Highlights from Durham County, NC

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education hears stark testimony on mold, freezing classrooms, and unanswered questions about a reported child-restraint incident before turning to summer learning plans, one-to-one student devices, and whether a $4.6 million annual tech refresh is sustainable. Board members and staff also wrestle with shrinking enrollment, rising costs, charter growth, and how to boost classified pay while keeping schools repaired and students equipped to learn.

The Durham City Council pulls a proposed police technology contract, loosens RV parking rules after neighborhood testimony, and approves annexing the Kerley Gardens apartments for city water following a detailed debate over affordability, transparency, and the urban growth boundary. Residents also press the council on equitable infrastructure investments and fairness in bond‑funded street work.

The Durham County Board of Commissioners hears how the Bike and Walk Plan update elevates five county corridor projects, from Forest View Elementary connections to the Falls Lake I‑85 overhaul. Commissioners also weigh fragmented sidewalk maintenance, “orphan” segments, and what a county-run program would cost.

The Durham County Board of Commissioners reviews a major 911 consolidation and HEART crisis response study, pressing for equity-focused measures and data-driven outcomes, and hears a detailed appeal from the Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce for deeper partnership, access, and funding to support local Black-owned businesses. The board also debates conservation investments, homelessness services, and state legislative priorities on schools, transit, and county taxing authority.