In a significant shift to local civic engagement, the Fayetteville City Council voted to amend Policy 120.09, moving the traditional public forum to a new standalone session held on the first Monday of each month. Under the newly approved schedule, council work sessions will begin at 3 p.m., followed by official announcements and the public forum at 6:15 p.m.
The council also unanimously decided to demolish and rebuild Fire Station No. 4 following an independent report by Applied Building Sciences, which identified systemic structural failures. Council directed staff to prepare demolition plans for the unfinished $9 million facility on Bragg Boulevard.
In other actions, council members authorized the city to apply for a FY2025 Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant that would support the redevelopment of mixed-income housing, approved a contract to convert Tokay Park into three tennis courts and ten new pickleball courts and authorized two infrastructure contracts for the Arran Lakes West Dam Overtopping Protection Project and for the Fire Station No. 9 relocation.
The council also formally adopted the 2026 State and Federal Action Plans, which outline the city’s advocacy priorities for infrastructure, safety and economic growth discussed at the City annual strategic planning retreat on Feb. 4. At the retreat, the council and staff established priorities for the new fiscal year including continuing a comprehensive approach to safety, focusing on enhancing economic growth opportunities, evaluating and expanding transportation and transit options and increasing park and recreation opportunities for youth.
At their Feb. 6 work session, the council approved proposed solutions for the Buckhead Creek and Beaver Creek One Watershed Studies. The projects, estimated at over $219 million combined, aim to increase stormwater capacity and restore streams.
Council members also directed staff to research costs for a citywide public awareness campaign focused on firearm safety and responsible gun storage and to research implementing a senior technology learning program at city recreation centers using existing IT equipment.

Cumberland County
On Feb. 12, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted to move to a six-year property tax revaluation cycle beginning in 2031, followed by a four-year cycle in 2035.
While state law requires a maximum of an eight-year cycle, many counties have moved to shorter, four or six-year cycles. In North Carolina, 57 percent of counties have adopted a four-year reappraisal cycle in order to maintain tax equity and manage market growth.
The board also approved a request from the Cumberland County Fire Chiefs Association to modernize and upgrade the County’s existing Mobile Incident Command Unit “to ensure continuity of operations and maintain effective incident command capabilities,” according to County staff.
A total of $500,000 was approved for upgrades to the Cumberland County Mobile Incident Command Post backup unit. According to county staff, Congress recently appropriated $994,595 to support the acquisition of a Mobile Incident Command Post, and the Board further unanimously authorized an allocation of up to $2.1 million using available American Rescue Plan funds.
The Board approved the draft 2026 (FY27) Federal Legislative Agenda, outlining the county's advocacy priorities for the coming year.
The federal legislative agenda included water and sewer infrastructure to extend safe, regulated public water to contaminated areas, advocating for I-685 to route through Cumberland County with a connection point at I-295 and supporting the passage of the Farm Bill with provisions that protect and expand SNAP, rural development and food security initiatives.
At their regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 3, the board focused on legislative requests and public safety protocols. Commissioners approved a $98.5 million request for state lawmakers, prioritizing $50 million for water/sewer infrastructure, $30 million for education, including a new E.E. Smith High School and $10 million for water studies.
The board also updated its ordinance to ensure commissioners are directly notified of and must act upon any State of Emergency proclamations.
In other county news, a new series called Coffee with the Commissioners will begin in Spring Lake in the Grady Howard conference room of town hall on Wednesday, Feb. 18
at 6 p.m. The community is invited.

National Civics Bee®
The National Civics Bee®, a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, will allow middle school students (6th, 7th and 8th grades) to participate for the first time in North Carolina this year and Fayetteville through the Greater Fayetteville Chamber was chosen as a regional site. Applications for students officially are open and due to the widespread impact of the recent winter storm, including school closures, postal service delays and power and internet outages, a one-time extension of the 2026 National Civics Bee essay submission deadline was granted. The new deadline was Feb. 17.
For more information about the program, including educator resources and how to participate in the 2026 competition, visit www.faybiz.com/civicsbee.

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: The groundbreaking of Fire Station 4 on Bragg Blvd., took place on Aug. 30, 2022. Since then, the project has seen delays and setbacks. An independent report from Applied Building Sciences suggests the building needs to be torn down and started over. Photo courtesy of Fayetteville Fire Department's Facebook page)