City Council - Regular Meeting

we like to say good evening to everyone good afternoon we want to welcome you here to our town hall meeting um this is our first town hall meeting with this Administration and we just like to say thank you for coming out showing your cares and discernment this meeting serves as an important opportunity for citizens of greensbor now local business owners to stay informed about recent developments in our city and share your concerns as the mayor is my resp responsibility to foster a thriving inclusive and affordable Greensboro that provides a safe environment and enhances the quality of life for all residents to achieve this we must not only communicate our information but also dedicate time to listen to you and your voices as you as you are the hearts of our community we are pleased to have our department heads join us today they are the experts who manage the day-to-day operations of the city and they will be available during our breakout session to answer any questions you may have I encourage you to take this opportunity to take to connect with them and learn more about their day to-day work we begin with a brief presentation to highlight some key updates which will be given by our city management following that we will have a Q&A session and if time allows we will conclude our meeting with the breakout session once again I want to thank you for your participation and look forward to your conversations at the end of the day I see glad y'all can come out today good evening y'all don't sound too andthus all right um follow on what the um following what the mayor um our breakout session um we do have um uh various departments I'm going to go around so everybody can know right in the back you have our Festival Hall um

this this building right over there you have our Main Street Downtown Development right here is our um planning zoning building inspection um team right here right over here you have the um soal green fle all right we have water sewer utility department all right here you have our um streets um Street and um say Highway the street department and right here you have our finance and utility building um Department with any questions and any other thing policy development you have you have a city man you also have and Council um councilman um Miller councilman Smith Council Neil and also our City attorney and city clerk but um with that being said I'm going to go ahead and get into the te of the matter like the mayor said here's a time for us to present to the public and inform citizens of where we've been and where the city of Greensboro um is going and believe it or not I'd like to thank of Greensboro as a crown Jew of Lake Country so I hope you all see our vision of how much we think of this great city of Greensburg all right us again um that's our welcome and like I said we're going to um talk about where we're going and what what what's important um we we um this presentation is going to be in in about um six areas it's going to be infrastructure Economic Development housing Public Safety Code Enforcement and customer service the first one is the um overdue we talk about Street bage of um repaving

and Ro repairs here's um a list of the roads that the city has um contracted out um with the um payment company as you know winter time come that kind of slows us down but these are the roads that are scheduled to be resurfaced Chapel Street Railroad Street syore Circle Cherry Street lower Richmond Circle Robin Circle Chestnut Street South Street and W Lake Drive it's going kind of be an overlap this year um those were meant to be paid last year but this year there will be additional roads that'll be paid and another Elm that that'll be coming along so stay tuned you'll see other roads um also you know some of our plans are improving traffic flow you know we all hate that that traffic also um their plans are with the dot roadway expansion as you know um 44 is um hopeing be will will be expanded upgrade shoulder repairs and grassing and also um pedestrian Finley streets what we we working on um for years they've been working on the streetcap project but right now um one of the phases it we'll be going into the construction phase so um those are some of the update and if you have any road issues please buy ho that you see give us a call um let us know what we can come and we can fix that um um issue um our street department is here our street um supervisor so if you got any other um specific issues please feel free to reach out to him also part our infrastruct our um water and um sewer utilities um as you know with growth coming along um in the process the city um has submitted to the state for an expansion of our current sewer capacity um believe it or not

going down I20 here this Corridor the city of Greensboro is about to only utility with excess sewer capacity um you wonder why you see a lot of growth but that's one reason all right and also the city as soon as um good grace get back in good Grace with State we'll be also doing the fixing up a lot of improvements to our suit sewer collection system um also um we'll be doing some um looking forward to um doing some water pipes installation and with that that'll come with the upgrades of the water like I said earlier water treatment facility and also um the wastewater treatment facility and and and also we have a lot of problem with drainage so that'll be a system that we'll be looking at um Al also also another area Economic Development downtown um Greensboro um that's something that's near and dear to this um mayor and councel um you know we we are looking we are looking forward to um working with business owners you know um to um to attract more retail development here in Greensboro not not just out on I20 but also looking to keep and um expand down here in um in our downtown area this year um in our spots list the um the um city of Greenboro did dedicate some to business retention and recruitment to help um specifically help with downtown businesses you know our um some of our key projects is also to Redevelopment and continue development of town center parway area and also expansion of our public spaces Community areas and so we're looking at to attract more businesses to downtown and not not only downtown but looking for some

