Name as it appears on the ballot: James L. Thomas lll

Previous elected offices held: N/A

Age as of Election Day: 25

Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): Manager at Skyzone Fayetteville

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1. Give us your elevator pitch in 200 words or less. Why are you running for this office? What makes you the most qualified candidate?

I’m James Thomas, a lifelong Fayetteville resident and candidate for City Council District 1. I grew up here, attended our public schools, Graduated from Pine Forest High School and went on to graduate from North Carolina A&T with a degree in Information Technology. I’m now pursuing a master’s in Project Management at Wake Forest University. From serving as Vice Chair of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council to working with Fayetteville PACT, MDC, and Microsoft, I’ve built both local and professional experience that uniquely prepares me to serve.

I’m running because I believe it takes a village, not only to raise a child, but to build a community but first we have to take care of the ones that’s building it. Too many of our challenges, youth violence, homelessness, unfinished projects, and the digital divide, are deeply personal to me. I’ve lost friends to gun violence and have family members struggling with homelessness, so I know these aren’t abstract policy debates, they’re real issues that affect real people every day.

My priorities are clear: empower our youth with mentorship and opportunity, expand affordable housing and wraparound services, ensure transparency and accountability in city projects, and close the digital equity gap so no resident is left behind. I bring both the lived experience and professional skills needed to make that vision a reality.

2. What do you view as the three most pressing issues facing your district and the city as a whole? How will you address them as a city council member?

As far as district 1 goes the most pressing issues I’ve heard have been, Loud noises (House Parties), Fast Cars, and ADA accessibility. To mitigate that I will work with our Fayetteville Police department as well as our community watch groups to pinpoint exactly where speedbumps are needed and whether or not the speedbumps would hinder the Police department, fire department, etc from having quick access in case of an emergency. I will also use that same format for sidewalks and high noise areas.

For the city:

1. Youth Empowerment/ Public safety

Youth violence is one of Fayetteville’s most urgent issues, and it’s personal for me—I’ve lost friends to gun violence, and most victims and suspects are people my age. I believe we can’t arrest our way out of this crisis. The answer lies in prevention, mentorship, and opportunity. That means strengthening existing city programs like Operation Ceasefire, PROOVE, and the Office of Community Safety (OCS) by ensuring they are mentorship-driven, trauma-informed, and transparent to the community. I also want to expand after-school programs, youth job training, and safe spaces that give young people real alternatives. By investing in prevention, we not only reduce crime but also give our youth a real path forward.

2. Housing & Homelessness

The Regency Inn displacement and the growing number of unhoused families show how Fayetteville has a need to address housing needs. I will advocate for building more affordable housing on city-owned land, expanding wraparound services that connect residents to counseling, reentry support, and job placement, and strengthening partnerships with organizations tackling this issue. I also support the Fay Cares Resource Center, which provides transportation assistance, shelter connections, and other vital services. With proper investment and coordination, Fayetteville can ensure that no family is left behind.

3. Infrastructure & Accountability

Our city has seen too many failed or delayed projects, from the Mazarick Park Tennis Center to Fire Station No. 4. This not only wastes taxpayer dollars but also undermines public trust. To fix this, I will push to fill vacancies in the city’s construction management division, adopt a contractor pre-qualification system to ensure we only hire firms with proven track records, and prioritize local hiring so that Fayetteville residents are building Fayetteville’s future. I also want the city to adopt CivicPlus, a platform that provides residents with real-time dashboards to track project timelines, budgets, and progress. This level of transparency will make it much harder for projects to stall without explanation and will rebuild trust between the city and its residents. i will also advocate for a State Audit and a performance-based audit on top of that, not just checking the numbers, but making sure money is being used effectively. This could be carried out by the NC Office of the State Auditor which already have authority and experience in reviewing city finances.

3. What’s the best or most important thing the Fayetteville City Council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the council should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.

One of the most important actions this past year has been the Council’s approval of a five-year Capital Improvement Plan totaling approximately $215 million. That plan dedicates large sums to critical areas like water/sewer infrastructure, public safety, transportation, parks & recreation, and technology. This is promising because it shows the city is planning long-term, investing in maintenance and upgrades that often get postponed. It signals a commitment to both growth and quality of life across multiple fronts.

The rezoning approval for a 7-Eleven in the College Lakes neighborhood is a decision I believe should have been approached more carefully. Neighborhood residents raised valid concerns including increased traffic, environmental impact, and that the development didn’t align with the character of the area. While the developer did agree to certain conditions (fencing, buffers, etc.), many in the community felt their input was secondary.

