Council chambers.

And let the record reflect the members that are in attendance.

Council Member Marshall will be absent this evening.

And Mayor Pro Sam Roth, are you on Zoom?

Is she on Zoom yet?

She is great.

Thank you.

We will begin the meeting with a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance if you are able.

And uh Mr.

Holston, would you lead us, please?

And to the Republic for which it stands.

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

Thank you.

Please silence all of your electronic devices.

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Now is the time for our ceremonial and/or presentation items, and I will be reading E1, a resolution recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Whereas resilient and thriving communities are vital to our state's future health, success, and prosperity, it ensures a strong foundation for everyone at all ages and stages of life.

Whereas the science is clear that resilience is built and that communities and systems play a key role in promoting safe, secure, nurturing environments for all.

Whereas children deserve to enjoy the simple joys of childhood without experiencing the stressors of adulthood, which is represented across the country through the symbol of the pinwheel.

Whereas families are the very fabric of our community and support the whole family unit and make an impact now and for generations to come.

Whereas the resilient Guilford Network, coordinated by the Kellen Foundation and inclusive of dozens of partner agencies, they work diligently to build safe, secure, and nurturing families and communities.

Whereas investing in policies, programs, and strategies that address adversity and focus on prevention, treatment, and healing are essential to the health of our community.

Whereas across the country, communities are recognizing that powerful childhoods start with us.

This is a reminder that we all have an essential role to play, and this builds strong children, strong families, and strong communities.

Whereas the City of Greensboro encourages individuals in all sectors, public and private, early childhood through older adult, faith-based organizations, health care systems, justice systems, social services systems, businesses, and elected leaders to collaborate to strengthen resources available to our families in our communities.

And now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Greensboro that the Greensboro City Council recognizes the month of April as child abuse prevention month and commend its observance to all citizens.

Adopted this the seventh day of April 2026.

I would like to make this motion.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by, I heard Mr.

Holston first.

Council, please vote.

Mayor Pro Demrough.

She may have voted on the screen.

And that carries eight to zero.

Thank you so much.

Is there someone from the Callan Foundation here?

Yes.

Dr.

Kelly Graves.

Would you like to come up and say a few words, please?

Good evening.

Good evening, Council.

On behalf of the Kellen Foundation.

Hold on one second.

On behalf of the Kellen Foundation, the staff that are here tonight, and the Hope Pub, we're deeply grateful to City Council for recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

This reflects a shared commitment and responsibility to keep kids and families at the center of all that we do.

Healthy communities and thriving communities start with healthy kids and families.

The pinwheel is the national symbol.

As you see, they're getting passed out.

This is about 10 pinwheels, but just for context, in Guilford County, there were more than 5,000 reports last year.

So I think about 5,000 pinwheels, each pinwheel representing a child who needs our support.

So thank you all for this this resolution and for the work that you do to support kids and families in our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, item E2 resolution recognizing April as month of the young child and April 11 through 17, 2026 as week as week of the young child.

Councilmember Therm and Parker.

Whereas there are over 32,000 children ages 0 to 5, not yet in kindergarten in Guilford County, and 69% of these children live in households where their sole parent or both parents are working.

Whereas children's cognitive physical, social, emotional, and language and literacy development are built through positive interactions with adults, peers, and their environment during these critical early years.

Whereas participation and highly high quality early childhood educations saves taxpayer dollars, makes working families more economically secure, and prepares children to succeed in school, earn higher wages, and live healthier lives.

Whereas there are 312 licensed early care and education facilities in Guilford County, employing over 200 2,000 early care and education professionals.

Whereas high-quality early childhood education depends on high-quality early childhood educators who ensure that children supported by families have the early experiences they need for a strong foundation.

Whereas these high-quality early childhood educators make a lasting impact on the lives of the children and families of the city of Greensboro and deserve thanks and recognition.

Whereas in a show of unity, we participate in a countywide spirit week and support a get green initiative to wear green and a sticker of advocacy stating, I'm at work today thanks to an early childhood educator across all sectors.

Whereas the City of Greensboro recognizes and celebrates the critical investments, the people, organizations, and programs committed to providing high quality early childhood education and services the families of our community make.

Whereas the Guilford County Partnership for Children, a hub for early childhood education in Guilford County, is celebrating its 30th year of supporting young children, their families, and early childhood educators.

And now therefore, be it resolved by the city of the City Council of the City of Greensboro that April 2026 be recognized as the month of the young child and April 11th to the 17th, 2026 as week of the young child in the City of Greensboro and commends its observance to all residents adopted this seventh day of April 2026.

Would you like to make that motion, Councilmember?

Motion so moved.

And Councilmember Third, would you like to make this second?

All right, that is properly motioned and seconded.

Uh Council, please vote.

Is there anyone here to accept this resolution first?

Great.

All right, council, please vote while they're coming up.

And that passes eight to zero.

If you'd like to say a few words.

Yes, thank you.

Your name, please.

So good evening.

I'm Heather Adams.

I serve as the executive director of the Guilford County Partnership for Children, a proud resident of District 3.

And while we are a countywide organization, our office lies in District 5.

So thank you for today's proclamation and recognizing young children, their parents and caregivers, and the educators who serve them.

The partnership has been part of the county in our community for 30 years, supporting children prenatal through age five, their families, and the early town and education workforce.

Since 1996, we've had the privilege of investing over 300 million dollars in the community to support the well-being of young children with a focus on readiness at school entry.

Research shows there is a return to the community of up to $16 for every $1 invested in the early years.

That's why today's proclamation matters.

But we know proclamations alone won't fix what we're facing.

Right now, Guilford County, City of Greensboro, and the City of Highpoint and our surrounding areas, like many communities in our country, are in a child care crisis that intersects at affordability, accessibility, and quality.

Families cannot afford care.

They can't find care they can afford.

And when parents lack dependable child care, businesses cannot find reliable employees.

With 90% of brain development happening in the first five years of life, those first 2,000 days shape everything that comes after.

School success, workforce readiness, and long-term health.

When we fail children early, we pay for it later.

Here in our community, our early childhood educators, the workforce behind the workforce, earn an average of $1,350 an hour.

Their passion for children alone cannot sustain a system this essential.

Without our collective intervention, child care programs will continue to close, classrooms will shrink, and families and employees will feel the ripple effects.

Today I ask you to view child care as core infrastructure, the same way you think about roads, utilities, and public safety.

When child care is stable, our economy is stable.

And here's one very simple action you can take.

On Wednesday, April 15th, which is next week, during the Week of the Young Child, you can wear green in solidarity with early childhood educators.

Before you leave today, we're happy to provide you a sticker that we read, I'm at work today thanks to an early childhood educator.

I think my colleagues have been passed over, can pass those out.

And when someone asks you what the sticker means, we would love for you to say, I'm securing my retirement plan.

Because when we support early childhood educators, we are supporting the future doctors, lawyers, teachers, city employees, entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, and elected officials who will one day sustain our community.

Thank you for your time and for investing in Guilford County's children.

Before you all go, um, I wore my campaign color, y'all, of Parker Pink today, as it represents uh pin collar workers.

So uh my first job was as a daycare center worker, and when I was done with that part of my career, I needed child care as a young mother.

So thank you to Guilford County Partnership for Children for helping us navigate our child care crisis, all of council, our parents, and a few of us are still raising small children.

So our council is committed to supporting our working families and deeply appreciate the entire child care ecosystem for taking care of our communities.

We will continue to advocate and support, and I am personally committed to championing this work while I'm on council.

Thank you again.

Thank you.

All right, moving on to uh item E3 resolution recognizing April as STEM Education Month in the City of Greensboro, Councilmember Black.

Thank you.

Whereas science, technology, engineering, and mathematics STEM drive innovation and economic growth in the city of Greensboro and are essential to preparing students for post-secondary education, technical training, and entry into a skilled and competitive workforce.

Whereas STEM education provides fund foundational skills necessary for workforce development, ensuring that Greensboro residents are prepared to meet current and future workforce demands and to expand career opportunities in our competitive knowledge-based economy.

Whereas Greensboro's educational institutions, including the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the illustrious North Carolina AT State University, Guilford Technology Technical Community College, Guildford College, Greensboro College, and Bennett College play a vital role in advancing STEM education through research, innovation, and hands-on learning opportunities that prepare students for career in high demand fields.

Whereas Guilford County schools and local educational programs provide critical early exposure to STEM through specialized academics, career and technical education pathways and partnerships that inspire curiosity, build foundational skills, and prepare students for lifelong success.

Whereas local organizations, nonprofits, and community initiatives throughout Greensboro expand access to STEM learning opportunities, helping to ensure that students of all backgrounds are encouraged and supported in pursuing careers in science and technology fields.

Whereas many leading companies have chosen to invest in Greensboro due to our community's commitment to education, innovation, and workforce development.

Whereas the City of Greensboro joins in recognizing and supporting initiatives such as the North Carolina Science Festival and other local efforts that promote STEM education and highlight its importance in innovation and economic advancement.

And now therefore it be resolved by the City Council of the City of Greensboro that the mayor and city council hereby recognize April 2026 as STEM Education Month in the City of Greensboro, that the City Council encourages residents, educators, students, and community organizations to support and participate in STEM-related programs and initiatives that strengthen education workforce development and innovation in our community.

Thank you.

I assume you want to make that motion.

So moved.

Moved by Councilmember Black.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Councilmember Parker.

Council, please vote.

And that passes 8 to 0.

Thank you for your votes.

Let's see, moving on.

We have our last ceremonial item, item E5.

Oh no, I'm sorry, item E4.

I apologize, there's two more.

Resolution recognizing the City of Greensboro as a family forward North Carolina certified employer on April in April 2023, April 23, 2026, as Take Our Children to Work Day.

Councilmember Irving, Allen.

Oh name, thank you, Madam Mayor.

Whereas the City of Greensboro is committed to being an employer of choice that supports the whole employee, recognizing that the well-being of our workforce and the well-being of the families they love are inseparable.

Whereas Family Forward NC is an innovative employer-led initiative to improve children's health and well-being and keep North Carolina's employers competitive by increasing access to research-based family-friendly practices that improve workplace productivity, recruitment, and retention.

Whereas the City of Greensboro first earned Family Ford NC's employer certification in September of 2023 and has earned recertification, demonstrating its uh that its commitment to working families is not a moment in time, but a sustained organizational value.

Whereas the city offers a comprehensive suite of family-friendly benefits, including annual leave, paid leave for parental involvement in schools, paid family caregiver leave, sick family leave, flexible work arrangements, and laxation breaks and dedicated spaces for nursing employees, reflecting a workplace culture where employees can thrive as both public servants and as parents, partners, and caregivers.

Whereas take our daughters and sons to work day, observed nationally on the fourth Thursday of April, gives young people a meaningful look at the working world, and April 23rd, 2026 presents a fitting opportunity to welcome the children of the city's employees into City Hall as a living expression of these values.

And now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Greensboro that the city proudly celebrates its recertification as a family forward NC certified employer, recognize April 23rd, 2026 as take our daughters and sons to work day and reaffirm its commitment to working to building a workplace where uh employees and their families can flourish, adopted this, the seventh day of April 2026.

Adopted this, the seventh day of April 2026.

Would you like to make that motion, Mr.

Allen?

So move.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Cecily Crawford.

I mean, no, we can do a vote, a regular vote.

Council, please vote.

And I do know we have several speakers.

If you would just come up and give your name, please.

And that carries eight to zero.

Good evening.

I'm Nancy Gillispi with the People and Culture Department.

Thank you this evening, Madam Mayor and Council members.

We are very excited and thrilled with the recognization of the city's recertification for the Family Ford North Carolina certified employer.

Family Ford North Carolina is a statewide certification administered by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation.

It recognizes employers that have implemented research-based family supportive policies that strengthen working families and the communities they serve.

In September of 2023, Greensboro became the first municipality in North Carolina to receive this designation.

And since that time, we have remained committed to not only maintaining but strengthening our family-friendly workplace practices.

This recognition reflects intentional investments and benefits.

These are not just policies to us, they are tools that allow our employees to care for their families while continuing to serve the community.

As a part of our continued commitment to working families, we are especially proud to highlight a new partnership with Childcare Network.

This new partnership allows our employees to receive a discount for tuition and for job seekers that are able to receive four hours of complimentary care when they have an interview on site with a city official.

To further highlight the impact Family Ford Workplace Practices have, I'd like to introduce our first speakers, Cecilia Thompson and Candace Martin with Action Greensboro.

All right, well, thank you and good evening.

My name is Cecilia Thompson.

I'm with Action Greensboro, and I'm joined today with Candace Martin, our communications manager at Action Greensboro.

I'm also a proud board member of the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation and so glad to represent that organization as well.

We are here to recognize the City of Greensboro for its recertification as a Family Forward NC certified employer.

This means that the city meets rigorous statewide standards for Family Forward, family-friendly workplace practices, demonstrating a commitment to supporting working families and strengthening the community as a whole.

This recognition is not just about workplace policy.

It reflects the kind of community that we are building together.

When employers support families with things like child care access, paid leave and flexibility, parents are better able to balance work and life and show up fully in both.

Children benefit from consistent care and the support that they need to grow and develop.

And as a community, it gives us something real to stand on.

We can say with confidence that Greensboro is a place where families are supported, which strengthens our quality of life and our economic development efforts by making it an easier place to attract and retain the talent that we need here.

In 2025, the city played a major role in helping Greensboro become the first Family Forward certified community through Action Greensboro's Future Ready Greensboro campaign.

Today, Greensboro has more than 81 employers that are certified, representing more than 50,000 employees.

That is more than any other community in North Carolina, and we are the only city in North Carolina with this designation.

That is real scale, and it positions Greensboro as a place where people can build both a career and a life, and I'm excited to turn it over to Candace.

Thank you, Cecilia.

At Action Greensboro, we think a lot about what makes the community competitive and what makes it a place people choose to stay.

Supporting families is central to both.

Family Forward NC gave Greensboro a clear framework to align employers around that goal.

Through Future Ready Greensboro, we've been able to connect that work to early childhood outcomes and long-term community success.

The result is something we can point to.

Greensboro is not just talking about supporting families.

We build it into how we operate as a community.

We like to share a short video that highlights the impact of the Future Ready Greensboro campaign and Greensboro's designation as the first family forward NC certified community.

