[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6478626,"mediaKeyId","5708637-3e0825f4b8630d80e8ac498b73b4c0d6","parentId",5708637,"title","Clinton council approves sewer, water grants; OKs accessory apartment, software contract and street actions","audioSeconds",411,"startMs",210000,"endMs",621000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5708637-3e0825f4b8630d80e8ac498b73b4c0d6&start=210&end=621","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5708637-3e0825f4b8630d80e8ac498b73b4c0d6/thumbnail_210000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6478626/Clinton/Sampson-County/North-Carolina/Clinton-council-approves-sewer-water-grants-OKs-accessory-apartment-software-contract-and-street-actions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478626-49ab282dbf1fae2f33ee1cdfffa4b0b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775563382&Signature=QW6ktMpk2J60FYpd5ESLJDT0KPSzsjQ-YDam8c32FlqzWqGv7Ui-IQ1~mT0vxatQHZ5USkR5Pd1zXVJ6Y8IVQr7xa37WgtPAa28qVd7pIt2LEpbZgh3M2f0lJ4bpQObdagFP2hwaoUqHeFUVXL26D3W4z~uUApIiX0h-kT~~Plm49mAks2dBf9xco63D2ulrDutD8lFA~HQijga~WmhT15ie2aERmRJm7ukXP2LaWtjyhbttohpYtDdAo8IHOggDd-HqmIVSoSyfCGB9smzo~EhKA0owhuYtzzU87Qxiw1Le6SEyHWlp-~jt2dvrp35HT3~dDkzzROg90q9vQhPk1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clinton","date","2025-09-03T00:32:49.117Z","article","The Clinton City Council at its meeting approved a series of routine and project-specific measures, including a special-use permit to add an accessory apartment, two infrastructure grants for sewer and water system monitoring, housekeeping budget amendments, a software contract for the city's financial system and formal acceptance of a section of Shamrock Drive as a city street.

The council voted to approve a special-use request from Coastal Renovations LLC to construct a single attached accessory apartment at 300 Millbrook Avenue, a 0.79-acre property owned by Jamie and Ashley Smith. Planning staff told council the parcel is zoned R-15 and that the application must meet the special-use standards in Section 11.4 of the Clinton Land Development Ordinance; staff said the property meets the ordinance requirements and that adjoining owners were notified. The council moved, seconded and voted to approve the special-use permit after finding the proposal met the ordinance's standards.

Council also adopted a resolution to accept a $150,000 sewer grant to fund an asset inventory and monitoring system to identify highest inflow and infiltration points in the sewer system. Later the council approved an additional grant to survey the water system, described by staff as intended to identify pressure zones and critical water lines; staff described the second award as the same scale as the first.

Other actions approved included: charging off dormant unpaid utility accounts (city staff said charging off the accounts does not end collection efforts and that eligible debts will be submitted to the state debt setoff program for collection); routine housekeeping budget amendments that roll forward prior-year purchase orders and appropriate additional funds for a theater renovation project (project No. 81); awarding a software contract under a Sourcewell purchasing contract to Tyler Technologies for an ERP product aimed at smaller municipalities and utilities; formal acceptance of Shamrock Drive between the Pierce Street extension and Sunset as a city street; and a simple painted crosswalk and signage request near Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Council also approved street closures requested by the Main Street Promotion Committee for Halloween on the Square (streets and times were presented by the committee), a schedule of city holidays for 2026 (with Juneteenth noted as floating), suspension of rules for spring/fall cleanup events, and rescheduling the November council meeting from Nov. 8 to Nov. 5 because the usual room is in use.

Where motions were taken the meeting record shows affirmative votes by council voice vote and the items were passed as presented; the transcript records no roll-call tallies for these measures.

Several items were described in staff presentations: the accessory-apartment parcel was described as 0.79 acres and bordered by R-15 zoning; staff said the sewer grant is $150,000 and will fund monitoring to locate inflow/infiltration, and the water grant will likewise be used to survey pressure zones and critical lines. For the software award staff said the city currently uses software installed in 2015 and sought an updated financial system to meet current needs.

No controversial debate on these agenda items is recorded in the public transcript; vote outcomes were announced by voice vote.

Votes at a glance
- Special-use permit, Coastal Renovations LLC — construct single attached accessory apartment at 300 Millbrook Ave (property owners Jamie and Ashley Smith). Outcome: approved. Motion and second recorded; council found the proposal met Clinton Land Development Ordinance special-use standards (Section 11.4).
- Resolution to accept $150,000 sewer grant (asset inventory/monitoring). Outcome: approved.
- Resolution to accept water system grant (amount described by staff as similar to sewer grant). Outcome: approved.
- Charge off dormant unpaid utility accounts (annual). Outcome: approved; staff noted accounts submitted to state debt setoff program for collection when eligible.
- Budget amendments (general fund, water/sewer fund, downtown district fund; theater project No. 81 appropriations). Outcome: approved.
- Software contract award to Tyler Technologies (ERP Pro) via Sourcewell purchasing contract; authorization for city manager to execute. Outcome: approved.
- Acceptance of Shamrock Drive (between Pierce extension and Sunset) as city street. Outcome: approved.
- Crosswalk and signage near Emmanuel Baptist Church. Outcome: approved.
- Street closures for Halloween on the Square (Main Street, Lisbon, Vance and West End parking lot). Outcome: approved.
- Reschedule Nov. 8 council meeting to Nov. 5. Outcome: approved.
- Holiday schedule for 2026 (Juneteenth listed as floating). Outcome: approved.

