City of Fayetteville

On May 5, the Fayetteville City Council voted 8-2 in favor of establishing an 11 p.m. youth curfew for children 16 and under. The pilot program would last for one year. City council members Mario Benavente and Deno Hondros voted against the proposed curfew during the special session following the regularly scheduled work session.
The vote was in response to recent shooting incidents; however, Benavente stated that a curfew would not have prevented any of the incidents. The council also increased Crime Stopper awards for crime tips that lead to arrests from $2000 to $5000, restricted bags and masks from City-sponsored special events and directed the police chief to research crime-fighting tools needed.
The City of Fayetteville also received an update for the Market House Repurposing Project and approved an LED lighting addition, which would illuminate the Market House with different colors for designated events. The City is repairing the historic Market House in downtown Fayetteville by replacing deteriorated woodwork, including the louvers, windows, trim and wooden columns and repainting the clock tower.
If budget allows, staff also recommended two interactive information kiosks that can display videos of the history of the Market House or other desired content would be installed. According to City officials, the two-story brick Market House, built in 1832, is a National Historic Landmark and one of North Carolina’s most photographed civic buildings.

Cumberland County
On May 5, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners appointed residents to several boards and commissions, including the ABC Board, Civic Center Commission, Cape Fear Valley of Trustees, Equalization and Review Board, Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation and the Tourism Development Authority.
The nomination and appointment process changed to a twice-a-year format in January, allowing commissioners to review applications and make nominations in a more streamlined fashion.
The board also approved an amendment to the Sales Tax Distribution Interlocal Agreement which reduces the allocation to the county of any increase in the sales tax revenue from 2025 over the amount distributed in 2022 from 100% to 50% allowing municipalities within the county to retain 50% of any revenue made beyond their 2022 tax collection. The county moved from a per capita tax distribution model to an ad valorem tax model, which moves from collecting taxes from population to property value.
In the original agreement between the county and the municipalities, the cities and towns were required to return 100% of sales tax revenue to the county; however, new terms allowed the towns to save those funds.
On May 8, at their regularly scheduled agenda session, the board discussed solutions to the closing of the Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope Emergency Shelter due to a lack of funding. A 90-day sheltering solution estimated at $400,000, with an additional $264,735 requested from the ARP General Fund Assigned balance, for operating the Cornerstone Christian Empowerment Center for two months and utilizing hotel stays for three months, will be addressed at the May 19 meeting, according to county officials.
The board also received an update on competitive grant activity in Cumberland County, which totaled $52.96 million. From March 25 to April 22, the county sought $9.08 million in new funding, and $2.72 million has been awarded to projects focusing on key areas such as Completing Access to Broadband, bicycle safety helmets for protecting kids, lifesaving measures for shelter animals and hazardous materials training on how to handle electrical vehicle response.

In other Cumberland County news
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners will host a series of in-person gatherings where residents can ask questions and learn more about County priorities.
“This is all about building stronger connections with our community,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere. “We want to hear from our residents, and we want them to know they’re part of the conversation when it comes to shaping the future of Cumberland County.”
The dates and locations are as follows: May 12 at Town of Wade Town Hall, May 21 at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center, May 27 at the West Regional Library, Cafe West and May 29 at the Town of Spring Lake Town Hall in the Grady Howard Conference Room. All meetings will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided.

About the Greater Fayetteville Chamber
Advocacy is a cornerstone of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Every week, the Chamber dedicates staff to attend City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County meetings as well as monitoring updates on the state and federal levels. We monitor legislation locally, statewide and federally to protect our community’s business interests. With 91% of U.S. adults recognizing a Chamber of Commerce's impact on growth, membership ensures a strong voice shaping policies, driving economic success, and building a thriving business community—together. To learn more, visit www.faybiz.com or email jmclaughlin@faybiz.com.

 (Photo by LTreadwell - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=140683381)