(Editor’s note: This column has been updated for clarifications to the health benefits available to members of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners as well as the name of Josh Choi, the new chairman of Cool Spring Downtown District.)
Five of seven Cumberland County commissioners take advantage of health insurance provided by the county. They are, according to a county spokesman, Toni Stewart, the commission chairwoman; Glenn Adams, the commission vice chairman; and Commissioners Marshall Faircloth, Jimmy Keefe and Michael Boose. Commissioners Jeannette Council and Veronica Jones do not take part in the health insurance option. “Technically, because the county is self-insured for health insurance, the county doesn’t pay a premium,” Brian Haney, assistant county manager for general government and stewardship and also the director of public information, says in response to a CityView inquiry. “The amount that we term the ‘county contribution’ of $904.18 per month or $10,850.16 annually is the county’s estimate of what it will cost per employee to support the wellness fund, which includes health insurance, employee pharmacy and clinic, and wellness program. Instead of paying a premium directly to Blue Cross, this is what gets transferred from the general fund into the wellness fund per employee to fund these initiatives.” The health insurance plan, Haney says, does not include dental and vision coverage. “That is separate,” Haney tells CityView. “Commissioners are eligible to participate in the dental and vision plans; however, there is no county contribution for those plans. Commissioners, like county employees, have to pay 100% of the cost if they participate in those plans. Not only is an elected commissioner eligible to participate in the county health insurance plan to include dental coverage, but a commissioner can also include family members. “If you are eligible for our benefits, then your dependents are too,” according to the county’s benefit guidebook for 2024. “In general, eligible dependents include your spouse and children up to age 26.” There is a caveat, however. “Note: If your spouse is currently eligible under their own employer’s health insurance, they are not eligible to be enrolled in the county’s medical plan.” There is no additional cost, Haney says, should a commissioner opt to include a spouse or family member. Other health-associated benefits, according to the county, afford commissioners the opportunity to participate in a medical flexible spending account and life insurance plans. Participation in the county’s pharmacy and medical clinic also is available as well as continued participation in the health insurance plan upon separation from the county for qualifying commissioners. To qualify for this benefit, a commissioner must be under age 65; have served for at least 10 years; and have been enrolled in the county’s insurance plan for at least 36 consecutive months. Current annual salaries for each commissioner, according to the county, are $33,636.86 for Stewart as chairwoman; $27,361.04 for Adams as vice chairman; and $25,197,84 each for Faircloth, Council, Keefe, Jones and Boose. Stewart is allowed an $8,400 annual travel allowance, and all other commissioners, $7,200.
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Quancidine Hinson-Gribble says she is excited to be running for mayor of the city, and the candidate is inviting “leaders” and “concerned citizens” to meet with her each Friday to discuss her campaign and ideas. “My goal is to bring our community leaders together to find out what the most pressing needs are,” Hinson-Gribble tells CityView. And something CityView has learned is that Hinson-Gribble is a staunch advocate of helping the homeless population in this community. Meetings are scheduled at noon each Friday in Conference Room 3 of the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center. Others in the mayoral race are incumbent Mitch Colvin, who is seeking a fourth term; Efrain “Freddie” de la Cruz, who lost to Colvin in the 2022 election by a substantial margin of 63% to 37%; and Charles Evans, a former city councilman and county commissioner.
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Some people run for public office for attention. And some people run for public office because they genuinely wish to make a difference in their community. “For far too long, I have followed local politics where it appears that decisions are made which are not fiscally responsible,” says Gail Morfesis, 71, who is one of six candidates bidding to unseat Shakeyla Ingram, the District 2 Fayetteville City councilwoman. “I am very committed to our city, witnessed through my work with nonprofit organizations. Thus, rather than complain, I am willing to roll up my sleeves and work for change. How can Fayetteville be the ‘Can Do City’ if we don’t have ‘A Can Do City Council?’ The issue of downtown paid parking is just one of many issues that have hurt our businesses while we are losing about a million dollars a year in costs. Not proper use of taxpayer dollars nor a productive solution. I feel I am competent to contribute to a better job for our citizens due to my active work in the business and arts community as a professor at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and my cooperative work at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and Methodist University, as well as with the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County, the Lafayette Society, Gilbert Theater, Heritage Square Historical Society and many more deserving service organizations.” Other District 2 candidates are Janene Ackles, Laura Ann Mussler, Larry Marshall, Malik Davis, Anastasia Vann, and Ingram.
