Raleigh City Council Public Comment Session - February 11, 2025

The Raleigh City Council held its regular evening public comment session on February 11, 2025, at 7:00 PM in City Council Chamber. Mayor Janet Cowell presided; Councilmember Jonathan Lambert-Melton had an excused absence. The mayor stated the session was solely for receiving public input, and council would not respond to questions or engage in discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Octavia Rainey urged Mayor Cowell to improve constituent services with additional staff and reinstate the Office of Public Affairs. She also called for addressing gun violence by focusing on "guns in the wrong hands" and suggested a strategy for compromise at the General Assembly.
• Nikki Fontana, councilwoman from North Myrtle Beach, SC, spoke at the request of Raleigh constituents. She presented her city's pet ordinance prohibiting puppy mill sales and urged Raleigh to adopt similar proactive regulations.
• Robert Quartz opposed any reduction in public comment time, stating it would undermine democracy and representation. He quoted Justice Louis Brandeis and argued that limiting comment sends a message that residents' voices are an inconvenience.
• Mindy Taylor, East Martin Street resident and parent, described the dangerous intersection at Tarborough and East Martin Streets. She reported that her five-year-old son Charlie was struck by a vehicle on January 29, 2025, while walking home from kindergarten. She demanded immediate safety improvements: repainted crosswalks, signal timing corrections, signage, speed enforcement, and long-term traffic calming. She requested a timeline for a safety study, enforcement plan, and capital project inclusion.
• Mesa Saltari (also listed as Mesa Sodery) condemned President Trump's proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, calling it ethnic cleansing and a violation of international law. She opposed reducing public comment time and argued that listening to residents is fundamental to serving the city.
• Shane Collins urged the council not to cut public comment, calling it a direct bridge between community and government. He advocated for increasing affordable public housing, raising pay and benefits for city workers, and protecting against puppy mills. He noted that Patopia, a downtown puppy store, recently closed but may reappear.
• Mamakai Sanders criticized the council's recent decision to ban presentations during public comment, calling it a punitive move disguised as predictability. She argued it was a nervous system reaction to speakers addressing international issues (e.g., Gaza). She proposed a G-rated review process and advised the council to issue a statement of neutrality or refer issues to the Human Relations Commission. She warned that silencing one group affects all.
• Sandy Alford spoke about PCB contamination from NC State's Poe Hall, alleging that sealant on the building contains carcinogenic PCBs that could become airborne during remediation. She criticized Councilmember Jane Harrison (also an NCSU faculty member) for taking no action on behalf of constituents. She noted that NCSU entered the closed building in April 2024 and activated the HVAC system without notice, potentially destroying evidence. She warned that toxic materials would be transported through districts of Councilmembers Silver, Branch, and Jones when remediated.
• Nikki W. (first speaker on shelters) addressed inadequate overnight shelter conditions. She argued that the white flag temperature threshold (34°F) should be raised to 45°F, citing hypothermia risks. She described reduced bed counts at the Bryan Center (200 to 98) and Healing Transitions (100 to 30 men/night). She criticized women's shelter policies requiring essays for re-entry and confiscation of purses. She called for church-based hosting, a mobile shower program, and a hunger eradication program.
• Cole McMullen opposed limiting public comment, arguing it would weaken local democracy. He stated that nuanced policy discussion requires adequate time. He separately expressed strong support for firefighter separation allowance funding.
• Alex Lafont thanked the council for not moving public comment to 6:00 PM, as his work ends at 6:30. He supported keeping the current start time and endorsed firefighter separation allowance.
• Hugo Utenhoe (Flemish speaker) requested handicapped parking spaces near the museum on Fayetteville Street for First Friday events, noting existing restaurant seating has taken over spaces.
• Michael Richardson (from Rocky Mount) claimed to be the heir to 605 Bragg Street and asked for four to five months to renovate the property to prevent its demolition. He stated he is currently homeless.
• Donna Bailey (former Community Engagement Board member) urged the council to keep the three-hour public comment period starting at 7:00 PM, noting that 95% of sessions finish within two hours. She raised a conflict of interest concern regarding Councilmember Silver's ties to McAdams and a rezoning case (Z-5422) and asked him to recuse.
• Tim Niles criticized the city's speed in banning presentations (within three days) compared to inaction on missing middle reforms (two years). He said the website and email confirmation were not updated to inform speakers of the ban. He opposed the council's action and urged reform of missing middle zoning.
