Wilmington council creates Office of Educational Advocacy, adopts FY2025 budget amendment

Wilmington City Council on Thursday adopted Ordinance 25‑001, an amendment to the fiscal year 2025 operating budget that establishes an Office of Educational Advocacy and adds multiple positions across the council and mayor’s office.

The measure, introduced by Councilwoman Harley and approved by roll call, adds staffing intended to expand the city’s role in education policy and community engagement. Council members said the office will position the city to work with educators, families and community partners on student outcomes.

Councilwoman Harley, who presented the ordinance, said, “now is the time for us to answer the call to action,” and described the amendment as a three‑department package covering council, the mayor’s office and the treasurer’s office. Harley said the council’s portion includes creation of a legislative aide position (to be split‑funded 75% from the general fund and 25% from the CATV fund) and a director of educational advocacy. The director’s annual salary was stated in the meeting as $110,000.

Under the amendment the administration will add several positions in the mayor’s office described during the meeting as: a special assistant for community engagement; a constituent services officer; a director of community engagement; a director of special projects; an executive assistant to the mayor; and a mayor’s office receptionist. During floor remarks, some of those positions were discussed with annual salaries provided in the meeting for certain titles (for example, the constituent services officer at $70,000 and the receptionist at $55,000); other salary figures in the meeting transcript were unclear and are recorded below as “not specified” pending verification from the ordinance text.

The amendment also deletes four positions in the mayor’s office and renames or retitles several roles, including changing the digital and social media manager title to deputy director of communications and the office manager/administrative assistant title to director of operations for the mayor’s office. The treasurer’s office will see title changes for two positions (pension manager to retirement benefits and pension manager; debt manager systems coordinator to cash and investments portfolio manager).

Councilmember Nnamdi Chukwacha and Senator Sarah Laughman (as noted in committee testimony and referenced by Harley) had urged a municipal role in education; multiple council members spoke in support on the council floor. Councilman Johnson added his name as a cosponsor, calling the effort a multifaceted approach to city education policy. The Wilmington Center for Education Equity and Policy (WCEEP) later submitted a letter of support to the record, urging the city’s more direct role in shaping and monitoring education for Black and Brown students.

Clerk roll call recorded 11 yes votes and two members absent; the clerk declared the ordinance adopted. The meeting record shows the following yes votes: Councilman Owens; Councilwoman Oliver; Councilwoman Harley; Councilwoman Willower; Councilwoman McCoy; Councilman Johnson; Councilman Field; Councilwoman Bracey; Councilwoman Cabrera; Councilwoman Hackett; and President Trippie Congo. Absent: Councilwoman Darby and Councilman Spadola.

Also during the legislative portion, Councilwoman Hackett presented an ordinance to authorize an agreement between the city and Liro Corporation for on‑site engineering services for the WITN TV station. Hackett moved that the ordinance receive first and second reading and be referred to the Finance and Economic Development Committee; the motion was seconded and the ordinance was referred to committee for consideration.

The city will now move to implement the new Office of Educational Advocacy and begin any required hiring or rule changes; council members said they expect further public engagement and follow‑up in committee about job descriptions, funding sources and implementation timelines.

Details recorded in the meeting transcript that were unclear (notably a small number of salary figures and one partial mayor’s salary line) are noted below as not specified; the final ordinance text and budget documents should be consulted for exact compensation and funding language.