Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting - August 12, 2024
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Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting – August 12, 2024
The Fayetteville City Council held a regular meeting on August 12, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included announcements, recognition of interns and community organizations, a city manager report, public forum, consent agenda approval with one item pulled for discussion, two public hearings, a motion to petition for release of police body camera footage, and a vote on an amusement park feasibility study referral. Several key votes and decisions were made, including approval of school resource officer contracts and housing bond reauthorization.
Consent Calendar
- Approved meeting minutes from multiple June and July 2024 meetings.
- Approved rezoning requests: P24-28 (6966 and 6962 Nexus Court from OI to LC), P24-30 (0 Dundle Road from AR to SF-15), P24-31 (0? Drive from SF-10 to LC), and P24-32 (2620 Bragg Blvd to CC).
- Adopted Special Revenue Ordinance Close-outs 2025-1 through 2025-5 for Rural Economic Development Grants.
- Adopted Capital Project Ordinances 2025-18 and 2025-19 for federal transit grants and local match for paratransit software and ADA vehicles.
- Adopted Capital Project Ordinance Amendment 2025-20 for Blounts Creek Stream Enhancement grant.
- Adopted Budget Ordinance Amendment 2025-3 for Homeless Coordination Grant.
- Approved legislative actions for FY2025 Capital Improvement Plan funding adjustments.
- Approved resolutions authorizing condemnation of easements for sidewalk projects on Morganton Road, Old Wilmington Road, Rosehill Road, and Cliffdale Road Phase I.
- Authorized the city manager to negotiate acquisition of 144 Airport Road for the Airport Corridor Project.
- Approved Master Operations Agreement with Brightspeed of NC LLC.
- Approved School Resource Officer (SRO) and Traffic Control Officer (TCO) contracts with Cumberland County Schools (item pulled from consent for discussion, approved separately).
- Approved PWC resolutions: state loan for lead and copper rule compliance, and bid recommendations for Gas Turbine 6 exhaust plenum, turbidimeter replacement, lift station rehabilitation, rejection of bids for relay control houses, and purchase of ICP mass-spectrophotometer.
Public Comments & Testimony
Twelve speakers addressed the council. Melissa Williams requested enforcement of property maintenance standards and street dead-ending near Bryan Street. Chaliko Hearst urged hiring felons for city jobs (citing national precedent), emphasized urgency for homeless housing, criticized school superintendent salary, noted rising COVID rates among staff, and raised concerns about church burial policies. John Garyusso advocated for a crisis intervention team to support emergency services for mental health and substance abuse calls. A resident (Mrs. May O'Callan?—name unclear) requested assistance with Rayford Road traffic safety, citing accidents and pedestrian danger. Lizette Rodriguez called for release of K9 incident body camera footage, independent oversight of police (OCS), and updates on the OCS director hiring and past police-involved deaths. Sean McMillan demanded sentinel reviews for K9 incident and police homicides, independent oversight, and OCS transparency. Christina Mathis (PETA) urged release of body camera footage and independent investigation into K9 training and treatment. Euda King (dog trainer) argued the K9 handler failed the dog, and called for release of footage and information on the dog's fate. Enrique Marillo promoted the Man 22 Suicide Awareness Run on September 7 at Festival Park. Two registered speakers (Tina Jacobs, Rudlin Brown) were not present.
Discussion Items
- SRO/TCO Contracts (Item 8.0A15): City Manager Hewitt reported that by August 26, six SROs will be assigned to high schools, with three more by January 2025, and 40 of 66 TCOs hired (20 more expected by August 19). Chief Braden noted 90 applicants. Councilmember Benevente expressed concerns about the one-year contract, police staffing deficits (80 vacancies plus 23 new positions), missed opportunity to address school-to-prison pipeline, and lack of deeper reform. Councilmember Hondros suggested the city consider taking over the school system. The motion to approve the contracts passed 8-2 (opposed: Hondros, Benevente).
