Goldsboro council authorizes staff to develop City Hall security plan; interim contractor option estimated at ~$51,000

City officials told the council they have studied options to make City Hall safer for employees and visitors and asked for direction to continue developing both interim and long-term approaches.

Staff presented two tiers of work: (1) an interim model, similar to the arrangement used at the county courthouse, that places contracted security personnel at City Hall’s front entrance (staff estimated roughly $51,000 to start the service in February through the remainder of the fiscal year), and (2) a longer-term building remodel to "harden" the entrance and create a permanent secure entry that would reduce the need for ongoing personnel costs.

Staff described the interim approach as feasible to start quickly but noted space constraints at the current reception area that will require operational planning. For council meetings, the city could use off-duty police for meeting nights rather than full-time security from the police department. The permanent option would require design work by an architect or engineer and be a candidate for the FY 2026–27 capital budget.

Council members spoke in favor of protecting employees and public-facing staff, requested cost estimates for both interim and permanent solutions, and asked staff to return with a formal interim proposal and a corresponding budget ordinance at the second council meeting in January. The council’s motion authorized staff to expend reasonable time and resources to build a plan; it did not approve a specific contract or larger expenditures.