfield Road, 4.16 acres, Tom Terrell on behalf of David Couch.

And item H17, a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for properties located at 7650 and 7652 DeBoe Road, 38.59 acres, Tom Terrell on behalf of David F.

Couch and Summerfield Real Estate Holdings LLC.

And item H18, a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for properties located on Oak Ridge Road, Khaki Place, and Debo Road, 106.64 acres, Tom Terrell on behalf of David F.

Couch for various LLCs.

And item H19, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for properties on Banning Road, Center Field Road, Meadow View Drive, and others, Tom Terrell for David F.

Couch and various LLCs.

We need a motion moved by Mrs.

Hoffman.

Seconded for May Mayor ProDair Pro Tem.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

So now we have Madam Mayor on H1 through H3.

I think you said that was going to be continued without advertising.

Yes.

I think that needs to be advertised because that's been continued since February.

You think I'm sorry, say that again?

It needs to be continued with advertising.

We need to re-advertise that.

It's been continued since February.

That's fine.

As long as it gets advertised with, so can we just amend that to not say without further advertising?

Okay.

Can I ask a question, Madam Mayor?

Sure.

Why does it keep getting continued?

It's on every agenda we have every business month.

She was here a second ago.

Well, I think about issues out between the two parties.

So the first one she read was H1 to H3 and then H7 do H9.

I think it was seven through nine or six through nine, but it's two separate entities, but they are trying to work together because of the project.

They're trying to get some things worked out.

So that's why.

I wish Amanda was here because I talked to her earlier today about it as well.

And so they're going to try to get it done in October.

Okay.

Well, they don't have well, we have to put it back on October because we've just said we would.

Um but at that point, if they can't get things maybe together by the end of October, it might be good for them to just pause the project and bring it back at a later date.

Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, and I think that is part of what their thought process is if they can't get it resolved by October, then it will be time for some rework.

Yes, and do some other things.

Thank you.

Um now we have no ceremonial or presentation items, so we move forward to the consent agenda, which are items G1 through G15.

Um Madam Mayor.

Well, um, wait, Hugh, um, our request that we pull item G14 from the consent agenda for the purpose of me recusing myself from that agenda item.

And that was the um budget adjustments, yes.

G14.

And that is to recuse.

And Madam Mayor, I think Dr.

Wells wants to pull G1 and G2.

I was just voted in 7 items that call B on 57.

They've been moved.

Yes.

Did we move or more?

Okay.

Yes, we did.

Okay.

So do I have a motion and a second for Tim?

Okay.

Um, yes, I just the item G12.

I've received some calls about it, and I think it would be helpful if um assistant city manager Harold kind of explained the issue surrounding graffiti and what's changing.

Sure, I'd be glad to see you.

So currently, graffiti um ordinances sit in both chapter 17, which deals with nuisances, and chapter 18, which deals with housing and neighborhood development.

It can be a little confusing when we try to enforce.

So what we've done is we've streamlined the process by putting all of the graffiti ordinances under new the nuisance sections, which is chapter 17.

It's enforced by um code enforcement.

The other change that we made is now we asked property owners to do to fix graffiti.

If they don't, they're fined $50.

We are changing that to be more in line with how code enforcement charges for nuisances, which is if they go and correct it, then they uh they actually charge you the cost of remediation plus 10% to cover administrative costs.

So it's a pretty minor change, but we are um needing to enforce graffiti in a different way.

You know, years ago when that graffiti ordinance first went um into effect, uh, one step further was using that as an opportunity with some of their uh youth who they were trying to um divert out of the criminal justice system that it was a way of doing community service.

And I don't know if we could go back to one step further and talk to them about that, or what other organizations could also come out and help clean some of this graffiti because it is a shame that it falls on the back of the business owner when he is the the victim of the graffiti.

Um it would be good if maybe we could find ways to help them get that removed.

Sure, we'll look at that.

Thank you.

So um do I do I have a motion um for the consent agenda minus G14 moved by Dr.

Wells, seconded by um Mrs.

Ms.

Pinder.

Council please vote.

Is Mr.

Hartzman here?

Because he actually wanted to speak on one of those items.

No, okay.

Mine of us did.

All right, now it's up.

Okay.

I was starting to feel some kind of way.

And that passes nine to zero.

Item G14, which um Mr.

Holston is recused from.

Are budget adjustments approved by the budget officer 82625 through 9825?

Um I need to request to be recused or is it automatic?

It's it's because he's working for a nonprofit, so all he has to say is I'm recusing.

I'm accusing myself.

Yes.

From so that was moved item G14.

Not when it not when it comes to the nonprofit ordinance.

Um, so I have a motion by Mr.

Mazzini.

Seconded by Mrs.

Thurm.

Council, please vote.

And that passes eight to zero.

We now move on to our public hearing portion of our agenda.

We'll start with H4 through H6.

Item H4 is a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for properties located at 5511 Burlington Road and a portion of Burlington Road right of way, 2.85 acres, margillot sing AR General Inc.

and others, and item H5, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for property at 5511 Burlington Road.

I know I've said this name wrong.

Armalat Singh of AR General and Item H6, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for a portion of Burlington Road right of way for the city of Greensboro.

Um do we have speakers on this item.

We do have a speaker in favor of this item.

Mr.

Kirkman, if you would like to give a brief overview.

Yes, and since city council saw this, I will keep it very brief.

Uh so you saw it last month.

Uh basically, again, this is a request to annex property on Burlington Road as well as an additional piece of right-of-way associated with that.

This is uh across from existing city limits.

This is the public distribution center to the to the south that's owned LI.

Um of interest to the council specifically, the applicant is requesting a change to the conditions.

They're limit additional uses.

So I'm gonna read that additional restrictions into the record for council to approve.

Um condition number one is being amended to again um take out a number of uses that could be allowed in the CM district.

So now it will read permitted uses shall include all uses in the CN district except bars, nightclubs, brew pubs, and any type of drive-through facilities.

All uses in the agricultural, household living, group living, outdoor recreation, overnight accommodations, and vehicle and sale vehicle sales and services use groups, animal shelters, cemeteries, passenger terminals, shooting ranges indoor or outdoor, parks and open areas, over oh, that's an overnight combinations earlier, sorry.

Commercial parking as a principal use, including park and ride facilities, mobile food vendors, both motorized and post-cart, funeral homes and crematoriums, taxi dispatch terminals, ABC stores, convenience stores and fuel pumps, flea markets, garden centers, nurseries, pawn shops, section-oriented businesses, truck stops, self-stores facilities, laundry and dry cleaning plants, as well as no light industrial uses will be allowed except medical entertainment laboratories and printing and publishing services.

Do we have a motion?

Second.

Move by Mrs.

Hightower, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

And that passes unanimously to accept that new condition.

Okay.

And I'm happy to answer additional questions at this point.

Okay.

And the applicant is here.

I believe so.

There he is.

Good evening, Mayor, and the rest of the council members.

How are you all doing?

I'm standing in for Dr.

Singh because he had a family situation where his father passed, and so he's out of the city.

So first of all, we want to say thank you for all of your work all the time.

Could you give us your name for the record?

Yeah, this is Dr.

James Joseph.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I am a friend of Dr.

Singh's.

I've known him for about eight to ten years now.

My comments are going to be really brief.

I just wanted to bring you up to date.

I think there was concern at the last meeting that we had no neighborhood meeting, even though we'd sent out letters to everybody and invited them to make comments, nobody did until the meeting itself.

Mr.

Wei raised some objections at the last meeting, and he was concerned about what might be in the future, and we understood that.

We had that conversation before the actual meeting last time.

But we did go ahead and let him set up a neighborhood meeting.

We went through with the meeting, and he and one other friend came over representing the other neighbors.

And again, I think it was clear the last time when he was speaking.

He wasn't that concerned about the shops and the offices.

What bothered him with what might happen with commercial medium zoning because there's a lot of other options, and there's still a few neighbors that live in that area.

So what we did, and we have no objection to this at all, is eliminate everything.

That's why there was 24 additional exemptions that you just approved.

It just took everything off the table that wasn't related to shops and offices.

So that brought everybody was very happy with that, and so I'm here to say it seems like everybody's in good standard right now.

Everybody's happy.

So I would like to open up if you have any more questions, but uh I think we're in good shape.

Any questions?

Comment because the that was the thing that was holding it up the last time.

So I'm glad that all of these conditions were added, and I'm glad that the community and the we felt very comfortable with that.

Glad you got that story.

No, I would second that, um, Dr.

Wells, and um thank you all for being doing that meeting.

Um there were some concerns, but this absolutely looks like this will create a good outcome for what you're trying to do out there.

I think it'll be good for the community.

Absolutely.

That's very important.

So thank you all.

This is the type of thing that should always happen is that community engagement.

Um, end in a win-win for both.

So thank you.

Thank you.

If that's all, do I have a motion to close the public hearing?

Come moved by Mayor Purten, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

And that passes unanimously.

Is there a motion on the annexation?

So moved.

Moved by um Mayor Ferton, seconded by Dr.

Wells.

Um Council, please vote.

And that passes nine to zero.

Item H5 will require a statement of consistency.

Moved by Dr.

Wells.

Seconded by Mrs.

Thurm.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve the original zoning request for the property at 5511 Burlington Road from County AG agricultural to City C D CM Conditional Disp District Commercial Medium to be consistent with the adopted uh GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plans, future build form map and future land use map.

The proposed city C D CM Zoning District as conditioned permits uses permitts uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impact on adjacent properties.

