Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting - May 8, 2023
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Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting - May 8, 2023
The Fayetteville City Council met on May 8, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included proclamations, recognition of a local graduate, approval of the consent agenda, a public forum with multiple speakers addressing homelessness and public safety, and a discussion on revisions to City Council Policy 120.9 regarding public forum sign-up procedures. The meeting lasted approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Consent Calendar
- Unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included:
- Approval of meeting minutes from April 18, 2023 (Special Budget), April 24, 2023 (Discussion of Agenda Items and Regular), and May 1, 2023 (Work Session).
- Adoption of a resolution requesting the Cliffdale Recreation Center as an additional One Stop Early Voting Site.
- City Council Policies Review Committee recommendations (excluding Policy 120.9).
- Accelerated Public Works Commissioner Appointment Schedule Proposal.
- Sole source recommendation for purchase of relays and associated equipment from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
- Resolution authorizing a quitclaim deed for property at 508 Scarborough Street.
- Assessment appeal for vacant land (PIN 9496-55-7124).
- Phase 5 annexation resolutions confirming assessment rolls and levying assessments for Area 23 Section 2 and Area 24A.
- Phase 5 annexation preliminary assessment resolutions for Area 28 and Area 33 North.
Public Comments & Testimony
Six speakers signed up for the public forum; two were not present. The following residents addressed the council:
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Lisette Rodriguez (1701 Cherokee Drive) – Thanked Councilwoman Jensen for the motion to fund an Office of Community Safety (OCS) and urged the council to fully fund it with a minimum of $1 million. She criticized the city's handling of homeless encampments, citing a recent suicide at the Glasby Street camp the day before the city's scheduled clearing. She argued that criminalization and displacement of unhoused people are cruel and ineffective.
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George Bows (256 Ramona Drive) – Discussed high auto insurance rates in Fayetteville, citing crash statistics and noting the city has the highest bodily injury liability rate and second-highest property damage rate in the state. He advocated for reinstating red light and speed cameras, acknowledging constitutional challenges but arguing they could generate revenue for schools and reduce crashes. The City Manager offered to have Adam Lindsay contact him to discuss the history of the issue.
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Lindsay Waffett (345 Desmond Drive) – Criticized the city's homeless policies, stating that promises of resources are hollow and that the sign at the Gillespie Bridge encampment led to a man's suicide. She claimed that the city's offers of first-month rent and deposits require unattainable employment standards, and that some individuals were moved to hotels only to be taken to Harnett County the next day. She demanded accountability and called for an end to what she called half-truths.
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Christopher Tober (1520 Cassiers Lane) – A formerly homeless resident who was affected by the city's no-camping ordinance. He described being cited multiple times and feeling criminalized. He is now housed thanks to Cumberland Health Net, but urged the council not to treat homelessness as a crime.
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Michelle Ornellis (3514 McCumber Court) – Shared her personal experience of being homeless and 13 years clean. She accused the council of not truly addressing homelessness, pointing to the delayed day center and the promised 100-bed facility. She said she warned the city manager seven months ago that someone would die, and now another death has occurred. She urged the council to show genuine compassion.
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Sean McMillan (6224 Golden Rain Drive) – Called for decriminalizing poverty and revoking the no-camping ordinance. He argued that the ordinance is inhumane and leads to loss of life, citing names of those killed in police interactions. He advocated for fully funding the Office of Community Safety and treating the unhoused with compassion rather than punishment.
Discussion Items
Policy 120.9 – Public Forum Sign-Up Procedures
Councilmember Jensen, chair of the City Council Policies Review Committee, presented the committee's recommendations. The committee had reviewed the city's policies and regulations over several months. The specific revision to Policy 120.9 addressed the deadline for signing up to speak at the public forum. The current policy allowed sign-ups until 7:00 PM (meeting time), but the committee proposed cutting off sign-ups earlier because meetings may now start 15–30 minutes early for announcements and recognitions.
Councilmember Hare noted that no additional names had been added after 5:00 PM before the meeting. Councilmember Benevente argued that the city should encourage participation by allowing sign-ups up until the meeting start time, possibly using an iPad or other method. He expressed concern that restricting sign-ups would limit access for residents who are not tech-savvy.
Councilmember Jensen clarified that the committee's recommendation was consistent with the new earlier start times. Councilmember Ingram supported keeping the deadline at 7:00 PM to avoid confusion with legislative hearings, which are statutorily required to start at 7:00 PM.
