Wilmington City Council Regular Meeting – October 7, 2025
Wilmington City Council Regular Meeting – October 7, 2025
The Wilmington City Council met in regular session at 6:30 p.m. on October 7, 2025, at City Hall, Skyline Center, 929 N. Front Street, Wilmington, NC. Mayor Bill Saffo presided; Mayor Pro-Tem Clifford Barnett, Sr. and Councilmembers Charlie Rivenbark, Kevin Spears, Luke Waddell, David Joyner, and Salette Andrews were present. The meeting included proclamations, a consent agenda, public comments, public hearings on two unfit dwellings, multiple ordinances and resolutions, and a closed session. The next regular meeting is scheduled for October 21, 2025.
Presentations and Proclamations
- Wilmington Housing Authority CEO Tyrone Garrett's annual update was postponed to the Council's October 21, 2025 meeting.
- Mayor Saffo proclaimed October 9, 2025 as Ageism Awareness Day. Tina Newsham of UNCW and Amber Smith accepted; the proclamation noted about 23,000 Wilmington residents over age 65 (19.8% of the population).
- Proclaimed October 6-10, 2025 as Minority Enterprise Development Week; Linda Thompson of the Minority Enterprise Development Committee spoke about the importance of minority and women-owned businesses.
- Proclaimed October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Hannah McCoy of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services accepted and noted 1,295 adults and 99 children received direct services in 2025, including 137 adults and 89 children who received emergency shelter.
Consent Calendar
- Motion by Councilmember Andrews, second by Councilmember Joyner, passed 7-0, approving:
- Minutes of the September 22, 2025 Agenda Briefing meeting.
- Resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for a 2025 New Hanover Community Endowment Community Safety Grant of $623,331 for a Comprehensive Firefighter Health, Safety, and Wellness Initiative.
- Resolution authorizing a three-year $145,800 commercial window washing contract with LP Wilmington, Inc. dba Window Hero Wilmington.
- Resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a FY26 Section 5303 Planning Grant agreement with the Wilmington Urban Area MPO and Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority.
Public Comments and Testimony
- Robin Morgan opposed the ordinance further criminalizing at-risk populations, described it as scapegoating nomadic people, and urged Council to vote no.
- Madison Morrisen opposed the ordinance, saying it criminalizes homelessness, lacks a plan for where unhoused residents should go, and that the city lacks enough shelter beds.
- Sonya Bennetone-Patrick asked Council to vote against the ordinance, saying homelessness is a moral issue to be treated with dignity and noting the presence of at least twelve bars within a twelve-block radius downtown.
- David Braga opposed the ordinance, arguing that alternatives mean little if the city also criminalizes unhoused people; he called enforcement requests the height of privilege.
- Omar Kharhat asked for safe public kayak and water access on Masonboro Sound Road and presented a petition signed by 115 neighbors.
- Laurel Taylor opposed criminalizing homelessness and encouraged creative solutions such as low-barrier shelters.
- Brenda Galloway, director of HOPE, asked for an update on the mayor's previously mentioned plan to provide a building to a nonprofit and asked that community groups be included in planning.
- Collin Priddy-Barnum urged Council to dismiss Ordinance O1, saying a February 2023 county ordinance is nearly identical and the city should instead resume work on the unsheltered strategy with county partners.
- Suraiya Motsinger opposed the ordinance, saying it erodes trust in city government, scapegoats unhoused people, and should be voted down rather than modified.
- Bridget Tarrant opposed Ordinance O1 as redundant, discriminatory under the 14th Amendment, and unhelpful to unhoused people; she suggested Council focus on the Strategy to Address the Unsheltered and consider housing on future acquisitions.
- Several scheduled public speakers were not present: Cassandra Kundra, Harold Crow, and Teresa Shively.
Public Hearings
PH1: 914 South 12th Street
- Chief Code Enforcement Officer Brian Renner reported the vacant, approximately 1,000-square-foot home built in the 1950s is heir property. Initial inspection took place in January 2024; the housing code order expired in August 2025 without repair or demolition. Tax value was $44,700 and estimated repair cost was $78,745 (176% of value).
- Public speakers raised concerns about gentrification, heir property, and the burden of repair costs on low-income owners. Deborah Maxwell, President of the NC NAACP, asked staff to track heir-property cases and proposed quarterly land-loss workshops.
- Council approved the ordinance to vacate, close, and repair or demolish the dwelling by a 7-0 vote and waived second reading 7-0.