The request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and the surrounding community.

And approval is in the public interest.

Council, please vote.

That passes 9 to 0.

Just very quickly, if I could, a question for City Manager Davis and also city attorney from that last case and those conditions that we approved.

Could that property owner also have offered to approve to uh remove vape shops?

Is that something that this is hypothetical?

I'm gonna ask you our zoning administrative mic.

Can you speak to that?

Oh, I'm sorry, Ms.

Carker.

No problem.

Um so that is not a defined use in the ordinance.

Okay, it is actually would more broadly fall under retail sales, which is still allowed on a commercial medium, but it's not separately defined in our ordinance, so it couldn't be offered as something to be prohibited.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Um do we have a motion for H6?

So moved by Mr.

Halston, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem.

That will require a statement of consistency.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve the original zoning request for the property at a portion of Burlington Road right-of-way from County AG agricultural to City L I Light Industrial to be consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plan's future built form map and future land use map.

The proposed city ally zoning district permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties, and the request is reasonable due to the size, fiscal conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community and approval is in the public interest.

Council, please vote.

And that passes 9 to 0.

Um we now move on to items H10 and 11.

H10 is a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property located at 1143 Pleasant Ridge Road, 57.99 acres.

Mark Isaacson for Rana Humian of Pleasant Ridge Plantation LLC and item H11, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning and rezoning for properties at 1143 and 1163 Pleasant Ridge Road, Mark Isaacson for Raina Humian of Pleasant Ridge Plantation LLC.

Um we do have one speaker signed up in favor, Nick Blackwood, Mr.

Kirkman.

Yes, thank you very much.

Again, the request is uh combination of an annexation and both uh original zoning as well as rezoning associated with that.

One second again the property is at this point uh in the county and zone county PI public and institutional, and then the city is combination of PI public institutional R3 residential single family C D L I Conditional District Light Industrial, and then all of that to go to the Planning Unit Development Zoning District.

North of this request is currently zone uh city R3 as well as County A G Agricultural, East of the Request is in City C D L I and County A G.

South requests is on City C D L I City PI, City City RM18, residential multifamily, and county A G Agricultural.

West Request is zoned City PI, City City RM 18, and County A G.

The subject property is currently undeveloped at this point in time.

North of the request are single family dwellings and undeveloped land.

East requests are warehouse uses and commercial vehicle parking.

South of request is outdoor recreation and the religious assembly use.

West request is also religious assembly use, common elements for a nearby subdivision and undeveloped land.

The property is currently designated as public institutional in the Western Area Plan and as urban general on the future built format of the comprehensive plan.

There are conditions associated with this request as you see on the screen, and were advertised as part of the hearing.

Again, this is a plan unit development, so there's also associated unified development plan that was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission, subject to the approval of the zoning tonight.

In supporting the requests, staff again has determined this does support the comprehensive plans, filling in our framework goal to range land uses for more vibrant and livable greensboro, and the creating great places goal to expand greens for a citywide network of unique neighborhoods offering residents of all walks of life, a variety of quality housing choices.

The PD district as conditioned accommodates a mix of residential housing types as well as some complementary non-residential uses and does allow uses that are compatible with existing uses in the surrounding area.

This uh these items were heard at the August 18th Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, and the planning and zoning commission did recommend approval of all items that brings it before city council this evening.

If you answer any questions, any questions for Mr.

Kirkman?

Okay, Mr.

Blackwood, you have up to 15 minutes.

Madam Mayor and members of the council, my name is Nick Blackwood, 804 Green Valley Road here in Greensboro.

And I do have some materials to pass out if that's okay.

Um you'll have we'll get somebody to get them.

Thank you.

On that second page in your packet, uh, you'll see an excerpt from the zoning map just with our subject property outlined in red.

Just wanted to again highlight the existing mix of uses in the area.

There's a fair amount of existing light industrial right across the street from us, so some fairly intense land use is already in place along this stretch of Pleasant Ridge Road.

On page three, you'll just see some of those uses referenced, outlined, and identified.

So you've got some existing uh mixed density housing.

We've got plantation at Pleasant Ridge, apartment development to the northeast, a recent uh recently approved true homes, uh, single family subdivision to the west.

So a mix of housing types and mix of densities, and then in purple there, you see all of that light industrial use that was um referenced on that zoning map that you just saw.

The proposed UDP on the next slide.

Um, you'll see that phase three to the north, that's where our single family lots are intended to be located.

We've got 75 single family lots proposed, uh 60 town home units in phase two, and 250 multifamily units and up to 28,000 square feet of commercial space in that phase one to the southeast of the property.

And if you'll refer back to your zoning map, you'll you'll see that in phase three, where the single family is planned, uh, currently about 10 acres of zone light industrial, and that backs up to existing single family to the north.

So we think that this change is best case scenario for those folks who have single family homes in the area.

We're replacing that light industrial zoning with single family lots consistent with what they have on their property.

And then just for your reference to give you an idea about how we're anticipating this project may lay out.

We have an illustrative sketch plan on page five.

Again, you'll see the multifamily office and commercial at the southeastern portion of the property, closest to that big chunk of light industrial zoning across the street, townhomes to the southwest, and then those single family lots to the north.

We did send out a notice letter and we held up a community meeting.

Uh we had between five and ten folks attend that meeting.

Um I think the the general um message that we received from those folks was that they understood growth was coming.

Some of the other projects in the area that are already being developed or have been developed.

So it does this did not come as a surprise to anyone on that call, and I think everyone was generally supportive.

So happy to answer any questions.

Any questions?

Total number.

So 250 multifamily units proposed, uh 60 townhomes and 75 single family lots.

And when you when you if you just look at the residential density across the total acreage, it comes out to about five units an acre for residential development.

Any um other questions?

Do I have a motion to close the public hearing?

Moved by Mrs.

Thurms, seconded by Mayor Purcham.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

That passed unanimously.

Um council discussion, or do I have a motion on the annexation, which is H10?

Move to approve.

Second.

Moved by Mrs.

Thurms, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

And that passes 9 to 0.

Item H11 requires a statement of consistency.

Moved by Mrs.

Thurms, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve the original zoning request for the properties at 1143 and 1163, pleasant range road from County PI, City PI, City R 3, and City LI to City PUD with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plans future belt form map and future land use map.

The proposed city PUD zoning district as condition permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

The request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community and approval is in the public interest.

Council, please vote.

And that passes 9 to 0.

We'll take items 10, H12 and H13 together.

Item H12 is a public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property located at 4265 Hamburg Mill Road 1.502 acres.

Tom Terrell on behalf of David F.

Couch for CF 4265 Hamburg Mill Road LLC and item H13, a public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for property located at 4565 Hamburg Mill Road.

Tom Terrell on behalf of David F.

Couch of CF 4265 Hamburg Mill Road LLC.

Mr.

Kirkman.

Yes, thank you, Mayor Vaughn.

Again, the request is to annex the property into the city's jurisdiction and establish original zoning from County RS40 residential single family to city CDRM5 conditional district residential multifamily.

North, east, and south of this request, you're currently zone Summerfield RS residential, and West Request is in Summerfield AG agricultural.

The subject property currently contains a single family dwelling.

North, east, south, and west requests are also single family dwellings.

The property does not currently have a designation in the future land use map of the conference of plan as it was not eligible to be annexed by the city when the conference of plan was adopted.

However, residential designation, as you can see on the map, is the closest similar designation under the future land use map.

Similarly, on the feature built form map, the urban general designation is the most consistent and closest to this property.

This is a conditional application, and this is the condition that was offered by the applicant.

Staff has concluded that this request does support the conference of plans, creating great places goal to have a citywide network of unique neighborhoods offering residents of all walks of life, a variety of quality housing choices, and affiliate our framework big idea to arrange our land uses where we live, work, attend school shop, and enjoy our free time to create a more vibrant and livable greens grow.

The proposed CDRM5 district does permit uses that are compatible with existing uses in the surrounding area.

And again, staff is recommending approval of the request.

The Planning and Zoning Commission heard these requests at the August 18th meeting in unanimously recommended approval of both the organization and original zoning requests, and that brings it before council this evening to answer any questions.

Any questions for Mr.

Kirkman?

I see Mr.

Carroll in the road in the room.

I assume you're here for questions.

I'm here for questions.

Okay.

Then do we have a motion on H12?

Moved by Mr.

Matheny, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

Okay.

That passes 9 to 0.

Um item H13 requires a statement of consistency.

Moved by Mrs.

Thurm, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve the original zoning request for the property at 4265 Hamburg Mill Road from County RS40 to City C D R M5 to be consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plan's future built form map and future land use map.

The proposed city CDRM5 zoning district as condition permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

The request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community, and approval is in the past.

Approval is in the public interest.

Council, please vote.

And that passed 90.

All right.

So now we move on to the general business portion of our agenda.

Um item I1 is a resolution to authorize sale of land at 2701 A North Hen North O.

Henry Boulevard to DHIC Inc.

for 350,000 for affordable housing development.

No, we are in range.

Yeah, that's what we're saying.

Nobody's moved this yet.

Yeah, we have Cynthia.

Sorry, go ahead.

Ignore us.

I know I'm gonna have questions, so I will try to answer them.

Thank you very much.

My name is Cynthia Blue, Assistant Director for Housing Neighborhood Development here tonight to talk to you about the sale of 2701A North O'Henry Boulevard to DHIC.

