City Council tonight: quiet agenda, loud pre-show

Overall, tonight's City Council agenda looks on the surface to be fairly quiet -- save, that is, for the large number of public safety officials planning to show up and fill in the seats in the City Council chambers.

As the H-S noted last Thursday, police officers signaled their plans to march on City Hall tonight to show their displeasure at the implementation of a change in pay structure. As we noted here on Friday, that change provides a big boost to new hires and lowest-rank police and fire officers while those one tier above -- with more experience and time in service -- don't see a change.

From what we understand, there's been some consternation on all sides about this issue heating up in the public sphere rather than the back channels; no idea whether that impacts tonight's planned rally. But if you're going, get there early.

On tonight's relatively quiet docket, the Council will consider a zoning change to the Meridian Business Park off NC 55 at I-40 in south Durham. The change, which would move a 32-acre parcel of the site into an Office Industrial category that could actually allow a broad range of uses, from residential to office to hotels and beyond, was recommended only on a 7-6 vote by the Planning Commission, some of whose members wanted to see a development plan first.

And while a number of restaurants -- including Elmo's, Fishmonger's, and Devine's -- have come out against the 1% prepared foods tax, I wouldn't look for the about-to-open Revolution restaurant downtown to join them. Tonight's general business agenda includes $7,500 in support from the City in the form of a "merchandise-based economic incentives" plan for the restaurant to buy cooking equipment.

According to Revolution's application posted to the City Council web site, their equipment capital cost is $100,000, meaning the City would be supporting almost 8% of that up-front expense. These incentives are available to targeted commercial districts, including downtown, to help draw more storefront retail activity.

Council will also consider beer/wine licenses and renewals -- which if history is any guide, will pass on a 6-1 vote, given Howard Clement's predictable opposition to any alcohol, anywhere in Durham.

The City Council will also vote during the consent agenda on a three-year contract for maintenance of the I-85 center median plantings and landscapings. A Gastonia firm did a one-time clean-up after vocal citizen complaints that weeds were dominating the plantings and creating an unseemly appearance. This time, an Apex-based firm has been recommended for a three-year deal, with their $206,000 contract cost coming in at between half to two-thirds the cost of the other bidders.

A number of other items we've discussed here recently, including the report on bond issuance and the support for the "Make !T Durham" campaign, appear on the consent agenda.