Industrial and Commercial development all right another area that that is concerned that mayor C we currently work on is our housing you know that that is a um issue um we we um currently the city is looking at not only repairing the um current stock that you have but also increasing with new new um stock of um affordable housing and the city is not just stuck in one box of one level of housing you you know you know we need low income but midlevel housing and hous level housing so we'll take a holistic approach when looking at those to address those issues with housing housing um initiatives so one you know the city does have we we participa in a chip program so with that um we also be looking into um the chip program the part where um which allows new construction so um those are some of the initiative with housing that City will'll be looking at also enhancement another area is our public saf um you know um our police department does a good job um in in areas um some of the current initiative community policing efforts um neighborhood watch and our school resource officers and their program also crime prevention strategies um some of the key achievement a reduction in crime areas in certain areas Community engagement um enhancing police some of enhanced police president high traffic area and also city is is a believer in in the investing and high technology um in public safety um we're um about to um Endeavor with the chief for as U with

the police department far as um cameras um in certain areas of the city so that that will pay off that will pay a big dividend another area that's not usually talked about is um our um current um fire service um we've met with the police I mean fire department um got a great group group of volunteers um very dedicated to um serving the city of Greensboro you know they um day in and day out they're ready to put put their lives on the line in order to you know rescue uh battle any kind of blaze of fire so um we've um looked at them um you know buying them um new um buying them new equipment vehicles so we try to keep that enhance and and knowing that at the end of the day it's all about safety um for the citizen of greensbor another area um where um where we focus on is C enforcement we I mean I could ask for a show hand how many rund down houses y'all pass by all the time so that's that's that's a lot of area where um city has started to um focus on the enforcement of building C and Zoning regulation and you know kind of going back along with housing you know a lot of blighted property and abandon structures um we we're um in partnership with our um zoning um zoning partner we we starting to address those um VI violations and also we know that um one area we're going to work on area in that code enforcement is um public awareness and public education you know we want people to know when the code enforcement officer shows up we're not there to just ticket you but we want to we want to help to bring the property back into compliance you know we we don't want every day you wake up you

don't want to see an ugly sight you know you still want your neighborhood look you know amendable and nice so we want to work with work with with the um property on the two brain that property into compliance any way we can all right um one of the last areas anyway what what's important is customer service um we we we are um we are in the process of evaluating our customer service options for the citizens a lot of time having an 8 to5 job uh uh career is usually kind of hard to come in and pay your bills so we we want to give whether it's permitted or any other thing um that interaction that you have with the city we want to make it accessible for the citizens um to be able to do online so those are some of the areas we're looking at also reporting service problems when you walk up to a pothole um we we're working towards where you you citizens will have the ability to click a picture and report it so those are some of the area um it takes time so Rome wasn't built overnight so we got we got to take the step so those are some of the areas you know we're working on mobile apps and everything like that um how many you all have water from the city of Greensburg um you how many of y'all utilize the um some of the software where you can go go and see that how much you can um how much you utilize it we do have that capability correct we have that capability where you can go to Georgia power to Georgia Power um site

and you'll be able to see how much water that that that you your water usage is yeah it's it's got a partnership city is in partnership with Georg p with the water be so that that that capability is available I guess so I guess in the coming days goes back we've got to educate you a little more and you'll be able to see that um see that and utilize that function so um that that is all I have I think I've talked too much man counsel so um anybody got any questions anything I turn over you to May with thank you Mr Hayes for that wonderful presentation can we give Mr Hayes a [Music] hand for the sa of time I hope we cover just about everything um that you would possibly have a question about if you don't and this is the time if we didn't I'm sorry this is the time when we will open up the floor for Q&A I what you to understand um this part of our meeting is not is not to not to downplay anybody is not to criticize anybody this this part of our meeting is actually to open up to hear from you the citizens and business owners of the city of your concerns and cares about the business of the city of Greensboro if you have any Personnel question that you would like to ask ask I would suggest that you would call the city hall and schedule a meeting with myself or Mr Hayes and both of us will will be sure to get with you on whatever issue you have regarding personnel and employees of the city of Greensboro so at this time I would ask that you you as Citizens and members of the city that you would limit your questions to one per person at this time um just for the sake just for the sake of time and if we have any more time um after everyone is gone then maybe we can get together and when we do our breakout session and you can ask one-onone

questions okay and I'm going to start from my right hand side I think that's that's just the best way to be fair and ask Miss Regina do you have any question that you would like to ask anybody else on this right side you have any questions Mr Ward if you would take the vot now you can yield your question to somebody else if you would like thank you Mr Mayor and thank you for this wonderful God can we do this quarterly quarterly yeah that that's your question no okay I had I hear you Mr War I had I had three or four okay come on but the M mentioned we the Crown Jewel of the lake area uhhuh we should look like Crown but my concern is when we go down our sidewalks in front of our businesses when we go to Engles or we go to the general daughter general there's so much litter out there we don't look like the Crown's I don't know how the city can address that in order to I don't know it's education or what but I pick up something from po every day I go there somebody the lottery ticket they didn't want to put the trash gun well you stand right there just in case anybody else on this side don't want to answer you stand right there um I'm going to answer your first question in fact I'm going to direct your question to our street supervisor Mr Smith Mr Smith I don't know if heard was war question T not but he was wondering

