City Council · Regular Meeting · April 23, 2025

Um, good afternoon. Just want to say thanks everyone for being here. I don't have any announcements this morning. this afternoon.

That's where we are. Thank you so much, Council Member Baker. Good afternoon. Uh, good afternoon and good afternoon to everyone who's here.

Uh, no comments for me, but I appreciate everyone who's in the room today. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Cabierro, good afternoon.

Good afternoon, everyone. No, I have no comments. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Uh, Council Member Freeman, good afternoon. Good afternoon. No comments. Thank you, Council Member Ris.

Any announcements? Good afternoon. Afternoon, Miss Mayor Prom. Good to see you, Deputy City Manager, deputy city attorneys.

Great to see everybody here. Great to see all the folks in the room and staff. I do have a couple things. I'll break the break the uh break the the chain here.

Um so, a couple things just so um we I know we had a late meeting on Monday, early Tuesday morning as we often do. Council member Cabier and I got up early to go to the the uh Triangle West Transportation Planning Organization meeting. So, a couple things there I just want to let folks know about. One is that we did adopt the Triangle West um TPO safety action plan

which looks a lot like the vision zero plan we've adopted in Durham. And I think it's worth saying that you know a lot of our colleagues around the region were wondering what that plan means for their communities. So I'm proud that we've already adopted a vision zero plan in Durham and as we did as we talked about when we adopted it that plan is going to commit us going forward to key investments in those key corridors that are that are part of the high injury network. So I'm glad we have that plan.

We'll be making those investments over the long term. The other thing we we also did hear a presentation about this kind of uh long-term plan called the metropolitan transportation uh MTP metropolitan transit plan for 2055. And just one thing to note is we looked at some of the data that that the researchers are looking at and it does show that we are planning to grow our total jobs by 90% by 2055. So virtually doubling the number of jobs we have in our in our in our community in Durham. Um, we're also planning to grow our population or expected to grow 48% almost 50% from about 310,000 people to

more than 450,000 people by 2055. So I know in this current climate it's so it's easy to focus on just the president and some of the real challenges we have in our economy and so forth. But the long like seeing the long hall, the long range plan, the long vision, we're going to be growing a ton both jobs and people. So, you know, our efforts to get denser and to accommodate more people is going to have to continue because the the the data shows long term we're going to still be attracting a lot of a lot of people.

So, um stay tuned for that. The last thing I want to note, um oh, I want to thank um Downtown Derm Incorporated for um hosting an event yesterday where they released their um uh they had their state of downtown Derm event, but they also rolled out the downtown Durham blueprint for 20 2035. There's a lot of exciting stuff in there. um addressing some of the retail gaps in downtown downtown placemaking, activating alleys, which is some cool stuff. The idea of a commercial trust to make sure we preserve some of these smaller commercial buildings that if we don't have a some plan could get eaten up as as big developers come in to to to

um gobble up those buildings. Um there was talk about master leasing concepts to try to activate some of the some of the first floor retail downtown that's not being occupied by some of the bigger tenants. So, some ideas there and also looking at, of course, uh redoing the downtown loop by changing some some of the key intersections there. So, exciting stuff.

Um it's why downtown Durham Incorporated has asked for a seven cent bid tax to for that tax to stay the same as we go through reevaluation. But there's also some planned investments I think they may come back to the city on. So, for my my colleagues, I just want to for all of you to stay tuned for that. I know council member Cook was there and council member Cavier also at the event yesterday.

So, um Oh, and Council Member Freeman was there. Oh, didn't see you. Thanks for being there. So, there's more to come there um as we continue to to like encourage our thriving and vibrant downtown.

So, thank you, Miss Mayor Pau. Thank you, council members, uh for all of your announcements and non-announcements as well. I'm going to uh at this time y I have none. I'm going to yield to our uh executives for their priority items. First, I'm going to ask yield to the city manager for any

priority items you may have. Good afternoon, madam manager. Good afternoon, Mayor Prom, members of council. The city manager's office has one priority item.

Agenda item number 13, proposed water and sewer rates for fiscal year 2025 2026. This item has a presentation and we have allotted 30 minutes for the presentation. Thank you. Thank you, madam manager.

Uh madame attorney, good afternoon. I'm sorry, Mr. Attorney. Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. Uh, Mayor Prom, Middleton, and council members, the city attorney's office does not have any priority items today. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Madam Clerk, good afternoon. I priority items. Mr. Mayor Prom and city council members, I have the board and committee report, citizens advisory committee appointment for the general seat is Elimola Alar.

The board of adjustment nomination is Brian S. Godfrey. And the final environmental affairs

board for Durham County City and County appointment is Karina Barnett Lauro. And that's the end of the report. Thank you uh very much. Colleagues, at this time I'm going to read uh into the record our consent items.

Any of these items can be pulled by any member of the council or any member of the public uh for a deeper dive. And I'll say now I'm struggling with allergies today. So please excuse my voice um if it cracks a little bit. Um, priority items administrative consent items, pardon me, from the city clerk's office.

Item number one, citizens advisory committee appointment. Item number two, Durham Board of Adjustment Appointment. Item number three, Durham City County Environmental Affairs Award affairs Board appointment. Uh, under departmental items from the human resources department.

Item number four, temporary staffing services on call provider list. com Inc. for software to manage job recruitment and applicant tracking functions under parks and recreation department. Item number

six, 2025 Durham Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Park System Plan. That item has been pulled by a number of our neighbors, public works department. Item number seven, contract ST-341C, Carver Street Extension, SCMS. Item number eight, contract ST-338C, petition assessment services.

Item number nine, contract ST-335C, Pavement Management Services, 2025. Item number 10, Item number nine is pulled by a number of our residents as well. Forgive me. Item number 10, contract amendment number one for SW-96PW Street Maintenance Repairs 2024 under our technology solutions department.

Item number 11, contract with CDW Government LLC to purchase CA Inc. licenses. Pull that one. Item number 11 is pulled under our water management department. Item number 12, construction award to Moffett Pipe, Inc. for the NC54

waterline replacement project. Item number 13, proposed water and sewer rates for FY2025 2026 30 minutes. That is a presentation slated for 30 minutes. under presentations from our parks and recreation department.

Item number 14, presentation on the proposed Durham Central Park concept plan. That is a presentation slated uh for 30 minutes as well. And our public hearing for our upcoming Monday meeting from the city county planning department. Item number 15, consolidated annexation Howard property.

Item number 16, zoning map change Strauss Drive town houses and citizens matters to be heard at one. We have several uh citizens matters. That ends the reading of the published agenda for today. By my reckoning, we have items number six, 9, and 11 pulled.

Do you concur, madam manager? Yes, I concur. All right. Thank you much.

At this time, friends, we'll turn to our citizens matters to be heard. Citizens matters to be heard at one. I'm going to welcome our neighbors who are here here. Aisha Abdul Ali, uh, James Chavis, and then Chris

Perilstein. Are they in room with us or are they virtual today? Okay. Is Aisha here?

Good afternoon, ma'am. If you'd approach the microphone and just turn it on, we're glad you're with us. You'll have three minutes. Do you see a green light?

Madam Cler, could you help him out, please? Do we need to get a Yeah. Okay. Okay. I'm I'm sorry.

Thought you were just a helper. We're good. Okay. Thanks so much, man.

Thank you. Good afternoon to Well, I have passed around a letter and I thought it would be much easier if we just read aspects of the letter. I'm not used to talking for just three minutes and so perhaps this will help. My name is Aisha Abdullah Ali.

I'm the CEO and um the consulting strategist for Summit Environmental Resources. I'm here today to support the initiative that was started several months ago by PAC 1 and five. And this is an an initiative to

make Durham climate change disaster prepared and and also to make Durham the number one city in the state of North Carolina and possibly the number one city in the country in disaster preparedness. And we recognize that disaster preparedness has not taken a a big stand in the city of Durham. We have not seen a lot lot of momentum in that direction. But we recognize also that climate change is an issue that we must deal with and we must give a lot of attention to especially on the community level. And I can say that because my hometown has just been devastated by Helen. And although I have been in the environmental sector for over 35 years, I have to see it in your

hometown is different than seeing Katrina or some of the other storms. And that devastation is something that I don't wish upon anyone. And I hope I would never have to see it again in my lifetime. But I also recognize that we as a community in Durham, we must, we absolutely must get into the climate change, disaster preparedness business and make sure every home understands the strategies of evacuation, sheltering in place, understand the legalities of all of the things that's necessary for them to continue their lives even after a storm the storm passes.

So I want to support that initiative. They asked me to conduct some training classes and our corporation said yes. In Durham we are

taking it upon ourselves if the packs want it and so far it seems like their constituents do want the training. We are we have trained uh community people from PAC one and pack five and also the senior center. We are reaching out to pack four, pack two and three and we will do the same thing and this is our way of giving back to Durham. Thank you so much for being with us this afternoon.

All right. Appreciate you coming. Thank you Mr. Chavis.

I guess good afternoon. Good to see you. You have three minutes. First of all, good afternoon each one of you all. Thank you Mi for coming because she have opened our eyes up for something I know impact one has been trying to get done for many many years and our city

council and everyone else has been ignoring it. I'm asking y'all to stop waiting until something happened and help us to put your boots to the ground before something happened. Our next meeting, you may you may get a copy of it, is Tuesday, May the 6th at 6:00 to 8 at Holton. And our June meeting is June the 3rd on the Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8.

Come with your ideas, your suggestions. And I only saw one representing the council member at our first meeting. And that's a crying shame that the rest of y'all won't take time. If she can take time, then the rest of y'all should be proud enough to help her to find out what's really going on and what's really need. Because when something happened, everybody going to start pointing the fingers and no one wants to give account of it. So let's don't let Durham be

behind. Let's put Durham beforehand. Now you got the opportunity and you got the county has already, as you all may, we present a proclamation to the city, county, and the school board. The county in three days gave us an answer.

I have not heard from the city council and I haven't heard from the school board. That shows you who's ready to help us. So, I'm asking y'all, if you're not going to do it, just state it. If you are, let's get it on because we're not stopping.

This committee is not stopping. We're going to continue on, but we need your support and your help. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chavis, for being with us. Chris Perilstein.

Good afternoon. Thank you for being with us. You have three minutes. Thank you, city council members.

This past Saturday, we had a scary close call involving four pedestrians. I hope all of you have seen the video of this. In case you haven't, it starts with multiple fa vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Anyone who lives in this area and probably throughout the city can tell you that this is a normal occurrence in our city every day.

Uh eventually an SUV yields in the nearest lane. The speeding car in the far lane uh screeches to a halt ending up in the crosswalk with the pedestrians having to jump out of the way. Adding insult to injury or or worse was that the SUV that yielded was a sheriff's deputy vehicle. They just left the scene without any attempt to stop the offending vehicle.

After this, I do want to take a moment to point out because there's been some confusion and accusations towards uh the city police on the internet after seeing this video um that this was a sheriff's deputy vehicle, not a city police vehicle. Um we've seen the city police checking out speeds on Roxboro and in other places and I've um requested speeding ticket data from them. They've been consistently increasing their efforts.