In 2023, Action Greensboro commissioned our talent and workplace survey to better understand what the opportunities and needs of our workplaces were.

And in that survey, we found there was a real opportunity to improve the number of local employers that were providing family friendly workplace benefits.

And so we partnered up with the Greensboro Chamber and the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation's Family Forward North Carolina program to be the number one city in North Carolina that provides the family-friendly workplace benefits that support our families in the workplace, our children, and of course the growth of our local economy.

The Gilbert County Partnership for Children.

Greensboro College, the community foundation.

Weaver investment company.

Lincoln Financial.

The City of Greensboro is proud to be very proud.

Is proud to be Family Ford NC certified employer.

I have a seven-month-old at home who I, of course, would like to spend as much time as possible with.

One of the big benefits of being an employee at Contura is the Child Care Center connected to one of our communities.

It is a huge blessing to be able to just pop over and drop them off and pick them up as needed.

We do a lot of work in the community with children prenatal to age five, and we wanted to ensure that the care and commitment that we provide externally is reflected internally as well.

Being Family Forward is just an extension of making sure that we are taking care of our number one asset, which is our people.

All the leaders in our community should be looking at Family Ford as a as a requirement for their companies.

We kind of reflect the values of our community.

We want our community to be a very family forward type of community.

I'm excited that we've taken this initiative and it's going to have a huge impact.

It makes me feel proud to work for a company that uh wants to ensure that the employees can come every day to work and not worry about things outside of work like child care and benefits and health care.

So we're really proud to be the first school district in North Carolina to be Family Ford NC certified.

We are a people centered organization.

We cannot improve the lives of children without first investing in the people who invest in our children.

We know that children are healthier and more prepared for the future when caregivers and parents have the support from their workplaces.

With the support of local leaders and a dedicated steering committee, we're proud to have over 50,000 employees working for local employers that are certified by Family Ford North Carolina.

The City of Greensboro is the first in the state to be a family forward NC certified organization.

This has allowed us to make sure that we're focusing on the well-being of our employees and their families.

We all love this community.

We all want to see it continue to grow and prosper.

But you can't have a team that does that if they're not valued, if they don't feel like you're there to support them in their own lives as well.

It's one thing to say that you believe in work-life balance, but when you truly have policies in place that support this, it makes all the difference.

The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce control it first bank.

Smith Leonard is proud to be proud to be proud to be a family forward and see certified employer.

Family Ford NC certified employer.

The success of the Future Ready Greensboro campaign solidifies the fact that in Greensboro, you don't have to choose between growing and caring for your family and growing your profession.

And so that's a commitment that we can say locally, but it's a commitment we can tout for our economic development efforts, and when we continue to grow our community and grow the talent that will thrive here.

So what you just saw reflects what's happening across Greensboro.

The city of Greensboro was the first municipality in North Carolina to earn this certification, and today we're here to recognize that you've been recertified, continuing your leadership.

We also, I said we also remain the only city in the state to hold this designation.

And the city continues to build on that leadership.

One example, as mentioned, is the new partnership with Childcare Network.

City employees now have access to a 20% discount on tuition and participating locations along with priority placement when available.

For candidates, the city offers up to four hours of child care during in-person interviews.

That may sound simple, but it also removes a real barrier.

It makes it easier for someone to find a job, keep a job, and move forward.

It was from an employee who was so excited.

So this is the kind of work that supports residents in a very direct way.

It also strengthens Greensboro's position as a place where people want to live and work.

If we want to grow our economy, we have to make it possible for people to people to participate in it.

And that's one of the ways that we can do that.

So thank you for your leadership and congratulations on your recertification.

Thank you.

Madam Mayor, you can are you gonna give them the resolution?

Oh, yeah.

And just quickly, I wanted to introduce Shante Mitchell, who is the district manager with the Child Care Network.

She was extremely instrumental in helping us develop this benefit for our employees.

Good evening, and thank you for the opportunity to be here today.

I wanted to start by congratulating the City of Greensboro on being recertified as a family forward employer.

This recognition reflects a genuine commitment to supporting working families in meaningful and practical ways.

At Childcare Network, we are proud to partner with the City of Greensboro to help bring that commitment to life.

Access to reliable, high quality child care is one of the most critical factors in the parents' ability to work, grow professionally, and support their family.

You've heard all of the benefits, but I do want to say these are more than just benefits.

They are solutions that directly impact workforce participation, employee retention, and overall well-being.

When employers and child care providers work together, we create stronger support systems for families, empower employees to succeed, and build a more resilient community.

We are so grateful for the City of Greensboro's leadership and proud to stand alongside you in this work.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Quickly, um, we're so proud of these local efforts.

Uh, so thankful for the anchor of Axe Greensboro and the City of Greensboro being coming recertified and is a model employer, uh, council member Alan and I had the um pleasure of visiting the child care network and really appreciate the new partnership.

Uh congrats to the dozens of businesses that have gotten certified over the last two years.

Um, I've also had the pleasure of attending the recent Family Forward NC Summit.

And I personally learned there's so many ways to advance family-friendly workplace policies, y'all.

Uh so please reach out to learn more, and we welcome all that want to do business in our city to become family forward NC certified.

Thank you again.

Thank you all.

Can I just add Mayor that uh I've already tested the waters with my daughter, and so uh on the 23rd, we will be over for business and she'll love some company.

Awesome.

Thank you all very much.

All right, uh, our last resolution is item E5, recognizing April 30th, 2026 as National Therapy Animal Day.

Council Member Crawford, is there anyone in the audience who can accept this resolution?

We will get it to them if not.

Go ahead.

Whereas therapy animals provide comfort, companionship, and critical emotional support to individuals facing illness, trauma, disability, and life's most challenging circumstances.

Whereas through their presence in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and community settings, including support for patients, students, seniors, and first responders, therapy animals help reduce stress, ease anxiety, improve mental health outcomes, and foster meaningful human connection.

Whereas therapy animals and their dedicated handlers serve as quiet heroes, offering unconditional support, restoring hope, and enhancing quality of life for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Whereas the human-animal bond has been shown to promote healing, resilience, and well-being, reinforcing the vital role therapy animals play in strengthening individuals, families, and the Greensboro community as a whole.

Whereas recognizing National Therapy Animal Day provides an opportunity to honor the extraordinary contributions of therapy animals, raise awareness of their impact, and encourage continued support for programs that bring comfort and healing to those in need.

And now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Greensboro that the mayor and city council hereby recognize April 30th, 2026 as National Therapy Animal Day in the City of Greensboro, that the City Council encourages all residents to recognize, celebrate, and support the remarkable work of therapy animals and their handlers whose compassion and service strengthen our community every day.

Adopted this the seventh day of April 2026.

So Ms.

Crawford, you would like to make that motion?

Move the item.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mrs.

Thurm.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 8 to 0.

Thank you all so very much.

We will move on now to our council.

I mean consent agenda.

I'm sorry.

If council wishes to remove any item from the consent agenda due to a conflict of interest or for the purpose to vote, no.

Anyone?

Hearing none, I would accept a motion.

Move by Mrs.

Thurm.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Allen.

Uh council, please vote.

Mayor.

I think I think it's a speaker.

I'm sorry.

It's the speaker for two of the consent agenda item.

Oh, there is a speaker to this item.

Mr.

Hartzman, I'm so sorry.

To the consent agenda.

Which item?

Uh F4 and F5.

Okay, F4 and Five.

George Hartsman, public integrity watch.

Um under neighborhood development.

There's a 122,000 says contributions to non-governmental agencies.

So it really doesn't say uh where this money came from or where it's going.

But we've had some problems with non-governmental agencies and the city of Greensboro City Council.

Um a lot of stuff that has happened.

Uh money has gone to a lot of enjoyment for a lot of people, and this doesn't say what non-governmental agencies are involved.

The mayor's on the Greensboro Sports Foundation board.

I've asked for their expense ledgers, and they have not been provided.

It's kind of it looks like DGI only different Greensboro Chamber of Commerce is a Greensboro City government contract, Ms.

Parker and Mr.

Marshall, who's not here.

And it's it's like you're under a gag order.

Speaking of which, so if I say something uh that someone did whose city staff, do you cut off my mic?

No.

Is that is that is that the that's not the rule?

Okay.

So I mean the for instance the the mayor has taken city money through non-governmental organizations, specifically the Greensboro Sports Foundation, to which she replied to an RSVP to a holiday, a catered holiday cocktail party.

We're paying for that.

I'm paying for that.

The city manager.

Are you cutting me off?

No.

I I asked whether you're gonna cut me off.

Stop his time, he's got 20 seconds left.

Madam City Attorney.

Um, Madam Mayor, I think that he was supposed to be speaking to the item correct.

And I well, I'm not sure that this is to the item.

This it's not this item, no, and there are attachments that show the budget adjustments.

Uh I I didn't know if you looked at them.

So there are attachments on the agenda.

Am I correct?

The issue is transparency as to who the non-governmental agencies are and whether any given city council person is allowed to vote on said item.

Speaking of which, there's a Coliseum money here.

Your time is up, Mr.

Hartman.

Thank you.

That item passed.

Let's see.

Let's move on.

Let's see.

Councilman, please vote on the consent agenda.

Oh, he wants to speak.

Okay, you signed up for F4 NF5.

If you if you would speak to the actual item, please.

Are we George Hartzman?

Public integrity watch.

There's an item here under transportation.

And it says required to fund needed improvements at the Eugene Street Deck during construction of the adjacent hotel.

Twenty-eight thousand.

Well, it says seventy-eight thousand dollars and then twenty-eight thousand dollars.

So we built Roy Carroll a $29 million parking design.

So he can build a hotel.

And it looks like he's building storefronts in front of the in front of the parking deck.

We bought him a parking deck.

Plus interest.

What do you say you turn this one down?

What do you say you say, hey Roy, why don't you fund the needed improvements at the Eugene Street deck during construction of the adjacent hotel?

Why don't we have him pay for it?

Because the reason the parking rates were raised in January, or whenever that was, was people weren't parking at the decks because there wasn't anything around them.

And we got all this debt for parking decks that we gave to Kathy Manning and Roy Carroll.

And you raised everybody's parking fees to pay off the debt because the fund is upside down.

So what do you say we asked Roy to pay for his needed improvements at the Eugene Street deck during construction of the adjacent hotel?

What do you say you turn that one down?

All right, we have a motion and a second way.

Um George, would it be helpful if I emailed you?

I just wanted to make sure that you have all the information.

We can I can email you the attachments, and then also I want to I had um our city staff condense the 130 plan 2024, it would pre-existed me.

So I asked we have like a smaller parking plan.

That some of that information is in there.

It was from 2024, though.

Can I email it to you?

We just condensed it to six pages.

I look forward to receiving your course.

Thank you, Mr.

Hartner.

I'll send it to you.

Of course.

Thank you.

Council, please vote.

I don't have anything in that.

Councilmember Black.

And that passes seven, four, and one opposed.

Thank you.

All right, moving on.

Now is the time for speakers from the floor on non-agenda items.

And this is an opportunity to hear from anyone wishing to speak.

Generally, this is a time of listening for the council.

Your subject will be noted, and if it requires action or request, the city clerk or city manager will note such and we'll provide steps for any required response or after action.

Um of course you leave your information when you sign up to speak, so that's the way we could get into contact with you.

And you can also leave your contact details with the city clerk to facilitate communication.

All right, so I will go to our first speakers, please.

I have Eric Woodard.

If you would come forward, followed by Brian Robinson.

Go ahead, please.

All right.

Good evening.

Honorable Mayor Abis Vader and Council members.

My name is Eric Woodard.

I am a 31-year resident of Greensboro, board member with Preservation Greensboro Incorporated, and Commissioner with the Greensboro Historic Preservation Commission.

This evening, members of the steering committee and I are here to introduce you and to seek the support of the council for the Black Patriots Commemoration Project.

I will start with our mission, our vision, and then we'll have another statement.

Our mission strengthens Greensboro's cultural landscape and provides long-term historical, civic and tourism value.

The vision statement.

Whether conscripted, seeking freedom or equality, or looking for advancement during the chaos of war.

Their roles often have been overlooked.

Recognizing them will help ensure a deeper understanding of our nation's past, provide educational opportunities, generate community pride, and bolster tourism by attracting visitors interested in the city of Greensboro, its military history, and its deep legacy of civil rights activism.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor, Council members.

I'm Dr.

Brian Robison, an assistant professor of history at North Carolina Central University and a resident of Greensboro.

I'm here as a member of the Stering Committee to advocate for support for the Greensboro Black Patriot Monument Project.

This is a community-driven effort to recognize and honor African-American men, both enslaved and free, who fought in the American Revolution, particularly at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.

Historians estimate that hundreds of black North Carolinians served during the Revolutionary War with several dozen directly connected to the battle, yet for generations their contributions were largely absent from traditional historical narratives.

The initiative grows out of a broader local movement known as Representation Matters, which brings together descendants of these soldiers, historians, community advocates, and public agencies committed to ensuring that Greensboro's public history more fully reflects the full range of people who help shape it.

Importantly, this effort is not only about honoring the past, it also speaks to the present and the future.

It contributes, it contributes to ongoing conversations, it contributes to ongoing conversations about whose stories are told in public spaces and how monuments influence community identity and civic pride.

While Greensboro is home to significant historical landmarks, including the civil rights sites and monuments, this project fills a critical gap by recognizing African American contributions during the nation's founding era.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, our next speaker, uh Ben Holder is on Zoom, Mr.

Holder, and followed by Ben Holder will be Malik Hoff.

And I hope I said this name correctly.

Andreas Miles.

Mr.

Holder, are you on Zoom?

I don't see.

Should we move ahead until it comes up?

Can we move on and then come back?

It's not coming up.

Okay, we'll try that.

Let me get some more speakers, please.

All right, Mr.

Huff and Mr.

Miles and Andreas Miles and then Jennifer Rogers.

And then we'll go back and see.

This time I got something coming for y'all.

I heard put some pictures together who hosting a couple of y'all.

Y'all will see on the screen.

So, yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and go.

So, yeah, back.

So, this is one of the ideas of downtown Greensboro DGS show for Greensboro that I have put for Beauty in the Streets.

And I'm trying to get my Greensboro back because of my homeless community.

