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Record of Proceedings

Raleigh City Council Public Comment Session - January 14, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, January 14, 2025
BodyRaleigh, North Carolina
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, January 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Good evening.

0:07

We will call the public comment for this evening to order, and we have uh 24 speakers lined up.

0:16

Uh the first person on the list, Terry Turner.

0:23

Okay.

0:25

Uh second, Alex Lafonde.

0:40

Hello.

0:41

All right.

0:42

Uh so hello, everyone.

0:43

My name is Alex.

0:44

I'm a resident of District D off of Wade Park Boulevard.

0:47

Uh between December and last week, I attended a number of the budget listening sessions put on by the budget management services department.

0:54

Uh so let me start off by acknowledging how well put together these were.

0:57

Saudia, uh, you and your team uh fostered an environment which was informative, infective, and gave our citizens an area to speak about the things they care about most.

1:07

So thank you to you and your team.

1:09

So attending these budget sessions was also far more informative than just how the budget is created.

1:15

It showed me that people have a lot to say and that they care about a lot.

1:19

But of these things, the three that kept coming back uh were affordable housing, transportation, and public safety.

1:27

Uh so over the next couple of weeks, I encourage and implore all of those here and at home uh to uh contact the four council members that represent you to make sure they fund the things that matter to you.

1:38

Uh for me, I just want to make sure it's clear where I stand.

1:41

So we need to invest even more in our downtown.

1:44

We need to do this by funding grants for residents who dream of owning a small business.

1:49

We need to continue zoning downtown in the immediate areas for more residential development and stop the suburban sprawl, which is massively increasing our infrastructure maintenance and spending costs and is a large contributor uh to car dependency and traffic in the city.

2:04

We need to fund projects that make downtown much more friendly.

2:08

Uh oh, yeah.

2:09

Uh for uh much more correction, sorry.

2:13

Uh we need to fund projects that make downtown much more friendly for those in Raleigh with a disability uh so they can also enjoy the downtown businesses.

2:21

Secondly, we need to fund separation allowance for our city firefighters who have earned that benefit from sacrificing their bodies and their mental health over the time that is required to collect that benefit.

2:31

Uh finally, we also need to increase pay for all of our city workers.

2:35

While the Milken Institute report today releases great PR for the city, uh it does neglect to acknowledge the real picture.

2:42

Raleigh is unaffordable for our city workers.

2:45

In other words, all the people who are keeping this city running and making a place which ends up on all of these lists.

2:50

So I just ask all of you here today uh to keep that in mind as we go through the budget process over the next few months.

2:56

So thank you very much for your time and consideration today.

2:59

You know, have a good rest of your night.

3:01

Thank you.

3:02

Yeah.

3:03

Okay.

3:04

Next we have Mr.

3:04

Robert Quartz.

3:21

Good evening, Mayor, City Council members.

3:24

Our city's budget is far more than just a financial ledger.

3:28

It's a blueprint for our lives and future.

3:31

It shapes the services we depend on every day, from police and fire protection that ensure our safety, to public transportation that keeps us connected, and parks and green spaces that enrich our quality of life.

3:44

Mismanagement or has haphazard budget cuts don't just affect numbers on a page.

3:50

They harm our safety, accessibility, and overall quality of life.

3:55

Before I continue, I too want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our budget department for their outstanding work.

4:03

In my 10 years of local government advocacy, this year's citizen engagement has been the best I've ever experienced.

4:10

The budget listening sessions were informative, interactive, and allowed for meaningful feedback.

4:17

Thank you for prioritizing transparency and community involvement in this critical process.

4:23

To my fellow citizens, now is the time to engage.

4:27

The next step in the budget process involves city management presenting parts of the budget to this council, but not the full picture.

4:35

That's why it's vital for you to connect and contact your four counselors to share your priorities and the local needs that matter most to you.

4:45

Let's ensure that every voice is heard as this process moves forward.

4:50

Finally, I urge this council to prioritize approving separation allowance for our firefighters.