They're writing triple the tickets, the speeding tickets that they did pre-COVID in 2019. So, they're definitely doing the work trying to make a difference. But for context on how big the scale of the problem is, I catch that many speeders in daylight hours going more than 15 miles an hour with a speed limit in one week for the total number of tickets that they write in a year. I thank the police for their efforts, but I think we've got to face the problem that that enforcement is not going to be a broad solution to this.

The following day after the pedestrian incident on Easter Sunday, we lost three people in a high-speed wreck on Roxboro Street. This brings the total deaths this year on Roxboro Street to five just on Roxboro Street. And we're not even to May yet. That number is more than 10% of the total road deaths we had last year.

And we haven't even talked about the number of injuries that we've had on our high injury network. These didn't show that we can't simply enforce or educate our way out of this. But we need engineering solutions. This is exactly what Vision Zero will get us if we

actually do it. Unfortunately, we haven't yet. We have done some safety and quality of life improvements that I appreciate, but our numbers are still going in the wrong direction. We aren't addressing our most dangerous and problematic streets.

You've taken the first steps in setting a goal, hiring a coordinator, and approving the action plan, but we'll need to take the next step of actually changing these streets. You can facilitate that by ensuring that projects to make these streets safer are high priority in our budget. I hope that one thing we will take away from these tragic incidents is a renewed sense of how important this work is. Thank you.

Thank you so much for being with us, Mr. Pearl, and to all of our residents and neighbors who came out to speak to us this afternoon. Right. We have a caller online, so I don't have my um pulled up.

Miss Wagstaff, is is that who it is in Q? All right. Good afternoon, Miss M. Wagstaff.

Can you hear me? Yes. Can you hear me? Yes, I can, ma'am.

Good afternoon. Thank you for being with us. You have three minutes. Okay. Um I'm

coming to you today about an issue that's reoccurring on Dakota Street, the street that runs parallel to Shephard Middle School, a historical school in this community. Um I did research on this. We have 18 wheelers that are now using this street, this residential street as their parking where they park their trucks now. And I contacted the planning department.

And I was instructed that they're not supposed to be on the block, but we have to call the non-emergency number and have them send out a police officer to either ticket these vehicles or have these vehicles removed. Well, I'm just going to tell you right now, I don't know who's answering it, that non-emergency number, but it's trash. Because when you call it, you get grilled as though you've done something wrong, and you never get any resolve on your issue. They grill you. They want to know where you live. They want to know

where your issue is, and you're trying to give them as much information as possible, and you get nothing in return. And I don't know what's going on with Durham PD, but we're not getting anything. But we have these trucks, and I've taken video. I've sent it to Councilman Councilwoman Freeman.

I've gone on social media trying to get some resolve. We have people that are renting residential properties in our neighborhood and they're running commercial businesses out of those residential properties and they have two and three box trucks. So, we have a combination of 18 wheelers that are parking using our street right here at the school as a parking as their parking venue. And then we have box trucks that are parked all on Elmy Meer and all on Dakota.

It is it is a serious problem. And I know for a fact if this was called Crowsdale, all we'd had to do was make one phone call and this would be resolved. And this makes no sense because we have a school here and I watch it every day where we need speed humps. We have cars speeding down this

street. Nobody's going 35 and 45 to at least 65 and 70. We only have one sign that makes reference to there's a school on this block and something has to be done over here. I don't know what it's going to take at this point.

I'm at my wit's end with this because I've done everything that this city requires us to do and we're getting no resolve. So, I guess we have to do like everybody else. Go to channel 5 and get troubleshoot or somebody come out and just put the whole city on blast. But right now, we need the city officials to come out to Dakota Street in the 2500 block and witness what we witness every day.

And that's all I'm going to say on this matter at this moment. Thank you. Thank you so much for being with us today, Madam Clerk. Is there anybody else in Q?

Okay. Thank you. All right, colleagues, that I think we've exhausted all of our citizens matters today. Again, thanks to all of our our residents and neighbors who came out today. m. um sign up in advance

to speak on on any issue you want uh to the council. And we thank you all uh for being here today. Colle, I'm going to go now to our pulled items. We have uh several uh neighbors who want to speak on item number six.

And I'm just going to read uh the card the names of the cards, the names on the cards that I have. And uh if you're here, if you would just proceed in the order in which I read your name. Uh Dale McKielle, Chris Foster, Melvin Talbert, Katnar Raher, and Mike Gallagher. All right.

Good afternoon to all of you. You'll each have uh three minutes. Good afternoon. Um Mayor Proam Middleton and council members.

My name is Dale McKielle and I'm here as a member of the recreation advisory uh commission. Um, at our last meeting in in early April, uh, we adopted a statement and I want to read that statement. Uh, first off, we are asking for you to support the adoption of this plan. Um, but also, as

I said, I want to read this statement. Um we we we want to strongly support uh the half penny for parks and trails fund and emphasize the importance of the increased funding from the uh recent property tax adjustment. Since its establishment in 2015, the half penny for parks and trails fund has played a crucial role in addressing deferred maintenance in Durham's parks and trails. This dedicated funding has helped improve safety, accessibility, and overall park quality, ensuring that our community has well-maintained spaces to gather, play, and stay active.

However, despite the progress made, the backlog of deferred maintenance remains substantial, and additional resources are necessary to keep up with the growing needs of our parts system. The increase in funding made possible by the property tax adjustment is vital in tackling these critical maintenance projects. Without it, aging infrastructure, trails, and outdated park facilities will continue to deteriorate, impacting the safety and

usability of these spaces for Durham residents. Additionally, as we take on more projects to improve our parks, we must also invest in the staff needed to manage these efforts effectively. Skilled skilled professionals are essential to overseeing maintenance, coordinating upgrades, and ensuring that these projects are completed efficiently and to the highest standards. Durham's parks and trails are not just recreational spaces.

They are vital to public health, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. By sustaining and increasing investment in the half penny for parks and trails fund, we are committing to a future where all residents have access to safe, highquality outdoor spaces. We urge you to continue prioritizing this crucial funding to maintain and enhance the parks and trails that make Durham a great place to live, work, and play. Thank you for your time and continued commitment to investing in Durham's parks and trails. Thank you for taking the time to be with us today.

Chris Foster. All right. Good afternoon. You have three minutes.

Thank you. Um I'm coming today to speak about um Elmyra Park and especially its tennis courts. And um the tennis courts represent, I think, a a fantastic opportunity for the city. Um first, um the courts are in a tremendous state of disrepair.

Councilwoman Cook came out to the courts to meet with us and to inspect the courts. um their cracks and their weeds growing on the tennis courts. Um so they're in a state of disrepair and then there's an opportunity to um um fix them and to make them up to standard with the other courts in the city. Um it's a great opportunity because the tennis courts are a tremendous asset to the city um for at least three reasons. First, the courts um and the users of the courts in include a group of

African-Americans who continue the legacy of blacks playing tennis in Durham. For a long time, and I won't get too much into the history, African-Americans were not allowed to play um with their white counterparts. And so in the middle of the last century um through the Alangquin uh uh tennis um facility in other communities in Durham, there was a great uh group of people who played tennis, including um John Lucas, who's one of the greatest tennis players um in the ACC um in the uh late 1970s. So, there's a a legacy of African-Americans who use the court um every weekend and every Tuesday and Thursday. There's no other um group like it in the triangle area. Um we formed a group called Magic

Express. We always use the courts. The second um component that makes it a tremendous asset is the exceptional teaching that is done there. Now, there's a a coach named Coach Kabiru and others who train tennis players who go on to play tennis in college.

Um, it's unbelievable. And third, some of the best adult tennis teams in the state use the court um through the USA leagues. So, there's a tremendous diversity of people from all over the triangle area who come to Almyra to use the courts. Um it's just a an an amazing asset that should be celebrated and supported um again through the the African-American community who continues a legacy um through the exceptional training that's done there and through some of the um fantastic uh leagues um

uh who who use the courts. Tremendous diversity. So um thank you very much. Thank you so much for being with us.

Melvin Palbert. I'm also want to say something about El Mar tennis courts. I've been playing there for over 40 years. There's a group of us that play on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We play league tennis. And uh Elmyra, all the other courts have been surfaced at least. Um, Southern Boundaries has been resurfaced three times since the last time they did. Other courts have at least been resurfaced twice, but it's been so long that we have craters in our court.

You know what I'm saying? Literally craters in the court. So, we're just asking for help to, you know, I'm saying because they do play league tennis. I mean, it's the park is being used every day. Every

single day. You know what I'm saying? Some high schools when they have the their tennis, they'll come out there and play during the day. So, it's being used.

We just need some support. They have it fixed. Thank you. Thank you so much for being with us.

At Narna Raher, good afternoon. Thank you for being with us. You have three minutes. Feel free to correct me if I butchered your name.

It's Katarina Raher, but thank you. um or cat. Um I'm going to read it off by phone so that I don't miss any points. Um I'm a small business owner in Durham um and a member of the Durham U Parks Foundation.

So both personally and professionally, I care deeply about the health and well-being of our community. Um that's why I'm here today to speak in support of the funding of the Durham Parks and Recreational Budget. um including the continuation of the half penny fund and the requested capital improvement

projects. I see every day how vital accessible, safe, and highquality parks and recreation services are. Whether it's a mom recovering from an injury while a child plays safely on the playground or a teen finding mentorship on a basketball court, these spaces are lifelines. The data backs that up.

A recent study conducted by or excuse me, a recent survey conducted during the development of the 2025 Durham Parks and Recreation Comprehensive System Plan showed that Durham residents want to invest in the look and quality of our parks. Uh people notice and value clean and safe, inclusive green spaces. Considering the budget, studies show that well-maintained parks are linked to decreased health care costs in nearby neighborhoods. That means funding DPR isn't just good for the community.

Um, but it's also fiscally smart. The capital improvement requests aren't just bells and whistles. They include vital upgrades, making our large community events safer, replacing outdated playgrounds so all kids can play together, upgrading courts where youth and adults stay active and connect. Um, this isn't just about leisure.

It's about wellness, public safety, envi and environmental health. Our parks are gathering places, places for reflection, movement, learning, and healing. So, I'm urging you as a resident, uh, business owner, and board member, and someone deeply committed to the city to support the full funding of the DPR's proposed budget. Durham deserves it, and I truly believe the investment will come back to us in stronger communities, healthier residents, and a more connected city. Thank you. Thank you so much for being with us this

afternoon, Katarina. Mike Gallagher. Good afternoon, sir. Yeah, if you'll approach, you'll have three minutes.

Thank you for being with us this afternoon. Thanks. Good afternoon, council members. My name is Mike Gallagher.

I'm at 5905 Solitude Way in Durham. Um, others have spoken on the topic of the Elmyra tennis courts. I'm here to do the same thing. Um, I'm going to confine my comments though to to the physical situation.

