Wilmington City Council Agenda Briefing Meeting - May 7, 2025

The Wilmington City Council held an Agenda Briefing on May 7, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in City Council Chambers to review items scheduled for the May 6, 2025 regular council meeting. The meeting included discussions on consent agenda items, a public hearing item, and two presentations: the Greater Downtown Plan Update and proposed updates to the Human Services Competitive Agency Grant program. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m.

Consent Calendar

• C2 (Refuse/Recycling Containers Contract): Mr. Chad McEwen reported that the resolution had been revised to reflect lower pricing, as noted in the second paragraph of the background.
• C5 (Street Sweeper Purchase): Councilmember Rivenbark inquired about the $353,188 purchase. Fleet Manager John Fortuin confirmed it is a scheduled replacement for a unit with high hours and high maintenance costs.
• PH1 (613 S 14th Street Property): Chief Code Enforcement Officer Brian Renner provided an update: the roof is complete, a reinspection is planned, and social work partners have contacted the tenant and his daughter to discuss senior living options. The council noted this continuance from April 15, 2025.
• R1 (Solid Waste Collection Displacement – Pond Crossing Subdivision): Mr. McEwen advised that this item requires a public hearing and would be moved to the correct place on the agenda; proper notices had been sent to haulers and residents.

Greater Downtown Plan Update

Mr. Travis Henley, Comprehensive Planning Manager, presented the update, noting the plan covers 18 neighborhoods within the 1945 city limits and replaces three prior plans. Engagement included 17 pop-up events, 11 focus groups, two open houses, and surveys in Phase One (approx. 2,800 participants) and 22 pop-up events and additional surveys in Phase Two (approx. 2,400 participants). Four themes emerged: local character (safe public spaces, historic scale, complete neighborhoods, green spaces), economy (affordable housing, live-work balance, use of public properties), small business (retail environment investment, support for businesses, regulatory flexibility), and mobility (safety, bicycle/pedestrian network, parking-once, multimodal options).

• Councilmember Spears stressed ensuring fair representation of North Side and South Side communities (approx. 6,500 total residents) and noted residents’ fears of losing their communities.
• Mayor Saffo emphasized engaging WAVE transit on a mobility plan, given the community’s priority for parking-once connectivity.
• Councilmember Joyner asked about Planning Commission participation; Mr. Henley said they received updates but were not deeply involved. Councilmember Joyner suggested having commissioners at tabling events and providing plan summaries for new council candidates.
• Mayor Saffo requested specific strategies and action steps with cost estimates and timelines for the final product. Ms. Linda Painter confirmed each strategy includes a series of actions and a matrix outlining investment, timing, and partners.
• Next steps: Staff will schedule a joint council/planning commission deep-dive session, then conduct Phase Three public engagement, followed by formal adoption.

Human Services Grant Proposed Updates

Ms. Rachel Schuler, Housing and Neighborhood Services Director, presented four proposed updates to the competitive agency grant process:

1. Refine purpose statement to align with the city strategic plan.
2. New grant structure: one-third of funding set aside for one or two transformative impact projects (multi-year), with remaining funds allocated at $20,000–$25,000 per organization (currently $10,000–$50,000, max $75,000 per organization).
3. Focus areas shifted to align with the strategic plan; no change to populations served.
4. Revised review process to provide council more information and involvement, including potential participation in impact fund application reviews.

• Statistics: Budget grew from $626,000 to $720,000 based on a percentage of general fund revenues; requests have consistently exceeded allocations in recent cycles.
• Mayor Saffo requested a comprehensive estimate of total human services funding in the community (city, county, state, grants) and how it is distributed, to assess potential overlaps.
• Councilmember Rivenbark asked about accountability and results; Ms. Schuler stated that performance measures and reimbursements are tracked by Community Development Analyst Shanti Johnson, and performance affects future funding.
• Mayor Pro-Tem Barnett inquired about support for smaller organizations with grant applications; staff provide workshops and assistance but cannot write applications.
• Next steps: If council approves, staff will confirm focus areas, develop criteria, and hold community workshops, with the next grant cycle starting in fall 2025.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken; the briefing prepared council for the May 6, 2025 meeting.
• Staff were directed to schedule a joint council/planning commission session for a detailed review of the Greater Downtown Plan strategies.
• Staff will refine the Human Services Grant program based on council feedback and proceed with the fall 2025 cycle, including earlier start and community workshops.
• The R1 item (Pond Crossing) will be properly placed under public hearings for the May 6 meeting.