Wilmington City Council Agenda Briefing Meeting - June 16, 2025

The Wilmington City Council held an Agenda Briefing meeting on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in City Hall Council Chambers to review items scheduled for the June 17, 2025 regular council meeting and to receive presentations. Mayor Bill Saffo presided, with Mayor Pro-Tem Clifford Barnett Sr., Councilmembers Charlie Rivenbark, Luke Waddell, David Joyner, and Salette Andrews present in the room; Councilmember Kevin Spears attended via video conference. City Attorney Meredith Everhart, City Clerk Penelope Spicer-Sidbury, and Interim City Manager Thom Moton were also present.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar included 17 routine items (C1–C17) covering minutes approval, authorization of contracts and agreements (e.g., canine officer retirement, security services, elevator maintenance, landscaping, janitorial services, leases, uniform purchases, stormwater engineering, uncollectible accounts, tax collector appointment, grant agreements with YWCA and Arts Council, alley closure, and bid rejection for Front Street Bridge Rehabilitation). No discussion or objections were recorded.

Discussion Items

• Item PH2 – Special Use Permit at 5651 Greenville Loop Road (continued from March 4, 2025): Councilmember Waddell inquired whether the Council could request a continuance. City Attorney Everhart explained that the applicant holds the right to proceed with a Special Use Permit regardless of future City actions; Council can ask, but it is the applicant’s decision.
• Item O6 – Opioid Settlement Funds ($40,000 to New Hanover County): Councilmember Joyner asked how the county is spending the funds. Finance Director Martha Wayne stated she would contact New Hanover County staff after their meeting that morning to obtain details.
• Item RP1 – Appointments Committee Report: Councilmember Andrews noted that a late application was received from the President of the Residents of Old Wilmington for a vacancy on the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee (a seat reserved for that group). She requested adding this appointment to the report for consideration at the June 17 meeting; no objections were raised.

Presentations

Human Services Grant Process Changes

Rachel Schuler, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services, presented proposed changes to the Human Services Grant Process, following a May presentation. Key recommendations:

• Purpose Statement: Provide financial support to nonprofits offering direct services aligned with the City’s Strategic Plan.
• Grant Structure: Two buckets:
  • Impact Fund: Up to $300,000 annually for one or two programs/projects (2–4 year commitment); may include capital projects.
  • Human Services Fund: Approximately $450,000 allocated at $20,000–$25,000 annually per organization (2-year commitment).
• Target Populations: Older adults (55+), youth/young adults (under 24), individuals facing housing insecurity, persons with mental disabilities, survivors of domestic/child abuse; all must be within city limits with household income at or below 80% area median income.
• Review Process: Impact Fund reviewed by a Council Ad Hoc Committee (with staff from Finance, Housing & Neighborhood Services, Budget) including interviews and scoring. Human Services Fund reviewed by city department staff.
• Timeline: August – community workshops; September–October – applications open with technical assistance; November–December – staff and ad hoc committee review; March 2026 – final recommendations.

Discussion: Councilmember Andrews suggested the ad hoc committee review both buckets. Councilmember Waddell questioned whether the City should direct such initiatives to the New Hanover County Community Endowment and focus on core services. Councilmember Rivenbark emphasized the City’s distinct responsibilities (solid waste, police, fire, planning, zoning) versus county functions (health, education, welfare, courts) and warned against duplicating services or relying on endowment funds. Councilmember Spears cautioned against mirroring county practices, noting the City’s different relationship with the endowment. The general consensus was to proceed with the recommended changes, including having the ad hoc committee review both buckets. Interim City Manager Moton confirmed staff would move forward under that direction.

Riverwalk Maintenance Program Update

Amy Beatty, Director of Parks and Recreation, presented an update on the Riverwalk Maintenance Fund Program since its establishment in FY2019. Highlights:

• Staff dedicates approximately 20 hours weekly to inspections, collecting data via a work order system that identifies assets (benches, flags, light poles, handrails, boardwalk).
• Between July 2024 and March 2025, staff identified and fixed items before public reports 87% of the time. Categories of work orders included electrical maintenance (6%), landscape maintenance, preventive maintenance, reactionary maintenance, and others; 526 total work orders.
• A contract is underway to replace all decking (currently near Orange Street Landing, pause in July/August for tourist season).
• Engineering Department has 18 planned or ongoing structural projects; most are funded except the final phase of Water Street Park (Coast Guard property), awaiting an updated cost estimate within weeks.
• Collaborative effort among Parks & Recreation (asset owner), Engineering (structural standards), Public Works (electrical, lighting, visitor center/restrooms), and external partners like Wilmington Downtown Inc. (WDI) and MSD Ambassadors for issue reporting.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken at the briefing; it was a discussion session in preparation for the June 17 council meeting.
• General consensus to proceed with the proposed Human Services Grant Process changes, with the addition that the Council Ad Hoc Committee will review both the Impact Fund and Human Services Fund applications.
• Councilmembers will receive follow-up information on opioid fund usage from the county and an updated timeline/cost for the final Water Street Park phase.
• Mayor Saffo and Councilmember Rivenbark departed early; Mayor Pro-Tem Barnett presided over the remainder. The meeting adjourned at 9:12 a.m.