They've already talked about history and usage. So, um, Omera Park sits in a bowl, um, from the surrounding neighborhoods and there's all sorts of drainage down down toward it. Uh, the the water there has never been dealt with properly. So we we ask that when the scope for the rehab of these courts, which I understand it um is on the docket, that include um a professional drainage system beneath the courts, you know, uh piping and uh landscape tile to

make sure that the water flows beneath the courts and out into the uh nearby uh stream. Currently, the water just um ponds underneath, forces the courts up, they crack, water seeps through, it's a mess. So, we we want to make sure that um whatever budget gets approved, it it it includes uh that drainage system. Thanks very much for your time.

Thank you so much for being with us. Madam Clerk, would you see if there's a Sthia Perin Perion on in Q virtually? No, Mr. Mayor Prom.

All right. All right, I've exhausted all I've exhausted all the cards that have been given me on this item. Colleagues, do you have anything on item number six? If not, we'll move to item number nine.

All right, seeing none, thank you all for who spoke on this item. To our neighbors who spoke on item, I appreciate all the tennis comments as always. So, thank you, President. I see a good friend, a McCoy, avid tennis player, sitting in the galley.

Good to see you, man. Absolutely. You don't want to play him. Item number nine, he's the winner.

Item number nine. Oh, go short. Go ahead. Um I just want to just want to reiterate what I saw there um tracks with what the folks were saying, but I do have some photos and I'm going to share them with my colleagues so that y'all can see um exactly what they're talking about.

Thanks. Thank you, council member. All right, colleagues. Item number nine, Dale McKiel.

Good afternoon. I know you. Good afternoon. Thank you for being with us.

You have three minutes. this this item I'm uh speaking for myself uh not on behalf of of any other group or organization. Um but I'm here talking about this contract uh ST 335C pavement management services. It's my understanding that this contract includes inspection services for resurfacing projects. And over the last couple of years, I've had some concerns about the um about some of the recent resurfacing projects uh and the way the the way they were managed and some of the problems that I saw with them. Um

the f the first concern had to do with um pavement markings. So, it's my understanding that these inspectors uh work with the pavement marking um company to make sure that the lines are put back on the street in the proper place. They have a pavement marking plan that they work from and they're supposed to follow that plan. Well, when Martin Luther King Parkway was resurfaced uh back about a year and a half ago, the pavement markings were not put back in the proper place according to the pavement marking plan that the Department of Transportation prepared.

And for example, the payment marking plan was supposed to provide a three-foot buffer between the bike lane and the and the motor vehicle travel lane to provide extra safety for bicyclist. Well, in some places that buffer was only like a foot or a little over a foot wide. And so it was just, you know, all over the place. It wasn't consistent. And um, you know, unfortunately, you know, I I actually saw the the temporary markings were were

not done correctly. " And um so, you know, if you've got an inspector that we're paying almost $3 million to do this, it seems like, well, there's got to be some accountability. So, I'm asking you to make sure there's some accountability in that contract. The second item has to do with um so-called pavement preservation projects.

I know the city's been doing a lot of that and I understand the need for it, but with some of these projects, and you've probably seen it yourself on Briggs Avenue, Martin Luther King Parkway, um Barbie Road, um Woodcraftoft Parkway, um uh Meridian Parkway, the the pavement within just a year or two after the project has been pavement preserved, it starts peeling off. And it's mean it's not just little bits and pieces. It's large chunks that are getting uh that are peeling off of the road. And and uh

I've got some pictures of this I will send to the to the clerk to uh distribute to you all. But um you know again it this something shouldn't be happening and that the contractor I mean I don't know what went wrong but something must have gone wrong if this is happening within a year or two after a resurfacing project. And again, my understanding is that the city and the city's taxpayers are the ones responsible for making most of these repairs. And again, if we're paying a company to provide these inspection services, basically to be the city's eyes and ears, they should be accountable.

One last thing, I apologize. I want I would like to know whether the company that is being offered this contract has been involved with some of these previous projects. Thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it.

Appreciate you. That's all. Uh uh it's the only speaker I had for item number nine. Colleagues, any want to chime in on them? Uh Council Member Cook. Yeah, I would actually I would love a staff response to those three things.

Um first of all, if um these company this company has been involved in this inspections previously, um if we're Hi, Miss Johnson, I see her coming up. Staff, are you prepared to respond today? Good afternoon, Tasha Johnson public works. I can respond to most of them.

I for so yes two of the three I can respond to. Go for it. Uh so this is the same consultant that we have used on uh previous projects for uh inspection and project management related to our related to our um pavement management program. Uh the second question I can respond to is that we are aware of the concerns and the um stripping that has happened on Barbie Road, Briggs and the other uh locations mentioned by Mr.

McIll and we are monitoring those. Uh we do not believe that it is a workmanship issue. We think there are some subsurface conditions that were not readily evident uh when we put down the

treatment types. So we are monitoring those and we are adjusting our uh selection process for use of the treatment on future projects. Great. And then if we could get a followup maybe on on what was going on with the buffers and why that if the Yeah, that was indicated before the permanent markers were put on why why those buffers weren't changed or why they are inconsistent.

Yes, I can that. Thank you so much. Thank you council member. Council member Wrist.

Thanks Miss Johnson. Yeah, I know there's been a back and forth sort of email communication. I guess my one question and thanks for your responses here and thanks for m for Mr. McKil for raising these.

My my question is like what in the case if there were workmanship that was not proper like what is our recourse as a city in that case? If there are cons uh workmanship issues then we address that with the contractor and we uh seek a resolution uh that minimizes the cost to the city to do the repair. So that's so the provisions of the contract allow us to do that. We had that.

Okay. Correct. Yeah. Thank you.

Thank you, council member. Anyone else? All right. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Uh item number 11 that was pulled by council member Cook. I'll yield. Good afternoon.

Dwayne Kindle, assistant director of technology solutions. Good to see you. Um I have a few questions. since they might be relatively quick.

Um, can you just back me up in a um historical context? I know that obviously we're changing from a um we're switching over from a software license that was relatively similar both uh PD and TS shared that lensure. Is that has that historically always been the case? And if so, can you explain why those two departments and not other departments are sharing?

Yes, great question. So um what the traditional um licensing structure was because of the data center. So the police department uh is the secondary data center to uh city

hall's data center. So all of the uh departments um servers um data infrastructure are all on both of those two uh data centers. So when we're saying uh license structure for PD and for um uh city hall essentially we're talking about the whole organization. They just are in phys two physical locations.

Okay, that is helpful. Thank you. Um and has it is that new with the building of the of the new department building or when did that So so we merged the um uh as part of a an amazing um efficiency and cost effective uh uh initiative to kind of merge uh buying multiple different having police a presence and then city hall buying a presence. we were able to leverage uh the technologies to give us a better cost increase and more efficiency from those licenses. So we we did that merger uh about the time that police headquarters was stood up. I mean before

then we were they were running a a semi data center. We had the the city hall data center and these efficiencies just cost efficient um and and better all the way around. Okay. Thank you.

Um, the memo talks about the normal data center refresh cycle. Um, I don't know anything about this, so I was hoping you give me a little background, but I also I'm interested in knowing if five years is like the standard amount of time or or what that normally looks like. Yes. Um I'm I'm glad you said that because the uh the refresh cycle for the hardware which coincides with the the uh the software with this particular thing with uh VMware is usually a fiveyear cycle that that is industry standard about a 5year cycle. Um the challenges we face are that uh this one may be one of the last onremise um uh hardware refreshes for a data center since most of these technologies are moving their workloads to cloud. Um, so, um, this this one we

anticipate possibly being the last, you know, hardware, um, that we we went from a giant mainframe in the in the data center, um, to, you know, what we have now in racks and servers, but we anticipate this being one of the last ones that is, uh, physically on premise. So, um, that is helpful. Um and then I'm I'm interested to know how that corresponds with the resizing that is needed and if moving to the cloud will impact that resizing. Yes.

Um that is a great question too. So um the resizing exercise that takes place some of it is uh as those workloads move to the cloud environmentals are affected so we don't have to cool as much data center. Um the uh network security is affected. We have a different security posture for the cloud versus on prim.

Um there are a ton of different things that go into the exercise of sizing. Um some of it is uh data at rest, how much space we're taking up versus how much data is actively being used. Um so we're we're

going through all of that analysis to make sure we get the most efficient um and effective possible way to manage the data center. So it sounds like those things might decrease. Yes. But the challenge is that always with uh data center technologies, we're moving from the the capex model to the opex model.

Everybody wants to sell us recurring cost services. Um so we want to make sure that we size it correctly so that we're not um investing heavily into the recurring cost component of it too. So we're we're working all that analysis. Thank you.

Those are my questions. Thanks. Thank you council. Thank you.

Anyone else colleagues on this? All right. Thank you. Good to see you.

We've exhausted all of our our pulled items. Now we'll turn to our presentations for the afternoon. The first one is proposed water and sewer rates for FY2025 to 26. I'll welcome our team from our water department.

Good afternoon, May Pro 10th, members of council. Don Gley, Department of Water Management. Um, I'm here today to talk about proposed rates for FY2 FY26. Um, to lead off, I just would like to to give a shout out to to my staff for all of the great work that goes into preparing the rates every year.

Um, to to put all this documentation together. I also like to thank I see Tim Flores here and the finance department. They play a major role in preparing the rates with all the debt financing for the um for the rates. And a shout out to also with reptelis financial for for um for working with both water management and the finance department in preparation of the rates. So thank you. All

right. Try to advance the slide. Yeah. Not sure, but it's Sorry.

All right. All right. Sorry for that. Sorry for that hiccup.

Um, a brief utility overview um to give everybody a over what we're dealing with when we talked about the rates. It's also funding of course the water and two utility that serves all of the city of Durham as well as a good portion of the Durham County. Um we maintained four plants, two water, two wastewater. We maintain over 2,600 miles of water and sewer lines across the city.

Um as well as have over 106,000 water accounts that we we bill annually. Um our general outline similar to what we've done in previous years. We'll talk about our rates objectives and key issues followed by the capital program because that's a significant

driver for our rates. Look at our uh customer consumption and then look at the rates proposed for next year as well as some comparisons with other cities. Um as we have it in the past we have three tenants with with our rates. Our objectives is affordability being first and foremost with our rates.

Second is sustainability for the utility to make sure we can address long-term operating costs and our long-term capital needs. Um as well as water efficiency and conservation. Um we continue our tiered rate approach to promote conservation and look at our um how we can keep the three lowest tiers to to a minimum with our long-term financial model. Um when it comes to affordability, of course, we've initiated programs to assist our low and fixed income customers. Um we can, as I mentioned, we continue to use our uh 10-year financial model to look at our operating costs capital programs to ensure that we don't have rate shock with our customers and to minimize the rates for our tier one, tier two, tier three customers. And um

of course, the tier rates empowers customers to manage their own costs by how much water they use. um projections um looking back the the previous years into what we're projecting forward and as I've mentioned um in leading up to this year um the Jordan Lake project is going to have a significant impact on where we go with our rates because of the size of the project. It's a generational type project probably approaching by its um at the the way inflation is going. 5 million gallons a day to Durham. But this will give us water to grow as a city through 2050 and maybe60. So, but as you can see for the rates, it's we are now moving out of our preliminary engineering and into design

and preliminary construction over the next several years. The intent to have those facilities online by 2031. So, you can really start seeing the impact of of that project. Um, but as far as affordability, you know, we continue to work closely with our customers um when they experience issues.

