2012-2013 Public Safety Improvements At a glance
Gun/gang prevention efforts
City has begun several additional initiatives over past year to reduce recent
gun/gang violence, including:
• New five-member WPD gang unit focused on deterring/dismantling
gang related activity and crimes
• 10 “overhires” being hired to help make sure WPD is fully staffed at all times
• New 14-man patrol unit in public housing areas made up of seven
WPD officers and seven NHC deputies
• Expanded patrol of 64 WPD officers/NHC Sheriff’s deputies – 32 officers
each from the WPD and NHC Sheriff’s Department
• New WPD Mobile Field Force – 12-officer unit geared up to respond quickly
to crime, or fear of crime, anywhere in the city
• Coordination of series of
community conversations in
partnership with key agencies
to get input about strategies
that can be implemented to
help reduce criminal and gunrelated violence
• From these sessions, series
of recommendations for
action by public policy
makers will be finalized
this spring
Wilmington Firefighter Memorial
• Wilmington Firefighter Memorial, located at
the Empie Park Fire Station, officially dedicated
on Sept. 11
• Memorial honors the seven Wilmington firefighters
who have lost their lives in line of duty since the
department began in the 1800s, as well as the 343
NYC firefighters who perished during the Sept. 11,
2001 terrorist attack
• Memorial surrounded by seven statues representing
Wilmington’s fallen firefighters
• Bronze statue of firefighter in the center holds piece
of steel recovered from World Trade Center following
9-11 attack
• Memorial paid for through private donations
2012-2013 Service Improvements At a glance
Long-term plan
for growth
• City launches effort to develop
20-year plan for growth to deal
with coming demographic changes and
increased population
WILMINGTON POPULATION
EXPECTED TO GROW BY 57,000
OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
2012-13 Budget –
Outlook improves
• Budget improves after several years
of cutbacks
• Balanced budget with increased savings funds
• 5 cents of city tax rate dedicated for
$41 million 5-year infrastructure improvement
plan
• Plan development includes extensive
citizen input and engagement effort
• So far, more than 200 citizens have
attended meetings and hundreds of
ideas, comments and photos have
been submitted online
• Wilmington’s debt rate low compared
to other NC cities
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040
• AA+ bond rating due to good
financial condition
CITY’S SAVINGS ACCOUNT
Recycling
• n January 2013, city changed to biweekly recycling
I
pickup schedule after delivering more than 20,000
new 90-gallon blue recycling carts
• Citizen participation in voluntary recycling program has
increased by 63% - now more than 80% of all city trash
customers choose to recycle
FY 2013
FY 2003
$24M
FY 2012
FY 2006
$18M
FY 2010
$29.2M
$23.8M
$16.5M
• Amount of material being recycled has increased by 25%
W W W. W I L M I N G T O N N C . G O V