Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere delivered the 2026 State of the County Address on March 17 at the historic Cumberland County courthouse. It also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the courthouse, marking a century since its 1926 opening.
Framed as a military mission brief titled Mission: Forward, the address focused on a Vision 2030 plan to transform the county into a national model for military-connected community development. The plan outlined clean water access, strong education and workforce systems, expanded mental health services and economic growth and innovation.
On another note, deViere is one of the core community leaders also working on a collaborative Vision 2030 initiative hosted by the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Similar in nature, the plan brings sectors of the community together with strategic focus areas of safety and community well-being, education and workforce alignment, economic development and infrastructure, innovation and entrepreneurship and media/civic pride.
On Mar. 19, the board met with the Cumberland County delegation, including Sens. Val Applewhite and Tom McInnis and Reps. Mike Colvin, Charles Smith and Diane Wheatley presented their 2027 State Legislative Agenda. The primary requests centered on securing $92.5 million in state allocations for critical infrastructure and community services.
A major request was for $65 million to build a new, state-of-the-art school, with E.E. Smith High School identified as the critical priority due to aging facilities and specific enrollment needs. The board also requested a total of $55 million for water infrastructure, including $50 million for county-wide public water and sewer to ensure safe, sustainable water access and $5 million specifically for the Gray’s Creek District. Other requests included $2 million for a Mobile Incident Command Unit and $500,000 for digital dispatch equipment upgrades, $4 million to expand youth mental health and substance use treatment services within both the community and the county school system, and $2 million in preconstruction funding for a regional aquatic center.
Beyond funding, Chairman Kirk deViere emphasized the need for agency-level partnerships to help our Tier 1 community to address long-term growth and infrastructure capacity gaps.

City of Fayetteville
On Mar. 12, the Fayetteville City Council also met with the Cumberland County delegation, including Sen. Tom McInnis and Reps. Charles Smith, Diane Wheatley and Mike Colvin to discuss legislative priorities. Council members discussed local goals with state-level advocacy and funding needs, including a $29.5 million wish list of requests. The council asked for funds for key infrastructure and community projects such as $10 million for pedestrian projects, $5 million for water/sewer expansion, $3 million for a regional public safety training center, $4 million for mental health and violence prevention initiatives, $2 million for affordable housing, $1 million for workforce development and $500,000 for transportation studies.
The total ask between the city council and county commissioners was $126 million.
On Mar. 23, the Fayetteville City Council delayed approval for a $13 million construction contract for a proposed McArthur Road Sports Complex in order to further inspect the qualifications of the contractor. The project is slated to have baseball and softball fields equipped for tournaments, over 500 parking spaces, a concession/restroom building and a large multi-use building with an open-air pavilion. Also proposed were additional amenities such as a splash pad, play areas and walking trails.
In a presentation to the council, Robert Van Geons, president/CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, reported that the city has no remaining infrastructure-ready sites capable of supporting major projects similar to the Amazon fulfillment center. This sparked a discussion on the need for new large-scale sites to remain competitive for transformational business projects.
While the City Council focused on infrastructure, a separate public forum was held the same evening by the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. During the special meeting on Mar. 23, more than 25 residents urged the board to implement a one-year moratorium on data center development. Residents cited several critical concerns regarding the potential impact of these facilities on the community, and the massive amount of electricity required to power these centers would lead to infrastructure upgrades, the costs of which would be passed on to residents through higher utility bills.
In other news, the public will have a preview of the long-awaited tennis courts at the new Courts at Glenville Lake on Wednesday, Apr. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 730 Filter Plant Drive.
According to City officials, the 6,594-square-foot tennis center will feature 11 tennis courts, one of which will be used as a championship competition court, four pickleball courts, locker rooms, a lounge, a learning area and a pro shop.

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: Members of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners met with the State Legislative Delegation to discuss policy priorities, strategic partnerships and targeted investments that will help shape the community’s future. Together, they continue working to ensure Cumberland County’s voice is reflected in the decisions impacting the community. Photo courtesy of Cumberland County NC, Gov. Facebook page)