SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — It may feel impossible to keep up with local issues while they’re still being worked out.
Getting involved early in the policy-making process can help ensure the community’s input is heard before it’s too late to chime in.
You may not even need to attend (in person or virtually) to make sure your perspective is taken into consideration. Oftentimes, sending an email to government officials to be considered a public comment pertaining to a particular item can put your voice into the record.
Every Monday Port City Daily will share upcoming government meetings around the tri-county region. If there’s an item of public interest, we’ll include that below the listed meeting, too.
Monday, Jan. 3
Wilmington City Council’s agenda briefing begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers within City Hall, 102 North Third St. Interested viewers can watch online live at GTV or on Youtube. The officials will review this week’s agenda ahead of Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. meeting.
Pender County Board of Commissioners meets at 4 p.m. in the public assembly room, located at 805 S. Walker St. in Burgaw. Items on the agenda include:
- A $120,242 contract with Sound Decisions of Wilmington for upgrades to the audiovisual system in the emergency operations center
- Approval of $500,000 in Golden LEAF Foundation funds to demolish existing structures on a former BASF Brownsfield site, which is required before the property can be sold to a company
- Review a $28,000 offer for three surplus lots at River Bend
- An update on the Factory Road water line extension project
Town of Burgaw Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Burgaw Train Depot, located at 115 S. Dickerson St. The agenda includes one item: review bid proposals for the renovation of the old EMS building on Wilmington Street.
Tuesday, Jan. 4
Wilmington City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers within City Hall. Interested viewers can watch online live at GTV or on Youtube. Items on the agenda include:
- An agreement to purchase 20 police cars for $591,930 from Ilderton Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in High Point
- Purchase of $800,000 in athletic lighting from MUSCO Sports Lighting, LLC for the nCino Sports Complex Project
- Public hearing for rezoning of 4706 Wilshire Blvd. for a four-story mini-warehousing development
- Public hearing to rezone 3380 and 3400 Masonboro Loop Road for a 16-unit townhome development. Read Port City Daily’s previous reporting on the rezoning here.
- Public hearing to rezone 214 Market St. for a restaurant use with outdoor seating. Durham’s Ponysaurus Brewing Co. is eyeing the site. Read Port City Daily’s past coverage here.
- An appropriation of $15,542 for new sign at 1898 Memorial Park. Read Port City Daily’s story here.
- An annual update from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
- Funding for a new position in the city attorney’s office to help expedite capital improvement projects, specifically working on property acquisitions that are necessary for site work to begin. “If approved, this position will better equip the attorney’s office to handle the workload associated with the multiple projects that are slated for completion in the next three years,” according to a city spokesperson.
- Authorization of a third deputy city manager position
New Hanover County Board of Education will hold its January regular board meeting, starting at 5:30 p.m., in the BOE Center, 1805 S. 13th St. The public can also watch on YouTube. (Note: board members are scheduled to be in closed session, conducting business behind closed doors, between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.) Items on the agenda include:
- An update from the county health department on Covid-19 and community metrics
- Following the presentation, the board will take its state-required vote on its mask policy. Per Senate Bill 654, local school boards statewide must adopt a face covering protocol and vote monthly on whether to modify the policy. The current provision is optional.
- A legal service retainer agreement with Tharrington Smith
- An Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) update. NHCS has $99 million in Covid-19 relief funds, which it has penned a budget for. The county commissioners recently instructed the school district to rewrite the spending strategy in a way that frees up funding for Brogden Hall renovations.
- An update on student seclusion, specifically about the requirements and incident reporting. The presentation will include information on staff training, legal and policy compliance, investigations and research into less restrictive solutions that maintain safety.
Brunswick County Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. at The COAST, located at 1109 Old Ocean Highway in Bolivia. The agenda includes the state-required monthly mask vote. Currently, Brunswick County Schools’ masking protocol is optional.
Pender County Planning Board meets at 7 p.m. in the public assembly room, located at 805 S. Walker St. in Burgaw. Items on the agenda include:
- A rezoning request for 3.26 acres at the intersection of N.C. Hwy 210 and Whispering Pines Court for development of an RV, boat and trailer storage lot
- A revision to the Silo Ridge Master Development Plan to include duplexes
- A revision to the Oak Ridge at Olde Point Master Development Plan to add limited service eating places to the permitted uses
- A text amendment to the Pender County Unified Development Ordinance, expected to improve the efficiency of the application process
Surf City Town Council meets at 4:30 p.m. at the Surf City Municipal Complex, 214 W. Florence Way. The meeting can be streamed here. The agenda includes two public hearings for a rezoning request and an annexation request.
The Wrightsville Beach Planning Board will continue its discussion at 5:30 p.m. on an application from Tower 7 ownership designed to permit redevelopment of the restaurant building’s second story. Ross Tomaselli, who purchased the building from the Saffo family this year, wants to replace the offices above Tower 7 with four, leasable residential units. The board also plans to discuss the process of aligning its zoning code with updated state law. Read more from Port City Daily here. The meeting is at town hall, 321 Causeway Dr.
Wednesday, Jan. 5
New Hanover County Airport Authority meets at 5 p.m. in ILM’s executive conference room on the second floor of the terminal building, 1740 Airport Blvd. The agenda includes a work authorization for $425,000 in construction related to the baggage claim expansion.
North Topsail Beach Board of Aldermen meets at 11 a.m. at Town Hall, 2008 Loggerhead Court.
The City of Wilmington Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. in City Hall. The meeting will be streamed live on GTV8. Items on the agenda include:
- Rezoning 6817 Greenville Loop Rd. for five duplex buildings, a total of 10 dwelling units
- Rezoning 215 Bagley Ave. from residential to community business for an equipment repair office
Belville Planning Board is holding a public hearing on a major development application from Crest Residential, LLC for 29.34 acres of residential construction along River Road. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in town hall, located at 63 River Rd.
Thursday, Jan. 6
The Belville Board of Commissioners is holding a quasi-judicial hearing on a special use permit application by EVOLVE at Waterford Village, LLC for new residential construction along Poole Road. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in town hall.
Have tips or comments? Email info@portcitydaily.com
