Wilmington City Council

At this week’s City Council meeting, Wilmington leaders approved allocating COVID-19 Relief Funds to Good Shepherd, as well as an agreement for the long-anticipated development at Castle Street. But it was proposed Riverwalk improvements and WAVE’s redevelopment that drew the most debate from council. 

Wilmington’s Downtown Alive project has been extended through mid-October. That’s the initiative that opened downtown streets for expanded restaurant seating during the pandemic. City leaders approved the extension unanimously -- but reluctantly. 

After missing a meeting due to the recent hurricane, Wilmington City Council was back in session Tuesday, Aug. 18 -- with CARES funding, WAVE Transit, and Downtown Alive on the agenda.

It was a tense City Council meeting in Wilmington this week, with Black Lives Matter protesters in attendance, demanding changes to police procedures and the city budget.

Wilmington City Council has voted to adopt its 2020-2021 fiscal year budget. The $206 million financial plan does not include a tax increase. Other aspects of the budget stirred controversy at the council meeting.

It’s been a tough year in the world of municipal finance -- with the pandemic making it difficult if not impossible to predict how the economic crisis will affect localities. Nonetheless, the Wilmington City Council will vote Tuesday, June 16 on whether or not to adopt its proposed 2020-2021 fiscal year budget.

Kevin Spears focused his campaign for city council on the priorities of Wilmington’s underserved citizens. Now, six months in office, he spoke with WHQR’s Hannah Breisinger about the biggest issues facing the city’s black community. 

Wilmington leaders have passed a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for a COVID-19 pandemic-related grant. The funds -- nearly $235,000 -- would be used by the Wilmington Police Department to buy equipment: ultraviolet lights for sterilization, first aid kits, and eight drones.

 At its Tuesday, May 5 meeting, Wilmington’s City Council extended its state of emergency order until Friday, May 8 at 5 PM. At that time, Phase 1 of Governor Cooper’s reopening plan will take effect.

 Like states and cities nationwide, Wilmington is grappling with the decision to either reopen or continue a shutdown through May. City officials discussed the topic at the Tuesday, Apr. 20 City Council meeting -- and experts stressed the city needs to continue what it’s been doing.

While health officials have yet to confirm a coronavirus case in the City of Wilmington, city leaders are working to address resident concerns. Last night’s city council meeting -- which was streamed and held in an almost entirely empty room -- featured discussions on COVID-19 testing and city-employee paid leave.

Change is coming to the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners. Incumbent Republicans Woody White and Patricia Kusek are not seeking re-election -- but there are nine other Republican primary candidates on the ballot, vying for three open seats. WHQR spoke to two of them.

A project city leaders once considered beyond reach is now inching closer to reality. On Tuesday Jan. 21, Wilmington City Council members approved $2.5 million in grants to fund the Rail Realignment initiative. The money, which comes from NCDOT and the Federal Railroad Administration, marks a major milestone for project leaders and supporters.

A rezoning request to add commercial development to a residential community generated controversy at the Tuesday, Jan. 7 Wilmington City Council meeting. The request was tabled, and was granted a 120-day extension. 

Wilmington leaders want a 100% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. That’s the announcement Mayor Bill Saffo made at the Tuesday, Jan. 7 City Council meeting. Saffo proposes an Ad Hoc Committee to help achieve this goal. 

 Wilmington’s City Council has a new addition. Kevin Spears was sworn in December 3, 2019, alongside Neil Anderson, Mayor Bill Saffo, and Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Haynes. 

Wilmington is moving ahead on the North Waterfront Park project. That’s despite a multimillion dollar budget increase and fewer features than initially planned. City Council approved several measures related to the $30 million downtown riverfront development last night. 

This year’s election is the closest race Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo has seen in his 12 years at the helm of city government.  It's the first serious challenge since 2007 to a Mayor now embarking upon his seventh term. 

Scott Monroe’s campaign for a seat on Wilmington City Council marks his first attempt at elected office.  This former firefighter and Marine says his highest priority is smart development and improved public safety.

Kimberly Spader is running for Wilmington City Council. She works as a licensed clinical social worker, and wants to use her listening skills to create open dialogue between city council and residents.

Wilmington City Council Candidate Mack Coyle is a newcomer to the race. Also new? His ideas. The small business owner installs mobile solar generators, and wants to convert all electricity in city buildings to solar and wind power, and all municipal vehicles to electric. But he has other priorities, too.

Young athletes in the area will soon have more fields to play on. Wilmington city council members unanimously approved a 65-acre donation from the Hammerheads Youth Football Club organization. The ten-million-dollar project will expand the Cape Fear Soccerplex.

Wilmington officials are working on a new noise ordinance, and they’re looking for public input. While the city has had a noise ordinance since 1989, a confusing permit process, no appeal process, unclear language, and concerns of subjectivity have led to the new proposal.

This week the Wilmington City Council will begin the process of approving its budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which begins July 1st.  The city has a $200.6 million budget on the table. 

The process for getting a special use permit in Wilmington has changed. Last night the City Council voted to streamline the procedure and remove a step. The new rule means applicants will not have to appear before the planning commission.

Tuesday night the Wilmington City Council will hold a public hearing on short-term rental regulations. For more than two years, city staff and stakeholders have debated and studied the issue.  

During the last municipal election of 2015, only 10% of voters in New Hanover County showed up.  By Tuesday afternoon, it was too early to tell if the numbers are up, down, or even with the last cycle.  In an unscientific, anecdotal visit with voters at New Hanover County’s Senior Center – one of the polling locations in Wilmington today – I met a handful of committed voters who say they wouldn’t miss an election.

Despite the fact that presidential election years turn out the highest numbers of voters, municipal elections have the most direct impact on quality of life.  This fact is pretty widely accepted.  But even the most educated and engaged among us – most notably a political scientist at an esteemed local university – even they are unlikely to know the people who are running for Wilmington’s City Council.

The City of Wilmington is home to more than 117-thousand people.   That’s growth of about 11,000 people since the last census in 2010.  73% of the population identifies as white, less than 20% is African-American, and 6% is Latino or Hispanic.

The Wilmington City Council approved the 2017-18 budget Tuesday. The $217 million fiscal year budget includes a small property tax decrease. Before tackling the budget, the council heard from several speakers on the topic of GenX, which is why close to 200 people crowded into council chambers.