Durham Reporter

The Durham city manager is focusing on his hope for the future despite recent challenges the community has faced.

City Manager Thomas Bonfield outlined three key goals to move Durham forward in an April 13 interview with EfficientGov — a website that tracks innovations and technologies to help governments. 

"Currently responding to a simultaneous malware attack on our city network and computers, and the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic," Bonfield told the website about the challenges he faces currently. "Outside of this, the biggest challenge is responding to significant growth in Durham and its impact on housing affordability."

His primary focus, he said, is to help the community recover from the widespread COVID-19 pandemic. The city, like others in North Carolina and across the country, has been functioning under a stay-at-home order, which is scheduled to expire May 15. To help with the public health crisis recovery, Walgreens on May 1 offered by-appointment COVID-19 testing for community members. Health experts have said testing is essential to a healthy economic reopening. 

Additionally, Bonfield told EfficientGov he intends to start implementing the five-year affordable housing plan to address a growing need in a city of 270,000 people and climbing. According to the city's website, Durham exceeds federal guidelines for the number of days acceptable for someone to be homeless. The United States Inter-agency Council on Homelessness report for Durham recommended 90 days, while in the city it is 111 days. The Go Forward NC website estimates the tri-county area population increases by 100 people daily, which indicates a need for more housing. 

The city manager also told the website he has the goal of starting a “shared economic prosperity” strategy for the city of Durham. In the shared economic prosperity plan, the goals include building a talented, competitive workforce and growing a civic infrastructure.

The transit improvement strategy includes expanding the bus service as well as servicing bus stops and shelters. According to the Go Forward NC Website, transit improvements are being funded by changes to the sales tax. One is Article 43, which is half-cent sales and use tax. The second is article 50, which is a 5% vehicle rental tax. Article 51 will also go towards the project, which is a $3 increase to the regional vehicle registration fee. Article 52 is a $7 county vehicle registration fee, and it will also fund the project.

Being a city manager is "an honor and a great challenge requiring persistence, flexibility and collaboration," he told EfficientGov.