City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone.

This is Council Member Michael Holmes calling to order the July 20th, 2026 regular meeting of the High Point City Council. We have all members of council present today, except for our mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. At this time, I would like to invite everyone to stand for a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. At this time, I will ask for a motion to adopt our agenda. Please read over the agenda, and then I will accept the motion. So moved. Second. Motion by Councilman Andrew, second by Councilman Williams. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Our agenda is adopted. We have one proclamation, item 2026-262, and it is Parks and Recreation Month. So if I could get Lee Tillery and Councilwoman Vicki McKeever to come down, please.

Hey. Hey, what are you doing? Yep.

Lee is our Parks and Rec director, and Councilwoman McKeever is our liaison to Parks and Rec.

Oh, we got a train station.

Anybody else from Parks and Rec want to come down? We got here? That's all we got?

All right, and it reads, whereas High Point Parks and Recreation embodies the 2026 national theme of Parks and Recreation Month, the power of, by demonstrating the power to bring people together, providing programs, facilities, and opportunities that build a healthier, more connected, and more resilient community. And whereas Parks and Recreation services celebrate the power of community by providing welcoming spaces where diverse cultures connect, shared interests build relationships, play supports learning and physical and mental well-being are promoted for all residents and whereas parks and recreation programming supports youth development and lifelong learning through educational opportunities athletics after school and summer programs nature education and other activities that encourage leadership teamwork creativity and personal growth and whereas parks and recreation programs promote environmental stewardship and and healthy lifestyles by encouraging time spent in nature and providing access to trails, sports fields, courts, golf courses, swimming pools, and other recreational amenities that serve a wide range of interests and abilities. And whereas a strong Parks and Recreation Department enhances quality of life and contributes to our community prosperity through increased property values, tourism, business attraction, and retention, crime reduction, and the preservation of parks and facilities, for present and future generations now on behalf of our mayor ceo jefferson mayor of high point do hereby proclaim july 2026 as parks and recreation month in the city of high point and encourage all residents to celebrate the vital role that our parks and recreation department plays in enhancing the quality of life i invite everyone to explore and enjoy our parks city trails green spaces and to take advantage of the wide array of programs events and educational activities offered by the city

Thank you.

If we would give our Park and Rec Department a hand. We have one more? Senator? Senator? Everyone, please give our Parks and Rec team a hand. Next up, we will have public comment period. Normally, our public comment is the first meeting of every month. For July, we had the Independence Day holiday. We did not have a meeting, so we will have public comment today. Persons who have signed to register to speak shall be taken in the order that they are listed. Others who wish to speak and have not signed in will be taken after those who have registered. Persons addressing City Council are asked to limit their comments to three minutes. Citizens will be asked to come to the podium, state their name and their address for the subject and the subjects on which they will comment. If a large number of people are present to register concerns about the same subject, it is suggested that they might be acknowledged as a unified group while designating a speaker covers the various points. This helps to avoid repetition while giving an opportunity for people present with the same concerns to be recognized. We have a few people who signed up on the list. First, we have Ms. Corita Brown. Is it Corita? Yes, it is. If you would come to the podium, please. State your name and address for the record, and you will have three minutes to address counsel.

Hello, I'm Corita Brown. My address is 859 Sharon Circle. I've been at my present address right now for six years, and I'm here today to make a plea for immediate housing relief. In those six years, I have suffered health issues, suffered an assault, and right now I haven't had central air for going on two months. In a nutshell, the management there is trash. Corporate is worse, and the biggest issue I see is that corporate gives absolutely no authority to management to do anything. I live in a non-smoking complex. They will not enforce it. I have sent in multiple doctor notes stating how it's debilitating to my health. uh... i lived in one unit for three years they finally transferred me to another unit in the same complex i'm facing the same issues They won't do anything. Any maintenance concerns, they just take their time on it. As I'm sure everyone here in the South knows, we've had several days of heat with the heat index over 100 degrees. So you can imagine how it's been. I've reached out to code enforcement. I have code enforcement involved. I've had a lot of people involved. Nothing moves management where I'm at. So I need to move. In the six years I've been there, I really haven't had the income or the means to move or even really the physical strength to do it. I bared the burden one time of transferring from one apartment to the other, facing the same issues, and it was horrible. So I just want completely out, and I'm asking for any help in this community that I can get to move. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Brown. Thank you. Next up, we have Louis Thibodeau.

My name is Louis Thibodeau. I reside at 1242 Kensington Drive, High Point. Good evening, city council, city manager, and those that are here. I've got something written down because I didn't want to forget anything, but I ask right now that that we lift this lady up in those situations that God hear her prayers. I want to read from Mark 5, chapter 5, verse 6 through 10, where it talks about 2,000 pigs plunged down a steep hillside. Jesus came on land, and there was a man that was controlled by evil spirits. And he says, please don't torment me. Is there a difference between knowing Jesus and knowing of Jesus? My prayer is that we learn from the story of the man possessed by demons that the difference of God as Savior and Lord is a grave difference of knowing of him. May we all daily ask God to forgive me of my sins and follow his teachings. By that, we put into action what we believe. So many times we want to be in control. So do I. Where God calls us to let him guide us, it will not fail. He knows best for us always, as in Jeremiah 29, 13. I'll paraphrase. You look for me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. And that's God. You'll find him. Are we giving God total control? Am I giving some of me and not all? As Jesus showed us the way and died on the cross of which he did no wrong, rose from the dead, was seen by over 500 and returned back to heaven so that we who follow him and believe would not go back, would be able to return back to heaven so that we follow him and believe would not go to hell forever and ever. But live with God for all eternity. In closing, I pray God show himself to each of us who search for him. He is real and he is alive.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Thibodeau. Next up we have Linda Cook. Is Ms. Cook here? Ms. Cook, if you would please come forward. You would approach the podium, state your name and address for the record, and you have three minutes to make comments.

Good evening. My name is Linda Cook, 220 Brentwood Street, apartment in High Point, North Carolina. Good evening, mayor and city council members. My name is Linda Cook and I am a resident of Brentwood Crossing located in High Point. I am here because I am concerned about the safety of my neighborhood and my home. Recently, a stray bullet penetrated through my bedroom window. I was sleeping. The bullet struck above my lip. This was a terrifying experience and I'm grateful to be alive. No one should have to fear being injured in their own home. I am asking that the city council to help improve safety in my community. I would like the city to work with law enforcement and the housing authority, income-based property owners to increase police patrols, address gun violence, and to ensure that residents living in public housing and income-based have safe places to live. Families and children deserve to feel safe in their homes. I also ask that the city consider what additional resources may be available or added for residents who have experienced violent incidents such as mine, including assistance for emergency housing transfers when necessary. Brentwood Crossing has done nothing for me since this incident, but gave me a late notice and asked me to come sign documents. It's cameras right beside my bedroom window, but no camera footage. Neighbors won't say anything. Brentwood Crossing is a very unsafe neighborhood. We have shootings two to three times a week and maybe more during the weekends and holidays. Thank you for your time and for listening to my concerns and for your service to the people of High Point. I hope meaningful action can be taken to make our community safer. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Cook. That brings us to the end of those who signed up to speak. At this time, if you wish to speak but have not signed up, please come forward, state your name and your address for the record.

Good evening, panel, and to all on the floor. My name is Elder Willette Peebles. I am an ordained minister of the Community Deliverance Holiness Church, located here in High Point, North Carolina, where our senior pastor is Apostle Angeline Sumter, and our executive pastor is Executive Pastor Vicki Sumter. I stand on behalf of Ms. Cook, I am one individual who has retired from law enforcement as well as the judicial system, and we have come together as a unified body, as a church, to do as much as we can to help Ms. Cook. I'm not as familiar as some because I'm not a resident here, but since retiring from New York, by way of New Jersey, but those that are a part of community that have lived here their entire life. You have one crossing and then you have the other side crossing. Reality is what it is and life is life, but we must come together as a unified body and see the greater. I have a great granddaughter, our pastor's great nieces, nephews, we all grow up together, our children go into one another's homes, and so we become responsible for those children. And so as my great granddaughter and my great nieces and nephews are in that community, We're entrusting them into Ms. Cook's hand as she does when they come to our homes. And so we desire safety. And so it is our prayer if there's anything that we can do as a church to even just help the community. We have a food pantry. We have as many resources as we can to try to help the community. But I believe that in order to have a stronger community, You've got to have a right-frame community. And so I'm hoping that you can assist Ms. Cook in any way that you can. We've been trying to help her find apartments. We've been taking her into our homes because her child is only six years old. And I, once again, am a product of physical abuse, all of this, but I am also a retiree of the judicial system for over 30 years. So I've seen murder. I've seen homicides. I've seen violence. All of these things that transpire. I've held firearms in my hand and all of this, and so I know what it can do. It can save you, but at the same time, it can also hurt you. So please, we ask that you consider everything that she has placed before you on today, that her latter days will be greater than her past. Thank you so much.

Thank you, ma'am. Any others who wish to speak before we close public comment? Hearing none, we will move on now to our consent agenda. At this time, I will entertain a motion to approve our consent agenda.

So moved. Second.

Got a motion by Councilman Moore, second by Councilman Andrew. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Our consent agenda is passed. Now on to general business, item 2026-243. We're going to have a public hearing regarding economic incentives for Project Crocodile. And at this time, I will open the public hearing. And Tristan Bailey, our economic development manager, will be presenting. Welcome, Tristan.

Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Thank you, Councilmember Holmes, Councilmembers, Madam City Manager. I'm here. My name is Tristan Bailey, the Project Manager for the Economic Development Team for Project Crocodile. Project Crocodile is a Canadian manufacturer of semi-amphibious all-terrain vehicles. They target the agriculture, timber mining, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts. The company is seeking a U.S. expansion for production and sales. This will create over 60 jobs over five years with an average wage of $55,583. Project Crocodile will invest $2.4 million in personal property and renovations at 1908 Nugget Drive. The High Point Economic Development staff recommends a performance grant of $40,000. This incentive is based on the city's office, industrial, and building upfit policy. This building is serviced by the City of High Point Water and Sewer and Electric Service and they are seeking an immediate decision from the City of High Point on this incentive award so they can move forward on the project. The company is also considering South Carolina and Texas in addition to North Carolina. Project Cockerdile will operate at 1908 Nugget Drive off Baker Road in Southeast High Point. Thank you. And the company CEO, Yuri, could not be here, but he is looking forward to the outcome of this proceeding.

Thank you. Do we have any questions from counsel at this time? Hearing none, review the sign-in sheet. There was no one to sign up to speak for or against this, but if you are in the audience and you wish to speak for or against this item, you have the right to come forward now. All right. Hearing none, I will now close the public hearing, and I will entertain a motion to approve item 2026-260. Second. So moved. We've got a motion by Councilman Andrew. Y'all did that in reverse. We did. Motion by Councilman Andrew, second by Councilman Johnson. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you, Tristan.

Thank you.

Really good get for the city of High Point. Really, really big. Next up, we have item 2026-264. No, I'm sorry. We have item, for the record, Madam Clerk, that was item 2026-243. And now we're on to item 2026-260, public hearing regarding the 2026 annual action plan draft. And we will now have our community development and housing director, Nina Wilson, presenting.

Good afternoon. Councilman Holmes.

I'm sorry. At this point, I will now open the public hearing.

Thank you, thank you. Good afternoon Councilman Holmes, members of council, Madam Manager. What you have before you is actually our draft annual action plan, but you have seen this before. It is coming back before you. And the numbers did not change, our allocations didn't change, but prior to submission of the plan, I was notified that one of our policies needed to be updated prior to submission of the plan. Initially, the plan was to update that policy afterwards, but in order to submit the annual action plan, they want this particular policy to be submitted along with the annual action plan. And so our allocations, I will just kind of recap a little bit the numbers briefly. This year for the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG funds, we will receive $855,552. And for the Home Investment Partnership Program or Home Funds, we will receive $417,138.52. The policy that we are required to revise is our home program recapture and resale policy, which is actually part of our consolidated plan and annual action plan. And the policy has to be revised to comply with changes that were outlined in the 2025 home program final rule. And I have provided a summary of those changes in our draft policy as well as highlighting them for you to emphasize those, but I will go over those. The annual action plan draft that includes the revision of this policy was again made available during a 30-day public review and comment period That began on June 18th. That ended on this past Friday, June 17th, and we did not receive any additional comments on the draft plan. And so we are asking Council to conduct a public hearing and consider approval of the 2026 Annual Action Plan draft that will include approval of the changes to the policy.

Thank you, Nina. Any questions from Council?

I have one. I'm just curious as to... Often these affordability requirements are not met. I guess for projects receiving less than $25,000 home funds per unit will require a five-year period of affordability. How often is that not met, I guess, out of curiosity?

That does not occur very often because when you look at a homeowner or a new homebuyer staying in their home for at least five years, typically most of our first-time homebuyers do remain in their home for at least that first five years. There have been occasions where you may have an investor that has come in or if someone were to relocate or a change in the household might have been the death of a family member. Some of those things, but it's not very common. So, yes, so this policy does govern just how long they have to comply with that period of affordability.

