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Votes at a glance: Wilmington council orders two dilapidated houses vacated, approves water‑quality tracker, trees, radios and two resolutions
Summary
At its Oct. 9 meeting, Wilmington City Council voted unanimously on multiple housing‑code orders and appropriations — including two 'unfit for habitation' orders (914 S. 12th and 1720 Ann St.), a small donation for an algae tracker, a citywide tree planting contract, and a radio replacement package — and adopted nonbinding resolutions urging state action on early childhood education and authorizing staff to pursue a park‑land acquisition.
Wilmington’s City Council took a string of formal votes on Oct. 9, approving housing‑code orders, appropriations and resolutions. Key outcomes:
• Housing code orders — 914 South 12th Street and 1720 Ann Street: Staff from code enforcement presented both properties as vacant and unsafe, with structural decay and significant repair estimates. For 914 South 12th, staff recommended a 90‑day order to repair or demolish; the council approved the ordinance and waived second reading, passing unanimously. For 1720 Ann Street, staff described a pending sale and a prospective buyer’s plan to pull permits and renovate within the 90‑day period; council approved the order unanimously and waived second reading.
• O‑2: Cape Fear River Watch donation — $8,896 to purchase a real‑time algae tracker for Greenfield Lake. Staff said the sensor will support proactive lake management by providing continuous water‑quality data; the council approved the appropriation and waived second reading unanimously.
• O‑4: Tree planting contract — $577,023 from the tree mitigation fund to Thorpe Landscaping to plant 641 trees in public rights‑of‑way and parks. The contract includes an 18‑month survival guarantee; council approved unanimously and waived second reading.
• O‑5: Radio replacement — $9,135,132 appropriation to replace city 800 MHz radios and authorization for the city manager to enter into an agreement with Motorola Solutions. Staff said the police department has experienced intermittent radio failures and that statewide radio‑system changes make the city’s radios incompatible; council approved the appropriation and the agreement unanimously. Staff said replacing all radios now realizes an approximate $500,000 savings compared with a staggered approach.
• R‑1: Early childhood education resolution — NC Child and business coalition representatives urged the council to encourage the state legislature to prioritize childcare and early childhood education funding and policy; council adopted the nonbinding resolution unanimously.
• R‑2: Authorize staff to pursue parkland acquisition — council authorized staff to pursue a time‑sensitive parcel and to earmark up to $1,000,000 of fund balance as part of a partnership and grant‑seeking approach; the resolution passed 6–1.
Several items included council discussion about funding sources, procurement details and implementation timelines. Where votes were unanimous, staff indicated they would proceed with administrative steps consistent with council direction. The record shows council also moved into a closed session at the end of the regular agenda to consult with counsel on a potential legal matter.
Summary table (selected items): 914 S. 12th St. — approve order to vacate/repair/demolish (90 days): passed (unanimous) 1720 Ann St. — approve order to vacate/repair/demolish (90 days): passed (unanimous) O‑1 — actions prohibited on city property: passed (4–3) O‑2 — Cape Fear River Watch donation, $8,896: passed (unanimous) O‑3a/O‑3b — parks facility appropriation / contract award: passed (unanimous) O‑4 — tree planting contract, $577,023: passed (unanimous) O‑5 — radio replacement appropriation and Motorola agreement, $9,135,132: passed (unanimous) R‑1 — early childhood education resolution: passed (unanimous) R‑2 — authorization to pursue parkland acquisition (up to $1,000,000 earmark): passed (6–1)
Council’s actions move multiple capital projects and code enforcement orders forward, while one ordinance (O‑1) proved divisive and passed by a narrow margin.