And this is October 28th, October 18th of last year.

Y'all probably have seen it.

Some of y'all, CC, I know you was there, who hosting.

So, CC, you see yourself right there.

I have done a lot of photos.

I put a lot of these photos together because I want to bring it because this year I'm bringing BD the streets back to Greensboro.

And this year is a take initiative to change my homeless community and get them off the streets this year.

So I'm asking for everybody to please join in this year to help me come out and support me, come out and support the homeless community this year.

Because we need all the support.

We need every last one.

We need the whole CBO Greensboro to be outside this time.

I have so many people that have helped out, so many people have came in and volunteered.

This year, I want to see the city council, the new city council to come out.

CeC, thank you.

Who hosting?

Thank you.

The West Yo, Christopher Black, I want to thank.

Can I give a round of applies, please?

For my city council members that did come out.

Who?

This is one of your pictures right here.

I had to put this up.

Because you are my right hand.

You are my number one.

You are my most supportive.

You are the one that we always take initiative.

And I stand by you and I lead by you.

And I'm taking the lead example to lead by you.

Because each one, Chris Black, you, I take another follower.

And you another one.

We go way back.

We go back to the school.

We go back to Dudley.

Can I get a round of applause for Allen?

That's one of my own Dudley High School up here.

Even Cece Quofu.

May just go back to her daughter when I were the plumb with her daughter.

Can I get another round of applause, please?

Because this year, I want to tell you.

This year I want to see your face out there.

Please, can y'all please come out this year and support my homeless community?

Please, I'm asking for initiative for the year.

Thank you, Malik.

Your time is up.

Appreciate it.

All right, Adreas Miles, and then Jennifer Rogers.

Then we'll go back and see if Mr.

Holder's uh video come up.

Ladies and gentlemen of the council, I would like to present to you all with the answer.

The answer to the question, how do we correct this country we call America?

Because let's be honest, we're in some turmoil.

And the answer you've been looking for is honestly quite simple.

The answer is legalization.

Oh, now I see some of y'all on your eyes, like not this again.

But the key is legalizing with limits.

I hope I have you all's attention because I'm about to drop a bomb of mental explosion on you all.

In other words, I'm gonna blow your minds with this cannabis compromise.

By legalizing with limits is by creating what will be known as the sativa south.

We legalize the sativa strain for recreational use while we legalize the indigo, the indication strain for medical use.

And if you do it and if you do it that way, we all win.

By forming this to the South, the South will do more than just rides again.

It will ascend to greater heights.

And North Carolina will not only be known for its sentence, geographical wonders, unity, ante, hornets, and of course the Panthers, North Carolina will now be known as the pioneer of the Sativa South.

Meaning the meaning, the moment one Southern state starts something in the data this cannabis compromise, the rest will follow, excluding Virginia, who will receive a lot of our tax money when they open their first dispensary in January 1, 2027.

But if we start to see the South, we can prevent that.

71% of voters here in North Carolina support legalization for medical marijuana use, while another more than half, 63% precisely, support marijuana for recreational use or adult use.

I say we do both.

Why I say both?

That's because the effects they both have.

Do you know what I mean?

If not, let's dive in, shall we?

Sativa produces focus, motivation, alertness, uplifting, feelings, I mean uplifting feelings, increased energy, productivity, and creativity.

Well, Indica produces pretty much you produces relaxation and sleep and after, you know.

But that will all sh.

But now, but not only that, it would it would it would be an economical surplus surpassing that of Colorado when they first legalize, seeing that we legalize both ways.

Recreational and medical, which will make the doctors happy who would get a 10% of everyone.

Thank you, Mr.

Miles.

Thank you very much.

All right, Jennifer Rogers, and before we play uh Mr.

Holder's video, I have uh a brief pause.

There is someone here to accept the STEM resolution who was not in before, so go right ahead, Miss Rogers.

Uh good evening, Mayor.

I'm Mayor I'm a senator and um city council members.

My name is Jennifer Rogers.

I'm excuse me, I'm a social work student at UNCG, interning with CSWEI at the IRC.

I want to begin by thanking you for the progress that has been made regarding the Dorothy Project and the white flag in our community.

But we still have more to do.

This is a new day, and I'm here tonight because in Guilford County, children are sleeping in cars and tents while their parents are working and actively trying to secure housing.

And survivors of domestic violence are being told that there are no beds available.

This should be a concern for all of us.

This is happening here in our community right now.

Last December, I worked with a mother of three who slept in her car for three nights before she reached the IRC.

For five and a half hours, we made 60 phone calls.

Fifty-nine times we heard full or wait list.

The only bed available was an hour and a half away.

One available bed in our entire state.

When safety depends on distance and luck, we are failing.

In another case, a team member recently found a family of four living in a tent.

A mother, a father, a six-month-old baby, and an 18-month-old toddler.

The mother is working, and the father is actively seeking work.

Without affordable housing, even two motivated parents cannot compete in today's rental market.

When survivors of domestic violence finally make the courageous decision to leave, we should not be telling them that there's no place to go.

When families with infants sleep in tents, that is not a personal failure.

That is a systems failure.

Domestic violence shelters and family shelters serve different needs, and both are critically needed and under-resourced.

Survivors need confidential, trauma-informed spaces.

Families experiencing homelessness needs stable, affordable, transitional options right now.

We do not have either.

Housing is not just a service, is not just a social service issue.

It is a public safety issue.

It is an economic stability issue, and it is a moral issue.

I am respectively, excuse me, respectfully asking the council to prioritize funding for domestic violence shelter expansion.

Boost funding to expand shelter capacity for men and women.

Accelerate affordable housing development.

When prioritizing women and families while prioritizing women and families, we must not forget our unhoused neighbors.

We must do better than to tell a mother and her children to sleep in the car.

We must do better than to tell a survivor of domestic violence to keep calling shelters across the state.

Thank you.

One more sentence.

One sentence, sure.

I urge you not to treat this as a temporary inconvenience, but the crisis that it is.

This is not who we want to be as a county.

We must build a community where safety is not scarce.

And I'm asking you to lead us there.

Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Rogers.

And we do hear you, and I suggest you walk across the plaza at some point and speak to your county commissioners as well.

Thank you.

We can all work together.

All right.

So first I'm going to have uh let's see, Tiffany Jacobs to accept the STEM education resolution that council member black read.

Thank you.

And if you would like to say a brief word, just go ahead.

Thank you.

I'm Tiffany Jacobs.

I'm on the board of directors for the American Association of University Women and the executive director of Forge Greensboro.

So on behalf of the entire STEM community of those who are really promoting career exploration workforce development.

Thank you.

Thank you to our entire community who is really coming together to make sure that we are preparing students for future jobs and careers.

So thank you very much.

Thank you so much, Tiffany.

All right.

Mr.

Ben Holder's video.

Is it coming up?

Um Mr.

Holder comes up month after month to talk about a memo that I wrote ten years ago, which I stayed behind, and I was right.

Unfortunately, the rest of the council at the time didn't agree with me.

Nope, you've used your time.

What what I said could happen, did happen.

That article you were quoted saying that if there is a call, how is it going to be investigated?

To me, it's just a recipe for disaster.

And oh, what a disaster it was not.

A longstanding member of the Greensboro Police Department is retiring.

Deputy Chief James Henson announced his retirement today, which is effective tomorrow.

Our policy with regard to any individual who retires suddenly in the face of an investigation is to withhold their retirement benefits until that investigation's concluding.

I think that's pretty obvious as to why it's not fair to everybody for somebody to be a blame point where they can retire.

One question, honestly.

Do you think James Henson should have been able to retire?

No.

So you you agree with me that there should have been some sort of internal investigation.

Yeah.

Well, I wonder why you have it written there.

Why have you not made that public?

I've had a lot of things on my plate that I thought were bigger issues.

Wow.

Then the deputy chief of police skirting the internal affairs process.

Yes.

Along with the client's mother, they questioned him extensively, stated they did not believe him, and did not report the allegations to law enforcement or child protective services.

What I said could happen, did happen.

We're talking about children who are at risk.

They have issues anyway.

I commend anybody who wants to work with at-risk children, but we owe it to make sure that it's done correctly.

All right, so Nancy in 2012, I'm sure you remember that video, and you said that we owe it to them to make sure it's done correctly.

What were you talking about?

I have no comments.

You have no comment on what you said in 2012.

You had no comment of what you said in 2012.

I do not.

All right, did Mr.

Holder want to say anything here?

I thought he had a few.

Is he time up?

All right, great.

Thank you.

Super.

All right.

Uh next we have Kimberly Gunn.

Then Donna Harrelson.

Then Shirley Foster.

I saw Kimberly Gunn.

I'm not Harold.

Donna Harrelson, go ahead.

Good evening, all.

Good evening.

Again, my name is Donna Harrelson.

And I have supported Greensboro all of my life.

My mother was an outstanding citizen in Jamesville.

I'm gonna um read off some codes that came against my mother and I right before her death in 2019, everything just started to go wrong for us and the community on Calisti Street.

Um 18 U.S.

poll 2381 treason.

18 U.S.

poll 2340, conspiracy to commit torture.

18 U.S.

Code 2382, misprison treason.

18 U.S.

Code 23, sadidious conspiracy.

18 U.S.

Cole 2389, recruiting for service.

18 U.S.

Code 241, conspiracy to deprive constitutional rights.

18 U.S.

Code 2261, a interstate stalking.

C 875 and the State Community Stalking.

47 USC 23.

Harassing Phone Calls.

18 U.S.

1961, Organized Farm Control of 1980.

Numerous State and City Laws, including stalking.

My mother and I experienced severe sabotaging of her home starting in 2019.

Because they refused to sell her home.

They started attacking her home and telling her that she had to move.

Several things started to take place.

Her mail was being stolen.

They were entering in our home, and when I say they, it was citizens that were made a call COP, not cops, but citizens on patrol, who are being paid by a fusion center to harass and stalk citizens, innocent citizens in Greensboro, North Carolina.

At that time we didn't know.

We were blind to it.

There are so many people that are involved in these crimes that take place.

My mother at the time was 93.

Didn't understand it because again.

I'm so sorry your time is up.

Thank you.

Wow.

Okay.

All right, I'm gonna go back.

Kimberly Gunn.

Just a minute, Mayor Pratim.

Um, Miss Harrelson, if you could leave your contact information at the um desk on the way out, I will get in touch with you so you can finish your story.

Miss Foster, hello evening, Madam Mayor and Council.

I'm here to talk about our neighborhood.

Since around 2019, we've been bothered with drugs.

So what we did, we ordered extra duty.

We paid, we paid, we paid.

As long as they're out there, everything is fine.

We've gone to the police.

The police have gone to Vice, and we can watch the people selling the drugs just coming in and out of our native neighborhood.

We cannot continue paying.

We shouldn't have to pay.

We call and they say, Well, when you see them do it, call us.

Well, by the time they get out there, the people are gone.

We shouldn't have to live this way.

And even more so, these little children in the cul-de-sac can't go out and play.

That's I mean, their parents are buying homes, they're paying taxes.

There's no reason that we have to go through this for six or seven years.

It doesn't make sense.

We just keep going in the same, and our association cannot afford it.

Ms.

Black told us about flocks.

We put that in.

Well, now we're hearing that the city isn't doesn't have a contract with flocks.

So what good is that going to do?

We're just we're just fed up.

It feels as though no one is helping us.

I know we have your information, and we'll have uh assistant city manager Andrea Harold follow up with you.

One other thing, now that Miss Black is on the board.

I tell you when Miss Hightower was there, we didn't see anybody.

Maybe we saw Hugh every now and then, but we voted, we're citizens.

Just because we're district one does not separate us from the rest of the city.

I want to see you.

I want to see.

She should have your support.

We may not get along, but we want the same things.

We should, she should have your report.

She should not be running up here trying to defend us against our city.

That's my point.

Miss Foster, if do you have regular meetings?

Because I'm not aware.

Do you have regular association meetings or a neighborhood?

About once a year.

Sometimes when something else comes and you have it.

Yeah, be sure we get that, or you can get to Miss Black and she'll get it to us.

Okay.

How do we get on your meeting list?

I'll reach out to you tomorrow and I'll drive over to the neighborhood to see what you're talking about.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Okay, for the last time I'm going to call Kimberly Gunn.

Is she here?

All right, moving on.

I have Laura Jackson, George Archman, and Dr.

Ahmed.

Amon.

I'm sorry.

Laura Jackson.

Is George Hartzman here?

Again.

Dr.

Ahmad.

Madam Mayor and Council.

Yes.

Can you hear me?

I'm going to make this very short.

This is a very special year.

Our 250th anniversary is the nation.

And I'm a person who likes fireworks.

I like to see them live, but for the last number of years I've been watching them on TV.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to see live fireworks.

And I've inquired, and the best I can determine if the city's going to have fireworks this year.

They'll be downtown at the ballpark.

But I was serving on the Central Gateway Corridor Committee, which improved High Point Road, and the name changed to Gate City Boulevard.

And at a meeting that Matt Brown, uh, who was over the Coliseum, I asked him, was there some reason we couldn't have the fireworks at the Coliseum rather than at Rimsley Stadium where it had been held since I moved here as a child of nine.

At Rimsey Stadium, nobody could see the fireworks unless uh they could get it close and park there.

What I did, and what a number of other people did was find a parking place, maybe at Friendly Center, and try to position to get there early enough to see the fireworks.

I noticed that people would park along Windover Avenue and control of the traffic was a horrible thing that the police couldn't control.

But the police can control the traffic around the Coliseum.

They do it all the time for events, and there's plenty of large parking lots around, including one that UNCG owns, and Matt Brown took my idea and ran with it.

He went ahead and had uh test fireworks fired from the Coliseum and they could be seen as far away as the force isn't small.

This being a special year, I'm here to plead that the fireworks that the city might pay for be held at the Coliseum again.

And keep in mind that the city invested at Matt Brown's suggestion in a great amphitheater, and it could be used for a performance of patriotic tunes right there at the Coliseum for those who can get that close.

I live close enough that if I can walk to a good big parking lot, I ought to be able to see live fireworks this year.

And I surely would appreciate it, and I'm sure not only me, but many citizens in Greensboro and in the county would like to see those fireworks.

I hope if no other year this year we can do that.

Great.