All right. Thank you.

Any other questions for Nina? There was no one who signed up to speak for or against this item. But if you are in the audience and you wish to speak regarding this public hearing, you have the ability to come forward now to address this public hearing. All right. Hearing none, I will now close the public hearing, and I will entertain a motion to approve item 2026-260. So moved. Got a motion by Councilman Andrew. Second by Councilman Johnson. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Opposed? Motion carries. Our final item of our agenda this evening is item 2026-264, consideration of a reappointment to the High Point Theater Advisory Commission. City Council is requested to confirm the reappointment of Dana East to the High Point Theater Advisory Commission. The term will be effective immediately and expire on June 1, 2029. Is there a motion?

Second. Second.

Motion by Councilman Moore, second by Councilman Williams. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion carries. Before we adjourn, are there any comments or announcements from the dais? Just a couple of things, Mr.

Chair, if you don't mind. To the public, this is something that I'm trying to look into to find a way how we can assist. I'll commend our staff for educating me just as recently as a couple days ago. As our city grows, what we're finding is you have outside interests come in and invest in property. that has kind of put some of our smaller shops that have been here for some time, that kind of put them under in some stresses because there's changing of leases, et cetera, not to get too detailed. But my thing, my request to the public in general is please support your local shops if you can, your barber shops, your beauty stores, your mattress shops, your small business folks. If you can, I understand what economic environment we're in, but trust me, we want growth, and I'll steal something from my colleague here. We want balanced growth so that it's not just outside investors and so forth coming in and being taken a part of our growth. It's important that we grow because if you don't grow, you grow old, you die. The other piece is, and Chief, please stop me if I'm saying something wrong. I think that it said that youth crime is down by 22%. Am I wrong about that? I'm not wrong? Okay. That's important, and the reason I'm bringing this up, because I want to give credit to a lot of different local organizations that's taking part in it. commander academy uh... the uh... whole project with uh... a family justice center our local police our uh... hop on community against violence our wide w and and why in c a s uh... these people it is more is more than that but they have they're playing a part because at one point isn't i've been out of the seat for a minute but the one point our youth where the biggest issue when it came to violent crimes. And I say that the efforts that a lot of these people are putting in place are having a positive impact on us. We got work to do. We still got work to go. But I don't want to go forward without acknowledging the work that's going on in our city. It's important what they're doing and we should support them. Oh, yeah. Please sign up for High Point 101 if you can. If you want to learn more about your city and learn how it operates, it's important. I think that goes into the 31st 31st, yes. It'll teach you. You don't have to do the hard work that I had to put in before when I got on council. I was meeting with councilmen and stuff. This is a shortcut for y'all. I would please recommend that if you can't do it, talk to somebody or a group that can, and then you can learn from them.

Got two graduates of the first cohort in the house tonight. So if you want to know what High Point 101 is, we got two right back there. Any other announcements? I have a couple. On Wednesday, we will have our annual State of the City. Please tune in and listen to that. Mayor Jefferson will be our keynote speaker. On July 27th, I will be conducting Award VI Town Hall at Deep River Recreation Center. That starts at 6 p.m. Please come out if you live in North High Point or even if you don't. Hear about the things that are happening in Ward 6. And I want to make a special announcement in recognition. I had a coach tell me one time that sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Five years ago, we got lucky, and it turned out to be really good. Five years ago, Ms. Tasha Logan Ford joined our team here in the city of High Point, and she is now celebrating her fifth anniversary with the city. And I can tell you that of all the things that we've done as a city council, There are not many that we've done that's been better than bringing on this Tasha Logan Ford. This city has greatly reflected the work that she has put in, this team, this culture, this government. She has put her stamp on it. And because of that, High Point is now the second fastest growing city in the state. And we're in the top 200 best places to live in all of America. And so I think that is directly reflective of the work that you have done alongside this councilman.

councils and previous councils uh... and your great staff there are no more uh... i may have heard wrong i think you should your uh... meeting was a twenty-seventh i'm not sure if that's reflected i think it's two twenty eight that i'm sorry to that i don't know i don't even know mom i'll be i'll be there if you're not

It's Tuesday, the 28th, for the record. Thank you. Thank you, Britt. You're correct. If there are no more announcements, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Second. Got a motion from Councilman Andrews. Second from Councilman Johnson. I'm going to give it to Councilwoman McKeever. Please, yes. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing none, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? We are adjourned.