We have uh payment plans, payment arrangements whenever customers have concerns about being able to pay their um pay their bills. Um payment plans, payment arrangements allow us to take payments over a couple months or to move a payment from one day to two weeks from now or to spread payments around depending on their financial situation. um for the hardship fund. Um we uh this the city dedicates $150,000 annually um to help customers out who are experiencing issues with their bills. Um so far um this year um about over a thousand households have taken advantage of that and almost $100,000. Um earlier in the year we were trending much

higher. Um but that um fortunately um I hope for our customers have have trailed off. So um we were projecting in the first quarter that we'd be up coming back for maybe doubling that amount but um things have settled down a little bit with our customers which is I think a good sign to our community. Um but we continue to work with those customers who experience issues.

Um, as far as our long-term strategy, of course, we utilize the our 10-year financial model, looking at all of our costs. Um, we want to minimize um any rate increases and spread those out so we don't have rate shock. Um, we need to look for, as I said, the Jordan Lake allocation to meet our future demand as a city. We want to smooth our borrowing out and, um, we want to maintain um, our debt to the benefits our rate payers, not necessarily the high bot rating that we have. So um the capital program which is a major driver of of the rates

um uh in general it we look at funding pro ongoing programs to maintain our dams, our treatment plants, our water and and sewer collection systems. Um work towards building uh uh utilizing our allocation at Jordan Lake and your quarry. Um implement new regulations. We have PAS regulations that we're having to meet.

um up upcoming rules for Falls and Jordan Lake rules as far as water quality. Um we're going have to look at our development needs and make sure the infrastructures there to allow it to for Durham to continue to grow and to continue to fund efficiencies in our operations and I'm going to touch upon some of those as we come along. some major impacts to the CIP. Um, of course, the cost over the last four years has been significant both in consultants and in construction were overall costs have increased almost 80%. Um, hopefully that'll slow down in the in the next few years, but I think I said that last year and costs continue

to rise. Um, but hopefully um we'll see that in in in the next couple years or going forward. Um another kind of impact was the city of Sanford um merged with the town of Pittsburgh and also Chattam County with the air utility. So this impacts the Jordan Lake facility. So originally um both Pittsboro and Chattam County were going to be participating with AASA and Durham in the Jordan Lake project, but now since they've merged with Pittsburgh, that that's kind of changed how much participation that they might have initially with the Jordan Lake project. So, we're still finalizing that, but um we are getting close to finalizing all of the governance agreements between all the parties to make sure that um although the the city of Durham might be footing a good portion of the bill or a majority of the bill for building those facilities that we ensure we get our money back as they tap into their allocation and use the facilities that we construct.

um design and construction times have have grown um as well. Um typically um you know all of our projects now are taking longer. Um the the especially the the design firms are stressed because there's not as many um staff that the firms have. So they have a limited capacity compared to what they were about eight years 10 years ago.

Um and also the same on the construction industry. there's not as many um just human resources in the construction industry for projects. So, we're seeing less crews come on our linear projects. So, uh for our larger projects, so they just take longer. So, as far as the projects themselves, um, we have the Lake Mickey and Little River facilities, you know, on we have the current ongoing project to rehabilitate both the the original pump house at Lake Mickey on the right and the Little River pump house on the left. Um, we're about halfway through that four-year project, that $85 million

project. We're about halfway through. Um we are uh continuing with our design to um address the uh the issue with the east or the northern wing wall on the little river reservoir which you can see with a red arrow there. And then we have an upcoming project to um take care of um the concrete degradation on the Lake Nikki dam which is shown in green that's programmed in over the next five years.

Um, tier quarry is is also, you know, a quy that the city's own. We'd like to bring that online as a um both a um emergency supply and as a daily um use for drinking water. Um right now we're in the design stage, but we should expect to go to construction in the next two or three years. Um the Jordan Lake project of course is building a new intake on Jordan Lake in Chattam County. um a new raw water pump station to pump it to a brand new water treatment plant down at

there and then 17 miles of water line back to the city of Durham and two area elevated water tanks along the way. Um so we hope as I said we'll be um we're in the process of advertising the first progressive design build contract for the treatment plant um later within the next week or so we'll be advertising that um because of the size of that contract and um we've over the last year we've had several um open houses with engineers and contractors to make them aware of the contract u that's coming up because it's over a $400 million contract. Um, as well as open houses with the the local businesses and minority companies, underutilized businesses to make them aware of the of the upcoming contract, construction contract, and how they could potentially participate in that construction project. Um, part of our, um, you know, rates continue to recommend 3 cents per

tier, um, for water quality protection. Um, this is a map of Lake Nikki. Um we have a passive program to buy buffers to buy land in and around Lake Nikki for buffer protection. Um as well as um long-term water supply project of uh replacing Lake McKI dam um maybe in about 50 years with a new dam and maybe 20 ft higher so we can have the next water supply project.

Um it's also the the 3 cents per tier is also used to um uh supply land purchases and ease asments dedicated up in the wershed itself. Um the CIP also includes projects at all four um plants both the Brown water plant the plant north and south durm as we meet um ongoing rehabilitation needs for all of those plants. Um, as far as you know, distribution and

collection system, we have uh several large projects that are in play over the next five years. Um, the the green is of course downtown. That's complete. The yellow is Durham Central Park and that was complete.

Uh, the red is American Tobacco phase one, the solid color. That's complete. We just are out for bid is American Tobacco phase two. Um, which is from Blackwell kind of east.

um the West End project um in around Lion Park um we'll be advertising the first of the several phases of that project in the next couple months and the Eastern project is getting ready to bid the next phase um of of that project as well. So and then of course the west up in the lefth hand corner of that graphic is the west club project that's under construction right now. Um, as far as development, another portion of the CIP is dedicated to improving the infrastructure in and around the city itself. Um, out in the southeast part of

the community, out in the um, south of 98, north of US70, which we call the southeast regional lift station basin, you can see all the development that's going on there. There now. Um, several years ago, the city created the Surls um, basin. um to be able to recoup the cost of building that regional lift station and force main that would pump back to the north Durham plant.

Uh that has all been constructed. The force main phase one has been constructed and then we have in the CIP the second half of the force vein that would pump the uh the waste water all the way to the north Durham plant. So that's underway in the southwest part of the city. um the infrastructure there.

We have several large lift stations that were built prior to um the South Point Mall. So, it was the old comp plan that was built. So, a lot of those projects, a lot of those infrastructure is undersized. So, we're we're currently finishing design on on those and we'll

be releasing those projects for construction shortly. when we also have uh numerous projects to serve um dubsize the both the water and the wastewater collection system in and around the greater downtown area to be able to meet the future growth of the city. Um we are um finishing our long-range water resources plan which has been tied to the city's comp plan. Um, council member Ris mentioned in his comments to start off the meeting just about how much the community is going to grow and we've his the numbers that that he expressed were consistent with our long range plan.

So, um, all of that um, we have to continue to look at our infrastructure to make sure it's we have that capacity in advance if we're going to continue to see that kind of development. Um, as I mentioned, we also use the we fund efficiencies. We're completing our bioolids master plan. We're cons completing our electrical study. We're really excited about um having a fuse

fellow um fellowship starting in a few weeks. Um this fellow will be looking at the energy consumption at all four of our treatment plants to see how what we can do, how we can submeter, how we can monitor the electrical use within our um facilities, what type of equipment is um could be replaced maybe to be more energy efficient and also look at potential other energy sources um that we can use. solar um t that work will be tied in with the bioolids master plan to better use the methane gas that we've generated our at our wastewater plants to generate electricity um to offset our carbon footprint. Um, another project that we have slated is, um, the Mislike facility as as our fleet continues to be electrified, um, is to actually build the infrastructure in the rear of the facility to be able to supply the the trucks and vehicles, um, to be able to recharge them as part of the Miss Lake project. We um, built all the conduit

underneath all of that concrete. So, we don't need to tear up the concrete. We just need to we're working with general general services and their staff to be able to bring a project forward to build the infrastructure to have the charging all throughout that parking area. Um we're also, you know, continuing to look at moving from AMR, which are automated meter reading, radio reading to AMI, which is you can read meters from the desktop as opposed to having people drive by in the neighborhoods.

So, we're looking forward to that. We continue to update our um SCADA system which is our operating systems that are all of our treatment plants and we continue to look at our cyber security needs and work closely with TS on that. Some of the major projects I'm not going to read them all um but here just some of the projects I mentioned that we have going on right now um across the utility. um how that looks. As I said, there's some the numbers have gotten really big um with the increased construction cost.

Um so, um projected out, it's almost $2 billion over the next five years with half of that being the Jordan Lake project. As far as usage and consumption, um I think this graph now kind of shows where the trend that we now see a trend if you look if you think back on how much Durham has grown since 2000. You know, we've experienced uh two smaller droughts in 2002 and 2005 and then the major drought in 2007. But Durham has continued to grow significantly during that time period, but the water consumption has been relatively stable.

A lot of that has to do with all the new construction coming in with very efficient um uh both water fixtures and water use. All of the commercial and industrial users becoming more knowledgeable about water consumption and how they can be more efficient. Um a lot of the existing

homes and businesses replacing their fixtures and putting in more water efficient fixtures. So, um, but now, as we can see over the last couple years, we can see as Durm has grown, we're starting to see a steady increase in our water consumption. So, I think, uh, we'll probably see that over the next couple years is what we anticipate. 6 in tier five.

some. So, as I mentioned with affordability, because we have such a large base in tier one, tier two, two, three, we're really concerned about making sure our rates are affordable to those three tiers. As far as the rates

proposed for next year, um uh the overall utility budget is a little over $160 million for next year. Um 20% goes to operation and maintenance, 31% for personnel, 29% for rate funded CIP, and 20% for debt service. Um projected out here's as you can see that the debt service um will grow um if we continue on the trend of where we are without changing the capital program. Uh the proposed rates um will we're proposing modest increases in both the service and consumption charges across all the tiers.

Continue the wershed protection fee. Um customers will continue to see different rates depending on how much water they use. Um we of course the the rates target um you people conserving. They can save a lot

of money if they can just conserve their water consumption. Continuing on tier three with the commercial multif family resident uh multifamily residential industrial and institutional customers uh continue with the double rates outside the city limits and of course those customers who are tributary to the county plan are subject to the rates that the county establishes for uh their treatment plant. Um the rates cover our operating budget, um any paper performance increase for next year for employees, um the PGO funding, which is um roughly almost $39 million. Uh the debt service which is about $30 million.

