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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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MARCH 14-20, 2018 UCW 9 Fayettev ille Cit y Council isn't satisf ied w it h t he draft of a re- v ised ordinance t he cit y attorney's off ice has proposed to deal w it h panhandling in t he cit y. Police Attorney Brandon Christian out lined an ordinance t hat would f ine occupants of motor vehicles for giv ing items to panhandlers in t he roadway. "There is ambiguit y in the way the ordinance was drafted," Chris- tian admitted. He told council the U.S. Supreme Court has held that offering money to someone is a First Amendment form of protect- ed free speech. Council members urged the city attorney's office to concentrate on dealing with beggars as a public safety issue instead of a panhan- dling issue. Six months ago, council member Jim Arp raised concerns about panhandlers disrupting business, noting that customers are often preyed upon in busy shopping areas by men begging for money. Freshman Councilwoman Tisha Waddell urged her colleagues to stop referring to the ordinance draft as a panhandling regulation. "It's about the safety of the streets," Waddell said. Others agreed with Waddell's views, including Police Chief Gina Hawkins. "We don't have the manpower to enforce panhandling," she said. She and others noted the existing ordi- nance and the new draft treat viola- tions as civil not criminal issues. "I'm in favor of keeping safe streets for everyone, and right now it's not safe with people in the medians," Hawkins said. Mayor Pro-Tem Ted Mohn said he wanted the administration to recognize enforcement differences along residential streets and thor- oughfares. He said he would be in favor of changing the ordinance to allow the exchange of items between pedestrians and motor- ists on neighborhood streets that are not clearly marked as traffic lanes. That, he said, would allow ice cream venders to conduct busi- ness in residential communities. He cited it as one example of the difficult y of crafting an ordinance on panhandling. Councilman D.J. Haire said he has concerns about penaliz- ing people for giving money and clothing to panhandlers. Johnny Dawkins agreed. "I'm not going to support fining people for giving money," he said. The city's original ordinance, which is still on the books, was adopted in 2008. It bans panhan- dling in the downtown area, and every where in the city after dark. It prohibits panhandlers from begging while standing on road- way medians and shoulders, but as a practical matter it is rarely enforced. Courts have declined to prosecute panhandlers. "We have to deal with this in a comprehensive way," Arp said. He and most other members of council want to undertake a massive public education campaign designed to discourage residents from giving money to panhandlers while at the same time keeping panhandlers out of the streets. "We've missed the point … it's not about giving; it's where they give," Arp said. City staff will continue ef- forts to perfect an ordinance. Council addresses panhandling regulations by JEFF THOMPSON NEWS Walk Awhile in Her Shoes START: Capitol Building on Hay St., Fayetteville, NC FINISH: AIT Building on Hay St., Fayetteville, NC $25 General includes T-shirt, admission to reception and two drink tickets $15 Students with/ID includes T-shirt, one admission to reception $10 For use of our beautiful red high heels ... or wear your own For more information or to sign up, please call 910.485.7273 or email gerdes.deanne@gmail.com All proceeds go toward direct victim services for victims of sexual violence at Rape Crisis of Cumberland County. Registration starts at 6PM, walk starts at 7PM.