Ending note: Staff and council framed most items as routine or as planned capital work; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript for these votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 2, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Clinton City Council at its meeting approved a series of routine and project-specific measures, including a special-use permit to add an accessory apartment, two infrastructure grants for sewer and water system monitoring, housekeeping budget amendments, a software contract for the city's financial system and formal acceptance of a section of Shamrock Drive as a city street.","taxTitle","Clinton, Sampson County, North Carolina","taxId",61430,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6478622,"Residents press council for police transparency, request crisis-prevention plan after shootings",715,1037000,1752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5708637-3e0825f4b8630d80e8ac498b73b4c0d6&start=1037&end=1752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5708637-3e0825f4b8630d80e8ac498b73b4c0d6/thumbnail_1037000.jpg","/articles/6478622/Clinton/Sampson-County/North-Carolina/Residents-press-council-for-police-transparency-request-crisis-prevention-plan-after-shootings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478622-096b6ff51448a83163889e97c01e46fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1775563382&Signature=JLww4SwFpn31sjIDSx0nkl-jxbD8LSgvZO3bb4KqI8UE0f-c3psNkv5najcEGd3mHcRZCUJgZlRR8bhgADf3PTdoiiQleJL~hvsgjCAKT3ksGzEhQB5p2evy~UT40JNgndwmIGJbO9ufplBSPTrFosxmFXMtOBq9VqRdb93FyBEwzbu8axH-6FyG7tVdR7uOlOAyKicq8AilvSfLv~edKEjvTzMuXCq-zSwUbawQ4YFTDjhClZlw-8pztRGr7XdtksAR9~hMgliISktAAJuLOorEf6N89Yg1VlVkBE9pp3X-lZzqBy2eMoGEM9YjorhbrMF-4bx0lD4-JxJ29C1RRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several Clinton residents used the council's public-comment period to press elected officials for greater police transparency, independent review of investigations and a publicly available crisis-prevention plan following recent shootings and community safety concerns.

Maria Boykin told council her son was shot Aug. 25 at Stetson and Steele streets and described interactions with Clinton police following the incident. She said a piece of paperwork that included her and her son's names was photographed and posted on social media, which she said led to death threats against her family and increased anxiety for a 7-year-old child. Boykin said she discussed the incident with Chief Davis and with an assistant chief she named as Matthews; she told council she did not find some of the officers' comments empathetic. \"I would like to know who put my family and myself in jeopardy and who handed him paperwork with twisted words,\" Boykin told the council, saying the posting and subsequent messages put her family in danger.

Mayor Sterling, council members and staff responded by arranging for the city attorney and the city manager to meet with Boykin privately after the meeting; the transcript records that staff and the attorney would meet with her to review the paperwork and the record.

Community member Heather R. Dixon urged a broader response, calling for a publicly available crisis-prevention plan and independent review of police investigations. Dixon cited prior community efforts and enforcement activity, saying \"last year, 93 illegal guns was taken off the street,\" and asked the council to publish records of officer training and to consider third-party review of investigations. Dixon urged a community policing approach and said rebuilding trust must precede further enforcement measures.

Former educator Larry Sutton told council he was speaking as a private citizen and expressed concern about workplace transparency in city government, urging the mayor to work to repair relationships among the city council, city manager and city clerk so the municipal administration is perceived as fair and cooperative.

Council did not take formal action during the meeting on the policing concerns. The city attorney (Joel) and the city manager were asked to meet with Boykin immediately after the public comment period. Councilmembers briefly discussed that search-warrant documents can become public record unless sealed and suggested staff follow up with Boykin and consider what records are public and what may be sealed. A council member suggested closed session but the attorney advised the matter did not meet the legal test for closed session; instead, a private meeting with the attorney and manager was arranged.

Ending note: Residents asked for specific, public commitments: release of training information, a crisis-prevention program, and third-party review of investigations. Council directed staff and the city attorney to meet with the resident who raised the immediate safety concern and indicated they would follow up; no independent-investigation vote or formal directive to outside agencies was recorded in the transcript.","Multiple residents told the council they have lost trust in local policing after recent shootings and alleged release of sensitive paperwork; they urged independent review, public records on training and a citywide crisis-prevention plan.","actionData","errors"]

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Clinton council approves sewer, water grants; OKs accessory apartment, software contract and street actions

Residents press council for police transparency, request crisis-prevention plan after shootings