Greenville City Council Workshop - January 5, 2026

The Greenville City Council held a workshop on January 5, 2026, at 4:00 PM in City Hall Conference Room 337. Mayor PJ Connelly presided, with all members present except Councilmember Rob (delayed). The agenda included a presentation by the North Carolina League of Municipalities and an update on the Town Common Bulkhead and Esplanade construction project.

Approval of Agenda

• The agenda was approved unanimously by a vote of 5 aye, with a motion by Councilmember Willis and a second by Councilmember Jones.

Presentation by North Carolina League of Municipalities

• Rose Vaughn Williams, Executive Director of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, presented an overview of the league's services. She highlighted that Greenville is the 11th largest city in North Carolina and noted that Mayor Connelly serves as a regional director on the league's board, and City Attorney Emmanuel McGwart serves as the city attorney representative.
• Williams discussed the league's history (founded 1908), its core functions of legislative advocacy, training, and information services. She noted that over half of North Carolina's cities lack a city manager, making Greenville fortunate.
• She reviewed league services including:
  • Legislative lobbying at state and federal levels.
  • Training programs such as the Advanced Municipal Leaders Program, with courses on civility, ethics, fiscal management, and cybersecurity.
  • Consulting services for workers' compensation and property insurance pools.
  • Information resources like salary surveys, revenue projections, and legislative bulletins.
• A video testimonial from other city officials praised the league for providing guidance, training, and advocacy.
• Councilmember Willis inquired about the civility training program, asking about the time commitment (approximately 1.5–2 hours) and whether it is in-person (yes, though it can travel).
• Mayor Connelly and the city manager emphasized the importance of advocacy, particularly regarding state infrastructure and NC DOT projects. The mayor noted Greenville is growing at about 1.5% per year and stressed the need for road improvements across the state.
• The presentation concluded with appreciation for the league, and the mayor thanked the league for choosing Greenville for the 2025 City Vision conference.

Town Common Bulkhead and Esplanade Construction Update

• Don Topkin, Director of Parks and Recreation, and Mark Duningham, Project Development Manager, provided an update.
• The bulkhead, originally built in 1967, was deemed overstressed in a 2022 structural analysis. The project includes replacing 1,570 feet of steel bulkhead and the boardwalk, funded by $20 million total (design inclusive), with $19.5 million for construction. Funding sources: $5 million from state appropriation and $14 million from the city's capital debt service fund.
• Design began in October 2022 and was completed in June 2025, including community engagement. Top community desires: improved accessibility, a dedicated multi-use path connecting the South Tar Greenway to Nash Street, and seating areas near the river.
• Environmental permits: A survey for the Tar River spiny mussel found 6,500 mussels, none of which were the endangered species; all were relocated safely across the river.
• Project scope includes:
  • West end: a walking path through existing trees and an elevated overlook over the Tar River.
  • Central area: two plazas with terraced seating.
  • Amphitheater loading dock improvements.
  • East end: lowered bulkhead elevation, a boardwalk with composite decking, a 160-foot floating dock (to be installed July 2026 due to in-water work restrictions), and concrete seating leading to the river.
• Construction progress: Demolition of old concrete walkway and railing completed; new steel piles driven 25–29 feet deep (vs. old 18 feet). A vibratory hammer was used initially, but a louder impact hammer was needed for hard layers, causing minimal schedule impact. No significant complaints about noise.
• The project remains on schedule and on budget, with a contingency of approximately $3.1 million. Because the riskiest in-water work is complete, the city may consider using contingency savings for additional park improvements, to be brought back to council.
• Council members praised the construction contractor, Trader Construction, for excellent performance on previous projects and commended the regular communication between city staff and the contractor.

Key Outcomes

• The council approved the agenda unanimously.
• No formal votes were taken on the presentations; they were informational.
• The council received the League of Municipalities presentation and expressed appreciation.
• The council received the bulkhead construction update; staff noted the potential to allocate any contingency savings to further park enhancements, pending council approval.
• The meeting adjourned by motion of Mayor Pro Tem Wyvern, seconded by Councilman Sally, with unanimous consent.