The Fayetteville City Council met on January 13, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting opened with an invocation by Apostle Karen Hale, the Pledge of Allegiance, announcements (including recognition of Deputy Clerk Jennifer Ayers for earning the Master Municipal Clerk designation and a special recognition for first responders who assisted during Hurricane Helene), and a city manager report on the police chief recruitment process. Public forum featured eight speakers on topics including Bragg Boulevard revitalization, senior services, Sentinel Event Review (SER) implementation, and concerns about the direction of the Office of Community Safety (OCS). The council approved the consent agenda with one item pulled for separate vote, received reports, and held two public hearings. Key outcomes included adoption of a ghost gun regulation resolution (8-2) and approval of a road closing for the Crown Event Center; the Phase 5 annexation assessment vote was postponed pending resolution of a property owner's double-payment concern.
Well, good evening, everyone. We would like to call our January 13th, 2025 FIVA City Council meeting to order. Welcome all those who are joining us in the audience, those who are joining us remotely at this time, as with every meeting, we start with the invocation. We'll ask that Apostle Karen Hale from New Life Ministries. Hey, Apostle, how are you doing? All right, if we could all stand for the prayer immediately following uh the prayer, if we could do the Pledge of Allegiance. Amen. Father, we come to you this evening first to give you thanks, oh God. Thank you for this meeting. We thank you for allowing us to come together in this new year. We pray now, Lord, that you would bless the mayor. We ask you to bless the council. We ask that you would give guidance on tonight that it be decent in order. We pray, God, that there would be wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. We pray for dignity, we pray for unity, we pray for peace. And God, we just want to say thank you for all things, and we give you praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. Apostle, good to see you again. Good to see you. My neighbor across across the street. But uh would you uh maybe tell us a little bit about yourself and your ministry? Okay, I'm Apostle Karen Hale, New Life Ministry Pastor and Founder. We are located directly across the street from Colvin Funeral Home, 2015 Murchison Road. We've been in ministry for 22, almost 23 years, and we are glad to be in the community. We do also have a seminary school, theology school that we offer associates, batches, masters, and doctoral program. And so we're just glad to be in the community and to serve in this capacity. We appreciate you. Thank you for the work you do in the community. Thank you for giving us the prayer tonight. Um, council, as we move to the next item we have announcements. I'll go to Councilwoman Banks McLaughlin. Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to recognize um the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Happy Founders Day. This is the hundred and twelfth Founders Day, so congratulations. Thank you, Mayor. All right, happy founders day to ladies of Delta Sigma Theta. Um also, Council, as we move to our announcements and recognition, we have uh very special uh recognition and designation to one of our very own who keeps us all together around here. Uh, in addition to the other other members of staff, but right now it asked that uh uh deputy clerk Jennifer Ayers would meet me at the podium. Uh and I guess Mayor Pro Tim, would you read this? I would be honored to. This is a great day for all of us. We all feel like we're celebrating one of our own family members. The Master Municipal Clerk Program is the second and more advanced of two professional designations granted by International Institute of Municipal Clerks. The MMC program is an advanced continuing education program that prepares participants to perform complex municipality deputies. Congratulations. We know somebody that can turn it on.