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Bill Kirby Jr.: City councilman says change in term length is a decision for residents alone

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If a new Fayetteville City Council member cannot get up to speed on long-term strategic planning for the city, then that City Council member should not be on the council. But that’s freshman Councilman Derrick Thompson’s position in hoping to change council member terms from two years to staggered four-year terms. “I think it’s crucial that if we want to make such a drastic change to the way that this city operates that it once again goes to the vote of the people and should not rely simply on City Council to benefit themselves by changing the rules to give themselves more time,” says Mario Benavente, also a freshman councilman. And well said, councilman. Benavente has support from Kathy Keefe Jensen, who says her north Fayetteville residents are fine with two-year terms. The council, by vote of Mayor Mitch Colvin, Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins and council members D.J. Haire, Shakeyla Ingram, Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, Brenda McNair, Deno Hondros and Thompson, has called for a public hearing in the council chamber on April 10 to hear how you feel about it. A chamber of 15 to 20 people speaking at a public hearing does not speak for this city, and neither does a mayor, a mayor pro tem and six council members. City residents estimated at 208,000 do, and the truth is less than three quarters of them even take the time to vote.

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Councilman Derrick Thompson says he is not a “politician” and only trying to save the city money and do what is best for the city when it comes to staggered, four-year council terms. Former council member Ted Mohn begs to differ, and the former mayor pro tem doesn’t mince his words. “Derrick Thompson is nothing like a Bill Crisp in D6,” Mohn says in an email referencing the late District 6 councilman who served six two-year council terms before stepping down in 2017 because of declining health. “Derrick Thompson appears simply as an arrogant, self-serving politician. Bill Crisp was often quoted saying that while he was elected in District 6, his beat was the entire city of Fayetteville. Derrick Thompson is a typical politician pandering to his specific council district. Derrick Thompson's narrow-minded views of not wanting this on the ballot is a total disgrace to Bill Crisp's legacy.” Those who agree with Thompson, you can be assured, would beg to differ with Mohn. William Crisp died at age 81 on July 28, 2021.

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City Manager Douglas Hewett was telling us in March 2022 that an elevator has been ordered for the downtown parking garage across from City Hall and adjacent to Segra Stadium and that it would be installed by the end of 2022. That was 12 months ago, and we haven’t seen an elevator yet.

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“Three out of the four most recent police killings by the Fayetteville Police Department occurred during a mental health or wellness check,” Lisette Rodriguez, 25, told the City Council during  a public forum Monday. “The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says there has been a 103% increase in suicides of young people from 2011 to 2020, and the numbers are very clear our city and our nation are experiencing a growing mental health crisis. … Citizens need a dedicated entity to support them during these times of crisis, and that's what an Office of Community Safety would do.” Rodriguez has invited the mayor and all City Council members to a meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. March 20 at Smith Recreation Center to learn more about how an OCS could benefit city police in dealing with a mental health crisis. Rodriquez speaks with a calm voice, and her voice may be worthy of a receptive ear.

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What classy young people from the E.E. Smith High School girls and boys basketball teams who were honored Monday with a proclamation from Mayor Mitch Colvin for winning their conference basketball and conference tournament titles this season under coaches Latanya Hard and Bryan Tillman. “Congratulations to all of you for the accomplishments that you are doing in our community,” Councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram later told the young athletes, who attended the City Council meeting dressed in striped neckties and blazers and argyle sweaters. “You don’t realize it right now, but you are making significant change for the future and your future selves.” Really classy young people, and E.E. Smith High School has much to be proud of in the athletes.

