The New Bern aldermen will consider approving several items on the consent agenda with one vote without a discussion on Tuesday.
The consent agenda in the New Bern Board of Aldermen’s meeting packet includes setting public hearings in March to receive input for changes to the Electric Rate Ordinance and zoning map changes; initiating upset bids on city-owned properties; and approving meeting minutes, according to the meeting packet here.
The Board of Aldermen will consider approving close to 40 items during the Feb. 10, 2026, meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 Pollock St. in New Bern, NC. Six of them are on the consent agenda.
According to the aldermen’s Rules of Procedure, “Approval of minutes and other items that are judged to be non-controversial and routine shall be placed on the consent agenda by those preparing the proposed agenda.” The rules say any member may remove an item and place it on the regular agenda before the agenda is approved.
If approved, the following six items will be packaged into one item — the consent agenda — and voted on in one swoop without discussion, according to the meeting agenda:
-Calling for a public hearing on March 10 to receive input on changes to the Electric Rate ordinance, such as a 4.5 percent increase in retail rates plus a power cost adjustment for the wholesale power supply to be effective on April 1.
-Calling for a public hearing to be held on March 10 to receive input on Michael J. Miller’s request to establish the initial zoning for one acre at 3406 Old Airport Rd. in Ward 3 as a R-8 Residential. The Planning and Zoning Board will review the request at its Feb. 19 meeting.
-Calling for a public hearing to be held on March 10 to receive input on O’Brien Family Wellness, Inc.’s request to rezone a 3.87-acre parcel at 1100 Pinetree Dr. from R-10A Residential to C-3 Commercial. The P & Z Board will review the request on Feb. 19.
-Initiating the upset bid process for a vacant 0.116-acre residential parcel at 927 Sampson St. in Ward 5. Denise Delgado and Charles K. Nobles submitted a bid of $3,200 to purchase property that has a tax value of $6,000. It was acquired by the city and Craven County in May 2018 through tax foreclosure.
-Initiating the upset bid process for a vacant 0.119-acre residential parcel at 1427 Lincoln St. in Ward 5. Kenneth Fairchild submitted a bid of $4,250 to purchase property that has a tax value of $8,500. It was acquired by the city and Craven County in May 2016 through tax foreclosure.
-Approving draft minutes from the Jan. 7 retreat and the Jan. 13 regular meeting.
Stay tuned for a future article with the rest of the 33 agenda items.
Meeting agendas, packets and minutes can be found here. Most meeting videos are available City 3 TV, the city’s Facebook page and the city’s YouTube channel.
Related news:
In September 2025, NewBernNow.com asked the aldermen who were running for office, “How often do you think the Board of Aldermen should meet?” Four of the six candidates who won said they should meet at least twice a month as reported here.
In October, the city manager asked the aldermen to approve a meeting schedule for 2026 before the new board was seated. The motion and vote were unclear, as reported here. We asked the aldermen, city manager and mayor to clarify the motion. Alderman Rick Prill said he “thought what we were voting on was a schedule that had only one meeting scheduled during the summer months, as we did in 2025.”
A few weeks later, the vice chairman of the Housing Authority of New Bern’s Board of Commissioners announced on her internet reality show that the mayor changed the Board of Aldermen’s meeting schedule. She said, “instead of two meetings a month has now gone to one meeting a month. It will be on the second Tuesday of every month.”
Mayor Odham told her, “It forces our staff and others to tighten up whenever they are making submissions that need to be on the agenda…”
The video of the show is no longer available.
Editor’s note: New Bern has a city council-manager form of government, according to the city charter. The Board of Aldermen make decisions as a whole and the mayor presides at aldermen meetings.
The city’s newly elected Board of Aldermen and mayor assumed office on Dec. 9, 2025.
The Board of Aldermen’s meeting schedule can be found here.
By Wendy Card, Editor. Send an email with questions or comments.