We are thrilled with the selection of developer and with the um the proposal that they have brought forward to us for affordable housing development on this site.

We know it's been a long time coming.

So just very briefly on the timeline, the acquisition of the former regency in Motel.

Um, for three years we used it for emergency housing, two years for winter housing, one season for summer housing.

The pellet shelters are still out there, and they will remain there until about I think it's um the beginning of November when they will move off the site.

So we won't be doing any type of transfer until that occurs.

There was also a an underground storage tank discovered during the phase one process, and the city will remove that tank before selling the land to the developers so that it goes to them in developable condition.

We carried out a development request for proposals, and the RFP committee recommended DHIC wholeheartedly.

We did go through a rezoning process.

And tonight's action is the recommendation to City Council.

We had extensive communication during the rezoning process.

A press release went out on July 11th.

We hit, I think, just about all of the major media networks, um, including the Rhino Times.

Um, and uh neighborhood meeting on July 29th had very good feedback.

People were really thrilled to see that something positive was going to come there.

They really felt that um that this would be a benefit to their neighborhood, and that people from the neighborhood could actually live there as well.

We also went to the concerned citizens of Northeast Greensboro on August 7th and also had a good meeting there where people were very um very optimistic about the direction that the site was heading.

So that was all good news.

So that was all good news, and we have been keeping in touch with everyone who has been in touch with us who wants updates on the process to let them know where we are and what's coming next.

So the uh city initiated rezoning was approved on August 18th.

It was rezoned to CDRM26 with the condition that it shall not exceed 130 units.

And what the anticipated use looks like is a two-phase development.

114 total units, 54 age-restricted senior units, and they would be in the larger building on the um the uh lower right-hand corner, and that corner is where 16th Street and the highway US 29 sort of come together there.

So that would be a large enclosed interior hallway secure building for the seniors.

Um, of those 54 units, 32 of those would be at 60 percent of area median income, eight at 50 percent, 14 at 30 percent of any median income, and a total development um cost of about 14.6 million for that that phase of the project.

The second phase of the project would be family units, 36 at 60 percent of area median income, nine at 50 percent, and 15 at 30 percent, and that phase of the development would be about 14.9 million.

So we're looking at about a 30 million dollar um return to the city on investment in development in an area that that um welcomes it.

Um the developer is planning to use low-income housing tax credit for both both phases of the project, and they are here tonight um for any questions that I may not be able to answer.

Any questions?

Um Zach, Sharon, anybody else?

Okay.

Okay.

This is she said this has been a long time coming.

We've talked about this project over and over.

We've seen it used for well, we had an initial plan, that didn't work.

Then we used it for the shelters and pallet homes, and um the community.

All of us over in Northeast Greensboro are excited about the prospect of having these this new housing development, and it it uh satisfies the need that we have in the community.

So I know that we've had some opposition uh some questions about it, but this is what we need, and so I'm glad that it's at this point where we can make the final decision about getting the property, so we can before we move on to other council comments.

Um we did have some speakers signed up.

I'm not sure they're all here.

Jason Hicks, George Hartzman, and Kayla Stramp.

Kayla?

Taila is the developer's representative.

Okay.

My question's just here for questions.

Okay, thank you.

Um, Zach.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

And in uh here you go, you know, it does the project satisfies some needs.

Obviously, I've had significant issues with this project throughout one of them is procedure, one of them is communication.

Um, to my knowledge, unless I'm wrong, we haven't been updated on the regency since July 8th.

Is that fair?

I'd have to go back and share it.

I've scrubbed my emails.

Um, and so I the the only thing I can go back to is like and there's not much documentation in that email that I have here, just that a little bit of timeline, and that we're talking to DHIC, and it's the interesting.

There's so many interesting things about this, one of them being we talk about housing all the time.

You know, you have a road to 10,000, yet we seem to not want to follow procedure or keep council abreast of how we're achieving that road to 10,000.

And in this case, some concerns have cop up.

So it's not really opposition as much as it is.

How are we doing this?

Um Mr.

City Manager in Nassau Hanson, and not I think so.

She should be.

She is your question for that.

That's cool.

NASA, I'm fine either way.

Whoever.

What's the total amount the city has invested in the site?

The purchase and initial upfit for use of the property as winter's shelter totaled about three million dollars.

Outside of that costs would have been related to the operational costs of operating it as a shelter and accurating it with the pallet shelters on site.

But we're going to be able to do that.

I don't have that number also tonight.

The removal of the uh the tank, the cost of deviation, the also when we repurchase the property, I want to say we repurchased it for approximately 21,000, and so that would be in that number as well.

So we're really looking at probably three and a half million dollars outside of operational.

Correct.

Is that a fair number?

Correct.

So one of the things, and Mr.

Manager's heard me ask this question about other properties, is we haven't really we haven't been updated as far as I can tell since July 8th, which was via memorandum.

There's no indication of potential sale price.

We were never talked about and educated from a council perspective as to what is going on arguably one of the most as Gordy Dr.

Wells put contentious sites we have in the city of Greensboro, it just flies through without without education.

And so my question is if if the city has three and a half million dollars in this site, the tax value is one close to 1.5 million, 1.487 million.

How is it fair and reasonable that we sell this property at a 90% discount?

Because that's what the resolution says.

We're selling it at a 90% discount.

Tell me how that's fair and reasonable.

That is affordable housing generally can't be built without some form of subsidy.

When we underwrote this project looking at what the project could afford to pay for the land since the city was not providing any other source of subsidy, that is where the numbers worked.

So I can have a development.

If I had to go back, which I I wouldn't want to do, and figure out how many times we've asked for a housing discussion to be educated on this, so it's not as much opposition to what is needed in the community, it's why are we getting in our own way?

So a 90% discount is not fair and reasonable to me.

Is this the best highest and best land use?

And I'd argue that there is enough property on this site, and maybe we were once again overpromised and not delivered on the potential for more housing on this site.

And so I question the city.

Is this the highest and best use of this site?

Now it could be argued the best use, but is it the highest and best use?

Are we truly serving as many people as we can?

Question.

And I don't know who can answer this, and I'm not picking on you, Miss Blue.

Um is the property due to close.

We will not be able to close until the pallet shelters move off of the site and the city remediates the tank that's there.

Okay.

So what is the estimated timeline?

It won't be take long until we should not take long to remove the tank.

Um so what is the estimated close date for this property?

Most likely December of this year.

Okay, December of this year.

Since it is a sitting land sale or disposition, would it be advertised and is there a potential for an upset bid?

Uh this was a sale to a nonprofit.

Oh, the attorney's office is respond on that, but this is the same land sales to a nonprofit, which can be done under a negotiated sale.

So council can determine to make the sale, and then those conditions are advertised.

Wouldn't that be nice to know prior to being sitting here on the diaspora?

Because I understand being able to sell to an adjacent property owner, but I've never heard being able to sell to a nonprofit at such a deep discount.

And it closed.

Okay, hypothetically, which I would not be surprised if it didn't close in December.

We close on this property in December, and ma'am, nothing against your organization.

This is procedurally my frustration.

We've close on this property.

What is the development based on LITEC?

You have to go get funding to develop this.

Why would the city sell such valuable property when we don't know if the project will actually receive the li tech funding?

Question.

Did we have an organization recently that we put forth for la tech that was not approved?

We have two not approved.

So one was not approved.

We typically in Guilford County would be eligible to receive two new construction awards, and potentially a third of it was a rehab.

So two of the three were likely to move forward.

So is it fair to say that LITEC funding is not guaranteed?

Nine percent credits are not guaranteed.

Okay.

Why would we sell property when it is not guaranteed the project will move forward?

We typically use a sales development agreement which lays out the conditions under which the city would be able to recapture if the developer does not perform on the conditions.

You said typically.

So you said typically in this contract with this developer, do we have teeth in the contract should they not receive their li tech funding?

That would have to be written into the contract.

Can you assure us that it will be written into the contract?

And to the developer, if you'd like to join us, do you accept that?

I mean, if we're going to talk about this instead of having work sessions and instead of having small group sessions, I hate we got to do it publicly, but we gotta do it.

Do you accept well before you answer?

I I think that will be part of we can go back to as we discuss this agreement.

I don't want you to have to answer that, but we can take your recommendation back as we talk through the rest of this uh disagreement.

Which leads me to my question of how and by whom are these deals negotiated?

Have you ever heard me ask that question before?

How and by whom so I think what you you just watched the presentation from Ms.

Blue.

Uh this is an affordable housing deal that you know we work through to to bring housing to what you know we all know with a blighted area and uh very underutilized.

So I mean if there's some specific questions as it relates to how they navigated through it, I can give to you.

Or Miss McCray from follow-up with you.

Is she gonna talk?

We the process that we went through for the disposition of this site was a request for proposals process.

So each developer proposed their best uh performance project, and that is what the committee took into account when they reviewed them.

Thank you, Miss Blue.

I would tell you, you know, in the spirit of transparency.

You you're gonna file for LITEC in January, correct?

Yes, assuming we have site control, we intend to submit a preliminary application in January.

Okay.

Um so that's a tight timeline just for the edification of this council.

If we don't get that, if we don't get the tank out and it's clean, and if we don't discover any more soils, then that could create further issue, which we might not be able to close in January.

Well, in order for us to submit an application, we would have to have an option to purchase.

So theoretically, I suppose that work could continue going on if we are able to have an option by that time frame.

Um by LaTeX.

Yes, we've had nine percent projects get turned down.

I think it might be helpful though to give a little bit of background about on DHIC and our experience doing LITEC projects in North Carolina.

That's okay with council.

So DHIC has is a nonprofit affordable housing developer, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

We have approximately 54 LITEC developments in our portfolio and about 3,800 units in nine different counties across the state.

We have been in the LITEC business since our first property was put in service in 1989.

Our board is made of 15 volunteer members, and we are fully committed to affordability.

And by that, as by example, we have never sold a single property that we have ever developed.

And we are in the process right now of reinvesting 34 million dollars in seven properties that we own in Wake County.

I appreciate that.

And to respond, I think to some of your concerns previously, it would be disingenuous of me to say that we would always be successful in a 9% application.

But again, the um the work that we put into this so far leads us to believe that we would be successful.

Um and also in response to your comment before about whether or not it's the highest and best use.

We looked at multiple possible um uses for the site, including the possibility of using 4% tax credits, knowing that those are currently not competitive.

And what we determined from that analysis was not only would we not get the um a clear amount of additional density, but there would be a requirement of $10 million in subsidy necessary to make the numbers work.

And so when we saw that, we realized that a better option, despite the fact that it is more competitive, would be to split this up into two nine percent transactions.

That would enable us to move forward without needing seven figures worth of subsidy.

Is this your I can't remember?

Is this your first project in Greensboro?

It is.

But she's looked at others.

Sorry?

You've looked at others.

Yes.

Yeah.

And notice none of my questions had anything to do with your organization or the ability to deliver.

There were procedural questions about timeline.

Do we have an agreement?

How are they negotiated?

This is significant discount and investment in this.

We've this has been a controversial, I don't know how much you know, uh, site.

And I don't want our folks, because if you get if you apply in January, you may or may not receive uh word that you got the Litech until August or September, correct?

That's correct.

Of 2026.

Yes.

So in theory, when would you actually have a head in bed on that site?

December of 28 would be the last date that we would put the project in service if we receive a 26 allocation for the first phase.

Right.

So at minimum, and construction projects always go smoothly, don't they?

So at minimum, you're looking at three years.

And I just think we have overpromised so many things and not delivered that folks need to know that there's not going to be a head in bed.

And I would appreciate it, and I guess I'm talking to you, Mr.

Manager or Madam Attorney, that if we know that there's going to be zero construction on this site, could we also include in the contract a land lease so that we can house folks temporarily in the pallet shelters during the summer because people die in the heat just as they do in the cold.

And so if we know that there's no chance for construction to happen on this site, it would be thoughtful of us to be able to maximize as much housing as possible in a true partnership.

And if we've got three million dollars plus going into this project, which no offense, I don't support, um, but I'm very transparent.

Um they then maybe we could include that to make sure housing is in there until they find out about their funding.

That's something we can take back.

This has nothing to do with your organization.

It's got everything to do with we have got to communicate with staff and council better.

We've got to communicate about housing better.

Mr.

Manager, there's not some anybody up here that doesn't support the road to 10,000.

Since it's so important, we need to have better communication.

That's all.

I've said it, I think every time.

Thank you all.

Quick question.

The total your total investment is going to be how much did you mention?

So one is almost four fifteen million and the other one is about 15 million.

They're both about so it's a total of about 30 million.

So our investment is that, and that is basically three and a half million.

Yeah.

Oh, I have Mrs.

Highhour.

Sorry, I have Mrs.

Hightower next.

I I have been informed that Mr.

Hicks is on Zoom.

Would you mind if we took him first?

No, go ahead.

Good evening.

Sorry, I think we kind of got out of order, but um nonetheless, I appreciate the opportunity to speak.

Um I'm struggling a little bit tonight because it's it's odd for me to find myself agreeing with Zach.

Uh especially since he's currently under SBI investigation.

But you know, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

And on this issue, I think he's right.

Um it seems like we we're really what this isn't just about um the property, but it's about this concentration of LaTeX housing in uh East Greensboro.

Um and this council continues to perpetuate poverty in East Greensboro by you know, concentrating affordable housing there instead of spreading that across the entire city.

Um but just you know, even beyond that policy problem, uh I would also be opposed to the specific property sale.

You know, the city has already invested as we as you all just discussed, millions of taxpayer dollars into this site.

And to now turn around and sell it for $350,000 is not just a uh not just a financial loss, it's a disservice um to the very residents who've have funded that investment and who you say you want to help.

Um, you know, we need affordable housing, but we also need market rate housing in Greensboro.

Um, but we need it all built in the right way and in the right places, and continuing to cluster this LaTeX project in East Greensboro while giving away valuable land at a steep discount is not the way to ten thousand, it's not the way forward.

So I'd urge you to all take a step back and reconsider this sale.

Um, and also consider as you're on this road to ten thousand, um, that the that you'd be a responsible steward of taxpayer resources.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

Thank you.

Um Mrs.

Hightower.

Um thank you, madam.

You ran it on for me.

Um I I hear the concerns um that everybody's expressing tonight.

Let me ask you a question because I thought at one point we were gonna do some market rate on the site big enough to do some market rate.

Have we considered that as well?

I know the lie tech piece and the affordable piece, um, but the market rate.

Can you hear me?

There was there was a one of the applications I think in the RFP may have included some town home development, but that was not the the recommended developer.

Okay.

So is there potential for that?

And I'll ask the young lady standing here.

So the current proposal that we have is solely for affordable, and the reason for that is for us to be able to maximize the availability of equity for the project and maintain affordability on the site for the folks who would be um who we would be serving in the community.

So as of right now, no.

Okay, and so within this context, Cindy, um, there is supportive housing as well, because we talk a lot about um supportive housing, but we're not getting it done, and so we still got people on the street back in the woods that need that assistance, they need somewhere with a roof over their head, quality product, um, someone who can walk in a door, have a brand new refrigerator and a stove and a toilet and a bathtub that they can now um call their own and uh able to make those rents based on the income that they bring in.

So whether it's one a family of one or a family of four, um, this provides that opportunity.

I hear the argument about the concentration um and the saturation of poverty, but we have to look at the land that we have available to us, and I think that personally speaking, this gives us an opportunity because this property is just a few miles from Reedy Fork, and Reed Fork has over five or six hundred houses out there of market rate houses.

That's driving, I think, the investment in that area as well.

And so that person going in these units could be the next resident of Reedy Fork.

And that's what we want to do is put people on that trajectory from being a renter to being a homeowner as well.

You don't have to, just because you're here today, doesn't mean you have to stay there today.

And yes, there are going to be some people that they don't want it, you know, no matter what, that the disabled person that you'll have a unit for as well.

That single mom with two kids that she needs to get into school, you're gonna have four.

Um I understand the concern.

I've been to Durham, and I saw your property down in Durham, and it was very done, it was done very well.

It's quality, um, it was designed very well, um, it had a very nice atmosphere to it.

Um, when you went in it, um, I think you were going to do an addition for seniors or veterans was something was being proposed as well.

That's another population that we need to serve as well.

Um we talk a lot about people on the street, and a lot of people need somewhere to go.

Um I hear the argument, I've made the argument about the saturation sometimes, but you have to look at it through a full lens and say, are we not our brothers' keeper to also find a way to help?

I was gonna ask you about the 4% tax credit, but I'm glad you explained that as well.

Um, so that minimizes our investment in this property as well.

I would like to kind of for us to think about some market rate options there, um, so that we're creating a mixed use environment where people see other people elevating themselves, and then that makes them want to do the very same thing.

Um but I think we went through a process.

Um I looked at all five proposals, um and quite frankly, you offered the best, and I think we deserve the best when we're trying to serve this community and this population.

Um I am going to support it tonight because we keep kicking the can down the road, but we say we want to help house people, and that we get groups that come here that are un that talk about being unhoused.

How do we do that?

Um, how do we get those people out of those apartments over at Cottage Gardens?

How do we make sure that people not living in mole conditions and plumbing back up, putting them in safe spaces?

Um I I hear the argument, I made it myself, but we gotta find solutions.

Doesn't mean we can't get a grocery store over there, absolutely.

Um but people want to live somewhere they can be on a bus line to get to that store, and this offers that.

Am I not correct?

That's right.

So I just wanted to share that.

Thank you.

Um, one is about the inclusion of supportive units.

Yes.

And the other was the level of affordability in terms of rents.

So in response to your question about supportive units.

Like first, I just have to say, I think you described DHIC's mission better than I ever could have.

If you'll note our mission talks about providing housing, but also helping the people that we serve, our residents access opportunity, and a big part of that, that first step is ensuring that they are stably housed in a place where they are proud to bring their family members and that they feel safe.

And you'll notice in Cindy's presentation that we had multiple levels of income targeting in this project.

We had 30, 50, and 60 in order to create a mixed income environment.

And also, even though the project is not specifically supportive housing, we recognize that there is significant crossover between those folks who are earning 30% of area median income and the supportive housing population that those projects seek to serve, which is why DHIC has its own internal resident services team that seeks to develop relationships with local service organizations to help ensure that the folks who are housed in our LITEC properties continue to be stably housed and have access to opportunities in things like health and wellness or wealth generation and so that they ultimately ideally, like you mentioned, can access housing across the spectrum, that they're not necessarily staying in our LITECH properties, but that they perhaps can take advantage of the budgeting workshops, other financial counseling, first time home buyer assistance that our organization provides.

And so that again they have the autonomy and the choice to decide what is best for them from a place of safety and stability.

Thank you for that.

And I had I think I had one other question that I wanted to ask you about.

But I I and I do know LITEC is a dirty word.

It has become a dirty word.

Um to the city.

Absolutely applaud.

They really do.

And if it helps the developer help individuals that need it, um, the greatest, I think we we sometimes have to look at that as well.

Um I heard you say something early about that you own you have 34 properties and you own some.

I think when the market we have a portfolio of 54 properties in nine counties across the state.

Okay.

And you still retain ownership because I think that that's a concern too, that oftentimes when LITEC expires, then they go to the highest bidder, but they don't take care of yes, and we have never sold a single property that we've developed.

So would that be something that would fall into your I don't know if it's legal to fold into an agreement of you would retain ownership because maintenance and property management, all of those things are concerned to residents that live in and around other li tech properties.

We have some great looking ones, but there are some that don't look as great, and we need to do something about those, but yeah, absolutely.

And I can say that for the um the first 15 years, as you know, with LITEC it's necessary for us to stay in the ownership structure, and I can also say unequivocally that we have never sold a property.

I do not have the authority to say anything about the future of the organization, but I I do think it's a pretty significant track record in 51 years to have never sold anything, and to be continuing to reinvest in the properties that we already own.

So your maintenance you continue to, I mean it's brand new.

Yes, it should need maintenance for absolutely 20 years.

I mean, I I know that sounds extreme.

I'm just saying.

No, no, absolutely.

And then we look at, you know, we have properties in our portfolio in addition to the seven that we currently have being renovated, we have others that we have acquired and rehabbed, recognizing that it is necessary to reinvest in these properties over time, you know, in order and in those situations where we've had re syndications of credits, including our current bond portfolio, a new land use restriction agreement is put on the property for another 30 years.

So we are very much aware that the advantage of hat of getting these equity investments allows us to keep the rents low, and we're comfortable with the long-term commitment to affordability.

We do have um I have Mrs.

Hoffman and Spender.

But anybody else besides the children?

Yeah, gold I would say so.

Um I thought I got Goldie, but I'll call over.

Um, Mrs.

Hoffman?

Um thanks, I'll be very brief.

Um tax value is one way of valuing a piece of property, it's not the only way, and doesn't mean that you can buy a property at its tax value.

So you know, there are that we we may have acquired a couple of pieces of property in the past that we think we might have overpaid for them because of the condition of the property and the location, but um you know you you're you're making a $30 million investment in our community and um in an area of the city where we where we need this done.

And so our contribution to that essentially is about 12% if we're if we are valuing uh our cost of our property at three and a half million and you're investing 30.

So you know I I'm fine with making that uh investment on the part of the citizens of Greensboro.

Uh and I I will say that you know I for one don't consider LITEC a dirty word.

I sit on the uh local government commission and monthly we approve LITEC programs in in cities throughout the state, and we also uh uh approve the funding that that the city that the count that the estate is required uh to to uh to fund these projects with uh annually.

I sit on the uh local government commission and monthly we approve LITEC programs in in cities throughout the state and we also uh uh uh approved the funding that that the city that the count that the state is required uh to to uh to fund these projects with uh annually so um from everything that I know and have heard about you and your company I'm I'm happy that you've chosen to come to Greensboro uh and I'm gonna be very happy to support this thank you um Ms.

Pinder is the last week and so I think we've got to say don't uh speak in too much so 34 would be as well as possible so I was thinking about the process also we should we're supposed to work our meeting for senior that our fixing and many other um where our senior so this opportunity is going to allow us to be the house 54 seniors and the main line and uh the third is the A line that we look at that also that is what this third is going to be in line we can actually it's a value isn't it in terms of set of return so that can have anyway I remember seniors MR is an opportunity one but also part that I would be really for the current investment that's why we would say that we have Madame Mayor um Dr.

Wells then Mr.

Holston Dr.

Wells okay well I heard Mr.

Matheny um talk about the fact that we weren't informed I think that we did have small groups that were held in June and then we had a housing GSO update we had the annual could option plan and we talked about Demory and we talked about regency but that that might have been one of those meetings you you missed so uh we did um discuss it and I think we we um we on July 8th we had a memo about it uh the regency update and then in July 25th a message was sent to council so I think that council was informed this has been a project we've been talking about remember it has morphed into where it is now when we started it was permanent supportive housing and things didn't work out now it's a combination there'll be some units that provide supportive services for some people and then the others will be family units and as uh Miss Pinder said 54 seniors and 60 family units and there will be fully accessible units as well as individual individually individuals with disabilities so I think that we um need to look at what's best for our citizens it may take some time and I know we had a comment about it being in East Greensboro uh we're not concerned about that if if it is nice housing this is not just anything this this is good housing this meets the needs of our citizens and that's what we have to consider well it looks like maybe we may have lost some money but sometimes it just takes some time as Ms.

And of course, I'm moving that item.

He wants to do it, but I'm moving the item when we get through that you went in.

So yeah, so that's moved by Dr.

Wells, secondary, Ms.

Pinder, but we still when Dr.

Wells is through Mr.

Holston and Mayor Protein.

Oh, oh, you all have comments.

Okay.

We got your both.

Um, it's one other thing I wanted to say.

We've been throwing around this term LITEC.

That's an acronym for low income housing tax credit.

Is a T I H T C.

And we've been throwing that around, but the acronym is really for low income housing tax credit.

Okay, um, Mr.

Holston.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I agree with some of the comments I've heard this evening regarding the fact that there are going to be times when we need to make an additional investment in properties uh because of the overall need and also because of maybe where that need is located.

Uh we know that in our northeast, our east, and our our south communities, those have been somewhat underserved and are going to need some additional investment to be as strong as they possibly can be, so that we as a city are strong as we can possibly be.

At the same time, I also believe that when it comes to these these uh developments, that there should be some kind of mixed use, some preferably market rate mixed in, uh, especially in those communities, northeast, east, and southeast that that have not been thriving in the past, and to give them the opportunity with market rate components to also uh join in the thriving.

Um in this case on this item, uh whereas I ordinarily would not support it.

I believe that the addition of the senior housing, the addition of the permanent supportive housing, things that are additional amenities that our community needs, especially in the communities that we're speaking of.

I said northeast, east, and southeast.

Uh, not a lot of senior housing there.

Uh, folks who want senior housing have to change locations.

And uh this opportunity, this project allows them to stay in place, so to speak, stay in those communities that they've grown up in, stay in those communities that they have friends and and family.

Um so as it's important for the future for our city, it's important for the future of Northeast, East and Southeast Greensboro to have uh that mixed use component.

Um in this case, I will be supporting this agenda item, but with my heart also saying that as we look at future endeavors, let's let's please consider those market rate uh components so that all of our communities can celebrate and enjoy the bounty of the future.

Thank you, madam mayor.

Thank you.

Um Tammy then here okay.

I was just gonna add the comment very similar to what um Mr.

Holston just said, and that several of us were meeting last night, and the concept of aging in your home neighborhood and being able to stay near your home church and near your home.

The areas that you know are critical for our seniors.

Um it's what people are crying out for.

Um people want a quality place for their parent to be near them, near the grandchildren, near the family, so we don't ostracize our seniors.

Um, I have a very dear friend who currently is looking for low-income housing for a disabled brother.

It's impossible to find in Greensboro.

You can't even get on a waiting list in Greensboro.

We've talked, part of what we've talked about with the road to the 10,000 is where we need to invest in, we as a city need to invest in the missing housing that we have and their pockets of Greensboro and their pockets of our community that there just are no options for them.

And that's going to take investment.

We know if if a company could come in and make money at it, then these people couldn't afford it.

If they came in and spent three and a half million dollars on to purchase this property, that then raises the rent to such a point that these people couldn't afford to live in.

And sometimes we're going to have to invest money in it.

We invest money in every LITEC property in our community because there's a certain requirement that the city participates in.

For all of these reasons and more, I'll be supporting the project.

I believe most everything has been said, but I do want to say that you know, um, having all price points of units is great, market rate, all of those things.

But sometimes you have communities that have a special need.

And this is one of those communities where in the area where this is going to be built.

Um very much it brings me back to the great celebrations we've had, uh, although there may not be medical and things, but there would be close to, you know, we've had celebrations about the Mount Zion project with the church and everything where the kind of services are very close by or with the end.

So knowing that the places are very close by that people will need is certainly something that I am very glad to see in this proposal.

Um about LITEC, I did want to say that you know it's the government's program.

It's a solution to creating and preserving the supply of affordable rental housing for low and very low income households.

Now, our goal, of course, is to bring people out of low-income households, but there are certain people.

I mean, uh, what Tammy just mentioned is a perfect example.

We still have the need.

And in having that need, something like this is perfect.

Have we perhaps spent way too much money on certain things?

We do that all the time.

And I I hate to put it that way.

I don't mean that it's acceptable, it's not.

But you know, in seeing where we've been with this project and things kind of backfired, and to see where we are today with the possibility of this is going to be a success.

That's where I am.

I understand I don't want to waste one penny of any taxpayers' money, but you know, sometimes things kind of happen and hit us in the face.

We've all been there.

And um, you know, I I want to make sure that this moves forward, that it's not delayed again, and I see that that a lot of good things can come out of this.

So this is one reason I am certainly supporting this project.

Thank you.

Okay, we do have a motion from Dr.

Wells and a second from Ms.

Pinder.

Uh Council, please vote.

And that passes 8 to 1.

Um now we move on to item I2, which is a resolution to authorize sale of land located at 101004-1028 John Demory Drive to Prosperity Alliance for 270,000 and designation of home funds for home buyer assistance.

