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.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/22146
2010-2011: The Year that Was and the Year That Is To Come City’s 2010 Successes Are Only the Beginning by JANICE BURTON 2010 has been a year of change for the City of Fayetteville. And while those changes might not be that apparent to most people, they are going to become very apparent in the coming weeks and months. Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne recently took some time to refl ect back on the achievements of 2010. “In general we turned a big corner in 2010,” said Chavonne. “A lot of things we had in place started to pay dividends, and city residents started to see a difference.” At the top of Chavonne’s list was the double digit decrease in crime in the city. He noted that the city police force had long been working to turn the tide on crime, and in 2010 it paid off. “We made a lot of changes to be a more attractive community,” explained Chavonne. “And that has also paid off.” He noted that in the past year the city has seen a rise in jobs and the per- capita income of its residents. In fact, Fayetteville garnered the second highest increase in the country. “These are some of the indicators that we have seen that show some of the changes we’ve made to be a more attractive, clean, peaceful city are working,” he said. Chavonne added that while many people are looking to the future to see the impact of the Base Realignment and Closure move of U.S. Forces Command and the U.S. Reserve Command to Fort Bragg, the impact is already being felt. “People are confused about BRAC,” said Chavonne. “We are seeing impacts now. We have had multiple ribbon cuttings for military contractors and we have seen new businesses opening because of the move. Next summer, the fl ag will be planted in the ground, but we are already benefi tting from BRAC.” Key in that benefi t is the number of higher paying jobs that are coming to the community. “Whether people move here from Atlanta or the jobs are hired in our community, those jobs are still going to be fi lled, and their impact is going to be felt here.” One of the city’s biggest strides forward was the passage of the Uniformed Development Ordinance, or UDO, that has been in the works for at least two years. “This has been a two and a half year project to raise the standard for what our city looks like,” said Chavonne. “People came together and recognized that we were in a unique situation and that we had one shot to do this right.” He noted that some incremental changes are being made now through the UDO, such as the addition of sidewalks in all new communities and the provision for more green and open spaces. The ordinance also addresses signage and other aesthetic qualities surrounding development. “As we continue to raise the bar, we are going to see returns on those kinds of investments,” he said. One of the big successes of 2010, was the funding for the completion of the I-295 loop from Ramsey Street to All American. “That was huge for us,” said Chavonne. “We also gained our fi rst 4-star hotel and convention center that is under construction now.” In 2011 Fayetteville residents will have a lot to look forward to. Early in the year residents will begin moving into renovated and new homes in the Hope 6 development area. In downtown, construction on the parking deck will begin and end in 2011, which will make parking easier for downtown visitors. Veterans Park is also slated for completion on July 4. Chavonne believes that the park, and the increased tourist traffi c it brings to the community, will have an aesthetic and an economic impact on the community. He added that even though Fayetteville was not as affected by the economy as other counties, the city could see problems coming from a decrease in state funding due to budget shortfalls. “We are very cautious about that area right now,” said Chavonne. “I would say that is our biggest area of concern.” And, if you haven’t sat in traffi c lately, you should know that traffi c is also a big area of concern. “The city growth, and continued growth, will result in longer lines, so we are defi nitely going to be pushing for highway funding in 2011,” said Chavonne. “All of this is just part of the growing pains that we knew we could expect. We have to keep pushing the ball on some of the other traffi c corridors like All American, Raeford Road and Ramsey Street.” County Weathered the Storm, Bracing for BRAC by STEPHANIE CRIDER There’s a lot going on in Cumberland County these days. 2010 was a busy year and 2011 and beyond looks to hold some interesting twists and turns as well. Outgoing Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Billy R. King and incoming chairman Kenneth Edge share their thoughts on where we’ve been and where we are headed. UCW: What was the county’s biggest accomplishment this past year? King: Overall, the last 12 months have been successful. First of all, we were able to reduce the property tax rate to the revenue neutral rate of 74 cents per $100 valuation. We encountered some bumps in the road, but we faced them head on and overcame them. One of those bumps was the state mandate to take over child support enforcement in the county, which we did by creating a new separate county Child Support Department that now employs more than 60 people. UCW: What do you see as the biggest challenge(s) facing the county in 2011 Billy R. King and how are you planning on dealing with them? Edge: We are facing tremendously challenging times as a country, state and county. The biggest challenge facing the county in 2011 is the unknown of what the state legislature will do about its budget. As the state cuts its budget, we may face additional mandates and have to take on increased services. We are better off than many other counties and have weathered the recession through responsible governance and careful planning, which we will continue 8 UCW DEC. 29, 2010 - JAN. 4, 2011 Kenneth Edge to do in 2011. UCW: What can county residents look forward to in the next fi ve years from the Cumberland County government? Edge: In January, the commissioners and management will begin a strategic planning process to look at our mission and vision statements, and to establish priorities for 2011 and future years. Challenges will continue and opportunities will always exist as the year progresses and the years pass. Decisions must be made on what is affordable and sustainable with our revenue resources. UCW: There has been a lot of buzz about BRAC coming to the area. How do you see that impacting the community and services that the county offers? Edge: The impact of BRAC will include an increased tax base, more jobs resulting in more traffi c on our roads, and the possible need for more schools. UCW: Are we ready? Edge: We really won’t know until the bulk of the new residents begin arriving. Only then will we know school enrollment and if we need additional facilities. UCW: Are there any issues that still need to be worked out and what are they? Edge: Transportation through Spring Lake is an issue facing the state and the Department of Transportation. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM