Council approves appropriations, paving and pickleball court contracts; hears public comments on homelessness, opioid settlement funds and sister-city aid

The Wilmington City Council approved several financial and procurement measures and heard a string of public comments on homelessness, opioid-settlement funding and international sister-city aid.

On unanimous votes the council passed Ordinance 25-15, making supplemental appropriations; Resolution 25-07, authorizing the parks and recreation director or public service director to enter competitively bid agreements for Denver Williams Park Pickleball Courts using a dedicated grant; and Resolution 25-08, authorizing advertising for bids for the 2025 residential paving program and authorizing the public service director to contract with the lowest and best bidder. All three measures were advanced by first reading and carried after motions to suspend the rules; each passed on roll-call votes recorded as 7–0.

Ordinance 25-15 covered multiple accounting transfers and supplemental appropriations discussed at the council’s workshop. The council identified funding moves including a transfer involving the cemetery fund and an $81,815 engineering-related entry, appropriations to finish the South Street improvements project (work expected to…