He recognized Lieutenant Perry Parks and Investigator Gorton Williams for receiving their crisis intervention training certification. Hasty told council he now has 11 officers who are certified in crisis intervention training.

Hasty presented Officer Alex Green with a commendation for outstanding job performance when he helped a woman who unwittingly left her wallet at home while on a trip from Wilmington to Washington, D.C., in March.

The woman said in a letter to the police department, “I explained my case to him and asked if the PD had any emergency funds. He replied they did not. But in speaking to him further he offered to follow me to the gas station and fill my tank up. What a blessing he was to me on that day … He really was kind and went above and beyond on that day representing your department.”

The woman, who works in law enforcement administration, noted she repaid the funds. “Thanks for employing a good man.”

Meanwhile, Ken Wilson, of the SAR, presented Jamie Hardy with the group's law enforcement commendation medal.

Hasty said the award reflected Hardy's effort last year to disarm a suicidal man as well as his overall job performance.

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The accompanying photo gallery shows photos of Benthall, Parks and Williams, Green, Wilson and Hardy.

In other matters this evening council:

•Approved amendments to business regulations within the city's code of ordinances.

Specifically, according to a memo from Finance Director Leigh Etheridge, the amendments deal with the elimination of privilege license fees by the state and the creation of a business registration program.

The amendments, the memo says, accomplish the following:

Amends the chapter dealing with the solicitation of alms to require a permit from the police chief and to require the use of safety vests for those soliciting alms and charitable contributions. Hasty likened this to the efforts of the Weldon Fire Department in its fundraising roadblock efforts.

Adds a new chapter to business registration to enable staff to have a record of businesses opening within the city limits and a registration fee of $20.

Requires itinerant merchants, vendors and peddlers who engage in the temporary business of selling goods, wares and merchandise to use safety vests for certain activities and pay a $20 fee. This also applies to yard sales in commercial parking lots.

•Accepted the appropriation of additional grant funds for the CDBG-Commerce Fellows Program. The city was awarded $22,500 last December, Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky said. The city was awarded another $27,500 to allow the city to successfully complete the program.