Thank you so much.

I know we'll make a note of that.

Thank you.

All right, George Hartzman, uh, and then Dr.

Ahmad.

George Hartsman, Public Integrity Watch.

Um I sent City Council today an email with some information that was released by uh Guilford County, uh Tax Department and Revaluation Department or director.

Um it showed a lot of what I've been finding as I've been doing people's tax returns because I'm looking up their addresses, and the people who have nicer houses, their taxes under revenue neutral aren't going up that much.

The people with uh less expensive houses are getting jacked.

So you have a situation where interest rates were real low.

You could buy a whole lot of house, and then interest rates went up.

And the demand went down.

So you what's happened, and I you have the data now.

So you can't play like you don't understand what's happening.

The bottom is gonna uh pay more under revenue neutral to make up for tax cuts for the top.

Lewis DeJoy's house on country club gets a ninety-eight hundred dollar tax cut under revenue neutral.

The Waikovia building, the big brown one gets a hundred and forty-four thousand dollar tax cut under revenue neutral.

And the people who are going to be making up for it are homeowners on the bottom end of the socioeconomic level because that's where the demand went when interest rates went up, and people who have 3% mortgages can't sell their houses because how would they buy another house because they'd have to get a six and a half percent mortgage.

So this revaluation is seriously problematic.

The information was released by Gover County yesterday.

I have uh gone back and forth with the the revaluation director.

It act this is actually happening, and it needs to be addressed because you're gonna have the poor making up for the tax cuts of the rich.

Thank you, Mr.

Hartzman.

Dr.

Ahmad.

Okay, thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and City Council members.

My name is Dr.

Angel Amad.

I'm also in the same community as Mrs.

Foster.

We're being plagued with many problems right now.

Tonight I want to let you know that we're having problems from a homeless encampment adjacent to our property.

We're not a big subdivision, but everybody pays their taxes.

And what's happening, people are reporting that the homeless are coming in, they have tents where they live, and they they're coming in and they're loitering around people's homes, and so people are fearful of what might happen because they don't belong there.

We've called the police for help.

In fact, today one of our board members called the police to see if they would be helpful.

She called the non-emergency police number, and she was told they're just not dealing with that right now.

And that's a real concern because people don't feel safe.

It's not like these are people they know, it's not like they're other neighbors coming along.

So we're asking if you could help us because those who are responsible for helping us are not doing it.

The police.

So that's that's really my comments today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

I think Councilmember Black wanted to say something else.

I will be out in your community tomorrow, and I'll bring the people that you need to support you.

So I will get with you too tomorrow to see what's a good time, but we'll take care of that tomorrow.

All right, and I'm apologize in advance for you not getting the service that you should be getting.

That's right.

Thank you.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

All right, next speakers.

I have Fanta Dorley, followed by Robert Oak, followed by Quinn Brown.

Good evening, Councilor.

I was just advised that you all didn't get my slides, so I'll be sending it to you.

Don't worry about it.

Thank you.

Um good evening again, Council and staff.

Years ago, I was part of a program called participatory budgeting, in which I was appointed as a delegate and then a facilitator.

I traveled to places like Boston and Connecticut to find out how they had so much community engagement success so that we can duplicate it here.

Fast forward to the past couple of months.

Thank you, council persons, Crawford and Parker, for your town halls and downtown walks.

It really provided the community with a platform to be heard.

Whether it is improving downtown businesses or revitalizing neighborhood, it is always good to hear from the residents and business owners and not assume to know what they need.

From my experience, the hub of neighborhood pride and improvement starts with the neighborhood.

Having a conversation with elders of the community, they advise concerns about the neighborhood parks.

It's a place where young and old can gather to have unscripted generational transfer of knowledge.

But in Greensboro, the parks are unsafe and underkept.

Since we are in the fiscal budget conversation season, I would like to suggest to install sensory equipment for adults with IDE IBD and encourage our elders to come out back to the parks when they are while because they are safe and well lit.

Older adults may not be able to stay out in the mean streets of downtown Greensboro, but they are able to commune in the parks.

Please look to incorporate the safety and sensory updates needed for our neighborhood parks.

Many of our neighboring cities like Charlotte, Durham and Raleigh have already begun this initiative and seeing great and joyful results.

Who knew lightest seat saw, a lightest seesaw in the middle of downtown would have so much simple high volume attraction.

In New York, concrete jungles where dreams are made of.

Thank you.

And if you'll send us those slides, please.

No, to I am an advocate for disability rights of volunteering.

I am continuing to volunteer at both High Point and Sports Carolina Theater.

I volunteer in direct tribute to my deceased parents.

Now the reason I am here is very similar to the written approved agenda submitted in order to gain permission to speak today.

This is to ask the city council of Greensboro to look into establishing a monthly job fair.

This is ultimately for all citizens of Guilford County, including those who have reached retirement age and beyond for hiring consideration.

The advantages and benefits are plentiful for both employment and potential employees.

Outline the districts can be further submitted if requested.

There isn't a question too about a past disability discrimination.

I seek to speak to the city manager about who I can hope can guide me more.

As I conclude, there is a request to city council perhaps to form a committee to further consider this monthly job fair.

And I say hip hip away.

Let's go to Greensboro.

Let's possibly put this into action.

Think we could be one of the first communities, maybe uh nationwide that has a monthly job fair.

This would be so advantageous for everyone.

Unless again, I request may I have this opportunity to discuss this with the city manager.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Hug.

All right, Quinn Brown and then Mr.

Ballint Badiz.

All right, y'all over here.

All right.

My name is Quinn Brown.

I'm the head plumbing instructor at Guilford Technical Community College.

This year I'm the trades advocate for the technical school.

I know a lot of people, Grizzle, CC, Hugh, Irvin, everybody.

Alright, so this year we um everybody's good to see you.

Good to see you.

Uh this year uh we had a competition.

Um last year we did again.

GTCC's uh trade school over there off of Greensboro, over there off of Wendover, did something amazing.

Um every year there's a competition where the best apprentices in the state uh they compete in the respective trade craft.

Um this highlights hundreds of hours of toil and suffering.

It's uh national competition known as Skills USA.

You can Google it, it's a pretty big deal.

This year in 2026, we had the trade school and tech center accomplished a great feat.

HBAC came in first, they've won national championships before, best establishing that they are hands down the number one ranked uh HBAC apprenticeship school in the state.

Everybody knows that.

That's awesome.

Uh and this year uh the plumbing program did a two-peat, so we won last year and got fifth in the nation, which is just to put that in perspective for you, think of all the apprentices, everybody working, and that means only the top 10% get brought to the competition, and GTEC was number five in the nation.

Bringing us back into nation.

So that's pretty cool.

Uh the two-pee, of course, uh had uh our students this year.

So this year, uh this young man right here will be representing North Carolina at the Nationals uh June 1st through the 5th down there in Atlanta.

So uh the cool thing about it is also pretty special because this uh both of uh he got second, he got fifth, he got first.

Their classmates are here with them today.

Uh it's a pretty tough program.

Started out with like 40 people, but the way that it's set up is if you don't pass, you can't move forward.

So there's only 12 that's left.

So I should tell you how serious it is.

Um, this young man uh uh uh Anthony uh KT Thompson, he also works for the city.

Now you don't know that.

He works in engineering and inspections, and he's one of the guys that fixes the stuff in this building and all the other buildings.

So one of the things I think is interesting is that he works a 40-hour work week plus, and then he comes to the night class and goes from six to ten.

Wow.

So we want to give him this flowers while he's here.

Uh so here's the best part, right?

So we got a lot of talent coming out of the school.

I mean, HVAC's got a lot of talent coming out, electrical's got a lot of talent coming out.

There's a shortage at the city.

Last year's number five in the nation, and I ain't trying to, you know, stick nobody.

Everybody up here always complaining.

I'm here to tell you something good.

He tried his best to get on at the city, ain't nobody calling back.

So you need to go ahead on and keep these guys here because I can tell you right now, Raleigh's coming to get them, William uh Winston's coming to get them, uh who is uh Fayeville came and got all of them.

So you're gonna lose too much, we're losing too much talent.

We're losing too much talent.

They're going other places because they're gonna get hired.

Oh, you don't have to worry about that.

They're going to get hired.

Exactly.

We need to get hired here.

So hopefully the city council can put together a program that can also highlight already employees who already work here.

So they don't have all the time.

That's awesome.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Now, so Mr.

Brown.

I think all the classmates should stand up too and get a round of applause.

All right.

Thank you so much.

And thank you, gentlemen.

Yes, be sure and see Jamaia about getting careers with the city of Greensboro.

There you go.

Quentin, do you want to tell them what is your designation?

Oh.

Yes.

I am the youngest black master program and stuff.

C this ain't about me, CC.

Okay.

I just I didn't go to work.

I'll fight the phones.

And uh and uh there's only two minority owned plumbing companies in the city from Riley to Charlotte.

So we one of them, and the other one is Mr.

Miles, he's like in his age, so he's he definitely gets all the flowers.

He's been doing a lot longer than me, so we want to make sure we show respect to the elders where it comes first.

Right.

And I remember, yes.

That's awesome.

Awesome.

Thank you so much.

All right, uh, let's see, Mr.

Badiz.

Hello.

Uh, I'm Glenn Sbidis.

I just want to take the subject half the world away to Gaza and the Iran War.

As many of you know, in one hour, our president is going to rain bombs and uh health in Iran.

It bothers me very much.

It's all this distance away, but it's affecting every one of us financially and many other ways, but most of all morally, it's not right.

I just want to know if the city council is a representative of the city can take a stand on this issue and come out and voice an opinion.

Something has to be done.

This insanity has to be stopped.

I was a very young man, some 60 years ago.

I went to Germany and I visited the Dachau concentration camp.

I was in the gas chambers, I was in the barracks, and it was an invitation to me.

How can men be so inhuman to other men?

The Germans I talked to at that time, they said we didn't know.

Well, we are doing the same thing, and we know, but we're not doing anything about it.

I implore you, let's do something about it.

I don't know what can be done, but something has to be done.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Badiz.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh now have Stephanie.

Let's see, no, let's see.

I'm sorry.

Uh Billy Belcher, Kohai Loving Good, and I'm sorry if I'm mispronouncing anything.

Kevin Rabelle and Marilyn Lacunza.

Good evening, uh, Madam Mayor, Council.

I am Billy Belcher with WoW, the working class and housework organizing alliance of Greensboro.

Last month, your community asked this council a direct question.

Will you act to protect the people of this city from ice, or will you defer to federal agencies run by fascists that are actively harming our community?

We challenge you to drop the notion that you can't interfere.

Since then, we have held a community forum on ICE in Greensboro, and people have showed up because they're angry and afraid.

And you are supposed to provide leadership.

So tonight, the question is simple.

What have you done?

What policies are being considered?

Where does each of you stand clearly on whether this city should refuse to assist in these operations?

Because the situation is not getting better, and the community is not going to wait.

So we need to know what steps the council is taking.

And if the answer is nothing, then the public deserves to hear that plainly too.

Y'all just said it's child abuse prevention month.

How are we going to protect those immigrant children?

Are you going to let them get thrown in camps and then pass a resolution next year saying that we miss them?

So let's be specific.

Are we going to prohibit city employees, including police, from collaborating with ICE beyond what the law requires?

Are we prohibiting city resources, our vehicles, our facilities, our data from being used to assist ICE?

Do we have guidelines that residents can safely access city services without fear of detention or death?

Because cities across the country are taking steps like these.

The question is whether you will.

And if you won't act, then be honest about it so people understand whether or not their safety is involved with yours or not.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No, that's good.

Thanks.

Okay.

Kohi with Wo and the Marxist study circle in Greensboro.

And I'm here today to express my concern for the latest actions or an action of the city government to create preventative legal measures that are suitable to target ICE operations in our city.

On February 16th, the County Commissioner Board had their planning and zoning meeting, and they discussed their plans to readjust their definitions of secure detention and custodial facilities and to place some barriers for these facilities to be allowed.

However, these zoning laws were entirely too narrow and are not sufficient in taking precise action against ICE.

Across the country, DHS is purchasing warehouses and mixed-use buildings that are to be converted into detention centers, despite being in violation of municipal codes and zoning laws.

Particularly the narrow confines of the recent adjustments to secure detention and custodial facilities are hardly enough to pose a viable case against DHS.

The amendments prevent the establishment of detention centers in populated areas near schools, hospitals, residential zones, and so on.

But these restrictions are not reflective of the locations that are actually typically where DHS uses buildings and locations.

And many of these ICE facilities are in rural, far away locations that are outside the scope of these narrow amendments.

It seems to me that these amendments were made in order to specifically target the Hebrew Academy, which was a spark for concern in the local community.

Instead of pushing for genuine restrictions that can hold up in the courts, there was instead total disregard for a much wider concrete and precise language in these amendments.

If there is fear to pass these preventative measures that specifically target and name ICE as being legally banned from cooperating with law enforcement to prevent the creation of detention centers in our city and county, and to stand on the side of the people.

And if there's a fear that these measures will provoke the enemy, then it is giving legitimacy to the fatal murder of those who will be who were legally resisting ICE.

If we are murdered for acting within legal measures, then taking preventative steps to protect the community is not provocation.

ICE is an invading force, the tip of the sphere of fascism.

By failing to create truly preventative measures, you are aiding the guide that sphere along.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Let's see, Robert Vogue.

Kevin Rebel, is it rebelle?

It's Rebel, yes.

Yes.

Marilyn Lacoon said are the next two speakers on this item.

Hello, I'm Kevin Rebel with WoW, the working class and houses organizing alliance.

I'm here today to speak about ICE and in particular the city's responsibility to its immigrant residents.

For the past week or so, the street I live on has been undergoing undergoing construction to update the underground utility lines.

And this is a project initiated by the city that requires a large amount of physically demanding high skilled labor to ensure the continued comfort and safety of the people living in my neighborhood.

I don't presume to know the immigration status of the workers, but many of the workers I've seen driving city vehicles, operating city machinery, and providing their strength and skills for the residents of this city have been Hispanic men speaking Spanish with each other while on the job.

And in a political climate where the Supreme Court has given ICE agents the freedom to racially profile people on the streets before beating them, kidnapping them, and separating from their families indefinitely, I can't help but wonder what this city will do to protect these workers if ICE decides to make its way to Greensboro.