• Angaza Laughing House (Raleigh People's Budget Assembly) demanded a meet-and-confer policy for city workers, affordable housing, a crisis response team separate from police, and participatory budgeting. He noted that since 2021 the police budget grew by $30 million while housing and neighborhoods grew by only $4 million. He said the city was not on track to build 5,700 affordable units by 2026.
• Sarah Quadry (Girl Scout troop leader) criticized the council for not implementing community ideas, citing difficulty establishing a community fridge. She called for improved communication and support. Mentioned three Muslim college students murdered in their home and an interfaith food drive.
• Zara Quadri (Girl Scout) thanked everyone for listening.
• Laura Harris (Raleigh People's Budget Assembly) opposed reducing public comment, demanded a community response team, meet-and-confer policy, and participatory budgeting. She called for white flag shelters to be open at 45°F or every night in winter. She invited council to Meals for the Masses Sunday food distribution.
• Natalie Liu detailed a history of RDU Airport acquiring land planned for Lake Crabtree Park and Umstead State Park. She alleged RDU collaborated with developers to take control of parkland for non-aviation use, contrary to FAA-approved boundaries. She urged council members on the airport authority to end the exploitation and develop a complementary land-use plan.
• Hua Wong urged action on PCBs at NC State and Lake Crabtree. He opposed reducing public comment, stating the council gives unlimited time to big-money interests. He demanded a meet-and-confer policy for city workers, noting that some council members have refused to meet.
• Franklin Robinson alleged a Raleigh police officer falsified a drug test during a traffic stop and that internal affairs sustained his complaint but did not address the integrity issue. He asked for help because the officer remains on duty and he says he has been harassed.
• Joshua Bradley opposed cutting public comment, saying if listening is a hardship, council members should resign. He criticized developer influence, noted Trump supporter donations, and lamented the Democratic Party's loss due to inaction on Gaza. He demanded council visit encampments monthly, prioritize public housing, and study refurbishment vs. demolition costs at Dix Park.
• Alex Brissett (Brookside Drive resident) demanded installation of two-way protected bike lanes on Brookside Drive between Glasscock and Frank Street, which he said was voted on unanimously months ago. He also urged preservation of Lake Crabtree Park from RDU development.
• Athena Wallen (Brookside Drive resident) requested cohesive infrastructure improvements for the creek and street system, noting flooding and erosion from upstream neglect. She argued that patchwork responses based on resident feedback create inequities.
• Ryan Reed (property owner at 701 Edmond Street) asked the council to direct transportation staff to review his street-closing petition for the dead-end right-of-way at Willow Street, despite one of three abutting landowners not signing. He noted that the city attorney confirmed the council could order a review without all signatures.
• Farah Kahn contrasted her job interview (33 minutes of speaking) with council's limited public comment time. She warned against a fascist trend and demanded preservation of democracy and public comment time. She also called for a resolution on Palestine, noting Elbit Systems in Raleigh provides military equipment to Israel.
• Erica Wright supported previous speakers' demands and argued that other countries profit from selling technology to Israel. She supported raising the white flag temperature to 50°F and cautioned against police exchanges with Israel.
• Nicole Williams (Refund Raleigh/Raleigh People's Budget Assembly) reiterated demands: participatory budgeting, protect public comment, fund a community response team, and implement meet-and-confer policy. She warned "we are not asking, we are holding you accountable."
• Hala Asfari (Bradley City resident) asked the council not to cut public comment, noting it is an opportunity for community members to learn from each other. She referenced the incident with Charlie and expressed concern about federal executive orders.
• Eric Martineau (NC State senior) spoke about PCB contamination in Poe Hall and Gold Hall, where he lived as a freshman. He criticized Councilmember Harrison (also a faculty member) for not using her political power to advocate for students. He warned of long-term health effects and said students are just beginning to organize.
• Denise Fitzpatrick (former task force member) described dangerous conditions at a shelter on 2nd Street: long lines, arguments, lack of security or trained mental health staff. She said mentally ill individuals are put out of the shelter and called for preventive measures and ADA compliance.
• Kelly Hall Stopper (not Hall Stopper; listed as Kelly) spoke against the war in Gaza, demanding an arms embargo and criticizing U.S. funding of Israel. She claimed the ceasefire is not being honored and that Palestinians are still being killed. She said silence is complicity.
• Kat (unlisted speaker) backed the People's Budget Assembly demands and criticized the council for being out of touch. She alleged gentrification and displacement. She revealed she is an NC State alum who spent two years in Poe Hall and has since had her reproductive organs removed, attributing it to PCB exposure. She demanded the council leave public comment as is or face the masses in the streets.

Key Outcomes

• No votes or decisions were taken. The council listened to all speakers and adjourned without discussion.