City Council Agenda Briefing - July 20, 2026
City Council Agenda Briefing - July 20, 2026
The Wilmington City Council held an Agenda Briefing on July 20, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in City Hall to review items for the July 21 regular Council meeting. Mayor Saffo presided, with all councilmembers present (Mayor Pro-Tem Spears and Councilmember Lyle via video conference). The briefing covered consent agenda items, public hearings, a budget work session follow-up, and the introduction of a new Assistant Police Chief.
Discussion Items
- Item C1: Resolution Awarding On-Call Contracts for Engineering Design Services – Councilmember Lyle inquired how the city ensures competitive pricing without a bidding process. Director Carter explained that state law requires selecting the most qualified firm through qualifications-based selection, then negotiating scope and fee; if a reasonable price cannot be reached, the city moves to the next qualified firm. Only five firms were selected from 25 applicants based on criteria including specific expertise and broad coverage of civil site engineering and transportation.
- Item PH1: Rezoning of 320 Military Cutoff Rd (6.69 acres) – The property currently has a conditional district for a worship facility on the front and RB zoning on the rear. The applicant seeks a straight O&I district to allow future uses without modifying the conditional district. Councilmember Joyner asked about the purpose; Ms. Painter confirmed it simplifies future development.
- Item PH2: Modification to Special Use Permit for Private Recreation Facility – The applicant requested a continuance due to an expert witness's unavailability. Councilmember Joyner expressed concern about agreeing to continue given procedural issues with similar permits. The request was noted for further discussion.
- Budget Work Session Follow-up: Funding Requests for Community Justice Center and Film Partnership of North Carolina – City Manager Hawke explained the items stem from unresolved FY27 budget discussions. No formal process exists; the purpose of the July 21 discussion is to gauge consensus on allocating council contingency or economic development contingency funds (each with over $100,000 available). Councilmember Andrews requested including any county funding information. Councilmember Santaguida clarified that the July 21 session is for discussion/direction only; a formal vote on a budget amendment would come later. Councilmember Joyner noted the Film Partnership had asked whether to attend; Ms. Hawke indicated they were not formally invited but could be if Council desires.
- Introduction of Assistant Police Chief Brooke Wright – City Manager Hawke introduced Ms. Wright, formerly of Fairfax County Police Department (27 years, from dispatcher to Assistant Chief of Administration and Deputy Chief of Investigations). She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds a Master of Public Safety. The city conducted a rigorous national search. Mayor Saffo welcomed her.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken; the briefing set the stage for the July 21 regular meeting. Consensus was needed on whether to proceed with funding discussions for the Community Justice Center and Film Partnership, with staff to prepare a budget amendment if directed.
- The items on the consent agenda and public hearings were reviewed; potential continuance of PH2 remained under consideration.
- The new Assistant Police Chief was formally introduced and welcomed.
Meeting Transcript
We're gonna bring this agenda briefing order. I mean meeting to order. I'm gonna take a roll call at this time. Mayor Pro Tem, you here? I am you. Councilmember Join are you here? Here. Councilmember Andrews? Here. Councilmember Lyle? Here. Councilmember Santa Guida? Here. Councilmember Clinton Quintana? Here. And the chair is here. Everybody's here and accounted for. Um we have two presentations tomorrow night. First presentation will be a recognition of the Marine Major Capers, who is the middle of honor recipient, and then we will break after we do that presentation for a reception in the area here outside of city chambers. Then we have, of course, the downtown wayfinding presentation, consent agenda. C one is a resolution awarding on-call contracts for five firms for professional engineering design services. C2 is a resolution authorized city manager to enter into an agreement with leads online LLC for the purchase of ballistics IQ equipment and software. C three is a resolution authorized city manager to execute a lease amendment with TOPA Wealth Management LLC for a portion of the seventh floor of the Skyline Center. C4 is a resolution authorized city management to enter into a new lease on the fourth floor of the Skyline Center with the Honorable Ted Budd, the United States Senator's Office. C five is a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute contract amendment number four with LITG Incorporated for the landscape maintenance of city-owned properties. C6 is a resolution authorizing city manager to enter into a contract with Brady Train Services Incorporated in the amount of 168,400 for HVAC repairs at the Wilmington Convention Center. C7 is a resolution providing approval of multifamily housing facility in the city of Wilmington, North Carolina, and the financing thereof with multifamily housing revenue bonds and an amount not to exceed 20 million dollars. And I think this is a pass-through, correct? Correct. Yes, sir. Okay. C eight is an approval of the minutes of the council's budget work session for May 15, 2026, and May 29th, 2026 agenda briefing meetings from June the 15, 2026, and the regular council meetings on June the 16th, 2026. Then we'll have public information, then public hearings, pH one is an ordinance amending the official zoning maps of the city of Wilmington. I have a question. Yes, sir. Um items. Can you hear me okay? Yes, we can. Go ahead, JC. Um, on the C1 with the RFQs, I love the process and speeding things up. Uh just wondered if we're not doing three bids. How do we know we're getting um the best deal for the city? Ms. Hulk, you have a Mr. Carter's gonna answer that. Thank you, Councilwoman. Um, mayor, mayor pro tem, members of council. So when we go through this process with all of our consultants, and it's required by law, we go out and find the most qualified firm and we select that firm. We then enter into negotiations to determine, you know, again, what's the final scope and fee of that? Um, if we are not if we do not believe that to be reasonable, we then have to tell that firm we are not interested, and then we move on to another the next qualified most qualified firm.
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