If the city is happy to rely on the labor of immigrants to perform vital maintenance on city property, then I believe it should be prepared to take real action to defend those immigrant residents who keep our city running.

Some members of the council have expressed concerns that taking a strong preventative stand against ICE will put a target on Greensboro, but I want to make it clear to the council that the target you're afraid might appear is already trained on every single immigrant in this city.

And waiting until IC is already here to take action puts their lives in needless danger.

Regardless of immigration status, all working class people are subject to the whims of the ruling class.

If their labor is seen as valuable, then they are allowed to live in relative comfort.

If not, then they are discarded.

And this reality is doubly true for immigrant workers whose position in our society has grown increasingly precarious.

Greensboro should follow the example of several cities across America and enact policies against cooperation with ICE before they get here, so that we are ready to protect our neighbors if the unthinkable should happen.

And the same goes for my fellow citizens here today.

We need to be organized and ready to protect and care for our immigrant neighbors before ICE gets here.

Any amount of waiting on our part risks being too late.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Abislater and City Council members.

My name is Marilyn Mandela Antunes Lacunza de la Cruz, and I stand here again today, not just as a resident, but as a mother and as an immigrant.

When we talk about fear tonight, this is personal for me.

This is a fear of my own.

And it's not just mine.

It's the fear felt across black, brown communities in this city.

Communities that have long lived with over policing and under protection.

And systems that too often treat us as suspects before they see us as people.

Tonight, as I bring the fear of our children, because as it is mentioned, April is child abuse prevention month, and we cannot ignore the reality that children in ICE detention centers are being raped, abused, malnourished, and disappeared.

Let's not forget the children in Gaza and Iran that are being murdered and being robbed of childhood dreams.

These are children ripped from their families, children in cages, denied basic care and dignity and safety.

And this is happening in our name.

That fear lives in our homes, it lives in our conversations, and it shows up in one of the most basic questions.

If something happens to me, am I safe?

Can I call for help?

For me personally, if I'm detained, an Ionased an INS detainer will be placed on me and I'll be sent to an ICE detention center.

Where will they take my kids?

Am I really safe in Greensboro?

For many of us, black and brown immigrant citizens alike, that answer is not clear.

And that is why our words, that is why your words as leadership matters so much.

I recently went to Kerry, and Mayor Harold said, we have absolutely no authority to stop it.

Take action against decision makers.

I'm not one of them.

So I asked, if you're not the decision maker, then who is accountable for your people?

Because our communities cannot afford leadership that deflect responsibility while people are afraid.

Here in Greensboro, we've heard we have intentionally tried to stay under the radar, and we don't want federal government looking at us.

So I need to ask the city council directly.

Is staying quiet your plan to protect black and brown communities?

Do you believe silence will keep ICE or any form of harmful enforcement out of our neighborhoods?

Because from where we stand, silence doesn't feel like protection.

It feels like abandonment.

It is abandonment.

We've also heard concerns that speaking up might put a target on Greensboro, but black and brown communities already live with that target.

Black residents know what it feels like to be overpoliced and underprotected.

Immigrant families know what it feels like to be watched, questioned, and feared speaking in foreign language.

Different experiences, but the same underlying real reality.

A lack of safety, a lack of trust.

We said you've said that 287G.

Um there is no 287G here in Greensboro.

But you've also said that Greensboro police do not ask for immigration status.

But the fear is still here because trust has not been fully built.

We fear and have concerns about our new chief of police.

Chief Cameron Asfal, rebuilding trust with black and brown communities requires more than policy.

It requires clarity, commitment, and accountability.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council, if it's the pleasure of council, we can take our short break and then come back.

What is what is your pleasure?

Are we good?

It's gonna be a minute.

So uh yes, we will take a very short break.

I would say less than 10 minutes, and we will be back.

Um we do have to take a break at the hour and a half or two hours spot.

So we shall come back quickly.

Thank you.

We're thrilled to have you here this morning for this exciting day.

It's wonderful to see so many partners, community leaders, students, and friends gathered here today.

Thank you for joining us in what is a very special moment for our university and for the city of Greensboro.

Today's announcement reflects months of collaboration among four proud partners.

Uh UNC Greensboro, the Greensboro Sports Foundation, the City of Greensboro, and the Greensboro Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Together, we share a commitment to showcasing our community and the outstanding facilities that make Greensboro a destination for international sport.

And today that collaboration brings us to an exciting milestone.

Today, we are proud to announce that the Norwegian national football team has selected Greensboro as its team base for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Some of you may know I'm from Minnesota.

I've been practicing my Norwegian.

And so I would like to say welcome to the Greensboro Team Norway.

Or in English, welcome to Greensboro.

Before we continue, we have a brief video message from our new Norwegian friends from Trues Dali, who's a team Norway project manager for FIFA World Cup 2026.

Truth and his colleagues have been wonderful partners throughout this process, and we're grateful to work together with them.

Let's hear a few words from Trues about why Greensboro was the right choice for Team Norway.

Please look at the video screen.

Hi, everyone.

I am through the study, head the project manager for Team Norway.

World Cup 2026.

We really look forward to come to Greensboro on the second of June.

I've been there three times already.

And uh we are very happy with uh the facilities in Greensboro.

Uh we like the hotel very much, the surroundings and the training facilities at the university.

So um we're very happy to to have Greensboro as our base camp.

Uh we went around to see eight different places before we uh ended up to choose Greensboro.

Uh we wanted a hotel with uh uh with nature uh air.

We didn't want uh city hotel, we wanted uh to be a little bit outside, and uh we thought Greensboro was the perfect choice for us.

And uh it's only 20 minutes to the airport, uh only 20 minutes to the training facilities.

So it was an easy choice uh after when we've been different places.

We really look forward to to get to Greensboro with the whole group um and start to train there, hopefully on the 3rd of June.

And we look forward to to meet all the friendly people in Greensboro and met uh a few already, and we hope for the for the support of the community, and uh we look forward to have uh a good stay there and hopefully win some matches as well.

So we go for in the tournament.

See you.

The Norwegians are an understated people.

Team Norway's decision to train here reflects the strength of our partnerships and demonstrates what can happen when organizations across Greensboro work together with a shared vision.

It also reflects the world class quality of the athletics training environment here at UNCG.

As many of you know, just beyond these walls, is are the facilities where Team Norway will prepare for competition.

Our athletic staff, our campus community, and our partners across Greensboro.

Look forward to supporting them during their stay and sharing them on as they compete.

We are very proud to welcome Team Norway to Greensboro and to UNCG, and we're excited to play a role in the World Cup Cup experience of 2026.

And now it is my pleasure to introduce Richard Beard, president and CEO of the Greensboro Sports Foundation, whose leadership was instrumental in bringing this opportunity to our community.

Richard.

Thank you, Chancellor Gilliam.

Thank you for hosting this great event, and good morning, everyone, and what another beautiful day in Greensboro.

On behalf of the Greensboro Sports Foundation, it's a tremendous honor to welcome the Norway national football team to Greensboro as their training base camp during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This is a proud moment for our community.

Greensboro has a re rich and enduring history in sports, and for decades, our city has been a place where athletes come to compete at the highest levels, where fans come together to celebrate the power of sport.

From legendary tournaments at the First Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro Complex, to national championships, Olympic trials, youth tournaments, and collegiate events.

Greensboro has built a reputation as one of the premier sports destinations in the country.

Sports tourism is a part of the fabric of this community, and each year thousands of athletes and their families travel here to compete, creating experiences that extend far beyond the playing field.

They discover our hospitality, they discover our volunteers, our parks, our venues, and the welcoming spirit that defines Greensboro.

That same spirit is what we're excited to share with Team Norway.

Hosting the team places an international spotlight on Greensboro, and it allows the world to see firsthand the passion this community has for sports and for welcoming visitors from all around the globe.

It also represents an important step forward as we continue preparing our community for the 2029 World University Games, which UNCG will play a huge part in that as well.

Opportunities like this demonstrate Greensboro's ability to host major international events, celebrate global cultures, create lasting connections through sport.

Most importantly, we hope Team Norway feels at home here.

Our volunteers, our youth athletes, and our entire community are excited to support your team during your time in Greensboro.

To our friends from Norway, and I don't know.

This might be live stream, so we'll speak to them if they're watching.

Welcome to Greensboro.

We're proud to have you at have your base camp here, and we wish you great success in the World Cup.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, folks.

I'm Anthony Cordeau.

I am the CEO at the Visit Greensboro.

I'm incredibly excited to be here today to welcome the Norwegians to our community here in a few months.

It is huge for Greensboro, right?

We've got uh partners up on stage as well throughout this room from UNCG, Greensboro Sports Foundation, the city, and many others who have all come together to show off our community in a global way.

This is a story that's pretty big for Greensboro.

Hospitality has always been a big industry for us, but being on a global stage is a whole new level.

And you're starting to see these wins stack up, whether it's bringing our Norwegian friends to town here in the next few months, uh, the world university games, large Olympics, uh like AAU Junior Olympics events, these are starting to show off our community as a global community.

And that's really something we should be proud of here.

The CDB, our mission is to show off our community to the world.

And that economic impact that we bring to town through that mission is really important to 11,000 employees in our industry here in Guildford County.

It helps to support the shops, the restaurants, the hotels, all of the different industries that visitors support are also quality of life improvements for our own residents in town.

And so when you see these wins, you see uh folks coming in from out of town from across the world.

The money they spend here makes our life better here in this community.

It's also an opportunity for us to showcase our uniqueness to the world.

And that's a big deal.

When we have media here from uh anywhere between 50 to 100 different institutions from across uh the Nordics to talk about Team Norway, we want to use it as an opportunity to show off how amazing Greensboro is on that global stage.

And that will be very exciting for us to see us on front-page newspaper stories, uh, on the TV, on digital media, talking about how amazing our community is on that global stage.

So, in closing, I just want to say to Norway and all of our fans over there, Alt Penorg, we're incredibly excited to have you here.

Uh, and then please enjoy uh the rest of the uh presentation here, and I'd like to welcome uh our former uh Spartan George Hoyle to the Tage.

Thank you very much, Tony.

It is a great day for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the City of Greensboro.

As chair of both the UNCG Board of Trustees and the Greensboro Sports Foundation, as well as a proud alumnus of this incredible university who've had the privilege.

Thank you.

All right, thank you very much.

Uh, we needed just a very short break.

Appreciate it.

So I have Stephanie Gray, Reverend Greg Drumwright, Reverend Leah McNair, Monica Walker.

Hello.

Hi.

My name is Stephanie Lindley Gray.

I live in the proud Glenwood neighborhood in Greensboro.

I can enthusiastically say everybody, every single person I wanted to win this since the city council elections in November won.

So many of us and in Greensboro organized and fought hard to get every single one of you in office.

About 10 years ago, when I told people in New Jersey that my sweet southern city had a city council with zero white men, jaws hit the floor every single time.

We are proud of our majority black city.

We are proud of our educated and cultured population filled with immigrants from all over the world, as well as our very popular destination school, North Carolina AT.

Every Friday.

I am an arts advocate.

I will continue to do everything I can to fight for a healthy cultural arts community in Greensboro.

I'm infuriated by the gaslighting, exploitation, arrogance, and the absence of transparency and accountability related to the Master Arts Plan and Creative Greensboro.

I've been rideshare driving around the triad this past year.

I've met hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hard-working Greensboro residents and students all struggling to make ends meet.

Those folks who remember Greensboro 30 years ago tell me that Greensboro doesn't feel good anymore.

Not one college student I've met is thinking of staying in Greensboro to build a life after graduation.

The people don't trust our city government.

Not after decades of backroom deals, blatant DGI corruption, and prioritizing real estate developer parties over the fabulous, educated, cultured, and diverse population in this city, all of us struggling.

We're tired of Greensboro leaders working to turn Greensboro into some other kind of city.

Instead of investing in a stronger, better version of the Greensboro, we all know and love.

Trust must be earned, and this city must work extra hard to earn the trust of the Greensboro people.

This fantastic City Council has given so many people real hope, real hope, hope that we can be better than criminal DC, better than corrupt Raleigh, better than the devolved Greensboro of the past 20 years, and my heart has absolutely broken.

The City Council chose a white male police chief over a black female in our majority black city.

This city council chose a police chief from another state over someone from our own city.

The city council chose a police chief who supports aggressive and violent law enforcement behavior over our assistant police chief who is community oriented.

The city council kept the decision a secret.

The city council kept the community from participating in the process.

And this city council supports city leadership lying to the public about this back room decision.

It's a decision that will haunt this city council.

It's a decision that is likely to hurt young black men in this city for years.

I'm deeply disappointed and heartbroken.

Thank you, Miss Linley.

All right, Mr.

Drumm, Reverend Drummite, and Reverend McNair, then Monica Walker.

I just want to give members of the Pool Pit Forum and other concerned citizens from Justice for the Next Generation a chance to get over here to me.

Pastors, would you all come?

Good evening, Madam Council, City Leaders, staff friends, public.

I was here with other members of the Pool Pit Forum before this dash last fall to ask the council to support our concerns around police accountability and reform, particularly related to regulatory stops.

I return to you tonight, just six, seven months later, on behalf of the Pool Pit Forum with past presidents along with me and other clergy members as the new president of the Pool Pit Forum, along with other faith leaders before this newly seated council to ask for staff accountability around policing.

What is the common denominator here?

Regulatory stops.

If you haven't resonated with anything that has been spoken out in the public outcry thus far, allow me to uplift this.

We are about to employ a chief who has lost the public trust of the community that he is currently serving.

He is coming here under a fire storm of complaints from people who still have unanswered questions about his department's fatal stop just two weeks ago of a 44-year-old black man on a bicycle.

The kind that you peddle.

The reason for Reginald Thomas's stop was a light.

That's right.

A bike that didn't have a light.

He will be alive today if his bike had a light.

No.

He will be alive today if Dayton police demonstrated community policing that would have resulted in de-escalation during their inquiry of his biking while black at night without a light.

We are on the precipice of a new era of policing here in Greensboro.

And the citizens have no idea what we are getting.

If this is meant to be a surprise gift to us, please note that it is not the end of the year holidays.

It's spring.

It's the time where we celebrate forward action, where we celebrate table-turning faith work, where we celebrate the work of God's Holy Spirit upon injustice.