Um we do have one speaker on this item.

Um Marcus Cornegan.

You have three minutes.

Marcus is the developer representative.

So does that mean he's here for questions or would you like to do that?

I can I can do the presentation first and we have any questions for Mr.

Corney.

He can help with questions.

Um, would you like to give us a brief overview?

There we go.

Okay, so timeline of this project.

Um, the city did acquire this property in through Deep and Lou foreclosure.

We carried out um, I think possibly three rounds of development requests for proposals before the RFP Review Committee recommended Prosperity Alliance and the True Homes team for a single family development.

Um they have been through the sketch plan process with TRC.

So tonight's recommendation to City Council.

We will be demolishing the existing buildings prior to sale, and we do already have that um estimate in hand at $65,000, and that is ready to go.

Um the anticipated use is four one story and eleven two-story single family units.

Eleven of those units are will be targeted to those at 80% of area median income and four units targeted to 60% of area median income.

The one-story units will sell for about 260,000, the two-story for about 244,000, and the True Homes Foundation will be providing 21,000 in cost subsidy for all of those units.

So that will be a discount off of those sales prices.

Um there is additional down payment assistance money available from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and from First National Bank, so we will be stacking the different um down payment sources.

The amount listed for city down payment assistance is the maximum that would be needed.

If NCHFA funding is involved, then it could be significantly less than that.

It all depends on when the projects reach sale and whether NCHFA still has money available at that point in the year.

And I think that's it on my day, Marcus.

You want to be available for questions?

Any questions?

Or do we have a motion?

Absolutely.

Um I'm seconded, by the way.

Okay.

Um, but I do have a question.

Um back to the finance and peace.

Go back to that, and you said, okay, okay, true's gonna kick in 21.

And then Trust National and NCHFA, and where are we?

Would we even be a part of that equation?

Um we might not have to be if MCHFA comes in.

If they come through, but if they don't come through, then we and we're up to 20 now as well.

25, 25,000.

Okay, great.

Um I just want to say if I can have a few words before Dr.

Wells, if you want to say something.

I just do.

Um but um tonight we've seen two different um types of housing projects in East Greensboro.

So while I don't represent either one, this is East Greensboro.

Um, and this is what we need in East Greensboro.

Um, we just saw a proposed RTEC project, but now we have housing and housing in an area that is seeing a lot of housing coming up as of late, but on a property that is set for how long, Cindy?

Could you say it is set for years?

I've driven by it for years, and we've pushed and pushed to get John Demory redone, not just a renovated space, but a new space and a hopeful space and creating home ownership.

This is attainable housing.

So we talk a lot about affordable and attainable, but this is attainable housing that is being done for sale in an area that's been unserved that has not seen really any housing building since Michael King put Project Homestead houses over there, and those houses are still standing today.

And so this will be comparative to that to enhance the community that deserves it, um, and is long overdue.

The two-story homes, the one-story house, this will accommodate families as well.

Um the single mom, it will help her.

So she might be in that apartment for a little while, but she'll get herself on good ground because stable free, get a good job, be able to create generational wealth.

That's what this will do.

And I think that this I'm supporting it 1,000 percent, Dr.

Wells.

You know, we've been going through this, and we vetted this the developer.

We put you through a little changes, didn't we?

Absolutely.

Yeah, but it's okay, we're getting a great product, and that's what we deserve.

Quality, product, housing product that will appreciate in value, and we'll appreciate the area as well.

We you know, bringing it up um values in our community, and so I'm I'm excited to start seeing it the properties be torn down.

Um we will make believers out of many people who thought we couldn't get it done, but we have gotten it done, and we've got a great partner here, uh, True Homes and Prosperity.

Um you do good work, and uh I'm excited to see us move forward in this area of East Greensboro, and we have other properties, redevelopment lots, and that we certainly and you and let me just say this you're partnering with True Homes, but True Homes that's been building over Willow Oaks, they're already building over there, uh in East Greensboro.

They've already got great product.

You can ride through Maconnell Road right now and see the development that has been done over there.

Um I think the last house that was built is on English Street, um, right there.

So we know your reputation.

So we are getting what we deserve.

The b better quality, and we're gonna get better and better at this.

So thank you for investing in this and going through these steps.

I appreciate it.

I I just wanna say uh thank you to Sharon because she is the one who really brought John Demory to our attention and our attention and our attention.

Um and we appreciate that.

We know that you were invested in this property and uh that you took ownership of it, and I appreciate that because I think we have a much better product than what was originally thought.

Um it has really come a long way.

I'm excited to see the way that that these will turn out in a short period of time, but um do want to recognize Mrs.

Hightower for the strong leadership that she has shown pushing this project forward.

Well, we do have a motion, oh Hugh.

I was I was gonna I was gonna give some uh thanks to Miss Howard also Councilwoman Hightower now.

Both of these projects in District 2, so is the Linda Chavis Library of the Project.

She has taken the lead, she talks about it more than I do, but it's all about the upgrading of district two.

When I rode through McConnell Road this week and looked at all of the houses that are going uh up and have gone up and been built in Willow Oaks, I called her and I said, You really been working hard because I hadn't been down that street here in a while, and those houses are there, and I'm so glad that this is gonna be a bright spot uh where Denver is.

It's just been there just for years.

And I've been on the council a long time, and it was one of the first things people talked about, and we tried, and everything just didn't work out.

But you know, I believe in seasons and and timing, and so this is the right time, and I'm just glad that we're going to get it fast.

But thanks for all your pushing and talking.

So we do have uh Hugh, did you want to say something?

Right, so we do have a motion by Dr.

Wells and a seconded by Mrs.

Hightower.

Council, please vote.

And that passes nine to zero.

Thank you.

I think pictures.

Yeah, so what is going to look like?

I can share that.

And and I know the vote is over.

I thank you.

Um Marcus Corningham with Prosperity Alliance.

We're a minority developer based out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

We operate under the conviction and belief that homeownership is the fastest pace.

Fastest path, excuse me, to generational wealth and American Dream Fall.

And so we're really thrilled to partner with the city to bring 15 generational wealth creation opportunities to East Greensboro.

Very excited.

I will get you photos and anyone else photos of the model homes we're looking to build in collaboration with True Homes, and we look forward to continuing this partnership with the city.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Um we now move on to item I three, which is a resolution approving bid in the amount of six hundred and fifty-six thousand six hundred and fifty-six hundred thousand, and authorizing execution of contract twenty twenty five-zero two zero zero with envisioned company in for the C V B hockey office restroom renovation project.

Moved by Mr.

Holston.

Seconded by Dr.

Wells.

All in favor?

Well, everybody vote.

Everybody vote.

Well, you know, this might be a thing.

That passes 9 to 0.

Sharon, what was your question?

I I was gonna ask how did they arrive at their numbers from the OBO office?

Um, but I don't see the and my question is have we stopped setting goals on these contracts?

Because I don't see a goal here.

No, uh, Councilmember Hightower.

Initially, uh the early estimates, obviously, optimistic estimates where this project was going to come in below our typical goal threshold.

So goals were not initially set, but you do have in your package, you do have a memo from OBO, which gives the M and W outcomes.

So you do see the amounts that are going to go for uh minority women business, they just weren't goal-based, but we still wanted to record about 4% M and about 13% W.

Right, and so the total was 17%, and I saw that and I read all that.

As you know, I read everything come across from the death.

Probably not yeah, I don't like it, but anyway.

Um, but I didn't see goals set.

No, there were no yeah, there wasn't a goal set, but nevertheless, we still wanted to document the achievement that was made even in the absence of a goal.

How do we arrive at not setting goals?

Um typically, traditionally for construction repair, we've set 300,000 as kind of our our base, and if we think early on, something's gonna be less than that.

We typically have not set goals.

Um that was a very early estimate on this project, clearly missed by a mile.

The the bids came in twice that, but nevertheless, if you look at the agenda memo, you've we had two bidders, and we we documented the M and the W that they both submitted.

The winning bid had better M and W participation in total than the other bid did.

So and I'll let uh Mike Purdue is here from OVG Coliseum and can speak to the specifics of the project itself.

I know we voted already, but I just did the city's guidelines is obviously set goals on three, they don't say goals on the projects with the estimate engineered estimated to come in at 300,000 or less.

This project here, and that was the case in this project.

The engineers estimate was under below the threshold to set goals.

Unfortunately, the mechanical electron and plumbing numbers come in way higher than the engineers expected to be.

That's why the price escalated, and there was no gold set on it.

However, we did know that the general contractor that's gonna be awarded the contractor is a MBE also with the register with the city over and above the 17 percent.

The general contractors also themselves, and I know that's not counter to your goals, but I just wanted to point that out that it is an MBE general contractor.

Is that envision?

Who is that?

Vision the company out of Mount Nor Mount Area, North Carolina is the general contractor, and they're a small contract, small MWB contractor that's been in business for roughly five years, and just now started wanting to do business with the city of Greensboro and looking forward to doing this project.

Okay, okay.

Thanks, Mike, for that.

Thank you.

Um item I-4 is an ordinance amending Coliseum Capital Improvement Fund 529 in the amount of 770,000 for hockey improvements.

Moved by Mr.

Holston, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem.

Council, please vote.

And that passes 9 to 0.

Our final item tonight is I5, a resolution approving a sole source purchase with polydyne inc for Cara Flock C 6257 Polymer.

Moved by Mrs.

Thurms, seconded by Dr.

Wells.

