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Commission advances historic-trades training and an updated Riverside inventory under CLG grant plans
Summary
Commissioners discussed launching a historic-trades training program led by Matt Halton and partners, identified candidate projects (including 811 Pollock Street), and reviewed plans to pursue a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant to update the Riverside historic-district inventory (staff said recent checks suggest roughly 300 buildings, about 100 more than currently catalogued).
Commission members at the May 2026 work session discussed efforts to grow local capacity to maintain historic buildings and to update the city's inventory of historic resources.
Matt Halton and representatives of the New Bern Preservation Foundation outlined a proposed skills-training program to teach trades needed for historic building work — brick, carpentry, finish work and techniques for identifying and preserving historic fabric. John Barnes, identified in the discussion with foundation representatives, described the need for "a couple projects, having physical hands-on projects" to give trainees experience. Commissioners suggested candidate sites including 811 Pollock Street and several properties owned by the preservation foundation.
Funding and compensation for trainees were listed as open questions. The commission discussed internships with local builders and whether contractors might offer discounted labor in exchange for training opportunities, but no funding plan was finalized.
Staff also said aldermen had approved adding a CLG grant application to the budget process to support an update to the Riverside National Register historic-district documentation and inventory. Staff and commissioners reported that the existing inventory lists roughly 200 properties but recent field work identified closer to 300 buildings in the study area, "so we're missing about a hundred," a commissioner said. Any changes to district boundaries or formal designation steps would proceed through the aldermanic process and be presented to the commission as those proposals advance.
Commissioners agreed the training program, CLG grant and inventory update are priorities that will require coordinated project-selection, final scopes and potential budget approvals before work begins.
