Residents urge Greenville to confront human trafficking and expand street-safety projects

Greenville — Several speakers used the public comment period at the Jan. 5 council meeting to press the city on human trafficking awareness and pedestrian safety.

Pam Strickland, founder of North Carolina Stop Human Trafficking and facilitator of the Pitt County Coalition Against Human Trafficking, asked council members to support awareness and prevention work and said North Carolina ranks ninth in prevalence on the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Strickland asked the city to proclaim January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month and offered information about upcoming webinars and local coalition meetings.

Mary Anne Blackburn, who identified herself as a River Hills neighborhood resident, urged the council to use the Safe Streets for All grant to create demonstration projects on Kent Street East (at Greenville Boulevard), the Hastings Ford intersection, Porter Town Road and to consider lowering speed limits on 10th Street and other safety improvements; she also urged expedited construction of a greenway linking East Side Park to Green Springs Park.

Wade Wilson offered general praise for council members and urged civic collaboration. Mayor Conley closed the public comment period after the scheduled speakers spoke.