City Council Work Sessions

City of Greensboro Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Work Session May 21, 2026, 3:00 p.m. Plaza Level Conference Room 300 West Washington Street Greensboro, NC Present: Mayor Marikay Abuzuaiter, Mayor Pro Tem Denise Roth, Councilmember Hugh Holston, Councilmember Crystal Black, Councilmember Cecile Crawford, Councilmember April Parker, Councilmember Adam Marshall, Councilmember Tammi Thurm Absent: Councilmember Irving Allen Also Present: City Manager Trey Davis, City Attorney Lora Cubbage, City Clerk Tory Frink, and Deputy City Clerk Destiny Stansberry _____________________________________________________________________ A. Call To Order This City Council work session of the City of Greensboro was called to order at 3:01 P.M. in the Plaza Level Conference Room of the Melvin Municipal Office Building. Mayor Abuzuaiter confirmed the Councilmembers who were in attendance. Councilmember Allen was absent. Nathaniel "Trey" Davis, City Manager, provided opening remarks and outlined the purpose of the work session. He explained that the discussion would continue the City's budget deliberations with a focus on capital planning, bond priorities, and the decision-making framework established by the Council. City Manager Davis noted that the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Manager's Recommended Budget had been presented earlier in the week. He stated that it reflected the City's current fiscal realities, which included the ongoing impacts of the property revaluation process. He explained that the 1  recommended budget-maintained core services, responded to significant cost pressures, and began aligning the City's annual budget process with the goals of Vision 36. City Manager Davis emphasized that the operating budget and proposed bond program were closely connected. He explained that both supported the City's ability to maintain essential services, invest in infrastructure, enhance public safety, preserve quality of life, and position Greensboro for long-term growth and competitiveness. City Manager Davis explained that staff would begin with a recap of the previously identified capital projects and the tiering process used to prioritize them. He stated that the presentation would also include a review of the decision-making matrix developed during the City Council retreat and address follow-up items identified during the City Council's recent small-group discussions. He noted that the goal of the meeting was to move toward consensus on the proposed bond categories and begin developing recommendations for the 2026 bond referendum. City Manager Davis then introduced Tiffany Shelton, Senior Manager for People and Culture, to begin the presentation. B. Presentations B.1 2026-395 Capital Planning Update Tiffany Shelton, Senior Manager for People and Culture, reviewed revisions to the decision-making matrix that staff had made in response to feedback received from the City Council during the previous work session. She explained that, rather than adding new evaluation criteria, staff had incorporated the City Council's recommendations into the existing framework. The updates included consideration of whether projects addressed past, current, or future needs under the alignment category; recognition of public-private partnerships and other funding opportunities under fiscal sustainability; the urgency and timing of project needs; and the inclusion of resident input as part of the evaluation process. Ms. Shelton then recapped the City Council's previous capital project prioritization exercise and noted that approximately $27 million in projects had been identified. She reviewed the projects that had advanced through the initial ranking process, which included Parks and Recreation center improvements, Transportation projects for bridge replacements and the bridge maintenance program, and three Fire Department facility projects. She advised that approximately $13 million in remaining bond capacity remained available for the City Council to consider during the work session. Ms. Shelton noted that representatives from the respective departments were present to respond to questions from the City Council regarding the proposed projects before the discussion continued. Councilmember Parker asked whether the projects identified as Tier One priorities had been finalized. She explained that she had anticipated the City Council would have an opportunity to revisit the proposed rankings after receiving additional information from the Parks and Recreation and Transportation Departments. A discussed ensued in regard 2 to the need for additional information regarding the proposed Tier One projects to better understand the scope, location, and urgency of each project before establishing final priorities. City Council emphasized the importance of developing a balanced capital investment strategy that addressed improvements to existing facilities while planning for future growth and new projects. Councilmember Marshall asked whether the City Council would have an opportunity to broaden the scope of the proposed bond categories to include additional projects, specifically referencing the Guilford Woods project as a potential Parks and Recreation investment. City Manager Davis confirmed that the proposed bond categories could be refined and explained that staff would review the detailed project list as the discussion progressed. He explained that the upcoming presentations from the Parks and Recreation, Transportation, and Fire Department directors would provide additional context to assist the City Council in its discussion of the proposed bond categories. David Cashwell, Performance and Strategy Analyst, opened the Council small group follow-up presentations in response to two topics previously identified by the City Council. He stated that staff would provide additional information on transportation safety priorities identified by the Greensboro Department of Transportation (GDOT), and the economic return on investment of Parks and Recreation projects. He explained that the information would provide additional context for the project prioritization process by identifying the risks and opportunities associated with each project and their relationship to broader economic development and quality of life outcomes. Hannah Cockburn, Director of Transportation, reviewed the proposed transportation projects identified for potential bond funding, including the replacement of the Gorrell Street and Washington Street bridges over Murrow Boulevard. She also outlined the establishment of a bridge maintenance program. She reviewed the safety risk prioritization process for the proposed transportation projects, including bridge replacements, the bridge maintenance program, and Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway repairs. Ms. Cockburn also discussed the project rankings, available funding opportunities, and the City's responsibility to maintain its transportation infrastructure. City Council and City staff discussed the prioritization of the proposed transportation projects, including bridge replacements, the bridge maintenance program, and the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway repairs. Ms. Couckburn responded to questions regarding project rankings, available federal funding, the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, implementation timelines, and the infrastructure improvements necessary to support the service. City Council also discussed balancing investments in deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure with future transportation initiatives and the importance of developing a comprehensive transportation strategy before expanding new projects. Phil Fleischmann, Director of Parks and Recreation, provided an overview of the department's capital improvement priorities. He explained that project recommendations 3  were developed by evaluating facility conditions, community needs, stakeholder input, and available funding. Mr. Fleischmann reviewed proposed recreation center improvements, land acquisition opportunities, and regional and neighborhood park investments. He also highlighted the economic benefits of parks and recreation investments, and noted their contributions to tourism, property values, sports tourism, and the overall quality of life. City Council discussed the department's long-term capital improvement needs and requested additional opportunities to receive more comprehensive information regarding Parks and Recreation planning. Councilmembers emphasized the importance of addressing deferred maintenance and investing in improvements to existing recreation centers, parks, and other City facilities while balancing future growth initiatives. City Council also discussed leveraging public-private partnerships and grant opportunities to maximize available bond funding and support future capital investments. Jim Robinson, Fire Chief, provided an overview of the Fire Department's proposed capital improvement priorities. He discussed deferred maintenance needs at Fire Stations 48 and 49, noting that both facilities required building system upgrades, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements, modernization, and cancer prevention enhancements. Chief Robinson also reviewed the proposed Knox Road Fire Station, explaining that the project would improve emergency response coverage in a high-growth area and support future development. He noted that the proposed station would be a joint facility with Guilford County Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). City Council discussed the proposed fire station renovations and the Knox Road Fire Station project. Chief Robinson addressed questions regarding temporary station operations, EMS coverage, and the department's long-term capital improvement needs. City Manager Davis concluded the discussion by summarizing the feedback received from the City Council throughout the work session. He stated that staff would provide additional analysis and information regarding the remaining bond capacity and any additional projects identified during the discussion prior to the next budget work session. City Manager Davis noted that the additional information would assist the City Council in continuing its review of the proposed bond categories and working toward consensus during the following week's budget discussion. C. Adjournment Councilmember Thurm, Seconded by Councilmember Holston to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously. The City Council adjourned at 4:59 P.M. 4