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Three longleaf pines will be planted at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the newly built Bill Crisp Senior Center at 7560 Raeford Road in west Fayetteville as part of an Arbor Day observance. “Over the past two decades, we’ve planted more than 4,000 trees,” Anthony Ramsey, landscape architect with Fayetteville-Cumberland County Parks & Recreation, says in a news release. “You can see these additions outside schools, city buildings, along streets and beside parking lots.” The city, according to the release, is the recipient of the Arbor Day Foundation’s 2023 Tree City USA recognition for the 23rd consecutive year and will celebrate by displaying a Tree City USA flag and a brass maple leaf and post two signs along a major street. Friday’s tree planting is being held in conjunction with the Joint Appearance Commission, the Cumberland County Agricultural Extension Office, the Fayetteville Tree Board and the N.C. Forestry Service. You are invited Friday, and the more trees in this city the better. Can’t help but wonder why the city isn’t planting dogwoods at the Bill Crisp Senior Center. After all, Fayetteville is known as the “City of Dogwoods.”

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“Bill, very niece article in CityView” about our digital publication’s first anniversary, Steve Gasper writes in an email about our March 15 column. “Where does Tony go noodling? The Cape Fear River or the Neuse River? Just asking for a friend.” Publisher Tony Chavonne does most of his noodling along Breezewood Avenue and whenever he comes up with something that he believes will make Fayetteville a better place to call home.

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The Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County has received the Rising Star Award from the North Carolina Association of Festivals and Events for Holidays on Hay ... A Season of Light, according to Bob Pinson, interim president and chief executive officer of the organization. “The Rising Star Award is awarded for the best new event in North Carolina over the past three years.”

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Today is  St. Patrick’s Day, and while many amateur leprechauns will be enjoying the city and county pubs, remember that it’s not a day to drink and drive irresponsibly. Call a cab if you imbibe too much.

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“A high school football player scoring a touchdown, a paratrooper, a deployment or a plane crash,” daughter Rachel Aldridge would remember her father’s long photographer career at a memorial service on March 11 at Grace Lutheran Church in Randolph County. “Dad experienced life through his lens.” Steve Aldridge died at age 72 on March 2, 2023.

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“Receiving the WELL Certification is a big achievement for our venue because it verifies the work we’re doing to keep our employees and visitors safe,” Dorothy Strahley, assistant general manager, says in a news release about the Crown Complex being awarded the WELL Health-Safety Seat of Approval from Delos Solutions. “We have always cared about the safety of those who enter our venue. This process allowed us to enhance those practices, and a lot of work went into making sure that we met the high standards laid out in the WELL Building Standard.” The safety rating provides 23 strategies, according to the release, to help venues take the necessary steps to keep everyone involved in its operation safe and healthy. “When guests visit the Crown Complex for an event, we want them to be able to relax and have fun,” says Seth Benalt, the Crown Complex general manager. “This certification ensures that visitors can trust that the Crown is doing the work behind the scenes to keep them safe and healthy.”

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The Rev. David Woodhouse was so taken with the performance of “A Glimpse Into Evans” staged in January at the John D. Fuller Complex that he reached out to the play’s director about bringing the story of Evans Metropolitan AME Zion Church to his own downtown church. “I spoke to the Lindos and asked if they and their cast would be willing to perform an encore performance at Hay Street UMC,” Woodhouse says about Berthenia Lindo and her husband, the Rev. Selvyn Lindo, pastor of Evans Metropolitan AME Zion on North Cool Spring Street. “Thankfully, they and their large cast agreed.” Hence, an encore presentation of the church founded by the Rev. Henry Evans in 1801 is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at Hay Street United Methodist Church. Woodhouse not only wants his church congregation and others to see the adaptation of Mrs. Lindo’s play from Annette Billie’s history of the church, but he’s helping Evans Metropolitan AME Zion Church, too. “We are not selling tickets as they did before but simply asking that people consider making a donation at intermission to assist Evans Metropolitan AME Church with their recovery efforts. They have been unable to worship in their historic sanctuary ever since Hurricane Florence but plan to rededicate the renovated building on April 23.”  The performance features Randolph Williams II, a recent graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, in the lead role as the Rev. Evans; the Rev. Patania L. Eiland of Hood Memorial AME Zion Church on Rosehill Road as the preacher’s wife; and a cast from the Voncyle R. Davis Drama Guild of Evans Metropolitan AME Zion Church.

Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.

Fayetteville, City Council, elections, Derrick Thompson

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