Um the fleet replacement fund for the utility vehicles. Um the general fund transfer into the general fund for all the services that the general fund provides to the utility. And of course, the wershed protection. um 3 cents per tier. Um it maintains the necessary debt covenants and as well as maintains our adequate operating reserves for the

utility. Um as far as the charges per se is you can this is a table about the increases I'm not going to read them all. There's an 81 81 cents for the service charge for water and 89 cents for the service charge for sewer as well as um the charges there increases on the various tiers and a 45% increase on the volume charge for wastewater um the impacts to our customers. So a typical tier one customer which uses about 108 um cubic feet of uh uh of water um will increase about $241 on a monthly basis.

So their their bill will go from 2817 to 3058 and then the other the typical um customer within each tier are shown accordingly. Um we we've stuck with water and donuts again, not we didn't go back to ice cream. So um but you know this is a a

comparison of what that means to our customers. So um for a tier one customer if if they would buy one less bottled water, they could offset the the you the increase cost on their water bill. 0056 per gallon. 70. 5% increase which is a much larger increase than we had predicted last year but our costs continue to go up. 25 25 predicted out probably not just over those four years but probably the next five years after that currently just because of this the large cost of the capital program.

Um comp comparing our current rates with our neighbors. Um if this is a graphic from the UNC environmental finance center um this is u this particular graph is shows um utilities across North Carolina of similar accounts. So it's if of any utility that has more than 25,000 accounts. 32 and our for a 4,000galon um consumption is only 6535.

So pretty good compared to all of the larger utilities across the state. Um the lower right hand corner is with affordability. 1%. So, which is good where we are. Pretty strong

conservation signal upper right hand corner. Maybe not as strong as some, but um we're kind of right in the middle. If we look just at the uh within our area, within our council of government, um uh we compare much stronger with our average typical rate. Um not as strong as our conservation signal.

A lot of the smaller utilities have a really strong conservation signal in order to save encourage their residents to conserve water consumption, especially during the summer. Um, but still pretty good with larger utilities. In looking at the um larger utilities across the state and the average, you can see we're just slightly below the average. Um, most utilities are proposing an increase this coming year and um, I think we we align pretty well because we're the only utility that's building a brand new treatment plant in the next couple years. So,

um, with that, any questions? Thank you for a great presentation. Colleagues, we'll open up now. Any questions or comments?

Council member Freeman. Yes. Thank you. Just one in particular.

um just around the cost recovery conversation. How do you I guess how do you develop I guess I could um how do you develop like a cost sharing model in that like because it's post construction. How does that work? Right.

We're we're looking at how we um our new construction versus the infrastructure that we have to replace. Well, specifically for the um conversation with uh Jordan Lake and I guess putting in the infrastructure so that they can pull the water from there. Right. That's as I mentioned, we're setting up the governance agreements with and those will be coming to council once they're finalized, but we're right now we're finalizing them. Um we expect to have those over the next couple months to have for you to look at look

at those. Um, as I said, the uh uh we we we're working closely with the city attorney's office as well as the finance department in putting those agreements together um as well as they're corresponding with all of the other entities, attorneys and finance departments as well um to make sure that those agreement are are pretty solid so we can the Durham can recover our cost. model for how you develop I guess the the actual calculation. Um the Rafelis does that for us.

I can provide more detail to you. Be happy to do that. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Colleagues, Council Member Cook, and then Council Member Baker.

You um thank you for that presentation. Um I have a few questions I'm just going to go back through. Um, the first one I want to go back to, I heard what you said, but I'm just going to go back to it again, which is that we have set aside in the hardship fund $150,000 for

the year, and we have already used almost 100,000 of it. You've seen decrease in rates, but we haven't hit the summer yet really. Um, why do you think that those rates are going to continue to decrease? And what is the as I said it's not so the the the request for hardship funds has dropped off right as I said in the first four months of the year the first quarter to the first four months of the year um it was trending to look like we we were going to need maybe $300,000 for the year um that started to drop off near Thanksgiving and Christmas which is unusual because usually we see a in the past we've seen kind of an increase come January February and we just haven't that just hasn't happened this year. I'm not sure why. Maybe because we've been I I would like to think that we've um worked hard to work closely with our customers about having them understand how we can do payment arrangements and um and we can help them out, move

around, connect them with some of the community organizations that help also with um people who are struggling. um a number of local churches are willing to contribute to pay the utility bills as well as the Salvation Army. So, um I'd like to think our efforts have made an impact there, but you know, it's this is the first year that that's happened. Okay.

Usually, we've trended pretty solidly across the year. So, it's it's kind we're in a different spot from where we've seen in the past, but yeah. Um, is is that 150 number going to stay consistent start of the new fiscal year or have y'all requested more money there? Um, I think if we were trending more, we would we would request that that be increased at the start of the year.

Um, council in previous years when we've seen that money um we've seen a need for that continue. Um, both the city administration as well as city council has been a minable to increasing that. Sure. But I see Tim standing up so

I'll defer to Tim. So Tim, Florida finance department. And so what we we start started doing last year is we started accumulating that fund uh that that those hardship funds. So any excess funds from the year prior that have been budgeted, we're rolling into sort of a fund.

And so like right now, I think our cumulative balance is close to about $400,000. And so if it starts trending uh in that way, then we we have time to address it in a future budget cycle. Okay. Um, I was actually the slides that we have don't match exactly the slides that you gave us.

Um, so there's like quite a few that are missing on ours. So my first request is that your whole presentation be uploaded. Absolutely. Um, and then I was wondering if you could go back to the utilities utility efficiencies slide.

Um, because I just we went through it kind of quickly and I don't have it. Sure. And I wish I had looked at the time, but

I didn't. So, I'm so sorry. I know that was the title of that slide. Yeah.

Yes, it was. No. 21. Yeah.

Right around the major projects list. But Oh, yeah. Thank you. Yes.

Um, okay. Thanks. I just didn't I know you tal you had talked about a couple of them before you got to the slide and I just wanted to make sure that I knew all of the things that are on there, but I think I do. I think I know all the things that are on there.

Okay. Thank you. Um, so I'm going to move down to the two billion dollar number figure, which I'm sure everyone's really excited to talk about. Okay. Um, and you said half of that money is going to be is going to be what is associated

with the Jordan Lake project. So that is to get the allocation is is to that all that work entails is to build the brand new intake on the lake, build a raw water pump station to pump the water from the intake to the new treatment plant. build 17 miles of 42 inch water line back to Durham. Two um new elevated storage tanks along the way and about $und00 million worth of improvements within our system, existing distribution system to be able to push that water out across the whole system. probably right now we're looking at creating another pressure zone um because the different pressure that the water's coming into our system is different than the pressure zone that we have and that's to we looked at what as part of the prelimary engineering we

looked at the cost of how to um you know equalizing the pressure so we don't have to do certain things I'm not going to get in a lot of great detail but that was looked at of what was the the most energyefficient way to pump the water back into to to Dur. Yeah. Okay. I have a couple of questions.

Tim, I don't know. You might need to be on standby, too. But, um, what other I guess like what other financing have we thought about and do we need to be thinking about a bond or something along those lines? This is a huge chunk of money.

I'm not really sure where it's going to come from. Yeah, these are utility revenue bonds. And so this is the traditional way of financing those, right? But these our numbers haven't been quite this big in the past.

So I'm I'm just curious, have there been Yeah. What does it look like as it continues to grow? Well, I mean, for a utility system this size, um, and this is a generational investment. Um, we those are being built

into all of our financial models that we've been, you know, presenting to our rating agencies. And so there is an awareness um of what our growth is going to be. And so it I mean while it's large it is manageable with with within the infrastructure that we have financial infrastructure that we have. Yeah.

I guess I'm I'm looking at like not only the growth, which I feel like is normal, but also we're looking at all these increased costs for a variety of reasons and that includes like weird economic things that are going on, tariffs and that gez that sort of thing, but also um you were talking about like all of these construction costs that have increased. Uh but all of that is within and and and just understand that we really do look at utilities separately from all of the other uh debt debt that we we we issue. And since these are sort of paid for by user fees, um it is all within that. So it's it's not tax supported uh debt that we're

we're issuing. Okay. Did you want to follow up on that? Yeah, please.

It's why on one of the slides it says that we don't look at like whereas the city really wants to re maintain AAA rating for its general fund stuff. It doesn't matter if this dips a little bit because that's not the goal. So it's just a different financial strategy because it's it's its own contained universe. Yeah.

The water universe is different than everywhere else. Got it. Okay. Um I I did want to mention that we are working with the city manager's office uh to engage our our lobbyists to engage the general assembly to participate in the intake that we're building on Jordan Lake because it is a number one it's the only other intake that the core core of engineers is going to be allowed to construct on the lake and it will be used by multiple entities. um you know from a long-term perspective it'll be in Durham, AASA, Chattam County, the town of Pittsburgh as well. So we are going to be engaging with them

um to see if we could um have some participation in that part of the project from the general assembly. Um they've shown um support for projects in and around Chattam County. They funded $30 million for the u upgrade of uh the city of Sanford's uh treatment plant as as a grant in kind with no payback. So, okay.

So, we're going to be hopefully pursuing something similar to that to although that's a small amount of money to to the cost of the project, it's still that's a lot of money. We'll take it. Yeah, we'll take any money. Um we'll definitely take that.

Um and can you talk about the allocation? I know that that is going to be end up being a revenue stream for us, but could you also talk about the the combination? Um I know that we've talked about it before, but I just want to go over it again so I understand when the town of Pittsburgh and Sanford combined how that impacted us. Um the the biggest way it impacted us is because Sanford has because of their expansion, they had additional capacity

at the plant. So initially Pittsburgh was going to ask for a larger portion of their allocation in the initial construction as well as um Chattam County. Okay. So but because they merged with Sanford and Sanford um will be able to provide some of that relief some of their needs in the short term they don't need as much in the initial investment in in the plant.

Oh okay. Okay. Does that make sense? Yeah it does.

But they have from a long-term perspective they have a very large allocation. um with from Jordan Lake and they'll be needing that aloc they'll need that allocation to continue to grow and and that is at some point once we get our huge investment with all of the things that you just talked about that we are going to need before we can actually utilize it we will start getting an income based on our ability to based on our access right correct once they start other municipalities pay for us to Right. So that will be the contracting authority that if you know for city Tri

Rivers which is the city of Sanford's utility you know they would be you know reimbursing for their portion of the construction initially but that's why the governance agreements are so important to establish that because we're we're looking to recover our costs our debt service and then the interest that we're carrying on that money for whatever time it is until they utilize that infrastructure that we've constructed. Okay, cool. And then Yes. Partnership.

Council members, use your microphones, please. I can. Um, could you also just explain to me what a conservation signal is? Um, that's how how I'll give you an easier example is the foraso.