5:00

As we speak, Los Angeles is experiencing devastating fires, highlighting the critical importance of having a well-staffed and prepared fire department.

5:06

Here in Raleigh, our firefighters dedicate their lives to protecting our community and under unimaginable conditions.

5:15

This benefit, which supports those who have served 30 or more years, provides approximately 25 percent of their final salary between retirement and the age of 62.

5:28

Here's why this is so critical for Raleigh.

5:31

It will help recruit new firefighters, bolstering the strength and resilience of our department.

5:37

It will retain current talent, ensuring that our cities benefit our city benefits from the experience and expertise of these professionals.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety███████████████████████23%
Foreign Policy████████████12%
Active Transportation███████████11%
Firefighter Services████████8%
Land Use And Zoning████████8%
Environmental Protection███████7%
Public Engagement█████5%
Budget Equity Analysis████4%
Historic Preservation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Raleigh City Council Public Comment Session - January 14, 2025

The Raleigh City Council held a public comment session on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chamber. Mayor Janet Cowell presided. Twenty-four speakers addressed the council on a wide range of topics, including the city budget, public safety, affordable housing, transportation, homelessness, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. No council discussion or votes occurred beyond the public comment period.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alex Lafonde (District D resident) commended the budget listening sessions and urged the council to: (1) invest more in downtown through grants for small businesses and zoning for residential development to reduce suburban sprawl; (2) fund separation allowance for firefighters; (3) increase pay for all city workers, noting that Raleigh is unaffordable for them.
  • Robert Quartz praised the budget department's engagement and urged the council to prioritize firefighter separation allowance, describing it as critical for recruitment, retention, and parity with police. He highlighted the ongoing Los Angeles fires to underscore the need for a well-prepared fire department.
  • Misa Satory (spelling uncertain) and Hanadi Ali spoke about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire resolution. Hanadi Ali criticized U.S. weapons funding and urged the council to pass a symbolic ceasefire resolution. Both speakers expressed strong opposition to Israeli policies and Zionism.
  • Osma Abu Dahab (therapist/social worker) argued that Raleigh is complicit in genocide through tax money and silence, and reiterated the call for a ceasefire resolution.
  • Chris Crewe advocated for historic preservation, noting that recent council actions weakened protections for historic districts and resources.
  • Octavia Rainey (civil rights activist) expressed disappointment that the council asked no questions about fair housing during the CDBG budget discussion. She accused the city of failing to enforce the Fair Housing Act for 50 years and called for hiring a fair housing director. She criticized council members for attending Martin Luther King Jr. events without substantive action on housing equity.
  • Shane Collins (using song lyrics) urged the council to pay, retain, and promote public safety workers (police, fire) and city workers, warning that the city is losing personnel to other jurisdictions.
  • Nikki W. spoke about homelessness and alleged misuse of funds by agencies serving the unhoused, including theft of personal information. She called for accountability, direct donations, and focus on root causes rather than symptoms.
  • Mike Vosnik (Oaks and Spokes board member) highlighted obstacles for cyclists, including parked cars, debris, and leaves in bike lanes. He suggested reallocating funds from seasonal leaf pickup to maintenance staff and urged enforcement of bike lane parking violations.
  • Franklin Robinson proposed creating a Raleigh-Wake police department, similar to Charlotte-Mecklenburg, to unify law enforcement across the county.
  • Josh Bradley called for a ceasefire resolution, prioritized housing-first policies, and criticized police funding and spending on military equipment. He urged the council to focus on workers and the poor rather than developers.
  • Sandy Alford (NCSU alumna and breast cancer patient) discussed PCB contamination in NCSU's Poe Hall. She asked the council to ensure proper remediation, inquire about environmental impacts, and hold a public information session on the health crisis.
  • Alex Brissett (Brookside Drive resident) expressed frustration that a two-way protected bike lane project on Brookside, approved by the council, has stalled due to parking concerns. He urged fast implementation.
  • Athena Wallen (Brookside Drive resident) supported the bike lane project for traffic calming and safety, and also called for stormwater creek rehabilitation and consideration of development moratoriums on creek-lined properties.
  • Mamakai Sanders (Citizens Leadership Academy graduate) offered ideas for improving council meetings: host a candidate summit to share ideas, and incorporate breaks, yoga, mindfulness, and healthy snacks to support council members' focus and health.
  • Anson (Woodcrest resident, District C) described a lawsuit by a developer to extinguish single-family home covenants. She invited the mayor and new council member to visit her street and urged adoption of infill compatibility standards and revisions to the UDO to prevent extreme development contrasts.
  • Angela Scarborough (late speaker) alleged harassment and corruption involving Raleigh police, Parks and Rec, and Governor Josh Stein. She claimed she was being surveilled and that the city underreports crime. She called for an end to what she described as insidious behavior.

