Up & Coming Weekly

July 05, 2022

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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8 UCW JULY 6 - 12, 2022 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Candidates and incumbents for the Fayetteville City Council squared off in brief mayoral and council district de- bates on June 30, hoping to sway voters to their way of thinking. e Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce hosted the candidate forum at the Crown Coliseum Complex. e Fayetteville City Council and Mayoral election are on July 26. e election consists of a mayoral race and nine single-member districts. e forum did not allow the approxi- mate 60 audience members to under- stand how all members felt about any single topic since district candidates were asked different questions. Candi- dates who served in the military touted their leadership expertise, while those who owned or operated businesses touted their business acumen. One emerging theme among those seeking office for the first time was that the current leadership was lacking. Incumbents mostly pointed to current city programs when asked about their accomplishments. Many candidates seeking their first terms promised more of everything, among them enticements to keep those getting out of the military and recent college graduates to stay in Fayetteville. Mayor Mitch Colvin said the city is business-friendly and has demon- strated that through supporting small businesses, especially during the height of the pandemic, and forming partner- ships to help businesses. He points to the more than 2,500 jobs created and $250 million in new investments. Mayoral candidate Freddie de la Cruz said his focus would be on better mass transportation to help people get from their homes to work and back again. He advocated a more efficient way of get- ting to bus stops from homes, possibly using Lyft or Uber. De la Cruz also criticized the city's leadership response to the riots and the burning of the Market House. "I didn't like the way that was run," he said. He said removing the "black painted stripe" around the Market House and then paying to repaint the street was an inefficient use of city resources. e Black Lives Matter issue surrounding the Market House was divisive, he said. Colvin and de la Cruz also differed on their approach to finding a solution for the growing number of unhoused individuals in the city and the idea of term limits for the mayor and city council. Colvin noted the city is cur- rently working on several programs to mitigate homelessness in the city, citing a proposed homeless shelter and other programs. De la Cruz said much of the home- lessness is a family matter and should be handled accordingly. He supports using public money for homeless cen- ters for those who, because of mental illness or drug addiction, are not able to function without help. Others, who are capable of working, should be put back into the workforce, and that should be accomplished by bolstering the city's economy, he said. De la Cruz, a retired lieutenant colonel, said the mayor and city council offices should have term limits. He likened it to the Army's change-of- command, where new leadership is infused often. Colvin, who has served as councilmember and mayor pro tem before becoming the city's second African-American mayor in 2017, said the current two-year term works best. He was first elected to City Council in 2013. "We have the shortest terms in the state, and we all run at the same time," Colvin said. e city council and mayor all run for two-year terms and are not staggered. "At any given time, there can be a complete turnover. Citizens decide every 24 months," he said. District 5 candidate Frederick La- Chance, a Navy veteran and a graduate of the original Pine Forest High School, called for the removal of Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins. LaChance is running against long-time incumbent Johnny Dawkins Jr. LaChance also said his position is based on how the city, in his view, failed to respond to the riots and burning of the Market House. La- Chance also endorsed combining city and county services. Dawkins said he is a staunch propo- nent of a well-paid and well-equipped police department. He agreed with LaChance that some services should be combined and noted the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation services currently are a joint city-county venture. e issue of race relations emerged in the debate between District 8 incum- bent Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and downtown businessman Michael Pinkston. Pinkston previously ran for city council in 2015. When asked about race being an issue in Fayetteville, Pinkston replied, "Race disturbs me deeply, but we need to get over ourselves." He envi- sions a council that will discuss issues, not race, one that works on problems and votes for whatever is best for Fayetteville. Pinkston said he supports the "Yes Fayetteville" initiative, which seeks to have at-large council representation, thus giving city voters more than two candidates to vote for. Currently, city residents can only vote for a mayor and their respective district representative. Adding at-large candidates would give city voters more voting options and, once elected, more council members responsive to that district. Banks-McLaughlin told the primarily Black audience she was not in favor of the proposed "Yes Fayetteville" referen- dum, calling it racist and an attempt by some to achieve power and control over the city. Currently, eight of the 10-mem- ber council are Black. Pinkston said voting in favor of hav- ing at-large council members would put us in league with other North Carolina cities like Raleigh and Durham. Pinkston also said he supports the city's previous pledge of $7.5 mil- lion for the proposed Civil War and Reconstruction Museum. Both the city and Cumberland County previ- ously pledged $7.5 million each, with a county proviso that the committee behind the museum get other funding. e state of North Carolina has allo- cated $60 million for the project. Banks-McLaughlin said she does not support the museum. She said there were more important issues in the community that the city could use the money for. Supporters of the museum have repeatedly noted the economic boon to Fayetteville in jobs and recur- ring tourist dollars once the history center is complete and under state control and operation. District 4 incumbent D.J. Haire also supports single-member districts and does not support the proposed "Yes Fayetteville" referendum. Haire said the smaller single-member districts allow him to get to know his constituents better. His opponent omas Greene asked, "What difference does it make?" Whether all single-member districts or some at-large districts, Greene said the issue is quality. "Fayetteville has a leadership prob- lem," he said, maintaining that having the right people in place will make the difference. Asked about the Murchison Road corridor, Greene said making residents along that route safe, enforcing building codes, and creating a better standard of living for those residents would do much to enhance that I-295 gateway into the city. Greene, a bail bondsman, said Fayetteville has a narco economy and a 50% increase in the murder rate. Working on those issues would greatly enhance Fayetteville's image. Haire countered that he had been a "drum major" for Murchison Road, cit- ing the development of Bronco Square across from Fayetteville State University and securing $350,000 for support- ing small businesses in the area. Haire so far has served 10 terms on the city NEWS Municipal candidates face off during Election Forum by JASON BRADY Mayor Mitch Colvin responds to questions alongside mayoral candidate Freddie de la Cruz at the General Election Forum , June 30. (Photo by Jason Brady)

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