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Tuesday, 05 August 2025
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Written by Jami McLaughlin
Greater Fayetteville Chamber
On Aug. 1, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber hosted a Candidates Academy with 18 candidates who are running for Fayetteville City Council to prepare for office. This all-day event brought local subject matter experts to share their knowledge on the workings of our community and government and outline what elected officials need to know about policy making in our All-America City.
These guests included new Police Chief Roberto E. Bryan, Jr., former state Representative Diane Parfitt, Fayetteville PWC senior communications and community engagement staff Tyler Patton and Lexi Hasapis, Fayetteville Economic Development President and CEO Robert Van Goens, NC Rep. Charles Smith (D-44) and President/CEO Bob Pinson of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. Topics included identifying needs vs. wants, an overview of the downtown business district, the city’s economic outlook, crime and safety, the arts and our public utilities.
Cumberland County Commissioner Chair Kirk deViere led a session on the differences between City, County and State Jurisdictions, which he was uniquely qualified to lead as a former City Councilman and state Senator.
His presentation was particularly interesting as he outlined the sections of government, funding sources for each and what services each government entity provides. In his overview, deViere compared the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the State of North Carolina with the following:
• The City of Fayetteville is a municipal corporation that oversees the operation and functions of the city as well as implements policies set by the state. Funding sources include property and business taxes, sales taxes (portion), user fees from trash, water, parks, etc., federal and state grants, licenses, permits and user fees. Services include the Fayetteville Police and Fire departments, transportation services, historic preservation, street maintenance, water/sewer/stormwater, street lights and garbage collection (curb-side pickup) among other things. The budget for the City of Fayetteville for fiscal year 2026 is $315.2 million Operating Budget and $91.8 million Capital Improvement Plan (adopted June 2025).
• Cumberland County, a subdivision of North Carolina, enforces state laws at the local level and provides services that the state and Fayetteville do not. It also includes multiple cities and towns. Funding sources include property taxes, sales taxes (portion), federal and state grants and licenses, permits and user fees.
Services include Cumberland County schools and libraries, Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, court buildings and jails, Fire Marshal's Office, emergency management, healthcare and human services, public health and medical services, children and family Services, employment assistance, food and medical assistance, veterans’ resources, emergency medical services, tax collection and more. The budget for Cumberland County FY 2026 is $608.8 million in expenditures across all County funds, with $404.6 million appropriated to the General Fund (adopted June 2025).
• The State of North Carolina makes state-wide policy decisions and needs local government to carry out policies. Funding sources include Income and business taxes, sales taxes (portion), licenses and user fees, federal government and lottery receipts. Services include NC courts, criminal records, victim services, personal, home and roadway safety, emergency management, NC National Guard, adult correction, juvenile justice, Health and Human Services, children's services, low income programs and services, special needs and accessible living, Aging and Adult Services Taxes (personal, property, business), Unemployment Insurance, Tax Voter registration, vital and public records, driver's license and ID, vehicle title and registration, NC Train, Ferry Service Recreation and state parks. The FY 2025 budget for North Carolina is $34.16 billion in General Fund revenue collections anticipated for FY 2024-25.
It was important knowledge to distinguish what lies in a future councilman’s scope and the services they provide.
Another reminder was given from PWC with the North Carolina Community College System’s “Turn Over a New YOU” program, which focuses on empowering individuals to pursue high-demand workforce training programs within 10 workforce pathways leading to state or industry-recognized credentials at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
This program is in response to the 302,000+ new jobs projected to expand the North Carolina workforce by 2028 and the need for career professionals with next-level skills and training in critical industries.
The ten 10 Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funded industry sectors are automotive, aircraft maintenance, construction, criminal justice, emergency medical services, healthcare, industrial manufacturing, information technology, transportation and fire and rescue services.