Key Outcomes

  • In response to Anson's question about infill compatibility standards, Mayor Cowell stated that the council has authorized a text change, a public engagement portal will be available soon, and a public hearing will be scheduled.

Note: No council votes or formal decisions were taken during this public comment session. The meeting was adjourned after all speakers were heard.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. We will call the public comment for this evening to order, and we have uh 24 speakers lined up. Uh the first person on the list, Terry Turner. Okay. Uh second, Alex Lafonde. Hello. All right. Uh so hello, everyone. My name is Alex. I'm a resident of District D off of Wade Park Boulevard. Uh between December and last week, I attended a number of the budget listening sessions put on by the budget management services department. Uh so let me start off by acknowledging how well put together these were. Saudia, uh, you and your team uh fostered an environment which was informative, infective, and gave our citizens an area to speak about the things they care about most. So thank you to you and your team. So attending these budget sessions was also far more informative than just how the budget is created. It showed me that people have a lot to say and that they care about a lot. But of these things, the three that kept coming back uh were affordable housing, transportation, and public safety. Uh so over the next couple of weeks, I encourage and implore all of those here and at home uh to uh contact the four council members that represent you to make sure they fund the things that matter to you. Uh for me, I just want to make sure it's clear where I stand. So we need to invest even more in our downtown. We need to do this by funding grants for residents who dream of owning a small business. We need to continue zoning downtown in the immediate areas for more residential development and stop the suburban sprawl, which is massively increasing our infrastructure maintenance and spending costs and is a large contributor uh to car dependency and traffic in the city. We need to fund projects that make downtown much more friendly. Uh oh, yeah. Uh for uh much more correction, sorry. Uh we need to fund projects that make downtown much more friendly for those in Raleigh with a disability uh so they can also enjoy the downtown businesses. Secondly, we need to fund separation allowance for our city firefighters who have earned that benefit from sacrificing their bodies and their mental health over the time that is required to collect that benefit. Uh finally, we also need to increase pay for all of our city workers. While the Milken Institute report today releases great PR for the city, uh it does neglect to acknowledge the real picture. Raleigh is unaffordable for our city workers. In other words, all the people who are keeping this city running and making a place which ends up on all of these lists. So I just ask all of you here today uh to keep that in mind as we go through the budget process over the next few months. So thank you very much for your time and consideration today. You know, have a good rest of your night. Thank you. Yeah. Okay. Next we have Mr. Robert Quartz. Good evening, Mayor, City Council members. Our city's budget is far more than just a financial ledger. It's a blueprint for our lives and future. It shapes the services we depend on every day, from police and fire protection that ensure our safety, to public transportation that keeps us connected, and parks and green spaces that enrich our quality of life. Mismanagement or has haphazard budget cuts don't just affect numbers on a page. They harm our safety, accessibility, and overall quality of life. Before I continue, I too want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our budget department for their outstanding work. In my 10 years of local government advocacy, this year's citizen engagement has been the best I've ever experienced. The budget listening sessions were informative, interactive, and allowed for meaningful feedback. Thank you for prioritizing transparency and community involvement in this critical process. To my fellow citizens, now is the time to engage.

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