how can we address the street litter that's that's that's on the streets trying to some stuff out I mean within this year me and my team already had put put together C people put on each and start every two weeks going through the city what's your area um Mr you do a good job that's not the issue the issue is our citizens oh our citizens citizens these people do as good as job as they can there a handful of I mean we got people that will walk by trash can and pass it by and drop the trash someplace else that's that's my concern that's your concern Mr W I have no answer for that one at this time anybody else on this right side my right side I'm sorry okay good evening everybody my thing is about this little thing I'm me off okay first of all we need to educate the community and let them know we're not going to tolerate them just dropping trash lottery tickets cigarette butts or whatever and and and if people can't be governed by grace and mercy we going to have to set rules and regulations code enforcement need to come in cuz see when you trying to keep your property decent and in order you got a neighbor that just don't give my you know they just don't think about it and it's okay cuz L does not

stay in one place when the wind come it blows further and that's not acute it cuz I know we're better than that we want our city to represent who we are and we are not having our city Trashed by those that just don't give a and I think you should have I think I don't know what department will cover but I think you need somebody to educate these citizens that are doing this and they intentionally do it and don't think nothing of it and when one person again trying to keep their property decent and in order you got somebody next door got L everywhere got JK cards everywhere that a't cute so it's okay we going work on okay yes ma'am all right thank you so much okay anybody else anybody else on my right anybody on my left come on this is Town Hall this is when you get to express yourself I got one in the back Theo speed I can't hear you can you can you come to the front please Mr I was just asking how is the photo speed limit uh system working out by the school the photo speed camera out by the school is working fine chief M would you like to answer that question U we no a tremendous decrease in the speed because of for one of system issues

so it's actually it's working real good even time not thank you Chief my left side I have a quick question um I was when he was saying that they were going to be um repairing the roads and he said robing Circle um when he mentioned about repairing Ro he said Rob I looked up Rob Circle was one of the RO um School Street included with circle is all know you going make me look up can you look that up while next and see if Schoolhouse will be included in that say on let me um get back with you on that now cuz I want to make sure the m is correct on that cuz I know School House go in the circle or whatever I want to make sure the is correct I don't want to tell you how to get the contract is only for you know so many feet so I get so many Fe I'll give you my number and I I have your answer okay since you my give give me just one second let me go to somebody else look like we go have time to come around one more time anybody else on our left side

hi I'm Randy M I live over here on Main Street uh want to sandwich this a little bit we had a tree fall in our house fire department police department wonderful they all showed up helped us you know all morning long with everything so thank you all for that um I was curious about events so we have two teenage pregnant teen kids um there's not really much for them to here and I would like to see more events in the area that go for that age group because we have a lot of things for little kids we have things for adults but that teenage group they just kind of get lost and I was just curious if we thought about events for that age range um or young adults too so that was just my question is if there's any consideration for that Randy that's yes Randy Mr Randy we would love to come up with some IDE and and what we basically do we we try to think of ideas for everybody family events um but I would love to get your ideas on what you think we should bring to this city for those middleaged kids right sounds good thank so if you would see me in the breakout session okay sounds good uh you know I live here in the city and I walk downtown all the time uh I walk over SE Hall I walk over to right thing so I'm in City Center um and this is where we want our tourists to come we

green can residents to come we want people from the lake to come and enjoy the city um and it's I just wanted to say it's not torn up lottery tickets exclusively I have come across these prophylactics just to the side of the city hall I have come across used baby diapers in front of the post office on Sun so it's not just literal it's filth and we really need to address this thank you so much I I think I should make it known before I get any more litter that the city took a St we actually purchased a street sweeper and our street department goes out every morning to make sure that streets are clean what happens in between that morning pickup and the next morning pickup is it's kind of hard um for us to to control so if you guys have any ideas if if if you come with putting cameras on the street so we can catch them uh I would love to hear your ideas on on what you think we should do and this is actually my first time being informed about litter um in between those hours I know it gets there some kind of way but I didn't know uh that it was as much as claiming on tonight next question hey how yall how you you said about about that but um the L like on

