Greenville City Council Workshop – November 10, 2025

This workshop of the Greenville City Council focused on two main new business items: an annual update from the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and an update on the Watershed Master Plan and stormwater capital projects. The council also approved the agenda as revised and later authorized a closed session to discuss real property negotiations.

Approval of Agenda

• The council voted 5-0 to approve the agenda as revised, which added a closed session item to be considered after the watershed update.

Discussion Items

1. Annual Update from Convention & Visitors Bureau

Andrew Schmidt, President and CEO of Visit Greenville NC, presented tourism data for 2024:

• Economic impact reached $320 million, a record and the third consecutive year of growth (2.3% increase).
• Local taxes generated: nearly $10 million; state taxes: under $12 million.
• Tax savings per resident: $123.
• Employment in hospitality: over 2,100 jobs (a record).
• Greenville/Pitt County ranked 26th out of 100 North Carolina counties for travel and tourism, down from 25th. Councilmember Blackburn questioned the ranking; Schmidt attributed it to larger cities and leisure destinations, noting that comp-set cities like Hickory jumped ahead due to a new indoor sports complex.
• In-state visitor origin: Greenville area captured 9% of statewide travel, but visitor spend was 12.3% (higher than the proportion of visitors), indicating higher per-visitor spending.
• Hotel occupancy averaged 60%; Schmidt noted this is healthy and attractive to developers, though inventory is tight during major events (e.g., homecoming, sports tournaments). Council discussed hotel supply, rates, and the need for a downtown hotel with more meeting space. Homelessness in hotels was raised, but Schmidt clarified long-term stays (over 90 days) are not counted toward tourism occupancy.
• Little League Softball World Series (August 2025) generated $1.6 million in local economic impact, with 18,000 total attendees and peak viewership of 2.98 million on ESPN. Councilmembers expressed satisfaction with the exposure.
• CVB staffing: now at 7.5 full-time equivalents, including a new social media coordinator.

2. Watershed Master Plan and Stormwater Capital Project Update

Daryl Morris, Civil Engineer III, provided a comprehensive update:

• The current watershed master plans were adopted in 2016 at a cost of $1 million. They inventoried 227 miles of storm drain pipe, 16,000 structures, and 44 miles of streams with 200 cross-sections.
• Identified capital needs totaled over $200 million for capacity and erosion issues, plus $150 million for lifespan replacement. In today’s dollars, that equates to over half a billion dollars due to inflation (2.5–3x increase).
• A Stormwater Advisory Committee (SWAC) in 2018 recommended a $2/year rate increase for five years, but council adopted a $1/year increase for four years (starting July 2021). Current rate: $9.35 per ERU (equiv. 2,000 sq ft impervious) per month, generating ~$11.5 million annually.
• Inflation has eroded the purchasing power of rate increases, limiting capital project funding.
• Since 2016, the city has started or completed $114 million in stormwater projects, with $68 million actually spent. Grants have contributed $48 million (awarded or selected), but some FEMA BRIC grants are uncertain due to federal policy changes. The city is pursuing conversion to Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds.
• Specific projects discussed: South Elm Street pipe replacement (bid failed when contractor went out of business), Town Creek culvert (completed, prevented flooding), St. Andrews Cedar stream bank repairs, Fire Tower corridor, and an 8-acre constructed wetland at Cory Road (ARPA grant of $5 million, construction pending).
• A new watershed master plan update has been awarded to Ardurra (formerly WK Dixon) and will take 12–18 months. A contract will be presented to council in January 2026. The update will incorporate new rainfall data, completed projects, equity analysis, and updated project prioritization.
• Councilmember Robinson noted the frustration of long-delayed projects and asked how to bridge the gap. Morris emphasized prioritization based on criticality (likelihood x consequence) and leveraging grants. City Manager Michael stated a bond would be inefficient due to limited capacity to execute projects quickly, and that rate adjustments will likely be needed.

Key Outcomes

• The agenda was approved 5-0 after adding a closed session item.
• The council received the CVB update with appreciation; no formal action was taken.
• The council received the stormwater update; a contract for the watershed master plan update will be brought to a regular meeting in January 2026 for approval.
• A closed session was authorized (motion and vote) to discuss real property negotiations per NCGS §143-318.11(a)(8). No details were disclosed publicly.

Closed Session

• The council unanimously voted to enter closed session for the purpose of instructing staff on real property acquisition. No public action was taken afterward before adjournment.