Council, please vote.

And that passes 9 to 0.

That is the end of our printed portion of our agenda.

Um let's do um boards and commissions, Mrs.

Hightower.

Okay.

Mr.

Holston.

Yes, uh to the sustainability council.

I want to reappoint Mr.

Andrew Randall.

He's finishing his first term and he's eligible for reappointment for his second term.

Okay, that there's a motion and a second by Mrs.

Hightower.

All in favor say aye.

Opposed that passes unanimously.

Mr.

Massini.

Yes, madam Mayor.

Um just triple checking.

Um my appointment would be for the minimum housing uh standards commission.

Um and it would be Taylor McCaskill.

Is that a reappointment?

No, it's a new appointment.

A new appointment.

And who will they be replacing?

They replaced Amber Rivero who resigned and not eligible for reappointment in August.

Okay this year.

Second, okay, seconded by um Mrs.

Thurm.

All in favor say aye.

Aye, opposed that passes unanimously.

Mrs.

Hoffman.

Yes, I I want to appoint JD Gallian to the Board of Adjustments replacing Ted Oliver.

Second.

Um all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

That passes unanimously.

Um I would like to reappoint David Parrish for PTRWA.

Second.

No.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Okay.

That's good.

Um that passes unanimously.

Mrs.

Abusa?

None to see the Dr.

Wells.

I'd like to appoint Terry Savoy to the Minimum House the Standard Commission to replace Michael Waller, who resigned is not eligible for reappointment.

Seconded.

Oh, that's the one he passed away.

So he can't be re-all in favor say aye.

Aye.

That was unanimous.

Ums Pinder.

Okay.

Um council comments.

We'll start on this end.

Ms.

Pinder, we'll start with you.

Um it's just one day as it were.

Um I'm sorry.

Um just had an amazing time, and hopefully, that many um of our residents here in Greensboro and outside of Greensboro with the folk festival just had an amazing just turnout this weekend.

Also, just want to just reiterate how we've been talking about housing and employability and things of that nature, and what we see.

I feel like it's a spark that's happening here in the city with the housing.

And again, we've talked about 10,000 is just the start to where we really need to be, and we need to be able to diversify that housing.

And so what we've been able to see here tonight, as well as what's continuing to happen in our city around making sure that we have housing for our residents that are here now and for those that are coming, is really important.

But outside of housing, also want to amplify our health care needs as well, because if you don't have health, you don't have anything else, and just want to um bring to people's attention if they're not aware of over in partnership with Cone Health as well as Greensboro Housing Authority.

They have a partnership where they are providing virtual primary care twice a week over in the Hampton Homes, Warner's Vale, and Southeast Greensboro.

And I don't think people are aware of those health benefits that are available for individuals if they need primary care needs, um, just health education.

That's happening right now in the southeast side of Greensboro on Mondays and Thursdays, and also on Tuesdays, there's a partnership with the housing authority as well as with UNCG providing extended care.

So again, we talk about housing and what are all of those elements that help house have a healthy community.

Want to make sure people are aware of the spark and the things that are truly are happening in our city and want to make sure we're lifting that up and people know that hey, we're listening, things are happening, and want to make sure that it gets out.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Mrs.

Thurm.

I also wanted to say I think last week when it was an amazing event.

Um, the number of people that were downtown.

Um, and I was very excited to see online that we had people from Charlotte standing in line to take the train from Charlotte to Greensboro, uh, which is a wonderful thing for the folk festival.

I also met a number of people from out of town that were here that came specifically for the folk festival.

And I thought it was so great.

It was just a wonderful, wonderful event, a mix of everybody happy together in one place, regardless of where you come from, what your nationality, religion, whatever.

It was just a great, great event.

Also, want to remind people that Pride is this Saturday at Labauer Park.

The footprint for Pride is different.

It's not down Elm Street this year.

It's focused and centered around La Bauer Park.

I believe that kicks off at 11.

So come out for that.

And we also have the POW out this weekend at is it a country park?

Country Park.

At Country Park.

So encourage people to come out.

You know, it was a great the folk festival kicked us off, and we've got the next several weekends.

We have lots to do in Greensboro.

And lots of fun.

So enjoy, come out, and have a great time.

Thank you.

Dr.

Wells.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'm the liaison for the library, and I want to encourage the citizens of Greensboro to use our public library.

There are lots of activities going on there.

You can always check out books and free Wi-Fi and meeting rooms.

So just learn more about our public library and use it because it is the we have a the conduit to our destiny.

That's our slogan.

I also want to uh let you know that the uh there will be a candidates forum from the concerned citizens of Northeast Greensboro on October the 4th.

And I want to invite all of you Thursday night, which is the 18th, to uh Bennett College for District 2 Town Hall, and it's a glimpse into the future, the bright future for District 2.

And so I invite all of you to come and uh hear more about the housing developments that are going on, about our treasure that's in District 2, and about becoming an historic meal district.

So come and learn more about what's happening in District 2.

That's Thursday night at 6 30 until 8 at the Global Learning Center.

We'll also hear from the interim president of Bennett College.

So I'm inviting all of you to come.

Mayor Pro Tim.

Thank you so much.

Um, of course, the folk festival was just fantastic, as some people, some up here have already stated.

Um, and I do want to commend the ones who helped the folk festival this year.

I know uh Mrs.

Thurm did the bucket brigade, and I believe did anybody else, Jamila.

Did you I thought you she volunteered, that's right.

So I know there were several volunteers from here, but everything was just fabulous, perfect.

You couldn't have asked for better weather.

It was just amazing.

So everything and all the entertainment was absolutely top-notch.

Um, I know several of us uh were there today at the Kellen Foundation.

They were uh going over all of their renovations and everything that they've done.

Uh they were gifted a church in order to have a hope hub.

To me, it's very much like the Family Justice Center type where it's a one-stop shop where all the organizations are in one area, and I think it's something that is really going to help with those who are experiencing mental health issues, uh, kind of almost a preventive in many uh aspects.

So uh people can go in there and any type of help they need.

They're gonna have all different kinds of organizations, and many of them are already there, so that was exciting, and condolences, of course, to the family of Joseph McNeil.

I know I was able to stop by there for the funeral, and uh the outpouring of support for the Joseph McNeil family and to honor his legacy as being one of the Greensboro AT4 was absolutely heartwarming to see.

Um it was like standing room only, just about so um want to give condolences to the family and to all of those who knew him.

And that's it for me.

Mrs.

Hoffman.

Just quick again.

This is since the 11th festival, our first three, of course, were the national.

And since then we've been in North Carolina.

Just congratulations.

We we have a wonderful young staff.

And they were, I think, very intentional about uh choice of talent.

And something uh there for uh various generations with all three headliners Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

So uh as we've said, the weather was perfect.

So um, you know, I I think perhaps we can begin to hang our hat on music as being uh another uh attribute for the city of Greensboro.

Thank you, Mr.

Metini.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um in the spirit of festivals, I'd like to also remind everybody that the Greek festival is the 27th and 28th coming up at the Greek Orthodox Church in, I believe District 4 West Road.

Um, and so uh it's always a fun time and very energetic and awesome food.

Um kudos to the staff of the folk festival on um planning weather.

You're gonna have to teach me that on the festival of lights and fun forth.

But they did a great job, and I saw a lot of pictures that you know were just incredible.

And you know, I've I've spent some time you know in relation to housing and workforce at Goodwill recently, as Mayor Pearl Tim said, the Kellen Foundation this morning on you know that helps with behavioral health, even tiny houses and the hook center, um, and just trying to figure out how to pull things together.

I was in a meeting, which we'll hear about later this week about uh a plan for downtown, and then it got railroaded um significantly based on some experiences a few folks have had downtown, and um you know, working together we can help improve our community, and I give kudos to Sharon, Ms.

Hightower on John Demery Way.

Um you did whisper that in our ears many times, and your stictuativeness, which is a word, um proved to be something that brought us a project that I could easily get behind, and so that's what we gotta do.

And asking questions is not a bad thing sometimes, and challenge and um process is not a bad thing, and so I appreciate you bringing that forward, and um that's it.

Mr.

Holston.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh also attended the uh services for Joseph McNeil, Major General Joseph McNeil, and uh it still amazes me that someone who is a freshman along with the other three of the ANT four, the Greensboro Four, uh, with Major General Joseph McNeil was 17 years old.

Just just think about what we were all doing at age 17, and and he and the other three were changing the world at such a young age, uh, even after uh achieving the rank of major general.

It took a lot of achievement, accomplishments, accolades to become a major general, but we remember him most because of what he did when he was 17 years old, and it's just an encouragement for for many in our in our community to know that no matter what your age is that you can make a profound impact on our community and the world.

Also, I want to talk about John Dimory and also the other project uh out at the Regency Inn.

But but that John Dimory project is kind of that model, is the one that you know I mentioned earlier about the market rate, uh, you're talking about LITEC, you're talking about down payment assistance, um, you're talking about a previously underserved community, uh, a revitalization of a property that had been originally uh uh developed by Project Homestead.

I mean, that's that's what we're needing to uplift the communities that uh haven't been uplifted in the past, and and that is a beautiful, beautiful project.

And the last, I know there'd been some comments about the folk festival, uh, but when it comes to economic engagement and economic impact, it was a really impressive weekend.

We're talking about the folk festival that brought so many people to our downtown community.

But let's don't stop there because at the very same time that that was going on.

You had at the Coliseum, you had the professional bull riding and the fair going on.

This is all simultaneous.

