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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Meet the Robertsons: Servant Leaders Ready to Move the City Forward by JANICE BURTON It was summer 1988. Nat Robertson was in Gainsville, Fla., on a visit. While on a She sees that skill serving him well in his role as mayor. blind date, he met the perfect girl. Unfortunately, she wasn't his date. "If folks are active and concerned with the city, then Nat is going to listen to them She was his best friend's date. "At the end of the evening, he told his friend that if and their concerns," she said. "He will truly hear them." he didn't marry me and take me back to North Carolina, he was a fool," recalled Kim "That's really my job," said Robertson. "I need to understand where they are Robertson, during an interview in the Robertsons' Haymount home. coming from, because their problems are very real. And if someone comes to the city Fortunately for Robertson, his friend didn't take him up on the suggestion, engaged and looking to solve a problem, then we are going to work on it." and, with his friend's blessing, he began calling and later visiting Kim. Following a That being said, the new mayor is going into his new role with a few key things at courtship that saw Robertson driving up and down I-95 every the top of his list. other weekend, the couple married and Kim made the move to "Do you want to hear my Top 10 priorities for this year?" Fayetteville. he asked. "Here it is: Crime and Economic Development. That was 25 years ago, and over the ensuing years, the Until we take care of those issues, everything else is going to couple has worked hard to fulfill their dreams and goals. For have to wait. The 2014 and 2015 budget is going to revolve Robertson, that meant a partnership with his father in the around those two issues. If we resolve some of the issues family jewelry store and ownership of his own businesses, associated with those two priorities, we will solve other as well as a life of public service, which led him to run for problems in the city." Fayetteville's top office — mayor. In the area of economic development, he noted that the The campaign, which resulted in his election, was grueling. community has done a great job of sending business away. But it wasn't anything new. The first year the couple was "We have done a real good job of running businesses to married, and while Kim was pursuing her teaching degree Hoke County or Spring Lake. Fayetteville has made it very at Fayetteville State University, Robertson ran for, and was hard for people to do business here, and that has to stop," he elected to, the Fayetteville City Council. At the age of 26, he said. was the youngest person ever elected to the council. During his campaign, he made making the city operate like "We've been on this journey for quite some time," said a business with its citizens being its customers a priority. Robertson. "I don't know at the time that I had any goal to be "When someone walks into city hall, they should know their mayor. I was just happy to be on the team." issue is important. We have to empower our city employees For three terms, he served on the council under the to take ownership of citizen issues and walk them through the Fayetteville's new mayor, Nat Robertson, and system," he said. "No one should get lost in the process." leadership of J.L. Dawkins. Twice he was elected to the atlarge seat, and served one term on the district seat now held by his wife Kim. Once the city makes doing business easier, Robertson Bobby Hurst. believes the community can go after and successfully get more Photo Credit: KCC Photography "My interest has always been local," he explained. "I want to business. make sure that my home folks are taken care of." "Traditionally we have gone after the low hanging fruit, When he left the council in 2001, he remained active in the community serving on a which is commercial/shopping businesses," he said. "Those businesses will come number of boards and commissions. His most recent service prior to his election was to the community whether we recruit them or not because of the disposable income on the Civic Center Commission, a post that he was appointed to by the Cumberland available in the community, which can be seen by the number of great businesses County Board of Commissioners. He said his time on the commission has been great, that are already here, but we have to become more focused on industry and noting that the commission was not willing to accept the "same-old, same-old." manufacturing. We have to bring jobs here." "There were a lot of fresh ideas, which can go a long way," he noted. Economic developers will quickly point out key things that industries look at Those ideas led to the privatization of the Crown under the management of Global before considering a community. One key factor is the availability of a trained work Spectrum last year, which over time, should result in significant cost savings for the force. Robertson believes we have that with the number of soldiers who leave the county and allow monies used to fund the Crown through hospitality taxes to be Army each year, but choose to remain in the city. Industries also look at education moved to other areas. facilities and the ability of the populace to access it. With a public education system Having watched her husband serve over the years, Kim was not surprised by his that is improving exponentially, and the presence of higher education facilities desire to run for mayor. like Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist and Fayetteville State "When we began talking about it, I said, 'Let's go.' Service to the community is in University, the city should be regarded positively. Add in quality of life, which includes his heart and it always has been," she said. "He has always supported my endeavors great parks and community organizations, and Fayetteville should be a shoe-in for without hesitation — always. We make a good team and complement each other. We business relocation. both see our roles as servant leaders." But a major detractor is the city's crime rate, which is why Robertson has put it at Those who know Kim see that every day as she serves in the county school system. the top of his list. Her passion for the children of the community is evident in everything she does and To combat crime and to actively seek economic development, Robertson has says. It is a palpable thing. That being the case, her service as Fayetteville's first lady already begun building consensus throughout the county. may revolve around the city's children. "There are a lot of walls in place that impede the community from working "I have a very good measure of what I can do," she explained. "I am the principal together," he said. "I want to tear those walls down. I want to bring everyone to the of a very large elementary school with 720 students." table to tackle these important issues from the state to PWC to the schools to the As the principal of Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary, Kim is confronted with many of county commissioners." the problems that Roberts will confront as mayor. About 70 percent of her students He explained that crime cannot be looked at in a vacuum. It must be addressed are on free or reduced lunch. Their families are impacted by the poor economy. Their from every angle and by every agency/body that can help address it. To that end, he is community has a high crime rate. Finding ways of meeting the needs of her students working to put together a Crime Summit to tackle the issue. That will be followed in is more than a full a time job, but it is one she relishes. June by an Economic Summit. "It is important that my students feel welcomed and that they are at a place where By opening lines of communication, he believes the community can begin to move they are going to be taken care of. It's important that we meet their needs so that they in the same direction. can be successful," she explained. "These kids who don't have a lot, have such hope. "I am a communicator. I want to bring people in and let's talk it out," said They are smart and as long as they know we have their best interests at heart, they will Robertson. "Together, let's come up with the best way forward. When work hard and come to school with a positive attitude." people who have a heart for this community At the end of hectic days, Robertson has been a sounding board for Kim. come together, then there is plenty that we JANICE BURTON, Associate "He is a listener. He doesn't try to give me advice or fix the problems. He just can do to make the community better." Publisher, COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. listens. That, in and of itself, is extremely helpful," she noted. 8 JANUARY 8-14 2014 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM