4Everyone knows I am a huge Chamber of Commerce advocate. So when our newspaper was invited to assist in moderating the June 30 Fayetteville Municipal Candidate's Forum at the Crown Coliseum along with CityView TODAY and the Fayetteville Observer, I was delighted. The Chamber's Government Affairs Committee hosted the forum under the direction of Eva Henderson, and Gary Rogers emceed the event. The event was well attended by all incumbents and challengers seeking city council elected positions for all nine districts and the office of mayor. Only Deno Hondras, District 9 candidate, was absent due to an out-of-town commitment. The attendance of concerned citizens, estimated at 70, was disappointing considering that this was the final forum before early voting beings on July 7.

I was excited to be a part of this informational exercise. However, I was equally disappointed in the outcome once it was over. It left me with a hollow feeling about the future of our community. Without a doubt, the candidates readily identified and acknowledged the Fayetteville community's needs and its citizens' concerns. Homelessness, the crime and homicide rates, the need for affordable housing, higher-paying jobs, the desire to attract more industry, improve our image and have a cleaner, more beautiful city. But collectively, and with only a few exceptions, after listening to the incumbents' positions, they confirmed what I and many others suspected, they are primarily about maintaining their roles within their districts and have little knowledge or concern for the needs of the cumulative 210,000 citizens. This became evident when I reviewed my notes, which revealed this sentiment was a pattern among incumbents from the mayor on down. When Mayor Mitch Colvin was asked about Fayetteville's homeless encampments on Gillespie Street and the four city center encampments encompassing three blocks between Rowan and Hay streets, he instinctively punted the problem over to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Colvin stated that this city council had done more for homelessness over the last term than in 25 years. I don't remember homelessness being an epidemic problem 25 years ago. Truth be known, the situation has only gotten worse under this administration.

As I listened to the mayor and the nine incumbents responding to questions about homelessness, crime, overall community safety, out-of-control traffic, lack of police accountability and the shameful amount of trash and litter in our city, it became apparent that their main priority was to safeguard and secure their positions. They radiated little concern, empathy or knowledge of the needs of the entire Fayetteville community. Evidence of this surfaced with the incumbent's adverse reactions to the viability of term limits. And again, concerning the pending referendum that will appear on the November ballot for changing Fayetteville's nine district/mayor structure. This structure only allows a resident two votes out of ten in determining Fayetteville's leadership compared to a possible four at large seats and five districts plus the mayor. This change would give all Fayetteville residents six out of ten votes in determining local leadership. Six votes versus two! One would think, “what's not to like about that?”

I'll close by saying everyone needs to look to the future. Go to the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce website and view the Forum video. It says it all. Fayetteville's future is now! Voting starts on July 7, and I will make this prediction hoping and praying it doesn't turn into a sad and disappointing epitaph. “Fayetteville will ultimately get the kind of leadership it deserves.”
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