Um, during the summer, their rates almost double. Wow. So that that's sends a very strong conservation signal in the rate because during the high demand you're paying almost double in in water. So um that's a very strong

conservation signal. Another way is we send a conservation signal because we have the higher cost for the higher tiers for tier four and tier five are much higher than the the lower tier one, tier two, tier three. Right. So that that sends a conservation signal that if you're going to use a lot of water, you're going to end up paying a lot of money.

And I know we hope that answers your question. Yes, that is helpful. So we broke down the the tiers by population. I know we 40% in tier one, 35% in tier 2, etc.

Um did we have a graph that broke down the amount of usage of those tiers? Um there's a when you looked at the um uh let me go back if I get there. on the graph that shows the um it's a bar graph that shows how much cost per tier at the bottom it shows what the typical customer within that tier is considered. Yes, I see it. Okay. And so I that is a typical customer but do we

know okay so then I would multiply it by my percentages is what you're saying right but that's the average but we can if you'd like the range for each tier for that customer class we can provide that. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I I could probably do this math, but I would love for you to provide it for me.

We happy to do that. Cool. Thank you. Those are my questions.

Thanks. Thank you, Council Member. Council member Baker, thank you for your presentation to us. Um, so you mentioned we're going to be pursuing uh partnership, not partnership, but money from the general assembly in the form of a grant.

That's what we would like to pursue. Okay. Um, are there any is there any state financing or any programs to help cover the capital uh costs um partic especially around Jordan Lake, but anything else that's out there that would we currently have or that we are going to be pursuing? And then is there anything at the federal level as well? Um there there's both, but that is those

usually aren't outright grants. their loans that you pay back and you look at the rate versus the rate that we're getting um forces our revenue bond sales. So we work closely with with Tim and his team and the finance department to see which is if all of a sudden the cost on the revenue bond side was more significant than what we could get on the federal side, then maybe we would shift pursuing that. But right now there's not any outright grants.

It's more it's more loan based. Okay. No grants from the federal government and no real grant programs at the state level other than just requesting. Correct.

Okay. Um for some of some of the smaller programs there we you know recently um we got the million-doll grant from the state dealing with the um the new lead and copper rule where that was 50/50. So 50% was forgiven where we have to pay back 50% on that billion dollar loan. Um but when for projects in this area there there aren't any. So is

that do you know happen to know if that's if that's fairly typical across the United States or across the south? Um or are there other states that might uh allocate more resources for grants toward water infrastructure? Um I'll be happy to research that and get back to you. I don't know that off the top of my head.

Thank you. I think we're very similar to most states. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, council member. Council member wrist Tim. Thanks Mr. Gley.

Um just a couple questions. First one back to this kind of conservation signal. So the again the tiers are based on consumption right and the higher tiers are paying a higher rate. Okay.

Correct. So for customers that want to reduce their water expense or their water bill and want to move to a different tier. Is it clear to to residents which tier they're in if you get your bill? I was just talking to Mr.

Miller at lunch today about that. It's not clear to me that people get that on their bill, do they? Um we don't separate it on the on the bill. Um we do have a on the website if customers want to pursue that we have a kind of a rate calculator so they can

put in their their water consumption and then look at how how their water bill is built because if you're a tier five we don't build all the water at tier five. You build the first one out of tier one they it's like and build out. So, especially for those customers who may be right on the line, if they can look at, you know, hey, if I just if we just lower our consumption a little bit, we might be able to drop down one tier. So, but it is online.

So, the calculator on the water management website. Yes. Okay. And you you put in your you look at your bill, how much you consume the last month, and put that in there.

Yes. Okay. Thank you for that tool. Um, the second thing is you mentioned under major projects, you did mention PAS is one of the things you're thinking about.

I know there's another contaminant that a lot of communities are worried about, the 14 deox dioxane, right? Is that something that we're worried about in Durham or is that not a concern here? Uh, that's part of our ongoing look at all of those emergent contaminants as well as the regulations. So, it's in we looked um it's part it was part of our study for PAS. It's also was part of the

preliminary engineering work for the what type of treatment plant we needed to build um at Jordan Lake as well as all of the new regulations that we're currently aware of and how how to treat those and what type of processes. So the overall footprint, the master planning for this facility has been done not just to grow from a 20 million gallon a day facility to a 66 million a day facility, but also to add processes to address those emerging contaminants because we will have to add additional processes to be able to do those when the regulations come. Thank you. And then the last thing is um you you mentioned right as over a key part of the overall cop strategy is this the whole the rules piece both for Jordan and Falls Lake the rules compliance right correct um and I just want to mention to my colleagues we we are right now in the Jordan Lake one water um coalition are going through the strategic planning process to sort of because that the Jordan Lake one water as you know Mr. ly it's not as far along as the the UNRBA falls like yeah so

we're going through a street plan process and I'm working with Michelle and and um Mr. low prof and um in storm water to figure out the right time to come back to city council just to give you an update of where we are with that strategic process because we're part of a coalition that coalition helps us right because we you know having more folks going to the general assembly to to negotiate these rules is helpful to us and we're one of the bigger players in JLo so it's kind of a yeah ongoing conversation so we'll bring that back to the council when it's time to for you all to sort of just get a sense of what that plan looks like and what our role is in the ongoing Jordan Lake work so yeah thank you so much Great stuff. Thank you, council member. Colleagues, anyone else any questions or comments?

Oh, council me. Sure. Yeah, I just want to say briefly thank you for the very thorough presentation. Um, and I know that this is something that Durham is is kind of known for at this point is our um our philosophy on how we do water management. And we also have really really good great tap water. So, you

don't need to buy bottled water. you can just turn on your tap and use great Durham city water. And I want to thank um I've seen a real commitment to not using bottled water uh recently in city hall, which is a long-standing rule, but a lot more commitment to following that rule. So, I want to thank all city employees who are following our rules of not using bottled water because again, we have amazing city water.

Thank you. Thank you. Here today, colleagues, anyone else? Are you sure?

It's a work session. All right, Mr. Gley, thank you so much. Good to see you.

I think I've said to you before, the next time you bring a graphic in here with donuts on it and don't bring donuts, we're gonna have a problem. So, staff, remind me, please. You think you think you think we're playing with you? All right.

No, that's that's noted. Thank you so much, Mr. Director. Appreciate it.

I won't bring bottled water, though. Okay. All right, colleagues, we have one last presentation. You've been sitting for an

hour and a half. Are you all right to press forward? Do you need five minutes? All right, let's let's take a uh a bio break. We'll reconvene at 2:40. I should have checked earlier but I want to make sure you are you are you I'm giving your presentation next waited okay and this is presentation Do you know how to do the screen share on Zoom?

Okay, just click on Zoom. Just click on share once you get into Zoom presentation. You shouldn't have to do what I'm doing right now. Okay.

What is this? Accessibility setup assistant. Microsoft want to update something. Great.

That's ready to go. So, you're ready to go. Okay. Make sure I just use the up here behind you or over there.

Up to you. Okay. No, I'm not going at all. I was just related to it.

I'll stay out. I know. Oh, shoot. I didn't see you

before it started and I thought about texting and being like to watch your face. Just make sure it was on the screen, right? We had a seating chart at Raleigh that we would pass around to everyone that showed which seats to sit in if you didn't want to be on. I didn't notice it, but [Music] I think that's

Two minute warning. Two-minute warning. Prince

1 minute and we'll start together. All right, friends. It's 2:40. We're back in

session. We're going to proceed now with our final presentation of the day from the parks and wreck department. Presentation on the proposed term central park concept plan. One of my favorite shows.

Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Tim, members of council. Wade Walcott with your parks and recreation department. Uh, thank you for the opportunity. I just want to make sure council recognizes what this item is and what's in front of them and their obligations and and uh what they're not obligated to do at this time.

So, in front of you, this presentation is just a conceptual plan for the central park for our central park. Uh you may recall similarly a a long uh work session a couple weeks ago uh just like today at the end we did a very long presentation for our comprehensive park system plan. This concept plan for Central Park is a part of that plan. So this won't be a standalone item come uh May 5th for the actual council uh meeting. This is a

part of that. So, we wanted to break this out of the comprehensive plan one because how long our presentation was last time was around 45 minutes and it was a lot of information for you to listen and obser and um absorb. Uh and so second of all, this just had a little bit more detail than the rest of the plan. So, we wanted to make sure we gave it enough time and attention uh so everyone could understand.

So, this came to be as we looked at our 10-year comprehensive park system plan and we knew that our partners uh the park managers with Central Park uh Inc. were also envisioning what's the future of Central Park. And so, we were lucky enough to have those timelines aligned and so we wanted to work together and we wanted to bring that into the fold. So, this of course is one of Durham's parks and this is a concept plan that was not done in a silo, but done in partnership and collaboration between our department

and of course uh Durham Central Park, Inc. And so to talk you through this conceptual plan and show possibilities of the future will be our friends uh back from McAdams. um they'll be here again to talk through the details, but just as a reminder, this will be a part of our overall comprehensive park system plan. Uh so I'd like to introduce Sueda that I believe you're going to be walking us through the actual presentation.

Thank you, Wade. Good afternoon, Mayor PM and council members. It's a pleasure to be here today and excited to share with you all the um vision plan for Durham Central Park. Um as Wade said uh this is part of the overall comprehensive uh systemwide planning efforts.

So wanted to start off the slide presentation with the guiding principles that we you you saw at the last meeting that we have incorporated in the overall plan. Uh the first one is fairness first. So Durham Central Park really is a showcase park that will

provide the recreational amenities for all residents in all ages um in Durham. The DPR is rooted in the community. Durham Central Park similarly um went through a robust community engagement process and all the voices were heard in the um concept plan that you will uh see today. foresight.

Uh Durham Central Park vision plan again is the forward-looking vision. This is already a beloved park very well used and we want to make sure it continues to do so in coming decades for the new generations and the new people who are moving here. Bull City great Durham Central Park again is a really unique destination recreation place for the city residents and we want to continue to um see that vision and uniqueness in this destination. And then finally the stewardship. This is one of the unique destinations again um that showcases the urban nature. So we want to create opportunities for people to

connect with nature as well as um have a refuge space for the urban wildlife that lives in this area. So just a quick snapshot of the project process. Uh we went through pretty rigorous um site inventory and analysis process really understanding the opportunities and challenges that exist on this site. community engagement that we'll dive through that process in a little bit and through that process came up the guiding principles for the plan.

Uh we worked with um Durham uh Central Park Inc. very collaboratively and very closely with them um to understand uh what they are seeing the opportunities are and constraints are on this site um and developed the concept plan for that. uh went back to the public, shared the fi the final concept plan with them, had a presentation with the RAC uh group again and got their feedback and then finally we are here today to um share that plan with you. So just a snapshot of all of the um

engagement that went on. The highlight was a 3-day intense shared process that we went through in the beginning of the project. We had several focus group meetings uh topic specific as well as general board meetings with Durham Central Park Inc. Uh we had several site visits with different uh subject matter experts.

