Greenville City Council Meeting - January 5, 2026

The Greenville City Council met on January 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers, presided over by Mayor P.J. Connolly with all seven council members present. The meeting included a special recognition, public comments, approval of the consent agenda, and three new business items, all passed unanimously (6-0).

Special Recognition

• The city's Finance Department received the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Mayor Connolly and Finance Director Jacob Joyner credited Devin Johnson for leading the budget preparation, which was praised by GFOA reviewers for its transparency and alignment with council priorities.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Pam Strickland (Founder, NC Stop Human Trafficking): Provided statistics that North Carolina ranks 9th nationally for human trafficking, with 76% of cases involving females and 26% involving minors. She thanked the council for declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month and invited attendance at the March 6th coalition meeting.
• Marion Blackburn (River Hills resident): Expressed deep concern over pedestrian safety, stating "you should not die just for walking, riding a bike, or crossing a street in Greenville." She supported the Safe Streets for All grant and requested specific safety improvements on 10th Street East, including lowering speed limits, adding bike lanes, crossing signals, and building a greenway from Eastside Park to Green Springs Park. She also urged installation of a stoplight at the River Hills neighborhood.
• Wade Wilson (resident): Commended each council member and mayor for their dedication, encouraged unity and cross-partisan work, and urged public support for all public servants.

Consent Calendar

All consent agenda items were approved unanimously (6-0):

• Report to City Council of Settlement Agreement
• Resolution accepting dedication of rights-of-way and easements for Langston Farms, Phase 11, Sections 3 & 4A
• Resolution for issuance of new debt for GUC Combined Enterprise System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2026
• Agreement with ECU Health Police Department for police cooperation and extended jurisdiction
• Involuntary Commitment (IVC) Transportation Agreement
• Contract award for professional services for Watershed Master Plan Update

Discussion Items

• Safe Streets for All Grant Agreement (Item 8): Engineering Director Lisa Kirby presented the $500,000 grant (80% federal, 20% local match) awarded to the Greenville MPO for a Vision Zero Safety Action Plan and demonstration projects. The city will match $50,000, with another $50,000 from NCDOT. Councilmember Willis questioned the allocation (half for planning, half for demonstration), expressing disappointment that more funding wasn't available for physical improvements. Councilmember Scully asked about the implementation grant cap (estimated $2–3 million) and match structure (80/20). The city's ongoing investment in pedestrian safety (recurring $400,000 annually, ramping to $1 million) was noted. The timeline involves an RFQ (3–4 months) followed by 9–12 months for the plan. The grant agreement was approved 6-0.
• 2026 Street Rehabilitation and Preservation Project (Item 9): Civil Engineer Lynn Rayner detailed three related contracts: the annual pavement maintenance covering 39.5 lane miles (including milling, resurfacing, preservation, and ADA ramp improvements); a new CEI/CMT on-call contract with GFT Consulting (not-to-exceed $1.25 million); and Task Order #1 for CEI/CMT services on the 2026 project. Total financial investment is approximately $3.7 million. Councilmember Robinson confirmed the lowest responsive bid was selected. Mayor Connolly praised the preservation program for extending road life. The contracts were approved 6-0.
• Budget Ordinance Amendment #6 (Item 10): CFO Jacob Joyner presented amendments affecting multiple funds: establishing a Community Pathways project ($396,000 total, 80% state-funded); Trafalgar Drive Culvert project ($519,890, fully state-funded); creating a Sports Tourism & Complex Enterprise Fund with an initial $500,000 from Occupancy Tax reserves and 6 new FTEs; and appropriating $450,000 from fund balance for fire rescue equipment. The total citywide operating budget increases to $203.7 million. The amendment was approved 6-0.

Key Outcomes

• All votes were 6-0 in favor (with the Mayor not voting).
• The Finance Department received a national budget award.
• The Safe Streets for All grant was accepted, initiating a Vision Zero Safety Action Plan and demonstration projects.
• The 2026 street rehabilitation contract was awarded, impacting nearly 40 lane miles.
• The budget amendment established a new enterprise fund for the sports tourism complex and funded infrastructure and equipment.
• Council members encouraged support for downtown businesses on Dickinson Avenue (affected by construction) and called for donations of warm clothing for the homeless.