The Fayetteville City Council held a regular meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting included proclamations, public comments on multiple community issues, reports from city boards, and appointments to commissions. The council voted unanimously on most items, with one 8-1 vote to table an architectural agreement.
Good evening, everyone. We'd like to call our Thursday March 13th meeting to order, a different night than what we accustomed to, but City Council was at the National League of Cities in DC. So I'm glad they had a safe return and a good trip and represented our city. At this time, as with every meeting, we will call the meeting to order. Item two point oh is the invocation. We ask that Imam Abdul Hanif from the Masjid Omar B. Said, uh, if he could come forward, we ask that all would please stand uh for the prayer immediately following if we could repeat the pledge. Good evening, sir. Good evening. Mr. Mayor, City Council members, and distinguished guests. Let us pray. With God's name, the merciful benefactor, the merciful redeemer, we come before you seeking your divine guidance in a world filled with complexities. We yearn for clarity and direction. Bless this city leadership to recognize the inherent potential within each of us. And we ask that this potential be nurtured and directed towards good. Infuse their hearts with compassion, enabling them to understand and empathize with the suffering of others. One nation. Ameem Hanif, if you could, we thank you for joining us tonight. You want to tell us a little bit about yourself or the mass jet I'm familiar with it, but maybe some who are watching may not be. I'm a member of Master Omar Ibn Saeed at 2700 Mercoson Road. We're under we're an Islamic community under the leadership of Imam W. D. Mohammed who proclaims in word and deed the universal message of Islam. There's only one God and one human family. We are in the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This is the month of fasting where we fast from dawn until sunset. This is the month of prayer, reflection, and charity. And it mocks the beginning of the revolution of the Holy Quran to Mohammed the Prophet. But thank you so much, sir. We appreciate that. Thank you for sharing with us what you do, and thank you for the work that you all do. We thank you for the invitation. Yes, sir. All right, Council, as we move forward, we have uh some very special recognitions that we have prepared uh proclamations for uh with the presentation. I'd like to ask uh Mr. Phil Harris, the executive director of the American Red Cross if he could meet me at the podium for special presentation, Mr. Pickleball. How are you, sir? Not here tonight for that. That's Mr. Over the Edge, my partner and over the edge for the United Way. Um and done. Come on, let's do it again. Whereas this March, we celebrate American Red Cross Month by recognizing the compassionate acts of people in Fateville in Cumberland County, and by renewing our commitment to lend an helping hand to our neighbors in need. Since Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross more than 140 years ago, generation after generation has stepped up to deliver relief and care across our country and around the world, bringing out the best of humanity in time of crisis, advancing this noble mission, the volunteers, blood donors, and supporters who now give back through the Sand Hills chapters, are unwavering their commitment to prevent the human suffering in the face of today's emergencies. And whereas their voluntary and generous contribution sign a beacon of hope in people's darkest hours, whether it's delivering shelter, food, and comfort during disasters, providing critical blood donations for hospital patients, supporting service members and veterans and their families, saving lives with first aid, CPR, AED, and other skills, or delivering international aid and reconnecting loved ones separated by global crisis. And whereas this work to uplift our community is truly made possible by those who selflessly answer the call to help whenever or wherever it's needed. We hereby recognize this month of March in honor of the remarkable service, and we ask everyone to join their commitment for care for one another. Now, therefore, I Mitch Colvin, the mayor of the City of Fayetteville, North Carolina, on behalf of the City Council and our 208,000 residents, do hereby honorably proclaim this month of March in the year 2025 as American Red Cross Month.