But let's not forget that also on that Saturday evening, North Carolina AT played Hampton University.

And it's a thrilling double overtime victory.

But those four things were happening at the same time.

Look at what's happening with Greensboro.

We are scaling ourselves up so strongly that it used to be in the past if you had one of those things, then the city would have shut down.

But we handled all four at the same time and we kept moving without a blip.

Greensboro's on the cusp of greatness.

And this is an example of it.

We have the economic engagement.

We're working the housing piece in, and we're also remembering those who have served us so well, Major General Joseph McNeil.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Mr.

Seithower.

First of all, by saying thank you.

I appreciate your recognition of us doing John Demory.

It's long overdue.

And I'm excited about that area.

But I also know that it's leading to more development.

Just today, I got an invitation to Magnolia McConnell Reed Ridge.

I'm sorry, McConnell Ridge.

And McConnell Ridge is out McClainsville on McConnell Road.

It's 4435, McConnell Road, the house, and they're all townhomes.

The town community, the prices are going from 289 to 329.

Beautiful design.

East Greensboro is being enhanced with good housing, quality housing.

We are growing.

There's more housing projects coming, not just along McConnell Road, but English Street.

Houses being built there.

And a lot of our small minority contractors are building these.

And that's how we help them economically as well.

By developing on lots that the city has had for years on Gillespie Street.

If you go down there right now, there's a house being that's been built.

No houses have been built over there in 30 years.

So we are seeing a move that is going to house individuals and make and be stabilize our communities and our neighborhoods.

So if you get a chance to join us on September 30th at McConnell Ridge, it's going to be a little small ribbon-cutting ceremony out there.

And so I would encourage you just to go to the website.

You'll be amazed at what it looks like.

It's great.

And this is the type of what we deserve in East Greensboro.

And it's moving along with Mount Zion, of course, somebody mentioned.

Also on the 30th, there is a meeting at the East Market Street Seven Day at Vendice on 101 West Vandalia of the Discolored Water.

I know that is a concern.

And we are concerned.

We are addressing it.

We are going to make sure that we get it correct.

We get it done.

It has always been addressed, but this meeting, we will have NCDEQ there.

We will have PTWRA.

Regional Water.

Okay.

Sometimes I get the acronym Flip.

They will be there as well, as our fire chief will be there to address some concerns as well.

It is important to this community and to Southeast and East Greensboro.

It is very important.

And so we want people to know that that's been going to be addressed.

If you've got a concern about it, please come.

Please ask the question.

Please hear.

And I'm thankful to Mr.

Morchers, Mike Borges knows water in and out.

And I was recently looking at our projects coming along with our water.

We're doing Townsend and Mitchell.

We're spending millions of dollars to ensure that we continue to have a quality water product.

And we're known for a quality water product.

I just want people to know that.

So those two that event please come out.

Just imagine how that was at 17.

No, I wasn't thinking about that.

I was probably just trying to figure out how to get a date, maybe.

I don't know.

It's 17.

But surely he has left his mark on the world.

And that is something that was done right here.

We can't forget that.

And finally, um on Sunday at 2 o'clock, we are recognizing Bob McAdoo.

We are renaming the Bimbo Park, the Bob McAdoo Park.

And he lived right here in this city in Bimbo Park.

And the history of Mr.

McAdoo is astounding.

Really truthfully.

He ended his career with the Lakers.

And during that time from 72 to 86, he was a five-time MBA player and recognized as an all-star.

And then he was an NBA MVP.

So we have a lot of talent that has come through this city.

And just we're going to recognize him on Sunday by renaming the park.

He is excited about it.

He graduated Smith High School.

There will be a mural on the court that recognizes him.

I will ask anyone coming, you will have to park at the L.

Richardson Hospital because the site is constrained and very small.

But we have shuttles that will drive you from L.

Richardson to Bimbo Park.

So please come.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So also on Saturday was the Memorial 9-11 stair climb.

Eric Kay, you were there, Sammy.

You were there, Jamila.

But Andrea outdid us all.

She did the entire stair climb in a dress in high heels.

Yep.

And I I think she was just going to do one of them.

But then I think she decided to take the challenge and did the whole entire thing.

We have pictures.

We we have video actually.

Yes.

But I know that was really, really appreciated.

And we had a good crowd this year.

We talk about never forgetting, but I think that we have forgotten as time goes by.

And I think what we have forgotten most of all was the unity that we felt as a country right after that happened.

It is so different from the way we are today.

But I just wish we would measure our words and really think about how they impact other people and how we can be better people to have a better city.

So the stair climb it marked 24 years.

Next year will be the 25th.

And I hope that we'll all show up and that we'll do a couple of steps.

But this is this is really important, and it's important that we don't forget.

Speaking of not forgetting, I want to remind everybody that the primaries early voting starts on the 18th.

There will be four early voting sites.

Last year, last um city council election, only 16.2 percent of our eligible voters voted.

That means that 84% of the city was okay with letting 16% decide how the city was going to move forward.

So I hope everybody will get out and vote, and that they'll bring a friend.

You can always make a day of it.

Um bring two friends.

Yes, you can bring as many people as you want, but um I think it's really really important that people get out and vote.

That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Madam Mayor, I think maybe Mayor Kay, and then I'll depend on what we're finished.

I do have a comment.

Sure.

No, no.

I just wanted to say people need to check the early voting schedule very carefully because the courthouse is the only one open uh Thursday and Friday the 18th and 19th, and there are the other ones do not open until the 25th.

So I just say check the the calendar very, very carefully.

Um and the courthouse is open 8 to 5 Monday through Friday.

The other ones will be open, and I can't remember all of those days, but it doesn't open till 10 o'clock, and yeah, check the schedules.

So I I would like to say that this is one of the worst early voting that can be the vote is being suppressed because there are only four early voting sites.

One of them is the call sim.

Um and the other one is downtown, Burr Mill and James, Jamestown.

Um so a question that I got from someone, Mr.

City Manager, is because those first five days are at the downtown.

Um how can we reserve parking on the street so that people can access the courthouse because uh it's impossible.

We to get downtown, they gotta park and walk a long ways, being very disenfranchised for people to go vote at at downtown.

And how can we um reserve those spaces along there from South Ham all the way to Green Street, even on both sides, at least on one side to make sure people are gonna be able to park because you got the bus that's gonna come through there, and then you've got um those curbside voting as well, it's gonna be there.

So it's gonna be very limited parking.

So this is being votes are being voters are being disenfranchised, and really to be honest, it's just for everybody to be honest, because the senior citizen, if they don't do the curbside, then they gotta or how they're gonna get there, how they gonna get in.

And so uh how can we do that?

And I'm gonna ask how can we help with transit as well, because even going out to the Coliseum.

Um, I will say the Coliseum has said no parking fee, so you won't have to pay to park at the Coliseum, but it's in meeting room four at the special event center.

So we've got to make sure that people even know where to go.

You want more than 16 percent?

This ain't gonna get it.

Because this is not fair for this to happen, unfortunately, unless we make sure people know how to get access.

And and while we while we're sharing the mic here, um and knowing that that first week is just at the the courthouse and parking is already very challenged.

Can we validate parking in in the parking decks so that the parking is free so that if you aren't doing curbside voting, if you do want to travel down, and I know it's a walk, but still it would make the walk a little better if you and maybe the turnout a little bit better if that parking was validated, much like it's gonna be validated, so to speak, when uh the Coliseum and Vermill and uh the Jamestown Town Hall open up on the 25th.

Yes, to answer so the first one I have a call in to Charlie Colica to work with them to make sure that legally we're within, you know.

I I don't want to um get into any type of you know conflict with the voting uh regulations uh with the county.

So I want to coordinate that uh through him, the first request for the to blocking the parking.

The second two we can work with Mr.

Mason with our our transit authority uh to provide some transportation.

We just need to figure out what specifically that would be and what times I know early voting people may go at different times, but we can work with that.

Uh and then that ladder um to validate parking uh that could be uh pretty simple again.

We just need to find out um you know who would be parking in those locations.

So we'll work with those two.

And I'll get you an answer uh from you know as it relates to blocking those lanes.

I do completely understand that.

And sometimes it can be challenging, especially uh, you know, if if the elderly are trying to park in downtown, so we'll we'll try to figure that out.

Yeah, well, I I would almost feel assured that board that Charlie and them over there would be glad to have parking open so they can get people coming in.

So I mean, you know, but just saying that you know if we offer that to our citizens, they know that maybe then they'll be able to kind of it won't be such a challenge, as much of a challenge.

So thank you for considering that.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam.

Oh, and the water meeting starts at six o'clock.

I forgot to give that time.

It's gonna be at seven-day advan um advance, no, East Market Street Seven Day Advance moved over and bought the um old Vandalia Presbyterian Church and done a beautiful job over there on the corner.

So 101 West Van Der and what day is that?

That's Mont Tuesday, September 30th.

30th.

Thank you.

Mr.

City Manager.

I just want to say thank you to council.

Um we have done a lot of work.

I want to give a big shout out to Assistant City Manager McCray for the continued effort to ensure that some of these things came to fruition.

I know uh sometimes it can be challenging, but they're providing much needed housing for different a number of different dynamics in our community.

So those things are big, and thank you, Council, to work in uh for working through those with us.

Uh, and thank you for everything you do.

Thank you.

Madam City Attorney.

Nothing, nothing.

Do we have a motion to adjourn?

Moved by Dr.

Wells, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor say aye.

We're adjourned.