City council approves three local historic landmark designations
The Kinston City Council met Tuesday, Feb. 17, at City Hall with Mayor Kareem S. Moore presiding. Mayor Pro Tem Felicia Solomon and council members Antonio Hardy, Les Lipford and Barbara Seaforth were present.
The meeting opened with an invocation by Pastor John Flowers of Church of Faith and Deliverance and the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Moore also offered brief remarks thanking department heads for storm response coordination, and noted recent beautification work at Pearson Park.
Citizen comments: Black History Month, city services, and community events
During public comment, several residents used the three-minute period to raise community concerns and promote upcoming events:
Artist Jamil Burton invited council and the public to a Black History Month family event hosted through Smart Kinston on Friday, Feb. 28, from 3–7 p.m. at the Smart Gallery on North Queen Street. Burton said the exhibit and programming would continue through March.
Quarla Blackwell criticized the city for not formally recognizing Black History Month during the meeting, and urged council to prioritize issues including homelessness, addiction and youth programs as the city moves into the 2026–2027 budget season.
Bill Ellis promoted the Kinston Professional Baseball Sports Hall of Fame banquet scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27, at King’s Restaurant. Ellis highlighted the planned induction of Ross Atkins and recognition of a local youth softball team, and thanked council for support connected to the Bird Dawgs.
Presentation: Local ARTbeat app and regional “capture tour”
Council recognized local writer and developer Kristy Kelly, who presented “Local ARTbeat,” a mobile app focused on helping residents and visitors discover public art while creating new visibility and income opportunities for artists.
Kelly described the app’s focus on “capture, discover, explore, and community,” including features for locating public art, artist storefronts, commissions, auctions, and local business advertising targeted by geography. She also announced an Eastern North Carolina “capture tour” series and a planned launch party, inviting council and residents to participate.
Council members asked about involving local art teachers and students, and about the tour format. Kelly said she had not yet met with art teachers but was open to building features that fit developing artists’ needs. She described tours as walking-based exploration of public art.
Kinston Police Department annual report: crime trends and accreditation update
Kinston Police Chief Goyette presented the department’s annual report, describing it as a transparency and accreditation requirement and noting it is published online.
Highlights discussed included:
Department budget overview and allocations.
Calls for service and traffic stops trending down compared with the prior year.
Violent crime trends described as decreasing locally, with the chief comparing the local trend to broader state and national patterns.
Community engagement activities, including events and youth-focused efforts.
Department progress toward law enforcement accreditation.
Training hours completed and staffing/retention updates.
Council asked questions about youth crime trends, shootings, whether shootings were concentrated in specific areas, and how juvenile cases proceed through the court system.
Public hearing: local historic landmark designations
Council held a public hearing on three proposed local historic landmark designations presented by Community Development Planner Jordan Kearney, the city’s Historic Preservation Commission staff liaison. Kearney explained that landmark designation is the highest level of local historic recognition under state statutes and requires a certificate of appropriateness for exterior changes, reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission.
The three properties discussed were:
200 N. Queen St. (historically Farmers and Merchants Bank; now known as the O’Neill)
426 N. Heritage St. (Imperial Tobacco Company office building)
501 N. Heritage St. (Midtown Motor Lodge; now Mother Earth Motor Lodge)
Public comment included support for the designations and questions about who benefits, whether there are financial implications for the city, and how residents can pursue landmark designation for additional properties. City staff stated the requests were initiated by a private owner and said designation does not create a direct cost burden for the city, while also emphasizing the protections involved in preserving exterior historic character.
Several speakers tied the discussion to broader concerns about inclusion, neighborhood history, and equity in where preservation attention is placed.
Following the hearing, council approved all three landmark designations by separate motions.
Action agenda: event permits, grants, infrastructure and utilities
Council took the following actions:
Approved special event permits for “Kinston Teens Sunday Dinner” dates on March 15, April 19 and May 17, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., involving a small road closure area described in the request.
Approved a special event permit for a Jackson Heights music concert at Pearson Park on April 18, 8 a.m.–10 p.m., conditional on receipt of required insurance before the event.
Adopted an ordinance establishing an NCDOT multimodal planning grant project totaling $65,000, including $52,000 in grant funds and a $13,000 city match, to update the city’s bike and pedestrian plan.
Adopted an ordinance establishing the Heritage Street Stormwater Improvement Capital Project, funded through a transfer referenced in the stormwater fund budget. City staff said the work is tied to long-planned utility rehabilitation in the corridor ahead of future resurfacing.
Approved an amendment to an engineering services agreement with the Wooten Company to expand design work associated with Heritage Street improvements.
Approved a request for sewer service to properties outside city limits at 1697 U.S. Highway 258 and 109 Old 2nd Street, with the owner responsible for required connection-related infrastructure on the private side of the system.
Information updates: electric wholesale rates, emergency response planning, streets, finances, and summer hiring
City staff provided informational updates on:
A wholesale electric rate increase effective April 1, with staff stating the city’s retail rates are not expected to increase as a result of the wholesale change due to prior planning.
Energy emergency alert response requirements, including potential load reduction steps during extreme demand or supply constraints.
A preliminary list of streets under consideration for the FY 2025–2026 resurfacing project, with staff noting residents can contact the city if they believe additional streets should be evaluated.
A mid-year budget status update and an ARPA expenditure update, with staff reporting remaining ARPA funds were expected to be fully expended within the required timeframe.
A proposed budget calendar for the FY 2026–2027 budget process.
A summer jobs update from recreation leadership, encouraging applicants—particularly lifeguards—for seasonal positions.
Council also approved the reappointment of Perry Warren to the Neuse Regional Library board.
City manager recruitment contract: basic services approved, stakeholder add-ons removed, budget amendment pending
Interim City Manager Clark outlined next steps in the city’s search for a permanent city manager, describing the hire as a long-term decision that should be approached carefully.
Clark said he will support the council through the process but will not recommend a specific candidate, comparing the hire to “creating a marriage” and warning that a poor fit can be costly and damaging.
He said he reviewed the recruitment firm’s proposal and spoke with a representative, Ann Lewis, and believes the firm can provide a thorough search and reach candidates the city would not easily find on its own.
Clark recommended the council move forward with the firm’s basic services package, which includes developing a candidate profile, outreach and initial screening, and support during interviews and selection. He said he did not recommend adding optional stakeholder engagement services, such as community focus groups, listening sessions or facilitated public meetings, arguing the council already has the public’s mandate to make the decision and that adding more layers could complicate the process.
City Attorney James Farfour recommended a roll-call vote to clarify the record, noting that at the previous meeting three of five members supported adding stakeholder services. The council then voted to proceed with the basic services only, at a cost of $39,300.
Finance Director Donna Goodson said the contract will also require a budget amendment, which will be presented at the next council meeting because funds must be formally appropriated before the agreement can be pre-audited. Clark said staff would discuss potential funding sources, including appropriated fund balance.
Neuse News is a locally-owned small business startup in downtown Kinston. Our goal is to provide free, hyper-local news to Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties. The kind of news our grandparents read in a format fit for today's times.
We provide this by having supportive advertisers and we encourage you to click on their ads, shop with them, and eat with them. Every bit of financial support is important to help us sustain free, hyper-local news.
Please consider supporting Neuse News with as little as $5 one-time or via a monthly option. Every little bit helps us, help you.
