Wilmington to consider paid incentive for city employees who get COVID-19 vaccine

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — City of Wilmington leaders are set to next week. One of the items of their agenda is the possibly providing COVID-19 vaccination incentives to all city employees.

City council will consider a resolution authorizing the city manager to provide paid leave to qualifying city employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. This would continue the practice that was previously in place due to a federal mandate that expired on December 31, 2020.

The resolution also recommends an incentive program to encourage city employees to become vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus. The program, if adopted, would give four hours of paid leave to city employees who provide proof of full vaccination for the COVID-19 virus.

Also on their agenda is a resolution and companion funding ordinance that, if approved, will greenlight the planned renovations to Bijou Park, which sits between North Front Street and River Place.

The $604,795 contract would go to Muter Construction and involve demolition of existing facilities and a complete renovation of the site to include landscaping, string lighting, moveable seating and additional alternate bid elements.

Another item of interest includes a resolution to utilize $35,000 toward a contract with Fountainworks, a NC-based professional services firm, to help the city update its policy on the renaming of streets, facilities and parks.

The scope of work would include a number of items and include researching best practices from other communities, conducting focus groups, and preparing a final policy report to the City Council Naming Committee for consideration.

City council will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at the Wilmington Convention Center.