After the incumbent mayor and three of its members swept the general election last Tuesday, the Durham City Council hopes to build off its momentum.
Now that voters have given City Hall their seal of approval, the Council will begin developing a strategic plan for the next term. Much of its agenda, however, promises to reflect the continuity assured by an election in which most voters decided the Council has been moving on the right track. In the upcoming term, councilmembers will continue to focus on economically revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods and efficiently delivering core services in a deep recession.
In interviews, councilmembers highlighted both the overall decrease in crime and some of the economic development projects in downtown as evidence of progress the Council has made in Durham. Councilmember Eugene Brown cited the renovation of the historic Durham Athletic Park and the new Durham Performing Arts Center as examples.
“I think we’ve made, objectively, tremendous strides in Durham in the last five to eight years,” Brown said.
Still, there remains much economic development to be done outside of downtown.
“At the top of my list is neighborhood revitalization all across the community,” said Councilmember Mike Woodard, Trinity ’81. “We need to start by focusing on those urban neighborhoods in proximity to downtown.”
Specifically, Woodard noted that the Council plans to work closely with the Durham Community Development Department to identify projects for funding and with private developers to revitalize neighborhoods.
The Council must also grapple with the realities of a depressed economy where funding may be in jeopardy.
“Our goal is to do more with less,” Brown said, noting that the city’s revenues were down roughly 8 percent.
Regardless of the economy, Councilmembers promise to continue providing essential services in an efficient manner.
“Sewers, streets, fire protection, police protection, recycling… they are the core services we are responsible for,” said Mayor Bill Bell, who presides over and votes with the Council.
The details of allocating funds to provide these services in the future will be fleshed out in the Council’s strategic plan for the next term. City Manager Tom Bonfield, who is responsible for compiling the budget, said the Council has always adapted its agenda to meet the needs of its citizens and it will continue to do so. The development of this plan could take “several months,” Bonfield added.
Even so, councilmembers expressed optimism that the Council’s continuity will enable it to work more efficiently as a body.
“I’d say that we work very well together,” Woodard said. “We agree on the direction the city is moving in.”
Woodard added that he believes the re-election of the four incumbents will help the City Council prepare its budget.
“At the top of our list is having a solid budget and doing careful analysis of the services we provide, while being mindful of the needs of our citizens as related to the economy,” Woodard said.