PH2: 1720 Ann Street
- Mr. Renner reported the vacant house, built in the 1930s and owned by Sky High REI LLC, had a June 2023 neighbor complaint, a July 2024 administrative hearing, and an expired order. Tax value was $63,400 and estimated repair cost was $71,000 (113% of value). The property was pending sale; prospective buyers planned to renovate after closing.
- Council approved the ordinance 7-0 and waived second reading 7-0.
Ordinances
- O1 (Certain Actions Prohibited on City Property): On second reading, Councilmember Waddell moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Rivenbark. The ordinance passed 4-3, with Mayor Pro-Tem Barnett and Councilmembers Spears and Andrews voting no.
- O2 (Algae Tracker): Council accepted an $8,896 Cape Fear River Watch donation for an AquaRealTime algae tracker at Greenfield Lake. It passed 7-0 and second reading was waived 7-0.
- O3a/O3b (Parks Operations Facility): Council appropriated $4,209,071 to the Buildings Improvement Capital Projects Fund (7-0, second reading waived) and awarded the $11,971,273 construction contract to J.M. Thompson Company of Cary, NC (7-0). Public Works Director Dave Mayes said the project includes a 15,000-16,000 square foot workshop and office building and covered storage, and total project cost was about $13.3 million.
- O4a/O4b (FY26 Tree Planting): Council appropriated $577,023 from the Tree Mitigation Fund (7-0, second reading waived) and awarded the citywide tree-planting contract to Thorpe Landscapes of Wilmington, LLC for $577,023. The agenda states the contract covers 641 trees and the vote was 6-0; staff presentation and minutes refer to 642 trees and describe the vote as unanimous. Parks Director Amy Beatty noted the contract includes an 18-month survival guarantee.
- O5a/O5b (800 MHz Radios): Council appropriated $9,135,132 to the Fleet Fund for replacement 800 MHz radios and annual technology subscription (7-0; agenda records the second-reading waiver as 6-0 while minutes describe it as unanimous), and authorized the City Manager to contract with Motorola Solutions (7-0). City Manager Becky Hawke said the purchase was moved forward from FY27 due to reliability and interoperability issues, and that replacing all radios at once produced about $500,000 in savings. The city will purchase 564 radios, using fund balance and a spring limited-obligation bond to reimburse about $2.6 million.
Resolutions
- R1 (Early Childhood Education): Council passed 7-0 a resolution in support of addressing accessibility and affordability of early childhood education in North Carolina. NC Child representatives said infant and toddler care in New Hanover County costs more than in-state tuition at every UNC public university; the state has about 100,000 fewer parents of young children in the workforce than five years ago; child care issues cost the state about $5.65 billion per year; and solving the issue could add $7.5 billion to GDP and 60,000 jobs. Natalie English, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, endorsed the resolution and urged broader statewide action. Councilmember Spears cautioned that the resolution should not be performative, noting local pre-K funding decisions.
- R2 (Park Land Acquisition): Council passed 6-1 a resolution authorizing city staff to pursue acquisition of real property for new park and recreation amenities. City Manager Hawke proposed earmarking up to $1 million of fund balance, seeking grants and county partnership, and negotiating a no-obligation contract to lock in a price. Councilmember Spears voted no.
Additional Items
- City Manager Hawke thanked staff for the Parks Operations Facility work and introduced Dennis LaCaria as the new Chief of Staff.
- Hawke reported the Police Department is in talks with a local nonprofit about deploying mobile showers; additional funding may be needed and staff is exploring ways to deploy them before the next budget cycle.
- Councilmember Spears expressed disappointment with the decision to criminalize homelessness and said the Council had not listened to the community consensus.
- Councilmember Andrews reminded the public that early voting begins October 16 at the Northeast Library.
- Mayor Pro-Tem Barnett recognized Breast Cancer Awareness Month, asked for prayers for Southport, and urged support for mental health services.
