The meeting began with Ashanti Bennett from Cool Spring Downtown District who provided an update to Council on the Juneteenth Jubilee events taking place in Fayetteville June 18-19.
Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen and Council then recognized members of the Fayetteville Cumberland Youth Council for their achievements and participation along with FCPR staff member Crystal Glover who manages the program. FCYC students were individually recognized for their commitment to service and academic excellence and shared their high school and college plans. FCYC is consistently noted as one of the best youth councils in North Carolina with numerous accolades and awards.
CONSENT AGENDA
Items passed on the June 13 Consent Agenda include the following:
The first item on consent authorized rental car and airport facility leases at the Fayetteville Regional Airport. The Airport Commission has recommended the approval of leases on parking spaces and indoor counter space for Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National/Alamo, Hertz and ILM Transportation. An additional lease is recommended for Sierra Nevada Corporation in a cargo building on Doc Bennet Road. Read more about this agenda item.
A second Airport item accepted a grant award from the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Division of Aviation to FAY for the Aviation Career Education Academy being held this summer. The $3,000 award will support the new program that offers up to 80 middle and high school students the opportunity to explore careers in aviation. Read more about this agenda item.Read more about ACE Academy.
This item authorized the City Manager to execute a contract with the lowest responsible, responsive bidder for site work at Mazarick Park Tennis Center. The bid is recommended for award to Mohammad Construction, LLC in the amount of $3.84 million. Read more about this agenda item.
A special revenue fund project ordinance was adopted for an NC Department of Commerce Rural Economic Development Grant. The ordinance appropriates $300,000 of grant proceeds and a $15,000 (5%) match from the City required by the grant. The Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Corporation (FCEDC), in partnership with the Economic and Community Development Department (ECD), is assisting ChenMed through this project with the substantial rehabilitation of an existing commercial facility at 4101 Raeford Road. In turn, ChenMed guarantees the creation of 30 full-time jobs. Read more about this agenda item.
In this agenda item, the Council authorized the awarding of a contract for the construction of the homeless day resource center on King Street. The action item simultaneously authorizes the City Manager to execute a subrecipient agreement with NCORR and appropriates an additional $1 million in funding for the project, bringing the total available to $5.99 million. Construction is expected to begin June 2022 and be complete May 2023. Read more about this agenda item.
This agenda item adopted a capital project ordinance amendment to appropriate $150,000 from PCH Development for the purchase of an elevator in the Hay Street Parking Deck. The appropriation approved does not include any City funding. Read more about this agenda item.
A special revenue fund project ordinance to appropriate $247,421 in FTA funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was adopted. The federal transit pass-through funding will be distributed to Harnett County ($71,397) and Hoke County ($176,024) as a portion of FTA funds are allocated each year to other transit systems that provide service within the Fayetteville urbanized area. Read more about this agenda item.
The second Transit-related item adopted a special revenue fund project ordinance to appropriate $318,000 of federal grant funding for enhanced mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities. Mid-Carolina Council of Governments will receive $300,000 as a sub-recipient and the City/FAST will receive $18,000 for oversight. Read more about this agenda item.
Council approved the contract for the annual financial audit of the City. By state statute, both the City and PWC are required to conduct an independent annual audit. PBMares will initiate the audit during the fourth quarter of FY22. Read more about this agenda item.
Council approved the addition of 8 recently constructed streets to the City of Fayetteville's street system. The 1.33 miles of addition brings the total of City-maintained streets to 749.59 miles. New additions include portions of Quiet Pine Road, Silver Maple Drive, Waterleaf Drive, Coffee Tree Drive, Woodline Drive, Bluffside Drive, River Landing Drive and W. Summerchase Drive. Read more about this agenda item.
A PWC item that awards a contract for the re-roofing of the Cross Creek transfer and thickening buildings and water resources and electric vehicle sheds to the lowest responsible, responsive bidder. Owens Roofing, Inc was awarded the contract in the amount of $541,950. Read more about this agenda item.
Council approved a request from Cumberland County for the City of Fayetteville to quitclaim interest in the parcel located at 521 Martin Road to complete the sale of the jointly owned property acquired by tax foreclosure. This allows the property to be added back to the tax base and not remain in joint governmental ownership. Read more about this agenda item.
This agenda item awarded Mohammad Construction, LLC the contract for the construction of sidewalks on Rosehill Road from Country Club Drive to Shaw Mill Road. The project cost of $1.2 million will be reimbursable up to 80% by an NCDOT grant program. Read more about this agenda item.
The final consent agenda item adopted a capital project ordinance amendment to cover the cost of the final tranche of parks and recreation bond issuance in the amount of $335,006 which will come from premium payments. Read more about this agenda item.
Council identified three consent agenda items for additional discussion and subsequent individual approval:
In response to a Council Member request, City staff asked NCDOT to review the speed limit along Cliffdale Road between Raeford Road and Reilly Road. Upon review, NCDOT recommended the speed limit be reduced from 50 mph to 45 mph. Council voted to repeal the existing 50 mph speed limit and enacted a 45 mph limit. Read more about this agenda item.
Council approved a second speed limit reduction following Council request and NCDOT review. Along Pamalee Drive/Country Club Road from Bragg Boulevard to Ramsey Street the speed limit is recommended to change from 50 mph to 45 mph. Council voted to repeal the existing 50 mph speed limit and enacted a 45 mph limit. Read more about this agenda item.
The third speed limit-related agenda item follows an NCDOT review of Stoney Point Road between Dundle Road and the Hoke County line. NCDOT recommended the speed limit be reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph. Council voted to repeal the existing 55 mph speed limit and enacted a 45 mph speed limit. Read more about this agenda item.
PUBLIC FORUM
During the public forum, several citizens addressed issues including gun violence, dog kennel noise, community-based intervention strategies, equity and community improvement.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
The first of two public hearings concerned the consideration of economic incentives for Project Dogwood. The company behind Project Dogwood is one of the nation’s leading homebuilders looking to establish a building component manufacturing facility to service operations that would create 189 jobs. The proposed project entails the construction of an approximately 130,000-square-foot industrial facility that will be used to manufacture trusses, wall panel systems, and other essential homebuilding components. City Council is asked to consider up to $317,000 in economic development incentive grants paid out over five years for Project Dogwood. Council voted to approve the incentive package for Project Dogwood. Read more about this agenda item.
The second public hearing was set to receive public comment from residents on the proposed FY23 annual operating budget. The budget has been made available for the public at fayettevillenc.gov/budgetchronicles following the formal proposal of the budget to Council on May 23. Council met for three special budget meetings prior to this meeting to discuss and recommend changes to the budget.Read more about this agenda item.Read more about the FY23 budget.
OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS
Following the public hearing on the budget, Council adopted the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget ordinance and fee schedule. In addition, Council approved the fiscal year 2022-2023 strategic plan and the fiscal year 2023-2027 capital and technology improvement plans (CIP and TIP), and adopted the related capital project ordinances and capital project ordinance amendments to establish project budgets as planned. Read more about this agenda item.Read more about the adoption of the budget.
The next regular City Council meeting will be held on Monday, June 27 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers in City Hall. Meetings also air live on Spectrum Channel 7, the City of Fayetteville YouTube Channel and on the FayTV app available on your streaming device. Meeting agendas, supporting documentation and minutes are publicly available here. For more information about the Fayetteville City Council, please visit fayettevillenc.gov/citycouncil.
