🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. Nicky Smith Says He Can Put Partisanship Aside
2. Greensboro Shifts Course on Homeless Shelters
3. The Agenda
4. What We’re Reading

Courtesy of Nicky Smith.

Nicky Smith’s Partisan Tightrope

When Nicky Smith decided to run for Greensboro City Council in District 4, he knew it would likely be an uphill battle.

Though council elections are technically non-partisan, Smith is a registered Republican in a district that tends to lean Democratic. For more than 14 years, Nancy Hoffmann, a Democrat, has won the district handily. She is one of many long-time council members not running again this year, providing an opportunity for new leadership on the council and, Smith believes, new representation for voices that aren’t being heard in his district.

Hoffmann has not been shy about her distaste for the idea of Smith succeeding her, calling him “as MAGA as it gets.” Smith said that’s not true. He supports President Donald Trump, he said, but does not consider himself “hard right.”

Read the full story here.

— Joe Killian

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This year, the city is changing its winter sheltering plans. In the past, it has opened shelters with beds at recreation centers and churches. The city also opens warming centers—or “white flag” locations without beds—as resting places when the temperature drops below 32 degrees.

According to national data, hundreds of unhoused people die each year due to the cold. And the number of people experiencing homelessness overall has been increasing over the last several years.

This year, instead of spending money on opening winter shelters, the city has decided to spend its funds on expanding the Pallet community, adding additional shelters and RVs to increase the number of beds to 125.

Read the full story here.

— Sayaka Matsuoka

This week, many city council members will be on the ballot during Tuesday’s primary election. Find your polling place here. The Greensboro City Council is also meeting on Wednesday this week rather than Tuesday to accommodate the election.

The High Point City Council will also hold one of its bimonthly meetings, as well as two committee meetings.

City of Greensboro

Townsend Water Treatment Plant project meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 4 p.m. @ J. Edward Kitchen Operations Center, 2602 S. Elm-Eugene St.

This meeting will introduce interested engineers and contractors to the city’s upcoming design-build project at the Townsend Water Treatment plant, which will seek to address contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAs. These projects will install granular activated carbon contactors in order to meet future PFAs regulatory requirements.

The Water Resources Department aims to have these water treatment improvements go online in time to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Primary Drinking Water Regulation enforceable levels, according to the city. The Water Resources Department and Office of Business Opportunity will discuss the proposed renovations at a meeting for engineers, contractors, subcontractors, and support services. To attend, register online here.

City Council meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m. @ Melvin Municipal Office Building in the Katie Dorsett Council Chambers, 300 W. Washington St.

This meeting will include a public comment period, as well as:

  • A resolution of “concern” about the Williams Companies’ Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SSEP), urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to “conduct a comprehensive environmental review of the pipeline expansion project” and “ensure meaningful opportunities for public input,” as well as requiring that Transco provide timely information and emergency notifications to local governments and residents. A copy of the resolution to FERC, the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Guilford County, and federal delegation.
  • A $632,000 contract with ASJ Wilson Construction LLC for the pickleball court conversion and new restroom facility at Bryan Park, which is set to get $5 million in city dollars for improvements via American Rescue Plan funds. The city anticipates spending $532,000 on this specific project—$100,000 has been pledged by the Bryan Foundation.
  • A $40,000 Special Events and Tourism Related Activities Committee (SETRAC) grant to replace the fence at Stoner White Stadium at Jaycee Park.

Human Rights Commission meeting
Thursday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. via Zoom

This meeting will be held virtually over Zoom. Click here to join—the meeting ID is 816 6361 2650.

City of High Point

City Council meeting
Monday, Oct. 6, at 5:30 p.m. @ 211 S. Hamilton St.

The monthly public comment period will start off the meeting. The evening will include the discussion of several items, including:

  • Ratifying a nonprofit organization agreement with the High Point Arts Council, Inc. to lead the private fundraising efforts and the city’s acceptance of those private sector donations for the Coltrane Project.
  • A public hearing on giving Project Create $603,043 over a four-year period for their redevelopment and artist studio project at 1547 W. English Road.
  • Purchasing two fire trucks for a total of nearly $2.1 million.

Community Development Committee meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 4 p.m. @ 211 S. Hamilton St.

This meeting’s agenda hasn’t been posted yet.

Prosperity, Livability, and Safety Committee meeting
Thursday, Oct. 9, at 9 a.m. @ 211 S. Hamilton St.

This meeting’s agenda hasn’t been posted yet.

Links to local board meetings and agendas:

Guilford County – Board of Commissioners

Guilford County – Board of Education

Greensboro – City Council

Greensboro – City Calendar

High Point – City Council

— Gale Melcher

What We’re Reading

Six Days a Week: The News & Record, Greensboro’s daily newspaper, announced this week it will begin producing a print edition six days a week, from Tuesday through Sunday. The paper’s daily print circulation has been dropping for years. It will continue posting an electronic edition and updating its website seven days a week, according to the paper’s editor.

Spooky Season Begins: The leaves are falling. The pumpkin spice is everywhere. Fox8 has a great list of Halloween and fall festivities across the Triad.

Empty the Shelters: Guilford County Animal Services (GCAS) is partnering with the BISSELL Pet Foundation to host the Empty the Shelters adoption event from Wednesday, Oct. 1, through Wednesday, Oct. 15. Adoption fees will be significantly reduced for kittens and puppies, to senior dogs and cats. Yes Weekly has more.

Joe Killian is The Assembly's Greensboro editor. He joined us from NC Newsline, where he was senior investigative reporter. He spent a decade at The News & Record covering cops and courts, higher education, and government.

Gale is a Report for America corps member and Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She previously covered local government and community issues for Triad City Beat. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from N.C. State University.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.