Uh we had two open houses in three days um to share the concepts with public. Had intense uh dayong design shared with various u interested parties. also had popups at uh Durham Central Park where we connected with children and got their feedback in the process. And so um just the next image will show you um the culmination of that 3D sharet um how everything came together and we got the feedback from everybody that um resulted in three concepts. Foster of dreams, a creek runs through it and eat play love. Um so we presented these three concepts at um open house to general public got their

feedback on these and um the foster of dreams and eat play love um got the highest two uh voting from public and the preference was to combine those two concepts to come up with a a third uh combined concept to move forward with. um from that engagement uh the the seven framework ideas that came out to be are on this slide. The first one is um connecting that uh extreme western edge of the park that is currently um little bit isolated because of the Rooney Street uh which is also an essential fire exit emergency exit needed road um but want to connect that um area to the rest of the park. Um enhancing everyday use of this park. Um the farmers market is a great highlight for this park that sees hundreds of visitors um every weekend for farmers market as well as

concerts and other events. Um so want to make sure that that operation runs uh smoothly in that space. Um open up the connections so these three parcels of land uh seem to connect to each other more holistically. Re-imagine the mount meril which is the uh existing playground area.

It is very well-loved. Lot of kids play here every single day and we want to see what future opportunities exist as it starts to age and start to see that need for improvement. Um leveling the lawn area. Right now it is extremely sloped and that limits its use for the public.

So, how can we create some um leveling in that area and create more opportunities for people to socialize and um lay on the lawn, put a blanket and have picnics? And then lastly, creating an accessible u dignified overlook from the eastern side. Um as so currently there is no ADA access from that side of the

park and so this part this uh plan looks at that opportunity how we can create that um entry feature. This is what the overall uh proposed concept plan looks like. So, I'll walk you through the plan from um left to right. So, let's take a look at the um leftmost or the western side of the park, which is all of the gardens that currently exist on the site.

It's really beautiful space. Lot of mature canopy trees in here and uh some walking paths. Um so this plan really um focuses on enhancing this area, creating more um readability in the landscape where people can walk through and meander through these landscaped areas. How we can create an entrance um up north um along Corponation Street. um and creating that entrance gateway from up north uh into the into Durham Central Park and then future con greenway connections and destination connections

from that uh end as well. Um as I said earlier this area currently lacks that um connection to the rest of the Durham Central Park. So this concept really tries to focus on how we can bring it back and connect it to the rest of the site. Um so you will see some terracing options in there.

Um as well as some meandering um open areas that can be used for group gatherings. Um a lot of people use the pavilion right now um during the day where they are practicing um certain things and um the the open space that's out there could also be used as an extension where small performances and concerts can happen. Uh moving to the next parcel which is the farmers uh market. I'm sorry. On this graphic is Festival Street permanently closed or is that ad hoc kind of closing and opening for uh yeah I I will get to that in just a bit. So let's walk

through the farmers market and then we'll move to the festival street. Just didn't understand the lines. Yes. Yes, you're right.

Um so within the farmers market area um again this is a very well functioning space u the only okay um the only area um that is up north in that uh where the sister cities grove is is a little um is minimally used. So in this concept plan um our our plan will be to enhance that space, create more of uh socialization, picnic tables, opportunities to put tents uh for vendors and just activate that space more. Um in addition to creating more clear circulation for vehicles that are coming in for farmers market and the pedestrian movement within the space. Um just creating more readability in that landscape. Uh so more less less interventions in this area just enhancing that space. Then the next and

again that's that that's the canopy plaza you're talking about. That's the canopy plaza which is the sister cities grove currently known as. Yes. The next piece is the festival street.

So the idea of festival street again is uh creating an event space when it is needed. So the plan is not to close this street completely. Um, we had some discussions, the staff had some discussions with the transportation department and they're con concurrently looking at that functioning of the space. Our goal is to connect these two parcels um more um and create more safer space for pedestrians to go from one space to the other.

Um, but the plan is um this street will only be closed within the extents of the Durham Central Park limits. um during those event spaces through collapsible ballards where you can still access it for emergency vehicles and um if needed or ambulances. Um but other times of the

week this space can be open for vehicles. We will also incorporate some traffic coming devices in here. So mid midblock crossing with either uh raised midbala crossing rolled curbs. Um so some of those details will be figured out um as we go through the details.

Um another option could be uh a different pavement pattern so vehicles can see that you are entering a pedestrian dominant zone. Um so those strategies will be figured out in uh collaboration with the transportation department. Um but the idea is that it will become a shared street in the future for pedestrians and vehicles and will have the ability to close off when needed. Right.

So moving on to the um eastmost parcel which is the largest parcel of the site. Um so here is where you will see we are creating a more uh clear entry path from Foster Street into the park. Mount Merrill currently is

shown as it is. Eventually it will be um re-envisioned as a new space, an expanded play space. So that the Mount Merrill version two, there might be an interactive water feature of some kind that can be incorporated and then extending that area to the natural space that exists with the creek and how can we create more of that um nature play uh element for kids and families and and experience the urban nature in this area. So the whole space can become of a play environment for the entire family.

Um in um conjunction with the uh stream stream area and enhancing the space around it uh we are also proposing um the enhanced intersection um at the intersection of Foster and um forgetting the name of the other street. Hunt Street. Yes. um that that's where you will see that entry plaza area

where people can gather and there is a clear demarcation to get into the park um which currently exist it's just enhanced in um more intuitive way uh the bridge will then take visitors into this large great lawn area um similarly from Mount Merrill you can experience this great lawn it is um leveled with uh some um seated areas that are flanking the both sides of the great lawn which will be needed to make it even on both sides. Um and then the seed walls can also be used for small concerts. So on one side of that lawn you will see a small um stage area um essentially it is just an open space um that can incorporate a temporary stage um or public can um use it for small concerts and people can enjoy that from the seat walls as well as from the great lawn area. Moving further west um from Riggsby Avenue um

currently there seems to be a disconnect between how the park uh is envisioned from Riggsby and Broadway Street. So our goal is to create more of an uh gateway entrance from that area into the park. The um proposed building that you see there is a restroom building u with some overhead canopy where people will be entering the space. Um the meandering ADA access path will take people down into the great um lawn area.

Um the current currently what we are showing as a skate park is the existing footprint of the skate park. The goal will be that eventually again skate park will need uh improvements and updates. Uh it is again another very well-used space. So the the recommendation is the city will continue to work with the skit park community and when the improvements are needed they will be uh provided in this area. Um with that I think that is

my oh yeah inspirations. So just wanted to show some of the images uh for the Canopy Plaza area where currently the Sisters Grove is could be part of a temporary public installation creating more of that colorful exciting fun environment. Um the great lawn upgrade area where you can see the sloping lawn as well as the tiered walls u that create more of that uh leveled space for socialization. expanded Mount Merrill um just an inspirational image but we'll work with the city to create more of a unique destination for this space as it as it exists today.

The small um concert or the stage area that we talked about that will be uh closer to the great lawn area. the festival street, again, more of a pedestrian friendly but open to open to vehicles uh street scenario. And then the market pavilion event space, just more space for vendors to put their tents and have more of a um

socialization experience for all people here. Thank you so much. We open up for discussion. Thank you so much for really wonderful and exciting presentation on that space.

Colleagues, I yield. Council member Cook, you get us started. You um thank you for that presentation and um I just want to say that I'm very attached to this park. I both had my first date with my fiance and got engaged at Central Park.

So um yes, I am like Yes. Very meaningful. Okay. Um yes, exactly.

No, I'm just kidding. I I love this idea because I I I always think about this when I'm walking from downtown to um some of our uh like more retail oriented spaces that are still technically in downtown but a little bit further north that there's like literally nothing in between. And so we have this like bullpen and we have this ability to like walk through with alcohol or whatever people do. I don't drink but I know people do like to do that. Um but there's really no reason to

walk through right now. And so the I have like dreamed of this space being activated for a long time and I'm really excited about this plan. So here are my thoughts in looking at the the um this outlay that you've given us. The first one is who owns that section of the street?

The street section is it the festival city street. Is there any reason why we're not closing it down permanently? Did y'all discuss that possibility? Yeah, I think I don't mean I don't mean not accessible to emergency vehicles, but I mean for like normal vehicular transit.

Any reason we're not closing it? Uh that could be an option. That's something we can discuss with the transportation team. Continue to discuss that as we get into the details of design. Um right now the plan is to keep it open and keep that grid open. Um we

will have to anyway keep it accessible for the emergency vehicles. Sure. Um but other than that if there is more appetite to create um yeah I mean I yeah I know that it is a major thorough affair. We close it down pretty regularly at least once a week.

Um people manage to to move around. Uh we're also looking at redoing the whole downtown loop, which I think is one of the main reasons that traffic is sort of a disaster there. Um but if we're really like serious about encouraging pedestrian space, I I would like I would lean towards just cutting it down um to no vehicular traffic and allowing um other modalities um but of course leaving space for emergency vehicles. And we've I've seen streets where this has been done all over the country, so I know that's possible. Uh so that's something that I'm just thinking about as opposed to installing all of the traffic calming measures um that we just let people walk there and um and have it permanently closed. Um I am I'm I heard

you say water feature in that park and I'm so excited about that idea. I also am curious about shading. It's just getting hotter and hotter. um that great lawn space is like lots and lots of open grass.

I know that there's like the inspiration photos for the canopy plaza like have some shade option, but it doesn't look like on this map that it's like very shaded. Um so I'm just curious about that part because I just want to make sure that folks are going to continue to be able to use the space and stay safe because it's starts getting hot. Yeah. Now it stays hot until I don't know.

I swam in December outside this year. So, or last year. So, um that's something that I'm thinking about just like ensuring that folks have access to places to cool down. I love the water feature idea. Um I really like the stage option and I'm also curious about potentially having like a projector or screening. I know that we've done some of that in Central Park before and residents have brought this up to me like in so many different

capacities. I have people all the time that are asking because like for example like DC in the Wararf like they have uh weekly movie screenings that are free and they are so so well attended. People are walking in. They're activating that space.

They're they're utilizing all of the there's um popup uh little like restaurant stands and stuff nearby. They're using the space. They're buying things. So that seems like a great option all the way to like the folks who are just in here, the pack folks for the disaster preparedness.

We're talking about like potentially having screenings on disaster preparedness. So it could be something that like is useful also for the community in in an educational s sense as well. Um, and then, uh, the only other thing is that I heard you talk about the skate park and I do feel like I know that we in one of our main, let's see, the guiding concept things, you talked about um, honoring the functions of a farmers market. Um, to me, I really think that

the skate park needs to be held to the same standard as the farmers market. I do think it is used um and a lot of our youth are congregating there and it gives them outlets and options for safe play. Um and also a lot of adults are out there learning and skating which is really really cool. So I to me that feels the farmers market is super important but to me that feels like on par in the level of importance.