this side of town you that bridge and then no trees they to they leaning in the road and some before me when stor or whatever so know tree old tree how City by right yeah you in city so don't Tre there when it rain they like leaning down in the road like I'm going through a cage so if they can just them coming through next what we would have to do on is actually check the footage because the street only owns so much right away from from the middle of the line until the street line C you what that was purch back whenever they whenever the RO was construed sometime 20 ft some more sometime 40 50t 60 ft it varies so what we'll do we um what we can do on our rideway is just um if it's posing a clear and present danger to you know um traffic that's is off even though it's off a little bit it's POS and clear present danger we we that's something we get with the city try to see if we can have yeah they all the time I now what road are you street righte street street all right we'll take that and give give that a look cuz if it's on the right away we we'll take it from there all right cuz I know the county they do like I'm like in between the county and the city so the county they come to shade the trees like all through there you know so they won't

be thank you so much anyone else left side who's this beautiful young lady I just had a question um picking back off what Mr hay said he mentioned that he was going trying to have it so that you could take a picture for the pothole now is that just going to um be mainly just for road hazard or is that going to be when any is a concern in the city limits that we can take a picture so that way we don't have to come up to a city hall or you know be stopping everybody just a open way to um communicate what's needed the software that we was looking at it would actually allow you to to uh take pictures of not just Boles but actually anything that you see in the city that that was a concern to you yes um man it's just uh it be like kind of service request anything not just poo any kind of issue whether it's a Code Enforcement issue or whether any kind of issue and to the um to the appropriate department so that that allow citizen you would have to come City Hall and it'll be you have the ability to keep track of your service request and then my one question was question was okay I was going to make a statement um that you know a lot of times we see something we should say something and so if we see the L maybe we can say something to some of these organizations because I've been question myself for people that need community service maybe we can reach out to some of them and then that way um it would be wouldn't be a call to the city

but it would help those people do that same time clean up the litter thank you anybody else on my left side no one El Mr W you had one more question I'm go go around one more time Mia you have a question you go around I do I have a concern about right on I don't right I was trying to get some clarity on why we have the sign up saying that we can't make a right ITC Street we we we do not have any control over that that's the state um and they did not ask us if they could put those signs up so I don't have I don't have the answer to that question but I'll see if I can get one for you a lot of confusion with some of people that I know that that receive driver's license around the time that I receive you I understand your concern thank you so [Music] much that's your wife

B no ma' yes ma'am Mr wal you had one more question that you want to ask say something there not Lane one lane coming in one lane coming in you're absolutely right The Pedestrian crosswalk in front of the post office we used to have a sign right in front Feld to pedestrian I have seen people almost get hit because people they don't see those signs on the right and on the left if we could get one in the center and protect people the city manager myself just had that conversation today I'm like to hit somebody today in that same are so you we going to work I think it should be whether the city have to buide through the state I think it should be some kind of light you know when you want to mat the light and it lights up or whatever that's what I think but you know I'm not the B of Pur scams here at the man coun but that would be my recomendation but yeah that's something check with the I was just informed that we we've replaced that sign three times the mail truck keeps hitting so we we'll going to look for another solution anybody else on this right side our city C our youth Council M good evening everyone good evening um I came up here to address R's question so to answer your question sir we do have two team activities which which is Young Life which occurs on Mondays and we also have the Boys and Girls Club of GRE world but we feel person that's all we have so as a member of the youth

Council we completely agree and we do believe that me and my team will try to make better improvements on more activities for our AG in this community come on can we give our you [Applause] anyone on our left side any more question chel I saw your hand first I just I can't hear you we biges in the city and then when you got a car with rims and stuff on and you don't want to build so you do Po and then the police get behind so I'm telling them that I don't deserve a ticket because of this big old Poole that I don't want to buy rim and bust my ti did somebody write you a ticket for dog poo they tried to but because I told G I can't afford no Missle in the I I I got I got the answer that question we try to all these Poes before the end of this year thank you sir soon as it get back this weather warms [Music] up yes maam this will be the last portion on this I don't want to make sure we have time for our breakout session I'd like to ask about the U situation with the new city hall I can't hear you City Hall status the new city hall status that's a great question City man he ran out of the door on that course it is my hope as the mayor of the city of Greensboro

that by the time my next turn ends you all did not Clap by the time my next turn ends uh we will have a new city hall if if if the city council will get on board um with our vision the city man and I we're planning on tearing the existing City Hall down and building a brand new that's our [Applause] plan what about the Bank building we're going to try our best to get rid of that bank it has done nothing but cost us money and by the time we build another one we could by the time we PID a note off of that one we could have been we could have build another one a brand new one surprised ma'am keep us surprised keep us up there I will I will now if you don't mind we'll go out into our breakout session we have our code enforces on our left we have our Main Street also on our left we have Festival Hall in the rear we have our finance team on our right our street department and Sewer Department on our right also our water department and our five very five police department is also on our right and I think we're doing a giveaway we are and we have Refreshments in the back does everybody have a blue tee does everybody have a blue T somebody get these people a BL T so at this time you would to whichever Department you wanted to get information from or to whatever individual you needed to get information from get them back