The primary target audience is underemployed and unemployed adults, 25-44 years old, who need to quickly and affordably upskill with credentials that will help them secure a new job with stability, upward mobility and the ability to provide for their family. To find out more about what scholarships are available or more about the program, visit www.faytechcc.edu/turn-over-a-new-you.
Greater Fayetteville Chamber Candidates’ Forum
The Greater Fayetteville Chamber will also host a Candidates Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 14, which will be held at FTCC in Cumberland Hall starting at 5:30 p.m. This event offers a unique opportunity for the public to hear directly from those seeking to represent them and gain a deeper understanding of each candidate's vision and policies. It is open to the community and free of charge. The Candidates’ Forum is a valuable platform for community members to become informed voters and participate in the democratic process. Find out more at www.faybiz.com.
The City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County resume meetings after a brief summer hiatus in August, so stay tuned for further recaps and news.
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. To learn more, visit www.faybiz.com or email jmclaughlin@faybiz.com.
(Kirk deViere speaks to candidates running for local offices at the Greater Fayetteville Chamber's Candidates Academy on Aug. 1. Photo courtesy of Jami McLaughlin)
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Tuesday, 29 July 2025
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Written by D.G. Martin
What would be on your to-do list on a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? During the summer in and around the park, you might take in a dramatic sunset, hike to a waterfall, cool off in a river in a kayak, or catch a trout in a pristine stream.
Taking deep dives into lessons about eminent domain might not make your top five things to do, but it is what captivated my fisherman grandson as he explored not only spectacular trout holes, but also old cemeteries and foundations of homes along creeks in the Smokies near Bryson City.
Some trails he explored in Swain County hide the overgrown remnants of the large estate of wealthy landowner Phillip Rust and his wife Eleanor Dupont, an heiress to the Dupont fortune. In the 1930s, they built a summer estate along Noland Creek, including cottages for friends and a fine home for the caretakers of the land, the Hyatt family.
The homes of the Rust and Hyatt families, along with many other farms and homes, were condemned by the United States government during World War II. The Tennessee Valley Authority constructed Fontana Dam to provide hydroelectric power for the war effort, resulting in the creation of Fontana Lake. When the lake was created, homes, churches, schools, and communities were destroyed. All in all, 1,300 people were displaced.
This example of eminent domain reminded me of Cataloochee, by Wayne Caldwell. This novel, published in 2007, takes place prior to the construction of Fontana Dam further north in the Park in the areas around Big and Little Cataloochee Creeks in Haywood County. Cataloochee vividly describes the impacts of eminent domain on communities, following the lives of several mountain families during the time of the Civil War until they were pushed out of their homes in the late 1920’s when their lands were acquired for the new national park.
The story follows Ezra Banks who, after serving in the Confederate army, becomes an ambitious and successful farmer, marries into a family with landholdings in Cataloochee, and starts his own family.
Charles Frazier, author of Cold Mountain and Thirteen Moons, both also set in the North Carolina mountains, commented that the “rich cast of characters [in Cataloochee] spans generations, and collectively their stories form a brilliant portrait of a community and a way of life long gone, a lost America.”
Cataloochee helps us conjure what happened to many families throughout the creation of the park and what it must have been like for similarly impacted families during the construction of Fontana Dam.
Nobody would argue that Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not one of North Carolina’s (and Tennessee’s) greatest treasures. While perhaps more debatable, the construction of Fontana Dam was deemed necessary during the war. Through the use of eminent domain, thousands of acres of wilderness were preserved and protected.
And the dam was built and the lake formed, supporting our wartime efforts.
These “good” results are not the entire story. In Cataloochee, Wayne Caldwell reminds us of the pain and loss that were felt by families who lived in these areas for generations when they were forced to move to make room for the government’s priorities.
Unfortunately, progress for the majority is often accompanied by the sacrifice of others. When we remember the blessings of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the necessity of the construction of Fontana Dam, and similar projects, we should also say a word of thanks for the sacrifices that made them possible.
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