As District 1 representative and Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen seeks to be Fayetteville’s next mayor, four candidates have emerged to replace the long-time council member.
This fall’s municipal elections will bring significant changes to the city’s leadership, with three new council members and potentially a new mayor set to take office. In addition to Jensen, Council Members Mario Benavente and Courtney Banks-McLaughlin have decided not to file for reelection, and instead are running for mayor. Mayor Mitch Colvin is also seeking reelection; if none of them are elected mayor, at least four of the ten seats on city council will change hands (the mayor is considered a member of the council).
Jensen has represented District 1 since 2013, making her one of the longest-serving members of the current city council. A moderating voice on the council, Jensen tends to vote along with the majority and is a strong proponent of military issues and Fort Bragg, as well as strengthening economic development and public safety.
Four candidates have filed for the District 1 seat: Jamie Davis, James Thomas III, Stephon Ferguson and Theodore Melkoumov. The candidates will compete in the primary election on Oct. 7, and the top two vote-getters will move on to compete in the general election on Nov. 4. Read on for an overview of the candidates.
Jamie Davis
A Fayetteville native and veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, Davis graduated from Pine Forest High School in 2003 and received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Fayetteville State University in 2022, as well as a master of business administration from FSU in 2024. Davis said his campaign motto is “unity will strengthen the community.” This is his first time running for office.
If elected to represent District 1, Davis said he wants to advocate for the needs of veterans, as well as senior citizens. He said he was influenced by his father, a 75-year-old veteran, who passed away in December after struggling to access the services he needed.
“I feel like there were a lot of opportunities that he possibly missed out on that were just due to maybe lack of education, lack of knowledge, lack of just being able to put things and people together … to sufficiently take care of him,” Davis told CityView, referring to his father’s health needs. “I feel like it’s still our responsibility to honor [seniors] and [the Bible] says, honor your parents and your days will be long on this earth.”
Davis added that Jensen has done an “amazing job” representing the district, and he hopes to continue working on the issues that Jensen prioritized. He is especially looking to strengthen Fayetteville residents’ feeling of security and comfort, access to education and overall quality of life.
James Thomas III
Born and raised in Fayetteville, Thomas is a 2018 graduate of Pine Forest High School and received his bachelor’s degree in information technology from North Carolina A&T State University in 2021. At 25, Thomas would be the youngest council member if elected. This is Thomas’ first time running for political office.
Thomas said he has been active in the community since an early age, serving as the vice chair of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Youth Council from 2016 to 2018. He has also worked with Fayetteville PACT, advocating with the group in 2023 for body cameras to be used by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. He is an organizer of Fayetteville PACT’s annual Injustice Week, a week in August where experts provide information to residents about issues in Cumberland County, such as homelessness.
If elected to represent District 1, Thomas said he will focus on increasing opportunities for youth, housing affordability, workforce development, access to mental health services and infrastructure improvements. He also wants to address the “divide” between younger and older residents in the city.
“We’re at a weird time where the youth in our city are hurting and don’t care what the older people have to think,” Thomas told CityView. “And then the older people are wondering and don’t have faith in the youth and their ability and capability to fill in these positions, like the one I’m running for, and do what needs to be done. And many of the challenges we face like gun violence, poverty and all that, stems from lack of opportunity, lack of connection, and a lack of transparency — not only from the leaders, but the citizens as well. I feel like we’re not transparent with each other. That’s why I feel like I could bridge the gap between the young and the old to come together.”
In addition, Thomas wants to focus on public accountability, particularly as it relates to the city’s challenges with successfully managing recent bond projects. “I believe we have a lot to offer, but it doesn’t look like that when you’re driving around, you see a bunch of unfinished projects,” he said. “I want people to see the beauty of Fayetteville that I’ve seen, that I grew up in, that I’ve experienced.”
Stephon Ferguson
Ferguson is a lifelong resident of Fayetteville, graduating from 71st High School in 1986. He holds undergraduate degrees from Fayetteville State University and Georgia State University and a graduate degree in theology and philosophy from the Morehouse School of Religion. Ferguson is a veteran sergeant of the U.S. Army. He served the majority of his career at Fort Bragg. After being honorably discharged from the military, Ferguson went onto work in broadcast journalism, including at 107.7 FM and at WFNC under the name “Steve Blackmon.” Ferguson is also a voice actor, known for recreating the voice of Martin Luther King Jr..
Ferguson has served on several local boards and commissions, including Fayetteville’s Ethics Commission and Planning Commission. He is an associate minister at New Life Bible Church in Fayetteville and the chair of New Life Christian Academy’s Board of Trustees.
Ferguson has run for political office before. In 2006, he competed for a seat on the Cumberland County Board of Education but lost. He said was inspired to run for city council this year because he saw a “need for responsible, accountable, and experienced leadership,” and some residents of District 1 had asked him to consider running after the seat opened up.
If elected, Ferguson said his main areas of focus will be strengthening economic development and public safety.
“My vision for District 1 and the city of Fayetteville is one of growth, safety, and opportunity,” Ferguson told CityView. “I want to help build a community where families feel secure, businesses can thrive, and everyone has a voice in shaping our future. I am committed to listening to residents’ concerns, collaborating with community leaders, and taking action that benefits all residents.”
Ferguson believes crime is the most pressing issue facing the city.
“Strengthening, and in some cases, establishing Community and Neighborhood Watch programs is essential,” Ferguson said. “Increased community engagement is imperative. Supporting initiatives and programs, particularly for our youth, is a key element. I concur with many who say more police officers is not the answer, but I believe we all can agree, with 71 vacancies in the Fayetteville Police Department, that it is a contributing factor. It will take the community as a whole, residents, businesses, organizations, and community leaders working together with local law enforcement, to effectively combat crime.”
Theodore Melkoumov
Melkoumov moved to Fayetteville in 2013 to join the Army. He served as an IT and networking specialist with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command from 2013 to 2019. After finishing his military career, Melkoumov decided to stay in Fayetteville and start a small business. He is the owner and operator of Silver Knight PCs, a computer store in Fayetteville.
Melkoumov has not run for political office before, but he said he decided to run for city council to try and address the economic challenges people have been experiencing as the cost-of-living has skyrocketed in recent years. He also hopes to use his IT background to improve the city’s infrastructure, including developing innovative ways to tackle issues like flooding.
“The list of infrastructure problems are pretty extensive,” Melkoumov told CityView. “And using technology to try to fix those infrastructure problems or make the process of fixing them more efficient, is something that’s oftentimes overlooked. Because if we can get 100 things done with 10 jobs worth of work, then we should probably do that so we can do 100 things.
“I feel like there’s an adversity to doing so because sometimes the general age of people that are running for political office are a little older, and there’s a gap that happens between people that are traditionally running in city council positions and folks that are younger that understand the issues at hand.”
Editor’s note: Melkoumov did not initially respond to CityView’s request for an interview. This story has been updated to include his comments post-publication.
Government accountability reporter Evey Weisblat can be reached at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608.
Did you find this story useful or interesting? It was made possible by donations from readers like you to the News Foundation of Greater Fayetteville, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation so CityView can bring you more news and information like this.