The program helps local governments committed to accelerating progress on climate change, resilience and social equity planning, measure and track performance using LEED.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), creators of the LEED green building rating system, announced the City of Wilmington is among 15 cities and counties selected to commence certification in a national cohort supported by the LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program. The program helps local governments committed to accelerating progress on climate change, resilience and social equity planning, measure and track performance using LEED.

LEED provides a framework to address energy, water, waste, pollution, and carbon. In addition to environmental factors, the rating system considers social and economic indicators, such as health, equity, education, and prosperity. LEED helps local leaders hone metrics around initiatives; benchmark performance relative to peers; and communicate to and educate stakeholders on progress. The rating system is flexible and can be applied to small and large cities, counties, and other local governments, as well as economic areas, such as business improvement districts and neighborhoods.

 “Wilmington continues the hard work of building a more sustainable and resilient city,” Sustainability Manager David Ingram said. “By participating in programs like this, we are reaffirming our commitment to a better, cleaner future. We are proud to be a part of this national cohort and look forward to embracing all that it offers.”

The program will provide peer-to-peer networking opportunities, technical assistance, access to educational resources, and waived membership, registration, and certification fees to support the participants working toward LEED certification.

Wilmington, along with the other selected entities, will also receive:  

• A dedicated USGBC staff liaison providing project management and coaching support, technical assistance, and QA/QC on certification materials. 
• Access to a multi-day virtual orientation program for staff, elected/appointed officials and partners.
• Monthly networking and convening opportunities with the national cohort.
• How to guides, education resources, and other project management tools.
• Access to green building policy and advocacy support, connection to local chapters and USGBC’s network of thought leaders and practitioners. 
• USGBC membership at the Silver level; registration in LEED for Cities; certification review fees; and access to the Arc reporting platform to encourage continuous improvement and benchmarking. 

In partnership, the USGBC and Bank of America support the LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program, which convenes a national cohort of U.S. local governments committed to certifying in LEED for Cities and accelerating progress on climate change, social equity, and resilience. Through this competitive program, local governments collaborate and exchange ideas with peers as they get organized, set goals, collect data, and apply for certification. Bank of America partnered with USGBC to launch the Local Government Leadership Program in 2017 and has contributed more than $1.75 million to support 56 cities and counties in their pursuit of LEED certification.

The 15 local governments selected for the 2021 program represent more than five million Americans in diverse places around the country:

Atlantic Beach, Fla.

Billings, Mont.

Claremont, Calif.

Coral Gables, Fla.

Durango, Colo.

Hattiesburg, Miss.

Houston, Texas

Jupiter Inlet Colony, Fla.

Kansas City, Mo.

Long Beach, Cali.

Pinellas County, Fla.

Racine, Wisc.

Tempe, Ariz.

West Palm Beach, Fla.

Wilmington, N.C.

Learn more about Wilmington’s sustainability efforts here

The Initiative more than doubled its original goal of planting 1739 trees — an homage to the year the city was founded.

Last year, the City of Wilmington, in partnership with about a dozen other organizations, launched the Wilmington Tree Initiative with a goal of planting 1739 trees – an homage to the year Wilmington was founded – by Fall 2021.

At this year’s annual Arbor Day celebration, Mayor Bill Saffo announced the Initiative exceeded expectations by planting more than double the number of trees in about half the time.

While the work to grow the city’s urban forest continues, the Initiative has:  

• Planted 3,066 trees.
• Hosted three tree giveaways for a total of 4,615 trees given to the public.
• Received more than $70,000 in corporate sponsorship and in-kind donations that go toward purchasing and planting the trees.
• Held more than 25 tree planting events.

Learn more about the initiative and its sponsors at www.wilmingtontrees.com.

The city worked closely with the New Hanover County School System to identify areas with the greatest need for extended wireless access.

In an effort to expand internet access to more Wilmington residents – a priority of the Wilmington City Council – the City of Wilmington has worked alongside New Hanover County, New Hanover County School System, and Live Oak Bank to provide free, outdoor WiFi zones throughout the city.

1. Where are the WiFi zones?

In addition to the sites provided by New Hanover County and New Hanover County School System, the city has three active sites at Maides Park, MLK Community Center, and Wilmington Police Department. The city worked closely with the New Hanover County School System to identify areas with the greatest need for extended wireless access.

• How does it work?

Signs are posted at the three active sites identifying the WiFi zones and include network information. Anyone can use the WiFi as long as they are within reach of the WiFi signal, which extends about 300 feet.

• Will there be more locations?

Yes! Staff is in the process of identifying other locations and assessing any infrastructure needs to support the WiFi zones. Future sites will include both indoor and outdoor locations.

The City of Wilmington was recently awarded the highest bond rankings available.

The three major credit reporting agencies recently released bond ratings for the City of Wilmington, awarding the city the highest rankings available once again.

Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s assigned the city AAA rating for General Obligation Bonds (GOB). S&P and Fitch assigned AA+ rating for Limited Obligation Bonds (LOB). Moody’s assigned the city AA1 for LOB.

“The rating reflects our view of Wilmington’s strong tax base, and seasoned management team that maintains a range of comprehensive formalized financial policies and practices. We believe these factors have helped contribute historically to the maintenance of balanced financial operations and very strong fund balance reserves,” S&P wrote of its decision.

Like most city governments, Wilmington issues bonds to pay for large projects, such as the 2014 Transportation Bond and the 2016 Parks Bond. The projects are paid back over time. The better bond ratings result in lower interest rates and, in turn, lower borrowing costs.

“The city earned the top ratings from all three credit rating agencies in 2016 and has maintained them year over year,” Finance Director Jennifer Maready said. “These top ratings reflect the continued support, strong policies, and tough decisions of City Council and managers. I am very proud to be a part of the city team and have the opportunity to work with the best as demonstrated through these efforts.”

The credit rating agencies determine their ratings based on several factors, including their view of the city’s management of public dollars, the city’s overall financial health and stability, and the city’s amount of savings.

Wilmington is one of ten North Carolina cities and towns that have signed onto a joint letter which was filed with the NC Utilities Commission.

The Wilmington City Council passed a 2009 resolution committing to a 58% reduction in greenhouse gasses. As part of that commitment, Wilmington took the step this week to formally participate in the state’s regulatory process for mapping out a long range energy plan, called the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process.

Wilmington is one of ten North Carolina cities and towns that have signed onto a joint letter which was filed with the NC Utilities Commission.

This highlights a commitment by all of the participating cities to take steps towards a clean energy future, decrease carbon emissions, improve our health, and lower energy costs for all North Carolinians.

The Harry Forden Bridge on Sixth Street frequently appeared in the television show “One Tree Hill.”

Necessary structural repairs were completed in February on the one-way Harry Forden Bridge on Sixth Street.

The rehabilitation of this historic structure involved sandblasting and repainting trusses, replacing wooden decking for pedestrians, and structural repairs to the steel and concrete platform.

The iconic bridge is most famous for its frequent appearance in the television show “One Tree Hill.”

Productions underway so far in 2021 include:

• Hightown – television series (season 2)
• This Country – television series (season 1)
• Static – feature film
• I.S.S. – feature film
• Along For The Ride – feature film