City Council Work Sessions

City of Greensboro Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Work Session May 28, 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 Irving Allen, Councilmember Crystal Black, Councilmember Cecile Crawford, Councilmember April Parker, Councilmember Adam Marshall, Councilmember Tammi Thurm 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 3:04 P.M. in the Plaza Level Conference Room of the Melvin Municipal Office Building. Mayor Abuzuaiter confirmed the Councilmembers who were in attendance. Councilmember Black and Councilmember Allen were via Zoom. Nathaniel "Trey" Davis, City Manager, provided opening remarks and recapped the City Council's previous bond discussions, which included the identified project needs, and funding priorities. He emphasized that the proposed 2026 bond package should reflect the City's long- term vision and support the City of Greensboro's goals of being connected, competitive, well- maintained, and positioned to sustain community assets. City Manager Davis stated that the purpose of the work session was to move toward consensus on the proposed bond package and provide staff with clear direction regarding project categories, funding amounts, and any remaining questions. B. Presentations 1 B.1 2026-421 Capital Finance Wrap up Larry Davis, Assistant City Manager, provided an overview of expectations for the upcoming budget work sessions and the process for prioritizing bond projects. The presentation included a review of previously identified projects and available funding for future bond consideration. The remaining bond capacity and projects under consideration included park land acquisition, transportation initiatives, permanent supportive housing, economic development, and cultural facilities. Tiffany Shelton, Senior Manager for People and Culture, addressed whether projects should remain within existing categories and outlined options for structuring future investments to support long-term community goals. City Council and City staff discussed project prioritization and the allocation of the remaining bond capacity for the proposed 2026 bond referendum. City Council considered potential investments in Guilford Woods, transportation initiatives, and other projects identified through previous work sessions and small-group discussions. The discussion also focused on preserving flexibility to leverage future grant opportunities through local matching funds while balancing available funding with long-term community needs, established City Council priorities, and the projected impact of the proposed bond package on future tax rates. B.2 2026-422 General Fund Review Mr. Davis introduced the General Fund Overview. Jon Decker, Director of Budget and Evaluation, presented the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Manager's Recommended Budget. Mr. Decker reviewed the City's operating funds and provided an overview of general fund revenue and expenditure trends. He also highlighted the City's major revenue sources, fund balance trends, property revaluation, recommended tax rates, and property tax estimates for Fiscal Year 2026-27. City Council and City staff discussed fund balance trends, budget changes, and the impact of property revaluation and recommended tax rates. City Council also considered revenue projections, long-term financial planning, and the appropriate use of fund balance. Mr. Decker outlined the primary cost drivers included in the recommended budget. These included personnel, maintenance and operations, position changes, and service enhancements. He also reviewed the recommended service contracts and proposed funding for nonprofit organizations. The discussion centered on personnel compensation, operational expenditures, and proposed service contracts. City Council considered operational funding needs for community organizations and cultural institutions. Comparisons with other municipalities and the role of service contracts in supporting City services were also discussed. Jamiah Waterman, Executive Director of People and Culture, presented compensation and employee benefit updates. Mr. Waterman reviewed hazard pay incentives, workers' 2  compensation, labor market survey results, and compensation benchmarking. He also outlined proposed healthcare plan design options and strategies to manage future healthcare costs. City Council and city staff discussed employee compensation, healthcare benefits, and the impact of benefit plan changes on the City's budget and workforce. The discussion also included Fire and Police compensation, benefit cost-containment strategies, and approaches for communicating proposed benefit changes to employees. City Council also emphasized the importance of educating the public about future bond initiatives and funding priorities. C. Adjournment Councilmember Holston, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Roth, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously. The City Council adjourned at 6:01 P.M. 3