So those are my initial comments. I think this is amazing. Thank you so much for all y'all work for your comments. Thank you council member and a plaque where you were proposed to.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, obviously, we need to commemorate. Absolutely.

What a great story, Council Member Baker. Thank you so much. And thank you for all of the work that you've put into this and um Durham Central Park um Durham Central Park board and all the work and the many years that they've put into into this. Um I think it's a a really great plan. I mean, it's great city deserving of a great space like this. and we look around to our neighbors and

Kerry and Raleigh and Dicks Park and all of the work that's going into building great parks. Of course, we are also doing that in other places um in our city as well, but this is such a central place and um I mean, who doesn't have maybe not as as amazing stories, but who doesn't have at least some stories to tell from from this very space um the skate park there. I mean, that's one of the most diverse spaces in our cities, that skate park. I mean, it's fantastic.

You get great views. I love the eastern overlook restrooms. I mean, who who doesn't want more public restrooms? Um, it's something that is that is constantly requested from people.

Um, and then the upgrades and and everything else that we're seeing here. I mean, just very beautiful and visionary. Um, Festival Street, I don't think anyone would doubt that such a such a modification to Foster Street is necessary. Um, I like the idea of of permanent permanently closing it off. I

think that um changing the consistency of of the the surface um so that it appears to be for pedestrians and then makes automobiles makes drivers kind of question whether they're allowed to be there or not is also a good a good treatment and potential ballards, you know, going up and down. Um and actually as you go down Foster Street and it turns into Corkran Street, that is a that is colleagues a place that I would like to discuss at some point. closing off the street at CCB Plaza there for a future conversation. Um I'm a couple questions.

One is um thinking about hookups for like food trucks um so that people aren't running on generators. Is that something that some thought has been put into? Yes. So the plan will be um when we have the foster street closures along that sidewalk, we can have some connections that are running parallel to the sidewalk there so people can hook up. Um

electrical um outlets will be provided along that edge. Great. And I know transportation has been looking at um bike lanes along this street. I I just want to make sure that um and I assume this is happening that there's conversation between transportation and and this this correct.

Yeah. Yeah, that's a ongoing conversation. I think we need to continue to uh make that uh regular until we decide on what the final plan looks like. Cool.

And I know and we're not there yet obviously, but um I wonder if if there's been initial thinking into phasing or does this all have is the vision that this would all happen at once assuming there's funding and then Durham Central Park board. I know that at some at one point there was conversation about cost sharing. Are those on I assume those are sort of ongoing conversations but can you tell us where where we are in that? Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely. So I would like to give a you know commend the Durham Silver Park board. They have been very committed to the project. Um we have

already started discussing some of the phasing scenarios with them. Um and the P plan will be to incorporate some of the lowhanging fruits in the park as uh some lowcost uh projects that can be undertaken quickly. Uh whereas uh some of the larger features like the the great lawn and that surrounding one big parcel could become part of one one big project that can be um you know undertaken as as one phase. Um so the way we discussed um three phases for the three separate parcels.

So the first phase would be the gardens area on the western side. Farmers market, canopy plaza, sister cities grove and then foster street could be the second phase and then great lawn area, skate park, mrill that could be the third phase. Well, thank you. Uh and last thing, um you know, great spaces defined by their edges. We've got Foster on the Park, Liberty Warehouse, and um the Vega,

which are fair, you know, fairly recently um constructed. And I guess this is a gripe of mine is that they're they're very hard edges with the exception of the corner of Foster on the park that's um got that permeability with um the bar that's there. Um and then the Vega on the corner there down by where you're showing uh envisioning the the wetland there. Um, but there's a lot of a lot of blank space along those walls.

Um, which is unfortunate, but I wonder if there's been some thinking about softening those edges, creating a little more permeability, um, more comfort for a person who might be standing or walking along um, in that in those areas. Right. That's a great point. um the pixel wall area um for the Liberty warehouse um that we haven't changed that area just yet. So there is still that interactive feature that can continue to work on the southern side at

the Vega. There are a lot of utilities um on their building side and that's the back of their building. Um, however, with the butterfly gardens and some of those garden areas, we might be able to create more of an inviting landscape um that can soften that feature. Um, and then up at the um Sister Cities Grove, hoping that um the canopy and enhanced public art feature will help us um blur the line hard lines and create more um inward focus in the park.

Cool. Cool. Well, that's it for me. I again just a very beautiful plan.

um just have to figure out how to pay for it. Um so thank you so much for the presentation and thank you for speaking with us. Thank you for your comments. Thank you so much, Council Member.

Council member Cabier, please. Thank you. Thank you for the great presentation. Um I like everything I'm seeing.

Obviously, yeah. How how does it get paid for is always the question, but we'll we'll figure that out at some point. Um the a couple

things. Um the is there like there's been talk about additional skate park features in other parks and so was just this is really a question for staff. I mean this is really it and it's old. Um so uh and I I will just say I mean my kids kind of live there. Um so um you know the I do worry a little bit about and this happened with the Vega you know as the area has changed over the kind of interaction between the skate park and the park you know I think I just am going to name I am a little bit concerned as we make it nicer uh will the neighbors and others who are using that tolerate the right I mean the you know so I I I I want to just ensure that we don't um push if we're push those kids out and if it's determined that it's not a great space for it um that we're giving an amenity that is better and as centrally located. So that's really just for staff to figure out and they've heard me say this for

years now. Um so I just you know we're going to enhance the water features. It's going to be more of a familyfriendly and you definitely see all kinds of age groups but at a certain time at night it's not all kind of age groups at that skatepark. Um, and so, um, just want to name that.

And then I would love to have an understanding. I mean, there's two other city-owned key city- owned properties there. Uh, the, um, uh, what was substation 5, which, uh, is now community development. At some point, that was named as a potential um, that's really the only place we could put affordable housing on that side of downtown.

And so again, that interaction with the park and eventually hopefully housing uh and a great building is key. However we move and then the DAP, right? Um which is again, you're going to connect to it really well. There's another street you're going to have to cross. I don't want to lose sight of those other things that we own already and how we're going to redevelopment. Redevelop them and

make sure that whatever happens here flows really well and that it's seamless and lovely. we have the rail trail going through here. So, I think this is great. I just want to think about like that comprehensive view uh and how we're using all of our city assets uh as effectively as possible knowing that this is more like long long term.

But, um I'm pretty sure we're in the middle of a DAP study. So, um don't want to lose sight of that and the connectivity from here to that. Um everything looks great. Um I love it.

I hope the water feature downtown. I've lived in Chicago for a number of years. the face statue. Everyone goes to the face statues.

It it activates that whole space. It's a great place when it's hot uh for families to cool down. You see literally every kind of person you can possibly imagine. Um so I think it would be an incredible opportunity to have something similar where everybody has a memory of, you know, that water future in some capacity.

That's all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council Colleagues. Dr.

Maurice, just real quick, thanks. I add my thanks to the mechanics team. I know we had a great conversation at the recreation advisory committee. Um, they're also really excited about this.

You've done a great job and I think it's Yeah, it's it's on us to sort of figure out the next steps and make it all happen, but you've kind of teed it up well for us. So, thank you. Great. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll just add um I do uh want to know if there's more connecting or not just to the DAP but also to Duke diet and fitness um going all the way across and then making sure that the signage is included in this conversation like what signage looks like um especially for people who are not from Durham visiting especially with a lot of folks come visit CCB Plaza because of what happens there and I think they'll be coming across Foster Street um into all of like all of all the way into Trinity Street. And so what that looks like if you're on the scooter or the bike or walking um is very different signage. It's not just street

sign and it's not just the like DPR sign. um being mindful like how far away this is. Um kind of like that kind of you know it takes 15 minutes to walk to this part or that kind of signage for and then um uh there was something else. Oh, and then just not I'm on the side of uh the farmers market skate park kind of go together kind of thing.

So, I would really be disappointed if we lost the skate park there. Um, feel like that's been like a really good space um for the kids to know that they are welcome downtown and if you move it or we did displace them, that would feel like a slight as they've been moved from Main Street. Um, I uh also there's one more just um just keeping in mind how the

food truck situation goes, like figuring out spaces that are like even if it is Festival Street um closed off, making sure that food trucks can also not just emergency vehicles, but food trucks can also get in. Good point. Thank you. Thank you, colleagues.

Sure. Go ahead. I just wanted to say I also um in real support about changing um I mean that I I have to drive that road all the time. It's closed so often.

It's not just once a week. It's closed all the time. So I think residents are pretty used to it and and moving us in that direction. I've definitely been a council member who's like, "Let's figure out how we can be more car-free downtown, especially as we expand transit. " uh and having like we talk about foot traffic all the time that is one of the most activated spaces downtown on the regular and it's because people don't have to worry about cars on the road. So um not just that corridor I

think we should get there but lots of our corridors uh downtown. Thank you. Thank you. Well, go ahead.

I would say to that point whatever the conversation is around the loop and figuring out that connection is going to be important. So, I know that we're talking about parks, but that transportation side has to be incorporated. Good point. Thank you, colleagues.

Thank you. I associate myself with all of the excitement about this really ambitious and beautiful uh plan. Uh council member Cavierro said something about neighbors there that kind of activated the thought. I remember an issue we had with drummers in Central Park and some of the residents down there. So I I hope our neighbors that are watching this and and see the trajectory on understand that living downtown in a major American city brings urban feel and vibe in a heartbeat. We that this it's cities are noisy, cities are vibrant and if you want to live downtown in a major American city, this this is what's

coming and this is what it sounds like. Full disclosure, transparency, truth and advertising. So I'm excited. Go ahead.

Go ahead, sis. And I I I would be remissed if I didn't say if there's any way to factor in showers and uh locker storage in some way, shape, or form for those who are unhoused, I think that would be a beneficial use in the site. Thank you for that. And finally, just just to wax philosophical a little bit about I I noticed one of the uh the inspirations was a great lawn upgrade shot from New York.

Um, I I grew up using this park from time to time when when when we can get uh into Manhattan and and the term central park of course carries a lot of baggage with those of us that have read Robert Moses and understand the the the development of park space in our country. So, it's kind of a full circle moment to be talking about a central park in Durham that is not displacing people, that is not based upon dispossessing people, but but a space that is accessible and and and and equitable. It's a wonderful reclamation

I think of the term central park. So really really beautiful presentation today and a really great uh trajectory for our city. It's a exciting time to be part of the Durham fabric, the Durham story. So thank you so much colleagues.

If that's it, did you have a final commentary? No, I'm saying thank you so much. Appreciate all of your comments and the excitement. Oh, thank you for exciting us today.

Thank you. Colleagues, if uh we have come to the end of our publish agenda and our final uh presentation of the day, I'm going to yield now to the city manager to settle the agenda. Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim. I have items 1 through 13 on consent.

Items 15 and 16 GBA public hearings. All right. With that, I'll entertain a motion to settle the agenda. Second.

Have a motion in second. All in favor? Those opposed? All right.

With that, it is 3:18 on April 24th. We are adjourned. God bless Durham.