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“We’re going to have some fun races for sure this cycle,” businessman Peter Pappas writes in an email about City Council races including three opponents challenging Mitch Colvin for the mayor’s gavel. “It saddens me that (District 6, 7 and 8) are unopposed” in what Pappas describes as “a lack of recruiting by the local GOP/DNC and not a testament to their ‘good works’ for sure.” Pappas failed in his 2022 candidacy against Derrick Thompson in District 6 by 43 votes and had considered a run this year against Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins in District 5. Instead, you’ll find Pappas co-hosting “The Carolina Cabinet” radio broadcast each Sunday morning on Andrulonis AM radio stations, where discussion is about local and state politics and other issues. Broadcasts are at 7 a.m. on The River WMRV (106.5) and Carolina Country WFAY (100.1). The broadcast previously was hosted by former Mayor Nat Robertson. No, Mr. Pappas, other than perhaps District 2, where there are six candidates vying for Shakeyla Ingram’s seat, the Oct. 10 primary and Nov. 7 general election will be much the status quo.
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Pappas also wants to know about how the city is faring in crime statistics. “To me, we can’t police our way out of it,” he writes in his email about homicides in the city. “But how are our FPD folks doing about making arrests against these murders? Are we seeing more or less activity in that regard since (Chief Gina) Hawkins left?” Worse, when it comes to homicides, including 33 compared to 28 this time a year ago. But the FPD Homicide Unit under Chief Kem Braden and Sgt. Jeff Locklear, the homicide supervisor, according to the FPD, is tracking down the criminals who commit these homicides with 21 arrests so far, including the arrest Wednesday of a 31-year-old family member in the Jan. 6 death of a 1-year-old child. There has been no arrest in the shooting death of a 19-year-old on July 17 on Bragg Boulevard.
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Eight Hope Mills residents, including five incumbents, are running for seats on the Hope Mills Town Board of Commissioners, and that’s a crowd. The incumbents are Jerry Legge, Bryan Marley, Kenjuana McCray, Grilley Mitchell and Joanne Scarola. The challengers are Elyse Craver, Pat Edwards, Mark Hess, Deanna Rosario, Karen Saracen, Ronald Starling, Ronnie Strong and Patrick Mitchell. Mayor Jackie Warner has a challenger, too, in former Hope Mills Commissioner Jessie Bellflowers
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Josh Choi is the new chairman of Cool Spring Downtown District, according to a news release, succeeding Molly Arnold. “I am excited and honored to lead the Cool Spring Downtown District board of directors this year,” Winterboom says. “We look forward to an exciting 12 months as we focus on our impact on downtown Fayetteville’s economic and cultural vitality.” Other officers are Michael Pennink, the vice chairman; Anna Hodges-Smith, secretary; and John Malzone, treasurer. New board members are Gerard Falls, Katrina Rubiera, Nathan Cuffee, Kristin Wellons Seeland, Caroline Gregory, Andrew Henrickson and Kennon Jackson. “I’m also thrilled to welcome our new board members,” says Bianca Shoneman, president and chief executive officer of the organization. “We’ve chosen a slate of future-ready directors who are socially responsible, diverse, tech-savvy, understand inclusion and demonstrate a keen awareness of how to balance expectations. The future is downtown.”
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“Enjoyed the article on Benny,” Bob Cogswell writes in an email about our Wednesday column on Benny Pearce, the longtime educator and athletic director for Cumberland County Schools who worked at Campbell University and Methodist University after his retirement. “I worked with him at Campbell University, and we had lunch every day. Those were good times with a very humble man. I was blessed to have known him.” Benny Pearce, 83, died July 17.
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Let’s see if we have this right. A customer becomes agitated with an employee at Primo Pizza on Wednesday in the food court of Cross Creek Mall, according to the Fayetteville Police Department. He leaves the mall, goes to his vehicle and returns with a gun, and an altercation ensues between the man and the food court employee. A gunshot was fired, according to a Police Department news release, during an apparent struggle between the 51-year-old man and the employee. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the agitated man was arrested and charged with discharging a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, second-degree kidnapping, assault by strangulation and assault with a deadly weapon. Let’s see if we have this right? All over a pizza?
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“Bill, here we are over three months later and nothing has surfaced on the once again missing Elvis photos,” Phil Barnard writes in an email about the photograph display that once highlighted Elvis Presley’s performances on Aug. 3, 4 and 5, 1976, at the Crown Arena. “I’ve reached out again to Lexi (Hasapis), since she is on the Civic Center Commission board, to try and shed some light on this. I even included the column you wrote last year about Tony Chavonne’s event when the photos were ‘safe and secure.’ Seth Benalt is the one to supply the answers. If I don’t hear anything positive from this last contact, I’m submitting a request to speak to the Cumberland County commissioners. Would you care to join me if that is needed?” CityView did display the old photos in an “Elvis: Next Stop Fayetteville” event in August 2022 at the downtown SkyView. And CityView returned the photos mounted on wooden backboards. That, Mr. Barnard, means they are somewhere, let us assume, on Crown Complex property. And that means the onus is on Seth Benalt, the general manager, and his staff to search for them. That’s where the buck begins and where the buck ends. County commissioners do hold public forums to hear from county residents with concerns.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
