Greenville City Council Workshop: ECU Health Primary Care Learning Center Proposal - April 7, 2025
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Greenville City Council Workshop: ECU Health Primary Care Learning Center Proposal - April 7, 2025
The Greenville City Council held a workshop on April 7, 2025, at 3:30 PM in City Council Chambers. The primary agenda item was a presentation on a proposed ECU Health Primary Care Learning Center in North Greenville, a collaboration between the city, ECU Health, and the Brody School of Medicine. The meeting also included a unanimous vote to add a closed session at the end.
Consent Calendar
- Agenda Approval: Motion made to add a Closed Session at the end of the workshop; UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED 6-0.
Discussion Items
- ECU Health Primary Care Learning Center Presentation:
- City Manager Michael introduced the project, noting it addresses a long-standing need for health care and pharmacy services north of the river. He stated that the city has been working on this for about seven months.
- Dr. Kashida Jackson (VP of Community Health, ECU Health) and Dr. Jason Foltz (CMO of the practice plan) presented the problem: lack of primary care, high ED visits for low-acuity issues, need for training sites for medical students, and transportation barriers. They highlighted that North Greenville has a high social vulnerability index and many ED patients are self-pay.
- The proposed solution is a 7,500 sq. ft. student-led primary care clinic with wraparound services (behavioral health, social work, health coaches) and an embedded retail pharmacy. The clinic will be supervised by two full-time physicians. It will serve as a training site for medical, PA, and nursing students.
- D. Wood Newkirk (owner of Unshakable Builders) presented the site: 22 acres (9 commercial, 13 residential) with plans for 204 apartment units to add density. The proposed clinic building is approximately 7,500 sq. ft. located off Easy Street near McDonald's on Ward Drive.
- Dr. Jackson noted that ECU Health has applied for a NCDHHS community outreach grant (decision by end of April/early May) and is seeking a $750,000 grant from the Duke Endowment over three years, with support letters and fiscal commitments needed. The timeline: Duke Endowment application June 15, decision December, target go-live February/March 2026.
- A partnership with the city would include on-demand transportation service from the clinic/pharmacy to homes, initially on the north side with plans to expand citywide.
- Council members and the mayor expressed strong support. Mayor Pro Tem Monica Daniels, Council Member Tonya Foreman, Council Member Portia Willis, Council Member Matthew Scully, and Mayor PJ Connelly all praised the collaboration. Council Member Willis noted the emotional significance; Council Member Foreman highlighted the need for brick-and-mortar pharmacy.
- Council Member Les Robinson asked about housing units (204). Council Member Marion Blackburn (likely) inquired about hours of operation (8-5 initially, with plans for same-day access and potential Saturday hours).
- City Manager Michael requested council support for the Duke Endowment application with a letter of support and a fiscal commitment of $1 million to $1.5 million over 10 years, to be negotiated based on services provided. Council members gave verbal thumbs-up but no formal vote was taken at the workshop.
Key Outcomes
- No formal vote on the fiscal commitment; council members expressed strong verbal support and directed staff to proceed with the Duke Endowment application.
- Closed Session: After the presentation, the council voted unanimously (6-0) to enter closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11 to consult with an attorney.
- Next Steps: City staff and ECU Health will continue discussions; the Duke Endowment application is due June 15, 2025, with a decision expected in December 2025; construction target is early 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Um it is um April 7th twenty twenty-five on workshop. I am Mayor Plot Town Monica Daniels, and I'll be heading this up until the mayor arrives. Claire. Gotcha. Mayor Proton Daniels, present. Council member Foreman here. Council member Blackburn, president, Councilmember Stelle. Councilmember Robinson? Here. Council Member Willis. All right, Mayor Parton, we have a corn. Thank you, manager. So um the city attorney would like to make an amendment to the agenda. Thank you. Um Mr. Manager of Mayor Pro Town and Council members, I'd ask the council uh add a closed session motion um to be read at the end of the meeting right before the adjournment on the uh agenda. So the workshop second. The workshop? Yes, ma'am. During the workshop. I was in favor. Okay, motion passes six zero. All right, thank you, Mayor Pro Tim. The first item on the agenda tonight is a presentation of a proposed ECU Health Primary Care Learning Center in North Greenville. I can say that uh the uh there have been a number of city councils that have asked the question over the years, over many years. So a number of city councils over the years have asked on the question of how we can provide health care services and pharmaceutical services to a very needy area north of the river. And I also say that a a significant number of city leaderships have also done the same. But I do believe that we are as close as we've ever been to being able to solidify uh services on the north side that will improve the lives of the citizens in that area as well as the county. And about seven months ago, uh started a uh a relationship with ECU Health and a partnership to look first of all how we could provide pri um pharmaceutical services on the north side of Greenville. But it evolved into a much larger conversation about access to health care. And I'm proud to say that we are uh to a point where we can uh provide to you a vision of what those health care services could look like in a partnership between the city, ECU Health and the ECU School of Medicine. And I'm also proud to have tonight with us our ECU Health Physicians Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jason Foltz and the ECU Vice President of Community Health, Dr. Kashida Jackson, that are going to provide an overview of to you what a primary care learning center would look like on that north side and what the next steps could be in partnership with the city. So Dr. Foltz, is she welcome? Well, thank you, Michael, and City Council members. Our slides are here. Yeah, it's on. Yeah, it's clear. There you go. All right, good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. I told someone a few minutes ago if I got in front of the podium, I might think I'm at church and start reading church announcements. So please really. So thank you for the opportunity for us to be able to talk about the primary care learning center in North Greenville. This has been a vision of love and hard work for the last couple of months. Um I would even dare to say over the last couple of years. Um with the partnership of so many in this room, Michael, um, Mayor Pro Tim Daniels, and so many others. I even want to mention Councilwoman Foreman because of our work together in the past.
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