- Public Hearing 9.01 – Private Activity Bonds: Staff presented a reauthorization for two mixed-income housing developments at 1701 Owen Drive and 1944 Cedar Creek Road (up to $80 million total). No public speakers. The council unanimously approved the resolution.
- Public Hearing 9.02 – HUD Consolidated Plan Amendments: Staff presented a substantial amendment to accept a $155,000 Emergency Solutions Grant and reallocate $200,000 from home development to down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers (expanded to county and school employees). No public speakers. The council unanimously adopted the amendments.
- K-9 Body Camera Footage (Item 10.01): Councilmember Benevente moved to petition Cumberland County courts to release body camera footage from a June 23 traffic stop where an officer was filmed punching a police K9. The city attorney clarified that the process requires the city to sue itself, with a judge deciding release. The motion passed 8-2 (opposed: Thompson, Mayor Pro Tem Jensen).
- Amusement Park Feasibility Study (Item 11.03): Councilmember McNair moved to send the report to a work session for further information. After discussion that county and other partners cited resource constraints and interest in an aquatic center instead, the motion failed (4-6, opponents not explicitly named but motion failed).
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved with exception of item 8.0A15 (SRO/TCO contracts), which was approved separately 8-2.
- SRO/TCO one-year contracts approved (8-2), providing six SROs by August 26 and 66 TCOs by August 19, with a goal of one SRO per high school by January 2025.
- Resolution authorizing up to $80 million in private activity bonds for two affordable housing developments passed unanimously.
- Substantial amendments to 2020-2024 HUD Consolidated Plan and 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan adopted unanimously, allowing $155,000 ESG grant and $200,000 for down payment assistance.
- Motion to petition court for release of K9 body camera footage passed 8-2; legal process to follow.
- Motion to refer amusement park feasibility study to work session failed (4-6).
Meeting Transcript
To see all of you all who are joining us. Sorry about that. Call out our August 20, August 12th, 2024, City Council Meeting Order. Thank you to all those who are joining us here in the audience. I see I see any members of the school board. I know I see Dr. Collin, the superintendent and some of his leadership team. Can any members of the school board or the uh leadership of the Cumber County Schools if they could stand real quickly and we'll welcome you. Uh thank you all for coming this evening. And uh as we call this to order, we always begin with the invocation. We'll ask Miss Christy Conway of the Cross Point Church if she could come to the podium and lead us in our invocation if she's here. Yes, ma'am. There you are. All right, and um if we could all stand for the prayer immediately following the prayer, if we could repeat the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm so sorry. Good evening, everyone. Thank you, Mary, for having me speak this evening and to the other council members. Okay, I'm so sorry. I respectfully, I only know of one name to call on for prayer. God, we come to you to ask for your continued guidance as we come together to support our community. Even though we come from different walks of life, we all have one common goal, which is to keep our streets safe and to cover those who are less fortunate than ourselves, and to assist those who are re-entering our community so that they can have a foundation to stand on for the prevention of recidivism. God, you are the only one who can help us come together on common ground as we serve those in your name. We all play different instruments to play the beautiful sound of oneness. One band equals one sound of hope that opens doors and dreams that can come true. God, we ask that you continue to use who you want to use to do your work. And only by your name can this happen. Thank you for allowing us time to sit together and brainstorm to tell the stories of succession. God, it is only by your will that this be done. We thank you and we honor you in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. For which it stands. One nation under God and divisible with liberty. Thank you, Miss Christie. I I remembered you from the uh coffee with the mayor. I know don't want to put you on the spot. I always give a few moments if you take it. Just tell us a little bit about yourself and your and your church, maybe cross point church. Yes, um, my name is Christy Conway, and I am the owner of Broken that assists those, the unhoused community in our area and those that are coming from incarceration. I belong to a church, a wonderful church here in Cumberland County, Cross Point, located on on Hope Mills Road. I do apologize. You're doing great. But I am not a pastor, and I do apologize. I just wanted I did not know what it meant, but I God is doing some things through me, and I'm I'm appreciative. You did a great job. Thank you so much. Yeah, that's it. Thank you. Well, thank you. We appreciate that.
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