Thomasville City Council enacts anti‑towing rules, awards $3.36M water‑line contract, approves easement and lease

Thomasville City Council on Monday approved a package of ordinances, contracts and property actions, including a new ordinance to curb predatory towing, a tentative $3,362,540 water‑line replacement contract, a perpetual easement for a small parcel at National Highway and East Main Street, and a lease providing space for Communities In Schools.

The council met July 21 at 20 Stadium Drive in Thomasville. Mayor Raleigh York, Jr. called the meeting to order and the body approved an amended agenda after City Manager Michael Brandt asked to add three closed‑session items related to a pending award, personnel and real estate.

Why it matters: The towing ordinance changes how the city handles complaints in large communal parking lots — such as shopping centers — by treating them like public parking areas and routing reports to the police rather than allowing private tow operators to act without municipal oversight. The water‑line work covers roughly 8,500 linear feet across multiple streets and is the largest single contract approved on the consent agenda. The easement gives the city a perpetual right to beautify or otherwise use a small parcel locally known as “Slimy Corner.” The Communities In Schools lease secures space intended to support student services.

Towing ordinance
City Attorney Misti Whitman and Police Chief Carter told the council the proposed ordinance is intended to curb predatory towing in larger, publicly accessible shopping‑center style lots. The ordinance defines “communal parking lots” and distinguishes those from privately leased parking spaces; owners of private leased spaces may continue to use the process under North Carolina General Statute 20‑219.2. Council Member Scott Styers moved to enact the ordinance; Payton Williams seconded and the council voted 7‑0 to approve the measure.

Consent agenda and major contract
Deputy City Manager Eddie Bowling presented multiple consent items that the council approved 7‑0. The package included Budget Amendment 2026‑P1‑01 (a $5,000 Duke Energy Foundation storm preparedness grant for NOAA weather radios and emergency kits and a $2,000 Lowe’s hometown grant for tools for the community tool rental trailer) and the tentative award of a base bid of $3,362,540 to North State Water & Sewer Inc. for replacement water mains on Fleer Road, Lambeth Drive, Ford Street, Haywood Street, Jones Avenue, Jones Circle, Pine Street and Whirl Street. The Davidson County‑Randolph County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan was also adopted, a required step to remain eligible for certain federal mitigation funds under the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.

Easement for "Slimy Corner"
City Manager Brandt said the owner of parcel #16069000E001 offered the city a perpetual easement on a small, hard‑to‑develop lot at the National Highway/East Main Street intersection, with the city paying annual city, county and school taxes as the lease amount. The council approved the easement 7‑0; Council Member Payton Williams thanked the property owners and Council Member JacQuez Johnson thanked the Beautification Committee for taking on the project.

Communities In Schools lease (recusal)
Council Member Hunter Thrift asked to be recused from voting on a lease agreement because he serves as director of Communities In Schools. The council granted the recusal and approved the lease for 1 East Main Street on a 6‑0 vote (Thrift abstained from the vote). Johnson and others described the lease as a continued investment in services and partnerships for students.

Public forum and recognitions
During public comment, Joe Gray of the Colonial Village HOA urged the city to address a new blind spot at Montana and Sunrise by installing a four‑way stop or speed bumps. The council thanked him and said the request would be forwarded to the appropriate department. Council Member Scott Styers presented a proclamation recognizing United Way of Davidson County’s 70th anniversary; Kristie Hege accepted and shared an example of the organization’s work feeding local elementary students.

City operations and other business
City Manager Brandt briefed the council on a recent cyber‑attack that disrupted city network systems; he said essential services continued but staff had to process "over 11,000 customer bills by hand" during recovery. Mayor York announced the appointment of Elaine Lee to the Thomasville Housing Authority. Deputy City Manager Bowling recognized Police Chief Carter for rescuing a four‑year‑old found walking near the road. City Attorney Misti Whitman introduced intern Blake Cheryl.

Closed session and next steps
Council entered closed session to discuss an award notice, personnel and real estate matters and returned to open session with no action taken. Mayor York said the annexation petition for 129 Kennedy Road (parcel 1633700000024) was held because the County Commissioners must act first; the annexation will return to the council in August. The meeting adjourned by unanimous vote.

Votes at a glance:
• Amended agenda — approved 7‑0 (mover: Hunter Thrift; second: Doug Hunt).
• Consent agenda (minutes, budget amendments, position creation, water‑line contract tentative award, hazard plan) — approved 7‑0 (mover: JacQuez Johnson; second: Doug Hunt).
• Towing ordinance (ordinance adoption) — approved 7‑0 (mover: Scott Styers; second: Payton Williams).
• Easement for parcel #16069000E001 — approved 7‑0 (mover: Hunter Thrift; second: JacQuez Johnson).
• Lease with Communities In Schools (1 East Main Street) — approved 6‑0, Thrift recused (mover: Payton Williams; second: Lisa Shell).
• Motion to enter closed session — approved 7‑0 (mover: Hunter Thrift; second: Doug Hunt).
• Adjournment — approved 7‑0 (mover: JacQuez Johnson; second: Doug Hunt).