It's also the time where we should be mindful of having bloody hands.

We are concerned that the hiring of a new chief, unbeknownst to our community under the circumstances of a climate where community stakeholders and organizers that respectfully included some of you seated upon our council today, has been calling for changes to regulatory stops.

This is going to drag the public trust of law enforcement further in the ground at a juncture where we should be building public trust.

So we're calling for the recession of his offer of employment.

Return to Cinder.

Thank you, Reverend.

I have uh, let's see, Reverend McNair, Monica Walker, then Christopher Gold Goldman.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, Council, and members of our community.

My name is Reverend Leah McNair.

I serve as the pastor of Circle City Church with the host of congregants from Greensboro, North Carolina, who live and work here.

Among those, among that number stands a number of those that are in this room and a proven leader in our community who I'm proud to say is assistant chief Martis.

I am super proud to be her pastor and her leader.

She has been a member of my church from the beginning from the onset four years ago.

I stand on the belief that women have always been leaders and are capable of leadership.

Moments like this are about more than a decision.

They reflect what we value, they reflect how we recognize faithfulness and longevity and leadership that has already been proven in our community.

That as a black woman and a pastor, as someone raising minority boys in this community, I can't help but pay close attention to what this moment communicates.

When someone within our community has given years of service, carried responsibility and shown up consistently, and there's an opportunity for advancement.

It's only natural that we pause and reflect on what that says about how our female minority leadership is recognized.

And right now in the United States, we are living in the consequences of what happens when a black woman's readiness to lead is not trusted.

Even in my church, I just want to share a quick story about Chief Martis.

Our church recently moved to a location where we face a real challenge of heavy drug activity in the community.

It uh created safety concerns for our children, where throughout the week, where after school, um, even on the weekends, uh, our children were not able to go outside and play after school and on the weekends when they were after they did their homework and things like that right after school care.

We didn't need a speech from uh Chief Martis, and we didn't get a speech.

Home girl showed up, and she made sure uh that what needed to be done was done.

She leaned in, and it showed me that she's not just a woman of talk, she's a woman of action.

It showed me her heart, and it's a woman who is deeply connected to our community.

She understands the needs and the responsibilities of our community, and she is not just Paul, but she is chosen to serve this community.

Thank you so much.

All right, I have Monica Walker, then Christopher Goldman and Jason Hicks.

Thank you, Reverend Drumright, Reverend McNair, thank you, Stephanie.

Good evening, Mayor Abuzaweda and members of the council.

I'm Monica Walker, president of the Girl Street Neighborhood Association, and I live on Martin Street in that community.

I'm also a member of the uh the community of seven, eight organizations that comprise the new council of our neighborhood associations.

I'm here tonight to express concern regarding the city manager's announcement of the hiring of Cam Ran Afdall, formerly the police chief in Dayton, Ohio.

I want to begin by grounding my comments in a broader understanding of how systems operate.

It is a part of the work I have been engaged in for more than three decades.

Outcomes we see at the surface, such as disparities in trust, safety, and accountability, are reflections of deeper underlying systems and institutional practices.

These patterns are not random, they are produced and sustained over time.

History, therefore, is not just background, it is a critical diagnostic tool.

It is a history that should have weighed heavily on this decision.

Over the 23 years that I have lived in this city, I have witnessed and experienced the ongoing fractured relationship between the police department and the African American community.

That fracture is not about isolated incidents or individual personalities, it is about long-standing structures, policies, and practices that have produced unequal outcomes and eroded trust.

From this perspective, the selection of a new police chief is not a routine administrative decision.

It is a pivotal moment that signals whether the city is willing to address root causes or continue patterns that lead to inequity.

Decisions of this magnitude require not only transparency and adherence to protocol, but also meaningful community engagement, particularly with those communities most impacted by policing outcomes.

The work that I am involved in has had me examine and should have you examine whether this process disrupted inequities or reinforced them.

Promises were made about transparency and accountability, yet these are precisely where the process appears to have broken down.

This raises deeper concerns about whether systemic patterns are being re are being disrupted or reproduced.

Were the voices of those most affected meaningfully included?

Were racial inequity or racial equity impacts explicitly considered in both the process and the selection?

My neighborhood, along with the seven that join it, represents communities that are most likely to experience the direct policing, impact of policing through both the authority and the discretion of the chief of police.

That proximity matters.

It underscores the importance of not only who is selected, but how that decision is made and whether it reflects a genuine commitment to respecting and building a relationship with the community.

Given the history and the stakes, this decision should have been approached with sensitivity, intentionality, inclusion, and a clear commitment to racial equity.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Walker.

Christopher Goldman, followed by Jason Hicks, followed by CJ Brunson.

Good evening.

When I first learned the matter of the matter, I did a lot of research.

Um and it led to more questions, so I just figured it would be prudent to come to the city as a source of truth, hopefully.

My first question is why would you entrust our community to someone who is resigning from his community in a time of this controversy?

Doesn't they indeed their police speaker stand with them?

And what does it say about the values we're hiring for if our first choice is someone leaving under those circumstances?

The city manager went to the community.

I read this in the article.

He went to the community, and they had five different meetings, and they told him they wanted transparency, accountability, and community engagement.

Those became the qualifications for how to act.

Are those qualifications not present in our very own police force?

Does GPD not produce people who can meet the standard that this community told him to look for?

I could understand the desire to recruit nationally if this was a corporation.

I work for a company that has national locations.

Those outside perspectives are important there.

But this is a community of Greensboro.

We are expecting somebody who has never been to Greensboro to come to learn Greensboro to great to come and learn Greensboro in Denworth.

To leave when his tenure ends, we're supposed to believe that that fosters community engagement.

What lawyers can this community expect beyond this being another line of his resume?

And then there's a matter of transparency itself.

Again, you told us transparency was a driving factor, but the hiring process was not transparent.

You cut out the community.

You created this contradiction as you owe the community an explanation.

You started with the community and you cut them out at the very end.

So again, I asked what qualifications were lacking in GP GPD owned.

Because before yesterday, I had never heard of Miss Stephanie Martis.

And when I looked her up, I was stunned.

Just a few months ago, from the city's own city's post, you celebrated her, serving in high-risk search warrants, working in homicides, first off maternity leave, and she's the first officer in Greensboro since Brian James a space of 14 years to attend the FEI National Academy.

And she's already engaged in this community.

She's already doing the work.

So here was makes this even more remarkable.

She came from Kappa, she went to Vennett College, and then she chose to stay in Greensboro.

I'm also a transplant.

She didn't just stay, she planted roots.

I also can't root.

So at a time when GPD retention is low, and as we heard city employees' protections are low, what are you saying to the Greensboro that you want to grow?

What message are you sending to the talented people already here?

That no matter how hard they work, how deep their roots grow, that their interest to them, that they may get looked over, that our qualified, more than qualified candidates are looked over time again.

That's what it sounds like.

The community deserves better than that.

Thank you, Mr.

Kennedy.

Jason Hicks, followed by CJ Brunson, followed by Quentin Brown.

Jason Hicks, followed by CJ Brenson, followed by Quentin Brown.

Mr.

Hickson.

Good evening, City Council.

I stand here tonight as someone who lives with the collateral consequences of a felony conviction.

Someone whose life has been restricted, punished, and surveilled long after paying my debt.

Even with those consequences, I've had the privilege of being white in a world where your skin color often determines your punishment long before the system does.

I have witnessed the harm in this community and others of regulatory stops, the lack of written consent, and a police department that doesn't prioritize safety stops, such as speeding, reckless driving, and running red lights.

And I lead with all that because it's important to know that the barrel of a gun, a cage, and police violence are not the answer.

Yet Greensboro has chosen Cameron Absal as our new police chief.

Everywhere he has served, there has been harm and deaths caused by the officers he has led.

Harm and deaths of black people.

And just days before he accepted this offer, Reginald Thomas was killed in Dayton over not having a light on a bicycle.

A regulatory stop on a bicycle led to the death of a black man.

In 2025 alone, GPD conducted over 5,000 stops on black residents.

Several of those stops included an unnecessary use of force.

And all 5,000 of those stops were regulatory stops.

Some of you may say Dayton has written consent for searches.

And while that is true, since they've implemented written consent, there has been an unjust increase in probable call searches.

This is a state-sanctioned violence disguised as progress.

City manager Trey Davis stated that he would have public forums with the finals in the search for a police chief.

If you attended those sessions and witness him say that, please stand up.

This is what accountability looks like.

The city may fear a lawsuit for rescinding this offer.

I submit the city will face far greater harm, far greater community outrage, and far greater lawsuits if Cameron Afzul comes here.

I believe he will cause lives to be lost, trust will be broken, and communities will be scarred.

We need a police chief who understands compassion, accountability, humanity, and most importantly, understands Greensboro.

Stephanie Martis.

Rescind the offer to Cameron Absolute now, before more harm is done to the safety and trust of our community.

CJ Brenson, Quentin Brown, and then Jean Blackman, please.

Thank you.

You try to tell everybody in the shortly same night.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, City Council members, and city leadership.

My name is Reverend CJ Vernon, faith leader and Greensboro native.

I stand here tonight carrying not just my own voice, but the voice of a community that has been in struggle with the city over 50 years around police accountability.

From the legacy of the Greensboro massacre to this present moment, we have asked for one thing, real justice, not symbolic change.

And yet what we continue to experience is not transformation but a culture of incompetence when it comes to policing and accountability in Greensboro.

This moment is not just about a hire, it is about a failure of process, a failure of transparency, a failure of trust.

This community was told that there would be transparency, we were told that there would be an opportunity to hear from final candidates, and that did not happen.

And in a city with this history, that is unacceptable.

Because transparency is not a courtesy in Greensboro, it is a requirement.

You are presenting Cameron Abson as someone aligned with accountability and reform, but the question before us is simple: where is the evidence of that alignment?

Because in Dayton, Ohio, where he most recently served, there's documented patterns of harm.

Since 2021, community organizations have tracked multiple police killers, including William Joseph, Benjamin Cotton, William Gardner, Antonio Lewis, Brian Moody, Taylor Cotton, and most recently, Reginald Thomas.

And beyond those who were killed, there are documented cases of violence involving Otto Coleman, Jamar Johnson, and Rodney Smith Jr.

This is not speculation.

This is documentation from people on the ground.

So when you say this leadership reflects what Greensboro needs to go, we have to ask, go where?

Because Greensboro is not asking for increased enforcement.

We're not asking for more presence.

We are not asking to be overpoliced.

We are being asked, we're asking to be protected.

You cannot claim a commitment to ending regulatory stops and implementing written consent policies while hiring leadership that has not clearly demonstrated commitment to those reforms.

This is not alignment, this is contradiction.

This community showed up, we rallied, we spoke, we organized, and we made it clear that for this moment like this, trust had to be built, not bypassed, and instead, what we received was a decision made without us.

That is not disappointing, that is disrespectful.

So tonight we are clear.

Let's continue in the tradition of ending regulatory stops, implementing written consent policies, restore integrity and transparency to this process, and we're seeing the hiring of Chief Carmen Abson.

This is not about policing.

This is about whether this city will continue the pattern of harm or choose a different path.

Thank you, Brother.

We will choose the latter.

All right.

Thank you.

Quentin Brown.

Is Quentin Brown here?

Moving on to Gene Blackman, Dennis White, and then Lynn McCoy.

Good evening.

My name is Gene Blackman.

I have been born and raised in Greensboro my whole life, and I cannot express my disappointment anymore.

Stephanie Martins is not only qualified but overqualified.

Her resume has already been read.

He became quite popular, had a lot of interviews, and I listened to several of them.

And one thing that he said was 20 years of experience was considered for him to get this opportunity to lead this city.

When you hear your community, and this decision doesn't show that you've listened.

In fact, as I look at some of the things that's been going on there.

Because I want to make sure I'm quoting things correctly.

We have in 2021 three homicides that police officers have committed to residents.

In 2023, we had another one.

In 2024, they had two more.

In 2026, they just had one.

Do we really want this culture here in Greensboro?

We don't need a leader that's going to push a cowboy's mission, a cowboy's culture.

Martis has created trust.

She has established knowledge and understanding and communication and transparency with this community.

And she's overqualified.

Black women typically are the most educated and the most qualified, and always the most underlooked when it comes to leadership.

I'll leave with this if y'all would allow me one minute like y'all did the white lady.

Thank you.

Thank you.

For us to not hire her, says that we do not trust.

Thank you.

We cannot trust the product and the people that we are responsible for developing.

Thank you, Mr.

Martha.

Thank you.

I have Dennis White.

Did Clinton Brown come in?

No, no, this is a different Mr.

Brown.

Yeah, different Quentin Brown.

Yes.

Mr.

White, and then Lynn McCoy and then Dr.

Ari Spencer.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and esteemed servants of our city.

We just finished celebrating the Easter holiday.

Thank you.

A big part of the Easter story is that the people made their voices heard and made a choice to receive a known criminal into their midst and crucify an innocent man.

Pontius Pilate oversaw the process of the people's selection.

The decision was horrible and the outcome was deadly, but the people had chosen.

And Pilate was too afraid of the people to make a decision that went against what the people had selected.

If only our city manager had such fear.

The decision to exclude the people from the selection process of their new police chief.

The decision to reject an obviously more qualified candidate only to insert a known criminal into their midst is the kind of decision that suggests that the people deserve to live in fear.

But the beauty of the Easter story is that even when the people rejected the most qualified person, and even when the city authorities upheld that decision, God said no, and there's an empty grave to prove it.

The beauty, the beauty of Greensboro's story, is that the people are innocent.

The beauty of Greensboro's story is that the people are in favor of the more qualified individual.

The people are in favor of the more innocent individual.

And tonight the people have gathered together to pray God and say no.

Assistant Chief Stephanie Martis was wrongfully overlooked.

The people were wrongfully excluded, and we will not accept this.

We are here to call for the city manager to rescind the offer of Cameron Abzone now before more harm is done to the safety and trust of our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So I have.

Thank you.

Lynn McC Lynn McCoy, Dr.

Iri Spencer, Paulette Montgomery.

Good evening, City Council and Madam Mayor and residents of Greensboro.

My name is Lynn McCoy, and I want to thank you for letting me speak on the important issue of the hiring of the new police chief.

