News-Record.com

Tuesday night, City Council will approve its legislative agenda for next year.

There are a few repeat items, and new ones out there. The issues were raised by council members, residents or city staff. Some may spark discussion Tuesday night.

Some of the issues up for debate:
-- Legislation that would amend Greensboro’s charter so that the police chief reports directly to the City Council. That would mean the police chief is fired and hired by the council. Currently, City Council only has one employee – the city manager.
-- Legislation to amend the charter to make the city attorney report directly to the City Council. Here’s an item that got split council support last year, which stymied its movement through the legislature.
-- Legislation to amend the charter to have City Council approve all city service contracts over $75,000. This item was suggested by Councilwoman Trudy Wade, who has been concerned about the number of contracts city staff can approve without council input.
-- Support for legislation to allow the DMV to withhold vehicle registration for people with unpaid parking tickets. There’s another way for Greensboro to collect that $2 million worth of unpaid parking tickets.
-- Support legislation to repeal the law that made Greensboro exempt from protest petitions on zoning matters. A protest petition requires a ¾ Council support for rezoning cases.

Area residents have been pushing to restore the protest petition. The legislature refused to take it up earlier this year, after Greensboro City Council did not say one way or another whether it supports the issue. It looks like that debate will happen Tuesday night.