- Council unanimously voted to enter closed session under N.C. Gen. Stat. §143-318.11(a)(3) to consult with the City Attorney on a potential legal matter. After reconvening, Council provided staff instruction and guidance, took no other action, and adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Call the meeting order of the Wilmington City Council. I'd like to welcome all those who are with us here this evening and all those who are watching us at home. Thank you for taking an interest in your government. At this time I'd like to introduce Captain Joe Michael James of the Wilmington Fire Department. If he's here to please come forward and give our invocation and ask if everyone will stand, remain standing afterwards for the Pledge of Allegiance. City Wilmington proclamation reads whereas ageism refers to the stereotypes, how we think, prejudice, and how we feel, and discrimination, how we act toward others based on age. And where the population in Wilmington is aging, as there are approximately 23,000 people over the age of 65 Wilmington, or 19.8% of the population. And whereas ageism negatively impacts people's health and longevity, financial well-being throughout life, while holding positive ideas about our older future selves is associated with a seven and a half year increase in life expectancy. And whereas preventing ageism in education, employment, housing, culture, and health care will benefit all of us, and it is up to all of us to ensure that older people are respected and portrayed as capable, competent, effective, and valued in all areas of society. And whereas ageism awareness and preventing ageism is essential to promoting health and well-being for current and future generations within our city, ensuring all individuals age with dignity, respect, and the support they deserve. Now, therefore, we, the members of the Wilmington City Council, do hereby proclaim October the 9th, 2025 as ageism awareness day in the city of Wilmington, North Carolina. So I'm going to give you this. And I'm going to let you speak. So hi there, I'm Tina Newsom, and I coordinate the gerontology program at UNCW. With me is Amber Smith, who's the director of the New Hanover County Senior Resource Center, and Logan Britt, who is the aging compliance specialist with the Cape Fear Area Agency on Aging. So thank you all for providing this proclamation to help raise awareness about the impact of ageism on people of all ages. We're all aging and we work with and on behalf of people of all ages. Promoting positive ideas about our own future selves and recognizing, embracing, and celebrating the capacity and contributions we can all make throughout life, improves engagement and well-being for each of us. Ageism is a massive challenge in our society and often goes unnoticed. But negative thoughts, feelings, and treatment of someone simply because of a person's age are detrimental to each of our well-being, our health, and how we how long we live, particularly when we internalize negative ideas about growing older. We're grateful that the city of Wilmington is committing to committed to being an age-friendly community. Age-friendly approaches and communities inform how infrastructure is developed to be accessible, safe, and welcoming for people of all ages. Age-friendly communities help people stay active and connected to one another throughout long lives, creating ongoing opportunities for engagement and processes for reaching out to those at risk of social isolation. Great gains in life expectancy have been made in our society within living memory. A 100-year-old person today was not expected to live past about 65 or 70 when they were born. Efforts and resources in this city to address the opportunities and needs of the populace across the life course are vital to eliminating ageism and promoting active engagement across generations. Thank you for reinforcing the city's commitment to keeping Wilmington a great place to live a long, engaged and meaningful life. Thank you. Keep up the great work. Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Proclaiming naming the week of October, the 6th of the 10th, 2025 is Minority Enterprise Development Week. City of Wilmington, North Carolina proclamation reads whereas a National Minority Enterprise Development Week, also known as National Med Week, is observed in October to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of the minority business enterprise community, and whereas North Carolina agencies, municipalities, and organizations host events to honor small minority and women-owned businesses, and whereas the City of Wilmington encourages and actively seeks to do business with minority and women-owned business enterprises, better known as MWBE, for those of you that are paying attention tonight for all advertised projects, and whereas MWBE programs increases opportunities for historically underutilized businesses and promotes a business-friendly environment that promotes collaboration, creativity, accountability, and inclusion, which are in direct alignment with the city of Will of Core Values as we strive to make a better Wilmington every day, and whereas creating and operating a business is a cornerstone of the American dream, and the City of Wilmington believes that dream belongs to everyone and celebrates the accomplishments of our MWBEs and value the many ways that our communities enriched by them. And whereas creating and operating a business is a cornerstone of the American dream, and the city of Wilmington believes that dream belongs to everyone and celebrates the accomplishments of our MWBEs and value the many ways that our communities enriched by them. Now, therefore, I Bill Sappho on behalf of the Wilmington City Council do hereby proclaim six October the 6th through the 10th, 2025, the City of Wilmington's Minority Enterprise Development Week and encourage all residents of Wilmington to get to know their local MWBEs, business owners, and work together to celebrate their many accomplishments in our community. And I just want to say on behalf of the city, thank you for everything that you folks do every single day. And Jerry is an old friend of mine here to do so much great work uh in promoting uh minority businesses in our community and as well as our region. So with that, I'm gonna turn it over to Linda. Linda. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mayor and Council for acknowledging Medweek. It is happening across this country. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan enacted Medweek. He made it a part of the federal government's celebration to acknowledge that minorities and women-owned businesses make great contributions to our community. We believe they're the bedrock of our community along with small businesses. They're unique. They celebrate culture. They bring so much. They employ and they add to our tax base.
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