Wilmington City Council Agenda Briefing – June 15, 2026
Wilmington City Council Agenda Briefing – June 15, 2026
The City Council of Wilmington held its agenda briefing on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Council Chambers, Skyline Center, to review the agenda for the June 16, 2026 regular council meeting. Mayor Bill Saffo presided; Councilmembers David Joyner, Salette Andrews, J.C. Lyle, Cassidy Santaguida, and Chakema Clinton-Quintana attended, with Mayor Pro-Tem Kevin Spears participating via video conference. The briefing opened with a proclamation celebrating America's 250th anniversary. No formal votes were taken.
Consent Calendar
- Council reviewed 18 consent items (C1–C18) for the June 16 agenda, including contracts, leases, grant applications, easements, resolutions, and approval of the June 2, 2026 council minutes.
- Notable consent items included the Earl Jackson Pool management contract renewal, the $426,000 ShotSpotter lease renewal, the Wilmington Housing Authority police officer interlocal agreement, and a $2 million Assistance to Firefighters grant application with a $200,000 local match and $624,890 in additional city funding.
- The regular meeting agenda also included public hearings on the Greater Downtown Plan and land development code amendments, plus ordinances, resolutions, and an appointments committee report.
Discussion Items
- Wilmington Housing Authority police officers (C6): Mayor Pro-Tem Spears asked how many properties the Wilmington Housing Authority has. City Manager Becky Hawke said staff would gather that information; Community Building Director Rachel Schuler later reported that WHA has sixteen communities.
- ShotSpotter system (C4): Councilmember Andrews requested program results for FY26, including the number of alerts generated, how many were confirmed as gunfire, what incidents WPD would have missed without the system, investigative value, and trends. She said she wants the public to know it is a good investment. Staff agreed to provide the data.
- 709 Dawson Street deed restriction (C11): Councilmember Joyner noted that the 2008 deed requires the property be rented to low- and moderate-income persons. City Attorney Meredith Everhart said there was contact with the group and tenant before they spoke to Council, and that no term such as the usual 15-year affordable term was placed on the deed, though the time has passed. Rachel Schuler stated the property will be purchased through the City's Homeownership Program with additional five-year deed restrictions and is being sold at a lower rate. Joyner acknowledged that removing the restriction changes the status of a reserved low- and moderate-income rental unit and wanted the Council to recognize that before moving forward.
- State unsheltered legislation: Mayor Saffo raised concerns about a House bill on unsheltered individuals that he described as an unfunded mandate being placed on cities. He expressed opposition to the bill, noting that most homeless providers are within the city, that it appears to force cities to corral unsheltered people, and that it was moving quickly without consultation from the state. Staff responded that Kara Spencer, Legislative and Community Affairs Director, and others have been working with providers and the Continuum of Care to understand the scope, including the point-in-time count and available beds. The bill has passed the House and moved to the Senate.
Key Outcomes
- Staff were directed to provide the number of Wilmington Housing Authority properties and detailed ShotSpotter performance data to Council.
- Staff were directed to provide an update on the state unsheltered legislation as soon as possible, because the Mayor noted the budget process could be affected by a significant unfunded mandate.
- The briefing adjourned at 8:47 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Bring the meeting to order of this Wilmington pre-agenda. I'm going to do a roll call. Mayor Pro Tem, are you here? Councilmember Join, are you here? I'm here. Councilmember Andrews, are you here? Councilmember Lally, are you here? Yeah. Councilmember Santa Guida, are you here? Yeah. Councilmember Clinton Quintana, are you here? I am. Okay, and the chair is here. Everybody's here and accounted for. We'll have a proclamation celebrating America's 250th anniversary. Consent agenda C1 is a resolution authorizing city manager to enter into a three-year contract renewal to manage operations of the Earl Jackson Pool at the Northside Park, and that's in C Swim. We have C2 is a resolution to adjust accounts receivable for uncollectible accounts. C three is a resolution authorizing the manager to execute a contract amendment with Croker Incorporated for Janitarial Supplies at the city owned properties. C4 is a resolution authorizing the manager to enter into an agreement with Sound Thinking Incorporated for the continued lease of the shot spotter system for the year 2027. C5 is a resolution authorizing the manager to enter into an agreement with Central Square Technologies LLC for the continued maintenance and support of the WPD's electronic record management system. C6 is a resolution authorizing the renewal of interlocal agreement between the Wilmington Housing Authority and the City of Wilmington to assign three Wilmington Police Officers to Wilmington Housing Authority property. C7 is a resolution authorizing the manager to enter into a three-year contract with the Atlantic Tactical Incorporated for the purchase of Wilmington Police Department Leather Gear. C eight is a resolution authorizing the renewal of interlocal agreement with New Hanover County for the operations of the forensic lab. C9 is a resolution authorizing the manager and tune to into a new lease on the seventh floor of the Skyline Center with HDR Engineering Incorporated of the Carolinas. C 10 is a resolution officially accepting certain drainage easements within the South Oleander and Oleander State subdivisions. C11 is an author resolution authorizing the city attorney to amend a deed at property located at 709 Dawson Street to remove a restriction related to the use of the property. And then C 12 is a resolution adopting comments on the proposed programmatic agreement between the multiple state and federal agencies and the North Carolina Historic Preservation Officer regarding the Wilmington Harbor Improvement Study. C13 is a resolution supporting a Cape Fear Public Transit Authority application to the Federal Transit Administration for a transit-oriented development planning grant. C14 is a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into a one-year professional services agreement with Wilmington Health to continue to serve as the city's occupational health provider. C15 is a resolution authorizing the city manager to apply for a 2025 assistance to firefighters grant in the amount of $2 million with a $200,000 local match and a $624,890 in additional city funding. C16 is a resolution declaring certain personal property surplus and authorizing the donation to Columbus County. C17 is a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a contract amendment in the amount of $86,850 with SA Architects PA of Raleigh, North Carolina for the Parks Operation Facility Design Contract. And then C18 is the approval of the minutes for the regular council meetings of June 2nd, 2026. And then public information, then we have public hearings. PH1 is an ordinance adopting the greater downtown plan as an amendment to the Create Wilmington Comprehensive Plan. PH2 is an ordinance amending the land development code, chapter 18 related to various administrative provisions, floodplain requirements, and dimensional requirements. And then ordinances and resolutions. Then 01C is the ordinance amending various chapters of the City of Wilmington fee schedule for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Domestic animal waste. And then 03 is an ordinance to amend various funds to comply with counting requirements of GASB statements number 87 regarding leases and number 96 regarding subscription based information technology agreements. Then R1A is a resolution adding $58,243 in American Rescue Act plan funds to the Wilmington and Beachers Convention and Visitors Bureau Project Contract. And then R1B is a resolution adding $18,639 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the 10th and Grace Streets Intersection Improvement Project. And R1C is an ordinance making supplemental appropriations in the amount of 76,882 to allow for reallocation of funding with American Rescue Plan Act projects. And then R2A is a resolution accepting certain public streets and storm drainage facilities within the river lights development. R2B is an ordinance establishing a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on various streets in the river lights development. And then I think the last thing is our reports, reports of councils appointments committee for boards, commissions, and committees. And I believe Ms. Andrews, you'll be given that report. And that is all with this on this agenda. I had a question for C C six, please.
openpublica.com