Like hundreds of others in Greensboro, I was stunned by the opacity of the final selection process.

We all appreciated the listening sessions around Greensboro at the beginning of the search.

We stated that what we stated what we thought were essential pieces of a new police chief's professional background.

The city manager says these requested qualifications were taken into consideration, but we had no way of knowing that because the actual final selection process completely lacked transparency.

The community wanted our next chief to be current assistant chief Stephanie Martis.

City manager talks about transparency.

Whoops.

Martis has more than 20 years of experience working in the Greensboro community, developing relationships and building trust.

These relationships and this kind of trust is are essential in positive, successful police work.

How long will it take Comrade and Arsenal to catch up to where assistant Chief Martis already is?

The city manager talks about transparency, but then doesn't do it when it matters.

The city manager has managed to destroy our trust in the city at all levels, and now this will be very hard to regain.

How will the city manager show us we can trust him to take our needs and our interests into consideration?

As a first step, I ask that the city rescind the offer to Comrade and Apsal of the position of the Greensboro Police Chief now, before harm is done to the safety and trust of our community.

We do not accept this hiring decision.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Dr.

Iri Spencer, Paulette Montgomery, then Trill Williams.

I hope I pronounced that correctly.

Good evening protocol having been made several, several, several times.

First of all, you know, anybody that don't know me, hey, how are you doing?

I'm Dr.

Irish Spencer.

Those up here know I love them.

You know I love this city.

I know that you love doing what you do.

I saw you fight to get to where you are.

But there's something I want to show you on this org chart.

You know I'm a researcher, I'm a nerd, like that.

That org chart shows you the very top of the org chart is what?

Say it out loud.

The residents.

Underneath that is what?

City Council.

City Council.

Underneath that is what?

I need you to go back and do history.

I need you to understand how this city is supposed to run.

You, the resident, is first.

The city council is chosen by the residents.

The city council puts its trust in the people they hire around them.

You are only as good as the folks around you.

Because she then told you don't open your mouth, don't say nothing, because you'll get sued.

She's only doing her job.

You got a city manager that went on tour, went on tour, took up our time, and decided what you said didn't matter.

So this is what I'd like for the council to do.

I'd like for you to ask for a timeline.

Ask for a timeline.

Don't just let people come and bring you stuff.

See, I can say this because I'm in that top bracket that says resident.

I want a timeline of when all of this happened because it is so not fair to you all sitting up here that we voted for to go through this drama.

Ask your city manager who you hired, who has an assistant city manager who is over safety, that the police department answers to ask them to put you a timeline together because we shouldn't have never heard from nobody out of Dayton, Ohio that they got a job before we heard it from him.

You should be in.

I am so embarrassed.

I am so embarrassed.

And I'm scared because you know what's gonna hit here in October.

And T's 100.

And I don't need no police chief down here that is we're harboring a fugitive.

I don't need him down here bothering us.

I don't need him down here.

I don't need him.

I don't need this man trying to learn the difference between Starmount and Phillips Avenue.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

I hope you ask for a chart.

Try it out.

Thank you.

I have Pollette Montgomery.

Then I have Trill Williams.

Then I have Christine Hoffner.

And my last speaker is LaToya Cruz Rivas.

Good evening.

I'm Paulette Montgomery, and I'm here to talk about the new hire for police chief and the lack of transparency on this decision.

Our new chief is leaving his position in Dayton, Ohio, where the crime rate is 200% above the national average.

Dayton ranks up there with Oakland, California at 200% above the average crime rate.

Baltimore, Maryland, at 172%, and Detroit, Michigan at 396% above the national average.

Whereas in Greensboro, our crime rate is 52% above the national average.

Are we looking to increase our crime rate percentage with this hire?

Based on this information alone, this doesn't appear to be a good hiring decision.

Our new chief in January stated we need to go to back to some of the old ways of doing some things.

Old ways means a history of aggressive enforcement, regulatory stops, and tactics like dogs and hoses used against people asking for their basic constitutional rights.

As you will see in this video, this is how he polices his community.

I apologize if it's triggering.

Wait, let's play that again.

Didn't look like council was even looking.

No, no, don't.

Okay.

Okay.

A few weeks ago, a man was stopped riding his bicycle in downtown Dayton for not having a headlight.

That man was shot and killed at that same traffic stop.

This death is still an active case.

Yet As Vaughn is leaving to take a new position.

Appears we may have a roaming cop as our new police chief, also.

This council always claims transparency, but this was the least transparent decision made.

We were informed there would be a public forum on the candidates, and that didn't happen.

We found out about the new police chief through the Dayton Daily News.

Not our city manager nor council.

We were still being told by Trey that no decision had been made.

Now I know council members didn't make this decision.

It was made by our city manager Trey Davis.

However, I'm sure you had input, and I find it hard to believe that this council, this entire council is accepting of this new hire with his history.

Especially when we have a qualified candidate in Stephanie Martis for our new police chief.

She has been on the force for 21 years and is already assistant chief.

She has a glowing resume.

She knows Greensboro and how it works.

So why did we have to go out and pick a roaming cop to be our new police chief, Trey?

Stephanie has more than enough experience and many career accolades.

With Greensboro histories, with Greensboro's history of aggressive policing, we deserve better than this.

We're sending the offer to Pameron Oswald now before more harm is done to the safety and trust of our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Williams, did I say your name correctly?

It's Treil.

Trail.

Thank you.

Peace.

I've been getting it.

But but it does appear you deserve it.

I have a couple of comments I'll read now.

And I'm here because it was happening in this moment.

Demands more than what we've been seeing from this council.

Many people in this city believed in you.

They believed you would leave differently.

But you will move with urgency, courage, and with a real commitment to justice.

And what we are seeing instead is not meeting the weight of this moment.

We are living in a time where harm is being justified in real time, where entire populations are being threatened.

And the question that raises is not distant.

It is immediate.

What does complicity look like here?

Because complicity is not just about what you support, it's about what you fail to do when it matters the most.

The question is not whether change is needed.

The question is what does it actually take to get things done?

Now you're willing to do that.

But this moment requires of you in terms of courage, in terms of urgency, in terms of leadership, because incremental steps and procedural comfort are not enough now.

If you are serious about safety, about justice, about the lives of the people who trusted you, then this is the moment to act like it.

This is the moment to prove it.

That means making decisions that reflect the scale of the problem.

That means prioritizing people over process.

That means moving with the understanding that delay has real consequences for real lives.

So my ask is simple.

Meet this moment with the level of action it demands because anything less will not just be remembered as an action.

It will be remembered as complicity.

Thank you.

Christine Hoffner, followed by Latoya Cruz Revis.

And that is my last speaker.

Can you hear me?

My name is Christine Hoffner.

I signed up to speak tonight because I'm troubled about traffic safety in the city.

But I love to say the more influence about the new highest, but please teach the more concerns become about the overall safety of our city.

That's the traffic issue.

I'll cut this short because it's gotten so late.

I'm especially concerned about traffic because drivers are noticing how dangerous traffic is.

The recent accidents are not isolated incidents.

Instead, a pattern is evident, a pattern of enforcement emphasis.

I know this because drivers' complaints about other drivers violating traffic laws are common in our community.

Funny people report alarm at the numbers of theaters they encounter on a daily basis.

They have posted about this on the next door neighborhood news platform.

In just the last six weeks, there's been a lot of comments about speeding cars.

People are worried about speeding.

Complaints come from all over the city.

And people say they see speeding happen 24-7.

There's particular outrage spell car speeding in school zones.

I'm going to quote this post directly in its entirety.

Thank you for mentioning school zones.

It's insane.

If the police monitored those daily, it would probably raise enough revenue that we wouldn't need a property tax increase.

Instead of regulatory stops, we need safety stops.

So people know that careless driving is not overlooked, and there are consequences for endangering people's lives.

I'm reminding council of voters' emphasis on community safety.

This includes enforcement that protects the many folks who express apprehension about being on the road with feeding drivers so they can actually experience feeling safe.

Which brings me back to the issue of our community's overall safety.

Because DPD's mission to protect is at risk under the new hire.

I'm joining so many of us in saying we will not accept this new hire.

Rescend the offer to Carmen Elsal before more harm is done to the safety and trust of our community.

Thank you.

Latoya?

Hello, hello, hello.

Good afternoon, everybody.

My name is Vatoya Coosreeves, and I live in District One.

And I'm coming up here basically to speak on the lack of transparency.

And saying that the hiring process, it was more so a closed session.

Um no community input, and I'm not understanding how you can have the credentials.

You can have everything that you need, but be overlooked when you've been out here in the community forever.

I too know about being overlooked because I too have credentials, and unfortunately, we don't say it, but a lot of times it is because I am a female and I'm a black female and I'm a woman.

I can pull my resume and it's going to speak for itself.

I've been a leader.

I've raised four black sons who are successful, so I've been a leader.

With no response to why I wasn't promoted within the company that I had been with for years.

And also it goes into say it's a smack in the face.

Because if I've put the work in and I put the ethic in and I have a rapport with the community, then what is the problem?

Being promoted is not shouldn't be based off of personal feelings, whether I like you, you like me, or whatever.

It shouldn't be based off my credentials and what I put in.

Secondly, when we start talking about police accountability, I ain't I'm in this, I'm gonna bypass that.

Um we know there hasn't been any.

I'm not gonna speak on certain things, but anybody that's in this building, we can't bypass and act like we're blind to the fact they know exactly what I'm speaking on.

Um, and I'll speak on that on another session.

But there's been times where we've seen with our own eyes and heard videos where there's been police brutality with no accountability, where a lot of things have been accepted, but again, there's been no police accountability.

So I guess it just depends on who you are, where you live, and what color you are to determine that.

And for me being a mother, I'm terrified because I have four sons, but I've raised my sons.

They're not running around, they're not robbing, stealing, and killing.

They've been in the community, they worked the voting polls and everything else.

I can't say I know a lot of young 20s, 20-year-old black males that work the voting polls.

They actually know what's going on with the voting polls because they know anything that I'm involved with is not gonna be no mess.

So therefore saying is promote within.

Why not?

What's the problem?

The end.

Thank you.

That is my last speaker from the floor.

I thank you all very, very much.

Um, city manager, I believe you wanted to say something.

Yes.

Excuse me.

Please, please.

Let me let the let the city manager speak.

Let the city manager speak, please.

Mayor and council, thank you for the opportunity to make a few comments.

Um it's an understatement to say that there are strong opinions, strong feelings, and strong emotions about this decision.

Uh, but I want to say and acknowledge to everyone who spoke, a lot of folks who I know I've worked with for a number of years to my time here, that I respect all of the opinions, I expect all respect all of the emotions, and I think it's much appreciated to show the engagement from the community here for the city.

A public safety leadership is one of the most important decisions that a city manager will make, and it deserves thoughtful discussion.

So, one, I heard a lot of questions, and I heard a few things to mention what qualifies me to make the decision that I made.

One, I bring more than two decades of law enforcement experience, which includes 17 years with the Greensboro Police Department and various command level roles.

I've also been the key part of the last two police chief hires, to which I will note that we did not have uh finalist interviews at the end of those processes.

And I need to make sure that people understand this decision is not made or taken lightly.

It is one that I approach with both professional experience and with deep knowledge of this community.

Since stepping into this role of city manager in 2024, I've been very clear that public safety is a top priority for this city.

Pursuant to state law in 1959, the city manager has the authority to hire all city employees, which includes the police chief.

And I need to reiterate that this decision was not rushed.

It was deliberate, and it was a month-long national search.

We engage as a few folks acknowledged tonight, the community in a meaningful way, which included five different public input sessions where residents helped shape the leadership profile that we were looking for.

And I personally attended several of those sessions to hear directly.

And I also want to acknowledge yes, there was conversation about whether we would have discussions with the finalist candidates, and I will reiterate my position on that.

But I need to say that during those sessions, we did hear what the community had to say very clearly.

That Greensboro wanted a leader who could enhance safety, who could build trust, and who can modernize policing.

Their feedback directly informed the qualities that we prioritize.

Chief Avzall was the most qualified candidate after after reviewing.

Please, please.

We listen to you, please.

Again, was the most qualified candidate after reviewing many factors to include community input, professional experience, and alignment with the needs of this city.

I recognize that any leadership change brings questions, and again, I acknowledge that the community's passion is healthy.

But this decision was based on alignment with our needs, not a single factor or a moment.

Chief Alsaw will be expected to engage our community, which we noted that there will be opportunities to engage from day one.

We'll create those opportunities for residents for council and for the officers that this chief will manage in the police department.

Like all other department head leaders, he will be held accountable for his performance, transparency, and the revolt results that we're requiring.

Again, I'll say this that public safety is foundational to everything we are working on to achieve as a city.

I'm confident that this election with this position will move Greensboro forward stronger, safer, and more unified.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

City Manager.

Um, I I would like to say a few things.

Um the hiring and the process for selecting a police chief is solely at the discretion of the city manager.

City council supported our city manager to make a decision.

Many many times I have heard over the last year or two complaints from that podium about our police department.

I have heard this, and I just wanted to say that the hiring of a police chief is his authority, and he followed it legally to the team.

Um, I just hope that we will give the man a chance because we give him I'm gonna have you remove, please.

We sat here and we all listened.

Please at least let us finish.

And I respect everyone who spoke tonight.

I showed that this evening, and I listened to everyone, and I took notes, and I just want to say that that is a decision that has been made, and I don't believe that it's going to be rescinded because the decision is made, and we supported the city manager to make that decision.

I know people are very disappointed, but we did support the city manager to make the decision, and that is by state law that he is given that authority.

So is does anyone else want to say anything?

Thank you all very much.

And thank you for coming to express your concerns.

And I certainly hope that we can move forward.

Thank you.

All right.

We uh I'll let everyone kind of leave.

Uh remove them.

Remove Jason.

Jason, you're banned.

No, no, I'm sorry.

Well, you can call me another time at the office, okay?

No.

This is not what we voted for.

We voted for the first one.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We do not have any, that's the end of our public comment periods.

We do not have a public hearing agenda.

So we will move on to our general business agenda.

I have item I1, resolution authorizing sole source purchase of retro reflective traffic sign materials from 3M Incorporated as authorized by the sole source exemption of general statute 143-129.

If the idea moved by Mrs.

