Mayor Mitch Colvin used his State of the City address on Tuesday to deliver a confident message about Fayetteville’s trajectory, declaring that “the state of our city is strong” while outlining an ambitious agenda built on regional partnerships, infrastructure investment, workforce development, and public safety.
Speaking before city officials, Cumberland County leaders, residents, and an online audience, Colvin framed Fayetteville as a “can‑do city” whose future “will be greater than its past.”
Colvin opened by acknowledging military families, city staff, and elected officials, then pivoted to the message he repeated throughout the night: Fayetteville’s future hinges on partnerships.
Strong Finances, Lower Taxes
Colvin also highlighted the city’s financial health. Recent audits confirmed Fayetteville is on solid footing, with reserves nearly double the state’s minimum requirement.
That stability helped the city earn the second‑highest credit rating from Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, which Colvin said will save taxpayers money as the city issues voter‑approved bonds for housing, infrastructure, and public safety projects.
Last year, the City Council approved the lowest property tax rate in three decades, making Fayetteville “one of the most competitive markets in the state for urban investment,” the mayor said
Credit: City of Fayetteville
Building a Workforce in Age of AI
Colvin devoted a significant portion of his address to what he called Fayetteville’s “next generation workforce,” arguing that the city’s economic future depends on preparing residents for a rapidly changing, AI‑driven economy.
He said Fayetteville’s recent growth—including a stronger tax base and new employers—is the result of “a strong economic condition or environment” and years of coordinated recruitment efforts with the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit funded by city and county dollars.
“We’ve recruited and welcomed a number of businesses and companies who call Fayetteville home, and they have put our people to work,” he said.
But Colvin stressed that economic momentum alone isn’t enough. The city, he said, recognized early that “our success depends on good partnerships and collaboration with others.”
He pointed to a coalition of leaders from Cumberland County Schools, Fayetteville State University (FSU), Methodist University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, the county commission, the health system and Fayetteville Public Works Commission—a group convened “to say, how do we fix our community and make it great for all of us?”
That collaboration has since evolved into a broader effort to prepare residents for a workforce reshaped by artificial intelligence. “In this competitive environment, it has never been more important that we have a well‑educated, well‑trained, ready‑to‑work workforce,” Colvin said.
“Today, you will be hard‑pressed to take your phone out to use any app… that doesn’t use AI or artificial intelligence in some form or fashion,” he said.
With AI’s rise, he added, comes the expansion of data centers—and the need for communities to confront what that means for jobs, land use, and infrastructure. “Every community, at some point, will have to have this tough conversation,” he said.
To prepare, the city has invested heavily in training programs. Colvin announced that Fayetteville has “allocated and invested over $1.3 million in developing and training the next generation workforce and initiatives over the last several years,” calling it a commitment that “deserves a round of applause.”
He said those investments support programs that teach coding, software engineering, and other technical skills to high school students. It’s part of a broader strategy to ensure Fayetteville residents can compete for emerging jobs tied to defense, health care, and the growing tech sector.
Infrastructure, Transportation, and I‑685
Colvin repeatedly returned to infrastructure as the backbone of Fayetteville’s economic future—not just for the city, but for the entire region. “We’ve talked about how we bring people into our communities and how we bring housing, none of that is possible without the infrastructure,” he said, arguing that growth depends on long‑delayed investments in water, sewer, roads, and transit.
He highlighted:
- Increasing walkability, with nearly 10 miles of new sidewalks and trails each quarter.
- 40 miles of street paving per year.
- A push for a regional transportation strategy connecting Hope Mills, Spring Lake, western Fayetteville, downtown, and the airport.
- The economic potential of the future I‑685 corridor, which will link Cumberland County to the rapidly growing Triad region.
“We have to think and plan ahead,” Colvin said, noting that Guilford County expects 20,000 new jobs and faces a shortage of 90,000 housing units—a gap Fayetteville could help fill if it positions itself strategically.
“We need a population increase,” he said. “And we need to use those communities to bring houses and families into Cumberland County, which will also benefit the city of Fayetteville.”
Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Homeownership
Colvin acknowledged Fayetteville’s housing shortage and said delays in permitting and construction are driving up prices for both buyers and renters.
A new Business and Economics Committee, chaired by Council Member Deno Hondros, will review the city’s development processes to make them “fair and fast.”
He also touted the Home Buyers HERO program, which has helped 50 new homeowners with more than $1 million in down‑payment assistance in the last two years
Calling small businesses “the lifeblood of America’s economy,” Colvin said the city must make it easier for entrepreneurs to operate in Fayetteville.
He cited:
- An entrepreneurship and business hub on Murchison Road, launched through a partnership between the city, county, and FSU that connects residents with resources and opportunities.
- A general contractor training program that helps skilled tradespeople become licensed contractors, opening “entirely new opportunities” for local workers.
- A procurement goal that aims to direct 40% of city project spending to local vendors, including women, minority and veteran‑owned businesses, in order to “keep our dollars…locally.”
Public Safety and Community‑Based Prevention
While touting economic and infrastructure gains, Colvin underscored that “our top priority remains our public safety.”
He praised Police Chief Roberto Bryan, who started in July. Colvin noted that the city has invested nearly $4 million over two budget cycles to close pay gaps and retain officers. Bryan expects to close the department’s longstanding vacancy gap “for the first time ever” in the coming months.
The Fire department, Colvin added, holds one of the highest national ratings, referring to the department’s ISO Public Protection Classification. The national system scores fire agencies on their readiness, equipment, staffing and response capabilities.
“Our police department and our fire department keep our community safe on a daily basis,” he said. “The men and women of uniform sacrifice so much to all of us that we may take for granted.”
On the prevention side, he highlighted the work of the Office of Community Safety, led by John Jones, which has awarded nearly $500,000 in grants to around 200 nonprofits, community watch groups, and organizations focused on youth violence prevention and mentorship.
It is a shift, Colvin said, that ensures resources reach “the people who are in the trenches.”
A Call for Unity, ‘Can-Do’ Future
Colvin closed with a call for unity and long‑term vision, framing Fayetteville as a resilient community on the cusp of transformation.
He urged residents and leaders to “choose unity over division,” to “hope rather than doubt,” and to “have vision rather than fear,” predicting that future generations will look back on this period as the moment when Fayetteville “stepped into its promise” and decided that its future would exceed its past.
“Fayetteville’s greatest chapter is being written at this moment,” Colvin said in closing. “Let us continue building a city that the next generation will be proud to call home”
Government reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader can be reached at rheimann@cityviewnc.com or 910-988-8045.
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