Council reviews $1.35 million in supplemental appropriations and $50,000 safety-campus feasibility study

Wilmington City Council finance leaders on Monday reviewed Ordinance 25-15, a package of supplemental appropriations that would fund this year’s residential paving program, cover engineering for a bridge replacement, add money for South Street improvements and fund a feasibility study for a proposed public safety campus.

The ordinance as discussed would supplement the general fund by $1,351,000 to pay for the city’s residential paving project, which the finance presenter said will cover work on Fairland Avenue, Louise Street, Catherine Drive, Hyatt Avenue, Kelly Drive and Jenny Lane and include patching at additional trouble spots. The meeting also included an accounting transfer to route cemetery funds through the cemetery fund into bridge engineering and a $119,491.05 supplemental for the South Street improvements project.

The feasibility study request is for $50,000 from the general fund to retain a consultant to examine options for a combined safety campus to house fire, police and dispatch functions. A council member summarized the rationale: the city’s fire and police facilities are “bursting at the seams,” equipment is growing larger and storage and secure records space is inadequate. The speaker said the city engineer will issue a request for qualifications to select the consultant and that the city is evaluating a potential property that, if suitable, would be available “at no cost to the city.” That speaker also said the study “may not take $50,000; it could be $25,000, but we feel like that $50,000 would do it.” (City staff member)

Auditor Vance, in an email read aloud to council, said she was comfortable with the amounts in the packet but added a caution about scale: “My concern was, you know, a million‑3 makes me go, you know, makes me gulp. And so that still puts the safety in our bond, bond rating.” (Auditor Vance, email)

Officials gave additional detail about the bridge item: $81,000 is proposed for engineering and the total cost of a prefab bridge was estimated at roughly $250,000. For South Street, staff said bids came in about $119,491 higher than expected; that project has already been awarded and staff expects completion in June.

No formal vote on Ordinance 25-15 is recorded in the meeting transcript. Council discussion closed after the finance committee presentation and the council moved to the next items on the agenda.

Clarifying details from the discussion include the list of streets intended for the residential paving program and the specific dollar amounts noted above. The feasibility study was framed as an initial step; staff said they plan to present study results and visuals to council in a future meeting before seeking further approval.

The council did not adopt language or set an effective date for any of these appropriations during the portion of the meeting covered by the transcript.