Thurm.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

So we may not get her vote, but uh she's not there.

And that carries eight to zero.

Or no, it would be seven.

With Mr.

Marshall and Miss Roth not being there.

That passes seven to zero.

Madam Mayor actually that would be eight to zero.

If you have not excused Mayor Pro Tim, her vote isn't in the Oh, then she's an automatic yes.

So uh now I do believe we need to excuse Mayor Pro Tim Roth moved by Mr.

Holston, second.

Do I hear a second?

Second by Mrs.

Thurm.

Uh that can be a roll call vote.

Ms.

Black.

Mr.

Allen?

Mr.

Holston?

Ms.

Thurm?

I'm a yes.

Ms.

Crawford?

And Ms.

Parker?

Yes.

So she is excused.

All right, moving on to item I2, ordinance establishing FTA grant NC 2026-009 for fiscal year 24, Section 5307.

Security and routine capital assistance and section 5339.

Any questions?

Moved by Mr.

Holston?

Seconded by Mr.

Allen.

Council, please vote.

And that passes seven to zero.

If anyone has any board and commissions appointments, I will start with Ms.

Parker.

None?

Mr.

Crawford.

I need to remove someone.

All right.

Shade Edwards from the Commission on the Status of Women.

Okay, do I hear a second?

Second by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Great.

Thank you.

Ms.

Black, do you have any boards and commissions appointments?

I'd like to remove Camille Bess Brown and replace her with Karen Lilly.

All right.

And to replace her with who?

I'm sorry.

For the Commission of Status of Women.

And you're replacing her with, I didn't hear the name, I'm sorry.

Karen Lily.

Karen Lilly.

All right.

Do I hear a motion?

Oh, excuse me.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Thank you.

That passes unanimously.

All right.

Mr.

Allen.

No appointments, Mr.

Holston?

No.

Ms.

Thurm?

No.

I have several.

Um, let's see.

I want to appoint Walter Galarevich to the community sustainability council.

And I'll accept a motion.

Second.

I mean, you can second.

Yes, I motion you second.

Thank you, Mr.

Holston.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

Hearing none, that passes unanimously.

I also have two to uh put on the GC Jack program, the council.

I have Doreen Lumpkin, and I will make that motion.

Could I get a second?

Second by Ms.

Thurm.

All in favor, please say aye.

Thank you.

That passes unanimously, unless anyone is opposed.

All right.

The second person I would like to put on the GC Jack would be Kay Brown.

I'll motion.

Yep.

Ms.

Crossford wanted to motion.

Okay.

Seconded by Ms.

Parker.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

That passes unanimously unless there is any opposition.

All right.

Thank you all so much.

Now, time for council comments.

I will start with Ms.

Parker.

All right, Ms.

Crawford.

So I want to I want to thank everyone who showed up and spoke out tonight.

I hear the concerns around the city's decision, and I I want folks to know that we heard their voice.

You know, the community engagement is what we ask for from the very beginning.

And I'm still committed to embracing the movement for uh written consent.

Um this does not change uh the importance of that.

Um lighter note as we move through uh this issue.

Um it was an honor to represent the city uh at Saturday night's Cambodian uh New Year and Heritage Month celebration.

Um and I want to thank the Cambodian community for the invitation.

Um I want to say they've been here for over 40 years.

Uh they are a very integral part of our community.

And um as we have this conversation of how we keep all of our communities safe, um I think it is by being in community with uh all parts and hearing from all parts of our community about how they want us to rise to the occasion in these moments and in these times.

Uh so I hope that more people will attend festivals with our immigrant uh communities and get to know uh the folks who live uh in our neighborhoods.

Thank you, Ms.

Thurm.

Nothing tonight, Mr.

Holston.

A couple of things.

Uh first is uh it was an honor to attend the uh homegoing celebration of uh Mr.

Terry Bellamy, who was a uh long-term Greensboro employee in transportation.

Uh and uh a great man, a great friend, and a great member of our community.

Uh his services were back on March 27th.

Also, when it comes to staying staying with health, uh council member uh Crawford and Mayor Boozway were at the MosesCone uh unveiling of their two new mobile vans over on Phillips Avenue.

Uh those two should those two new vans are being added to their existing two vans.

And uh each of them will one will focus on on OBGYN services, the other on heart services.

Uh desperately needed in our community, desperately needed in northeast, east, southeast Greensboro.

So congratulations to Cone Health, Cone Hospital for uh adding those additional resources.

I also want to say that uh upcoming on April 18th, the prostate health education network is having uh a rally on the campus of North Carolina AT.

Uh that's April 18th from 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m.

Uh for men to get your free prostate screening and information education is also a lunch.

Um early detection is critical, and this is another way for health to be emphasized in this case, especially for men in our community, especially for black men uh with the instance of prostate cancer.

And last I'll say that uh also truly appreciate the speakers tonight coming out, uh sharing their their thoughts, sharing their passion.

Um I think one of the residents did say that you know our residents are our bosses, they're the ones that put us here, and it's important that they have that avenue and that openness to be able to share with us.

I also say that I support our city manager, and these decisions are not always the easiest.

But at the same time, um there is accountability, and the city manager and the city staff is accountable all the way up through city council, and so um I'm just looking forward to working through and working for for the citizens of Greensboro.

And I know that every member of the staff and every member of the city council feels the very same way.

So again, I thank them for speaking tonight.

I thank them for their energy and their passion and for sharing with us what they think is good for the city of Greensboro because that can only make us stronger.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Allen.

A few things.

Uh first uh was had the pleasure of attending uh some local Easter egg hunts uh this past weekend with my daughter and my nephew.

Uh one held at the Pillar Wreck Center, which was completely packed out.

Uh eggs didn't last long.

Uh and everyone left happy, and uh they had face painting for the kids, they had hot dogs on the grill, uh, and everybody was having a good time.

Uh also attended the I am King Easter egg hunt uh and uh same thing.

It was probably about 300 kids out there.

Uh so it was about a two-minute egg hunt because all of those eggs got snatched up fast, so I had a uh good uh time within the community and uh being amongst everybody.

So thank you, uh all the folks who organized those events and was able to bring a little joy during Easter weekend for uh our residents.

Uh I was also able to attend uh the final programming for uh the Black Lent uh that was put on by the Pulpit Forum and other community members, uh, and they had a fantastic speaker.

It was held at uh New Light where Reverend Brown uh hosted uh and uh it was uh very good messaging and folks gathered together for that event.

So I'm grateful for uh being able to attend that as well.

Uh I was not able to attend the Nubian and the Philharmonic concert that happened uh at the end of March, but uh that was a great event that I was able to catch video of and uh have been in concert with uh some of the organizers, and they are uh inviting folks out to the Strange Fruit Festival to join them uh for another weekend of music, and that'll be on uh the 18th.

Uh so definitely make sure that uh if you are around and you would like to uh hear some good music and have a good time, then join them on the 18th, and it'll be at several locations uh downtown Greensboro.

Uh and then finally uh this coming weekend uh there'll be a uh documentary screening at the Civil Rights Museum uh that I'll be attending for the Reverend Steve Allen and uh know him a little bit.

Uh but uh that'll that'll be another great event.

So come out and celebrate uh great folks, great residents of the city of Greensboro.

Uh, and I thank uh everybody y'all for uh their comments tonight as well.

I think uh both the folks that uh were before our break and the folks after our break uh spoke to some much needed things.

I've got uh more notes than I've ever taken at a council meeting, so I am very appreciative of uh those voices coming out to join us and just like to remind folks that uh we are all in community together, uh so this is not community against uh any part of the city.

We're all part of this community together, and we'll be uh working through this whether we agree or disagree.

Um it's up to us to uh to work through things together, and so we'll continue in that spirit here on council, uh, and I'm sure I'll be uh in many conversations about how uh continuing that spirit in the community.

Thank you, Ms.

Black.

I just want to um lift up that I had my first town hall, and um it was very successful.

I think I probably had over 75 people to attend, so I'm very proud to have uh got that out of the way.

Um I know that's a major accomplishment when you're starting out, so I'm pretty proud to do that.

We also completed our Bingham Park uh meetings, and so the community has been informed on the process.

However, we will continue to move forward and keep community informed on the further movement of that uh the mediation, hoping to break ground in the fall.

I want to say congratulations to Mr.

Colbert of Dentley High School, who won who created the no rush zone yard sign.

Um I hope that it encourages residents to slow down.

We heard someone talk tonight about speeding.

Um it has been a collective conversation in our city, and um I'm very focused on uh seeing how council can dig a little bit deeper on how we can address uh the concerns around speeding and our transportation.

Um I also want to echo other council members uh with the members who spoke tonight.

Uh your voice is a very important tool that you have, and we will never want to silence people from being able to come and speak and share how they feel.

Um I was at that podium just this time last year, and I know that that's an important thing that we need to offer and uplift our citizens for coming and doing.

Um, so I I just want to encourage uh council to receive them and to uplift those who feel brave enough to come in front of us and share their thoughts, and as we move forward in this process, um we we will hear from them more and we have to be ready to listen, and I think that we will be able to come to the community that we all want.

So I I just want to say thank you to those who came tonight.

We heard you.

I took more notes than Irvin by the way.

Um, but we um we will be in touch, so thank you.

Thank you, and I think Mrs.

Therm had another comment.

Yes, I wanted to tag on to Mr.

Holston's comment about prostate cancer, and we found out this week that one of my cousins who is considerably younger than I am, um has prostate cancer that has spread throughout his whole body and has been given initially six months.

Um this cousin is much younger than I am and way too young to have normally even gone through the testing.

So if you have the opportunity, please please please get tested.

Um it's never too early, it's important prevention, um, and I know his wife wishes that he would have gotten tested long before now, even though he's so young.

Um in addition to that, you know.

I I passed on my comments initially because I wasn't ready to say what I needed to say or what I wanted to say about the speakers from the floor.

Um I think some of you have said it far better than than I could, but I feel we missed not to speak on the subject.

Um I was at the District 5 preliminary meeting, and the question was specifically asked at that meeting.

Will we be able to interview the last two candidates?

And it was asked by people that were here tonight in speaking.

And the consultant, the head hunter at that point said, I seriously doubt it.

Um I know people are asking for it, and she gave a whole list of reasons why she didn't believe we would be doing that.

Um I know the community is disappointed, um, and I know that our city manager didn't take this decision lightly.

Um it's it's an important decision, as he said, it's one of the most important decisions that he can make.

Um, and I think from my standpoint, it was obvious what the community wanted.

And if Mr.

Davis felt the need to make a decision contrary to that, then I have to trust him to have made the best decision for our city because it certainly wasn't the easiest decision for our city.

Because it certainly wasn't the easiest decision for our city.

And part of the job of being a manager is making very difficult decisions, even when you know they're not gonna be popular, even though when you know you're going to disappoint people.

And I have to trust, and I do trust our city manager.

And thank you.

I know it wouldn't it was difficult for you to sit through that meeting as much or more so than for us to to listen to that feedback.

I look forward to our new police chief's arrival.

I look forward to him meeting with the public.

It is my hope and prayer that the public gives them an opportunity, an opportunity to step into this role and earn the public's trust.

And we have to go from that.

So thank you to the city manager, the Cisco City Manager who were both integrally involved in the this process to the City Attorney.

And I look forward to having a new police chief.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mrs.

Thurm.

So I have a few things, and then I'll say one more one or two more sentences, but I do want to thank Councilmember Crawford for going to the Cambodian event.

I try to go every year, but was unable to this year.

So I appreciate you representing us.

And I've been over to ANT to speak to some classes, and it's it's interesting because a lot of the ANT students are very interested in Greensboro, but some of them have promised to go back home.

So I'm trying to talk them out of them.

I think Mr.

Holston knows that as well.

I think we both heard it.

So many of us went to the Women to Women Gala, and we had a great time there.

That's where they raised money for nonprofits.

And I don't know what the last total was, but they they sent out the total, they raised a lot to give to well over 200,000 in order to assist nonprofits in the community, and they really do.

Went to the Easter egg hunt that Justin Washington uh always puts on for his uh nonprofit uh just one foundation, and of course uh I was able to open the senior games, believe it or not.

So open the senior games, and uh few of us could be in the senior games, but I I'm chicken.

I'm sick of now.

No, I don't think our hand's old enough.

You have to be it's you have to be 55.

Um and also I know we're all very excited about the Norwegian uh soccer team, they call it football, of course.

The Norwegian soccer team uh being at UNCG as their base camp, and I believe the German team is gonna be in Winston, is that correct?

Yes, Winston.

And I also want to echo, I know I made some statements earlier, but I think everyone kind of summed up our feelings this evening.

I think that some people didn't hear the uh consultant talk about, you know, it's really hard to sometimes interview the last final candidates because they have not always uh if they're not from the area, then you know they can't stand the the possibility that their position could be jeopardized in the in the city they are working in.

I know years ago we were able to interview the last two, but that was a totally different situation where uh that person was able to let their employer know at that time.

So I I certainly understand that, and the consultant and Mr.

City Manager, thank you for everything that that you spoke about this evening because I think it it's so true.

I think you you made a decision and it was really really hard to do so, but you followed through, you made the decision with your team, and and we really appreciate that, and we support you.

So um that's all I have, Mr.

City Manager.

No tonight.

All right, uh, Madam City Attorney.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Yes, I just wanted to go on record and give great things for everything that council has also said, and I just wanted to add, um I look forward to the work ahead in us meeting right now as council and community and as city staff, and I wanted to affirm that there is the political will for change, and I'm glad that we now have a chief in place so we can meet him in this moment and do the work of the agenda that was set by the community and the needs.

And I'm glad that we now have a chief in place so we can meet him in this moment and do the work of the agenda that was set by the community and the needs.

I did have a conversation with our former chief of police on his retirement, and he said, you know what, April, the the work that you all want to do, we're in a good place to start now.

You know, our previous council did make sure that the Greensboro Police Department was fully staffed and resourced.

And if we wanted to do some of these changes before, they just didn't have the capacity.

And so I think that we're in a good place to do good work right now.

And so um thank you all uh for coming tonight, and I appreciate counsel.

Thank you.

All righty, I would accept the motion to adjourn.

Maybe let me say a second about Mr.

Hulliston.

I hear no opposition, we are adjourned, a little.