Greenville City Council Meeting - December 9, 2024
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Greenville City Council Meeting - December 9, 2024
The Greenville City Council met on December 9, 2024, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor PJ Conley presided. The meeting included special recognitions, public comment, consent agenda approval, new business items, and a review of the city's 250th anniversary celebrations. All votes were unanimous.
Special Recognitions
- Life-Saving Actions by Public Works Employees: On September 24, 2024, Public Works employees Donald Harris, Kelly Grimes, Billy Levy, Marcus Harris, Matt Hopkins, Terrence Roach, and James Powell performed CPR and called 911 after finding a man unresponsive at the intersection of Skinner and Howell. Their quick actions saved the man's life. The council expressed deep appreciation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Daniel Mills (Eagle Scout, Troop 9): Presented his "Stuff with Love" program, collecting fuzzy socks with grips for nursing home residents. Last year, 246 socks were collected; this year's goal is 208. Boxes are placed at local fast-food and coffee locations. He requested additional placement opportunities.
Consent Calendar
- Item 2: Resolution amending Article VI of Personnel Policies to add Section 24.0, prohibiting viewing of pornography on city networks and devices.
- Item 3: Ordinance amending Greenville Utilities Commission's Sewer Capital Project Budget for the NCDOT Corey and Worthington Project.
- Item 4: Request to place public art (DownEast Sculpture Exhibition) on city property. Councilmember Blackburn pulled this item to commend the Pitt County Arts Council. The program brings rotating sculptures to prominent locations, enhancing quality of life without a purchase commitment. The upcoming group of sculptures was praised.
- Item 5: Various tax refunds greater than $100.
- Action: Consent agenda approved 6-0. Item 4 was then voted on separately and approved 6-0.
Discussion Items
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New Business Item 6 – Duke Energy Easement: Executive Director Don Octagon presented a request from Duke Energy for an additional 80-foot-wide easement (approximately 7 acres) in River Park North and Wildwood Park to replace electric transmission poles. The city will receive $87,500 in compensation. No impact on current trails, park operations, or future development at Wildwood Park. Councilmember Blackburn asked about tree clearing timing to avoid spring nesting season; staff agreed to discuss with Duke Energy. The resolution was approved unanimously.
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New Business Item 7 – Budget Ordinance Amendment #5: CFO Michael Joiner presented the amendment, which includes:
- A: Increase General Fund by $209,000 for rescue service transport revenues (based on actuals).
- B: Move funds between ARPA projects (no net change) to obligate funds before year-end.
- C: Increase Donations Fund by $5,000 for police department donations.
- D: Appropriate $837,000 in CARES funding for transit fleet service storage bay expansion.
- E: Appropriate $117,500 in occupancy tax revenues for the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
- F: Appropriate $750,000 from General Fund balance to Public Works Capital Project Fund for a modular building (meeting/office space) for streets employees, replacing their current inadequate meeting space. The amendment was approved unanimously.
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New Business Item 8 – 250th Anniversary Review: Public Information Officer Brock Worth presented a year-long review of the city's semi-quincentennial celebration. Highlights included:
- Distribution of 3,000 "then and now" wall calendars.
- Launch of a dedicated website (250.greenville.nc.gov) with interactive timeline, maps, videos, and photos.
- "Reflection Series" video interviews with current and former residents.
- A print publication distributed to 5,000 people via city facilities and libraries.
- Community outreach: bus signage, giveaways at Pirate Fest and Arbor Day, a city anniversary shop, and a student art competition (theme: "What do you enjoy most about Greenville?"). Winning artwork is displayed in City Hall and will be used for the 2025 calendar.
- Birthday celebration on October 4 at Five Points, coinciding with the same date as the 1974 200th anniversary. Included live music, vendor market, and giveaways. A video of the event was shown.
- Staff and community partners were thanked. Council members praised the diversity and thoughtfulness of the activities.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved (6-0).
- Item 4 (public art) approved separately (6-0).
- Item 6 (Duke Energy easement) approved (6-0).
- Item 7 (Budget Amendment #5) approved (6-0).
- Closed session: Motion to enter closed session under NCGS § 143-318.11(a)(3) (attorney-client privilege) to discuss a legal claim and property acquisition. Motion approved (6-0). Council entered closed session at the end of the meeting.
Other Business
- Review of December 12, 2024, City Council Agenda: Briefly noted; no details provided.
- City Manager's Report: None.
- Comments from Mayor and Council: Councilmembers shared birthday wishes, thanked staff for holiday work, encouraged support for downtown businesses during construction, highlighted Greenville Gives and the holiday parade, reminded residents to support homeless warming stations, and congratulated participants in the Nutcracker production and Fashionetta. The Mayor thanked Public Works employees and noted community donations to feed them.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening. I'd like to call the December 9th, 2024 meeting of the Greenville City Council to order. I'm Mayor PJ Conley. I'll be presiding over tonight's meeting. First, I'd like to call on Councilmember Willis for the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Let us pray. Father God, I just thank you, Lord. I thank you for today, Lord. I thank you for what they call a reasonable portion of life, health, and strength. Thank you, Lord, for this year, what you've been in this year. For some, Lord, you've been a healer. For some, Father God, you've been a comforter. For some, you've been their peace, Lord. One thing I know for sure is that you are good. Lord, I thank you, Father God, for the leadership that's in this room. I thank you, Lord, for the staff members, Lord, that serve our city every day. I pray, Lord, that we would keep the people that we serve at the forefront of all that we do. Father God, I pray, Lord, for this holiday season, Lord, and all the stress that comes with it. I pray that we would have the peace and the love and the joy that you came to give us. I pray, Lord, that you would strengthen those that need a touch from you during this season. Those that may be weary. Amen. Councilmember Willis. No. Failure to get us dodge for lack of a second. Yeah, uh, motion to approve the agenda with the uh stated uh revision of uh our attorney. Second. All right, motion has been made by council member Blackburn, second by council member Foreman. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say nay. Motion passed the fifth year out. Move on to special recognitions. Is it? Oh, I got one. So I know something. So you don't have a member in a little while. So I don't think about it. All right. Thank you, Mr. City Manager, Mayor. Um so a little uh little time history here. What's uh September 24th on Tuesday morning? It's uh a little few minutes after six. Um our public uh works employees were already under work uh underway with their day. All right, they're leaving our site using the Skinner Street exit as they drove to the intersection of Skinner and Howell, right across from South Greenville, they encountered a gentleman who was on the ground at this location. All right. Public works employees quickly stopped what they were doing, got out of their truck to check on the individual. Um a conga line of trucks leaving the uh the Skinner Street exit during this hour. All right. So our employees meet so they found this this gentleman.
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