Councilmember Thompson moved to accept the committee's revisions to Policy 120.9. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Jensen. After discussion, the motion passed with a vote of 4 in favor (the transcript shows four hands raised in favor, but the wording is ambiguous; the motion was declared passed).
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved unanimously.
- Policy 120.9 adopted with the committee's revisions, changing the public forum sign-up deadline to align with the earlier start of meetings (i.e., no longer allowing sign-ups until 7:00 PM). The vote was 4–0 (or 4 in favor, none opposed, though the transcript’s vote count is unclear).
- The City Manager will follow up with Mr. Bows regarding red light camera history.
- The meeting adjourned after the vote.
Meeting Transcript
Behalf of City Council and more than 208,000 citizens do hereby honorably proclaim the month of May in the year 2023 as National Tennis Month in witness whereof Mayor has set his hand and caused the great seal of city of Fairfield to be affixed on this day of May. Thank you. Hi, my name is Vitrace Williams. I just wanted to say thank you. On behalf of the Cape Verde Regional Tennis Foundation, I want to say thank you to the city and to the Parks of Right Foundation for helping us, especially with all the clinics we do, including the abilities tennis. Including abilities tennis, uh the junior clinics we do with the urban ministry and all the adult leagues that we do. So I really appreciate all the help, guys. Thank you. All right. I'd like to ask Dr. Dennis Corbyn, associate professor at Favel State University to come forward from the School of Social Work in recognition of the National Association of Black Social Workers. Um day, and let's see, Cape Fair Fellow Association of Black Social Workers. And Councilmember Brenda McNair is going to read the proclamation. Yes, sir. Thank you. May I approach you. Councilmember McNair. Yes, sir. Thank you. National Association of Black Social Workers was created during the 1960s, civil rights movement on May 8, 1968 in San Francisco, California, by a group of black social workers who were convened for the National Conference on Social Welfare, the largest professional social work organization at the time. This group of black social workers disengaged from that meeting to form what has ultimately become the foremost advocacy group established to address social issues and concern of black community. Those black social workers ultimately became the founder of the National Association of Black Social Workers and whereas Cape Fairville Association of Black Associal Workers was organized by a group, uh black human service and black social workers employed by Fairville Cumberland County and surrounded counties in 1981 and whereas a local nonprofit service organization that provides a forum through which black social workers and workers in related fields of social services can exchange ideas, offer services, and develop activities in the best interest of people of African descent and the African American community. Our primary goal is to promote the general welfare of black community and whereas the CFF Association of Black Social Workers Incorporated comprise of people of Africa heritage and committed to enhancing the quality of life empowering people of Africa, Africans, uh ancestry through advocacy, human source services developing resources, whereas CFF ABSW vision is guided by the seven principles of uh this principle consists of unity, self-determination, collective work of responsibility, cooperative economic purpose, creativity, and faith, and seven cardinal uh virtues of my at they are right truth, justice, order, uh uh recyc reprocity, balance, and human. Now, therefore, Mitch Coven of City of Fairville, North Carolina, on the behalf of the city council and more than 28,000 citizens do hereby honorably proclaim May 8, 2023 as Cape Fear Fairville National Association of Black Social Workers. I have here unto set my hands and cause the great seal of the city of Fairville to be uh fixed the 24th day of April 2023. Mayor Mitch Covey. All right, girl. Can we do one more? One more. One more. We're gonna do a sign. Oh, he's got here we go. And it's right now. Do it up. The ladies have it. All right. All right, very good. Very good. Okay, great. All right. It's this one right here. Good after uh good evening, Mayor Pro Tim, City Council members and staff. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the Kate Fair Fairville Association of Black Social Workers, Councilwoman McNair. Uh we really appreciate you uh embracing us as a part of your platform, recognizing that we understand and value uh the citizens of Cumberland County, and we wholeheartedly support the efforts that you've begun in terms of um uh trying to create an ordinance as it relates to gun safety in this city. Uh as a social worker, we certainly have experienced or dealt with all issues related to gun violence from the family to the children and uh uh availability of services. So I really like to thank you all and the council uh for this recognition. Thank you. Thank you, Doctor. Umber Benavente is gonna make his way to the front, and we'd like to ask Brittany Reeves uh to come forward. Yes, here she comes.
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