Greenville City Council Workshop - January 8, 2024

The Greenville City Council held a workshop on January 8, 2024, at 9:15 AM (per meeting records; the agenda listed a 4:00 PM start time). The workshop covered three major agenda items: an interim report on the sports complex feasibility study, a preview of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) project, and a presentation from the Greenville Police Department on recruitment and retention efforts. The agenda was approved unanimously (4-0). No public comments were heard.

Discussion Items

Sports Complex Feasibility Study Interim Report

• Andrew Schmidt (President/CEO of Greenville ENC, encompassing the sports commission) introduced Brian Connolly, founder and managing principal of Victus Advisors. The city engaged Victus in 2023 to conduct a sports tourism market and financial analysis.
• Connolly presented findings from Phase I (market research). Key points:
  • Baseball and softball are the primary drivers of sports tourism in Greenville, generating the most hotel nights over the past three years despite the lack of a dedicated multi-field complex.
  • Greenville has strong partnerships with national organizations (e.g., USA Softball, Little League) and a reputation as a baseball mecca (named Sportstown USA in NC).
  • Currently, the area lacks "sports tourism caliber facilities" – e.g., no complex with eight or more ball diamonds, basketball/volleyball courts, rectangular fields, or a 50-meter pool.
  • Over 25 million people live within a five-hour drive. Pitt County has 2,100+ hotel rooms with average daily rates ($80–$120) well below the national average ($150), a competitive advantage.
  • Stakeholders (city, Visit Greenville, county, ECU) unanimously support sports tourism as aligned with organizational goals.
  • The top opportunity for return on investment is a baseball/softball complex (8–12 diamonds), followed by an indoor court facility, outdoor rectangular fields, and a 50-meter pool.
• Phase II (financial/economic analysis) will be presented at the council planning session on January 27, 2024. It will include operating models, cost estimates, economic impact, and funding options.
• Councilmember questions/input:
  • Councilmember Barber requested inclusion of transportation access and consideration of track and field. Connolly noted track was evaluated but did not rank in the top four opportunities.
  • Councilmember Skelly emphasized the need to involve ECU, the county, and schools in funding and usage discussions.
  • Mayor Connolly stressed that the study was not a self-fulfilling prophecy but an objective look at market potential.

Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Project

• Chief Planner Shante Gooby presented an overview. The UDO will consolidate and modernize the city's zoning and subdivision ordinances, which have not been comprehensively updated since the 1990s.
• Goals: user-friendly language with diagrams/pictures, elimination of redundancies, updates for legislative changes, and improved predictability.
• A consultant has been selected; a contract approval item will come before council on February 5, 2024.
• The project timeline is 18–24 months, with task force meetings, public engagement, and eventual consideration by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. Target adoption: fall/winter 2025.
• Councilmember Barber noted the UDO aligns with addressing climate change, vegetation, accessibility, sprawl, and center city development. She asked about task force composition and emphasized including diverse voices (disabilities, environmental groups, etc.). Staff will share the task force roster with council.
• Councilmember questioned whether updating the Horizons comprehensive plan first would be more advantageous. Staff explained the current Horizons plan remains useful and the UDO is more overdue; a separate Horizons update will follow after the UDO is completed.

Police Department Recruitment and Retention

• City Manager and Chief of Police Sauls presented a plan to address staffing shortages. Current sworn officer vacancies: 27 (with 10 in the academy, potentially reducing to 17). Since March 2022, vacancies have never been below 22 and peaked at 44.
• Key statistics:
  • Greenville's starting police salary ($48,672) ranks 7th among benchmark cities, down from 3rd. The state average for vacancy is approximately 25%; Greenville has held around 15%.
  • Approximately 50% of officers leave before year 7, with about half going to other agencies. Reasons: higher starting pay, less workload, location, better incentives.
  • Each year since 2019, the department has lost about 20 sworn officers.
  • Training takes 16–20 weeks for basic law enforcement plus 16–20 weeks field training; the department mandates over 60 hours of annual in-service training (state minimum is 24).
• Proposed changes (mid-year adjustments):
  1. Increase starting pay from $48,672 to $51,106, with an additional 5% after six-month probation (to $53,661). This would move Greenville to 2nd or 3rd among benchmark cities.
  2. Create a Senior Patrol Officer rank at the 4-year mark with a 5% pay increase; adjust Advanced Patrol Officer (APO) from 2% to 2.5% and maintain Master Patrol Officer (MPO) at 10% increase at 10 years.
  3. Add a 2.5% incentive for military service and a second language (Spanish) incentive.
  4. Future consideration of a loyalty incentive for officers at 15+ years.
• Other initiatives: co-responder model with Trillium for mental health calls, civilian traffic crash investigators (four positions to handle property-damage-only crashes, expected to reduce officer call volume by 25%).
• Councilmember Robinson praised the work and suggested being more aggressive (e.g., highest paid in state) to attract experienced officers. Chief Sauls noted that the department is already seeing officers from other states and emphasized the need for competitive pay and retention.
• City manager indicated these adjustments can be funded within current revenues and overtime savings, with full budget implications to be addressed in the upcoming budget process.

Key Outcomes

• The agenda was approved 4-0.
• No formal votes were taken on the substantive items; they were presented for discussion and future action.
• The Sports Complex Feasibility Study will continue with Phase II presented at the January 27 planning session.
• The UDO contract will be brought to council for approval on February 5.
• Police pay and recruitment recommendations will be considered as part of the mid-year budget adjustment and the upcoming budget cycle. Council indicated support for further steps if the initial changes are insufficient.