In my view, a better process would have included more robust community engagement earlier, before the rezoning was finalized, and possibly rethinking whether commercial rezoning is appropriate in that specific spot, especially one abutting single-family homes. A strong leader would weigh both development potential and community cohesion. Appreciative of the ones that did vote NO but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to stop it from being built

4. Last year, the City of Fayetteville sued a contractor for abandoning over $6 million in construction projects. The city has since hired new contractors to finish the projects. What steps will you take to ensure Fayetteville is able to successfully complete capital projects in the future?

Adopt a contractor pre-qualification system to ensure we only hire firms with proven track records, and prioritize local hiring so that Fayetteville residents are building Fayetteville’s future. I also want the city to adopt CivicPlus, a platform that provides residents with real-time dashboards to track project timelines, budgets, and progress. This level of transparency will make it much harder for projects to stall without explanation and will rebuild trust between the city and its residents. Also I would Advocate for not moving forward with any new projects until the one’s we are working on now are finished and/or making tremendous strides to being done. along with the State audit that will make sure funds are being used properly.

5. While overall crime in Fayetteville has decreased by around 13% this year, the number of homicides and incidents of juvenile crime have increased. The Fayetteville City Council recently enacted a youth curfew ordinance. Would you have voted in favor of it? How will you work to improve public safety and reduce crime in the city?

Because there’s no data yet proving the effectiveness of the new youth curfew ordinance, I would not have voted for it at this time. I understand the concern behind it, but curfews don’t address the root causes of youth crime they only move kids out of sight. What our city needs is prevention, opportunity, and mentorship.

To truly improve public safety, I will strengthen and innovate programs like Operation Ceasefire, PROOVE, and the Office of Community Safety (OCS) by ensuring they include mentorship, trauma-informed practices, and community oversight. Baltimore’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy cut homicides by 26%, and Fayetteville has adapted to have similar models with OCS and I believe with the right leadership and fine-tuning such as adding a data analyst/strategist we can see that same reduction. I would also push for expanding after-school programs, job training, and safe spaces so youth have positive alternatives during evening hours.

Public safety isn’t just about enforcement, it’s about trust, transparency, and investment in people. I will also advocate for adopting CivicPlus dashboards so residents can track crime prevention initiatives and project accountability in real time. With the right approach, Fayetteville can be both safe and supportive, ensuring that every resident especially our youth, has a chance to thrive.

6. How will you work to attract and retain new businesses and other development to Fayetteville? Name another municipality you believe has made smart decisions about sustainable growth and development, and describe what it has done that could be implemented in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville’s Commercial Exterior Grant Program which offers downtown and neighborhood businesses matching funds to renovate their storefronts and beautify their spaces is a great example of what works. I will continue to support and expand programs like this because they are tangible, visible signs of investment in our local economy. To make them even more effective, I plan to conduct regular small business surveys so we can hear directly from entrepreneurs about what they need, whether it’s façade upgrades, signage support, parking fixes, or other barriers.

Additionally, I believe in holding more frequent hiring events and job fairs in partnership with the city, businesses, and nonprofits. These events would help match local talent with local employers and send a strong message: when Fayetteville invests in its small businesses, it also invests in the people who live here.

For inspiration, I look to Cary, NC, which has combined smart infrastructure investments with small business incentives and community input to create sustainable growth. Cary’s approach shows that when a city listens to its business community and plans development strategically, it builds both a stronger economy and healthier neighborhoods. By adapting those lessons here, Fayetteville can make growth both sustainable and inclusive.

By combining grant programs, listening tools like surveys, and workforce-centered hiring events, we can ensure economic growth isn’t just for a few, it lifts up all of Fayetteville.

7. The county and city have often struggled to determine who is responsible for addressing homelessness. How would you work with the Cumberland County government and other community partners to decrease homelessness in the city?

Homelessness is not an issue that the city or county can solve alone it requires collaboration and accountability across all levels. I fully support the $250,000 already invested into the homelessness pilot program, and I would work to ensure that funding is used strategically to produce measurable results. But investment alone is not enough we need sustained partnerships and a unified strategy.

That means working closely with Cumberland County government to align city and county resources so we aren’t duplicating efforts but are filling the gaps together. It also means supporting facilities like the Fay Cares Resource Center, which provides transportation assistance, shelter connections, and other services to help residents transition back into stability.

Equally important, I would strengthen partnerships with the many nonprofits that have been working with our homeless neighbors for years. These organizations have the relationships, the trust, and the expertise that government alone can’t replicate. By scaling their impact with city and county support, we can expand wraparound services, job placement, counseling, reentry programs, that not only provide shelter but help people rebuild their lives.

If elected, I will make it a priority to ensure Fayetteville treats homelessness with the urgency, compassion, and coordination it deserves.