The Fayetteville City Council met on September 8, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting began with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and recognitions. Key topics included presentations from the ACE Academy, a 9/11 remembrance proclamation, public comments on ShotSpotter and other issues, and votes on a conditional rezoning, ShotSpotter contract renewal, and a fire station construction manager selection.
Well, good evening, everyone. We'd like to call our September 8th, 2025 City Council meeting in order. We welcome all of you who are joining us in the audience, those who may be joining us virtually. We welcome you as well. At this time, as with any meeting, we start with the invocation. We ask that Patrick Pastor Richard Sanders, Truvine Ministries, if you would please come to the podium and uh ask that all would please stand for the prayer. Immediately following, if we could repeat the Pledge of Allegiance in unison. Let us pray, Heavenly Father, we've come before you tonight with hearts full of gratitude for the opportunity to serve this city and its people. Thank you for the gift of leadership and the responsibility that you've entrusted to this council. Lord, we ask for your wisdom to guide every decision made in this room. Let clarity replace confusion, unity overcome division, and purpose drive every conversation. May we not seek what is just good, but what is in the best interest for the people of Fayetteville. Bless the city, its leaders, and its citizens, protect our community, provide for those that are in need, and let your peace rest upon us. In your name we do pray. Amen. Amen. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God in business. With liberty and justice for all. From our book bag drive. Today, we just launched our um Her Essentials campaign. Campaign, which allows us to collect um items for feminine um feminine hygiene products for all the ladies that are in need at this present time. Well, I appreciate it, Pastor. I'm sorry. All right, but thank you, sir. Thank you for the prayer. Let's give him a round of applause. Tell us about the great things we're doing at the Fly Faye. Good evening, honorable uh Mayor Calvin and uh Fayeville, North Carolina's Distanguage City Council members. Thank you for having us here today. So during August 4th and 5th this year, Fayetteville Regional Airport hosted its fourth annual Aviation Career Education Academy. With the fiscal support of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Aviation, Airport staff, along with several industry partners, a two-day program was planned and organized to introduce the many career paths in the aerospace workforce to the youth of our community. All of which participated in an end of academy survey. The survey results confirmed that the ACE Academy sparked an overwhelming interest in the aeronautical field amongst the participants. The initial North Carolina Department of Transportation Ace Academy grant was accepted by City Council in 2022. Since then, the Academy has expanded to reach the interest in Cumberland County. Today, we've honored we're honored to have three of our ACE Academy students here with us to share their experience. So without further ado, I'd like to personally introduce them to you. Elena Fillmore, 11th grade, she's homeschooled. Adriel Torres, 10th grade, Westover High School, and Derek Zieg, seventh grade, Grace Creek Middle School. Good evening. I am Elena Filmore. First, I want to say how thankful I am that I had the privilege to attend the Ace Academy this year. I truly valued the learning opportunities I had, and the staff was all very welcoming to me. Having activities outside of the classroom, like going on flights, touring the air traffic control tower, and touring the airport itself allowed for engagement outside of classroom instruction. Personally, I enjoyed Dr. Casey Denham's presentation about NASA. This opened my eyes to NASA's focus being not only on space but aeronautics as a whole. Overall, I believe the experience was very valuable, and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to attend. Thank you.