Federal Advocay Report for
Fayetteville City Council
Cumberland County Board of Commission
Fayetteville Regional Chamber of Commerce

Background: (From FaegreBD Consulting) – federal affairs consultant

For the past year, FaegreBD Consulting (FBDC) has had the privilege of serving as the Partnership’s federal affiars consultant.  The initial FBDC work focused upon the identification of issues that were garrison community-specific.  How does Fort Bragg and the garrison impact city/county services and economic development uniquely?  With the answers, FBDC began to identify specific agency and legislative requests to address these issues.

The following are the set of community priorities that match federal opportunities and provides a roadmap for future engagement in Washington, DC.

• Federal Agency Engagement – During the last quarter of 2014, Partnership leaders have met with senior federal officials with the United States Department of Labor, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Economic Development Administration, United States Department of Justice, representatives of the Fayetteville and Cumberland County congressional delegation.
• Economic Development – Partnership officials met with the leadership of the EDA to discuss drawdown.  EDA was highly responsive and indicated that the base population losses would be considered job losses under EDA’s programs and qualifying the community to receive priority in EDA grant decisions.
• Employment – In response to the emerging unemployment issues, the Partnership met with the leadership of the VA and DOL to discuss national and regional efforts to address veteran unemployment.
• Grants – Neither Fayetteville nor Cumberland County has a centralized grant department.  FBDC has also provided guidance on best practices for communities seeking federal grants, including a recommendation to support a centralized resource to improve the tracking, evaluating and competing for grant funding for community priorities.
•  Homelessness – The Partnership met with VA officials to discuss these issues and the VA has been responsive.  The local VA leadership has been meeting with the Partnership and the Continuum of Care leadership on a regular basis to discuss needs and opportunities.
• Housing – The Partnership met with housing officials with the VA and HUD to discuss the worsening situation.  The VA shares the Partnership’s concern and has offered to work with the Partnership on strategies to respond to foreclosure.

2015-2016 Work Plan

• Municipal finance
• Preservation of City federal funding
• Preservation of County federal funding
• 440th
• Veterans issues
• Employment
• Federal grants
• Transportation/Transit
• Federal tax policy

Legislation – The Partnership has met with the Fayetteville and Cumberland County Congressional delegation to discuss the drawdown, it’s potential impacts on the community and possible legislative responses tot he identified problems.

Legislative efforts for 2015-16

• Legislation that would authorize the Office of Economic Adjustment at DOD to provide assistance to communities impacted by the drawdown
• Legislation that would authorize a temporary payment to partially reimburse garrison communities from revenue losses that result from the drawdown
• Legislation that would require the payment of property taxes by private developers for facilities built on bases under the Enhanced Use Lease authority.

Sidebar: This federal agenda is anticipated to be adopted by all parties by June 2015

To view the entire legislative agenda please click the link below.

https://cityoffayetteville.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

 

The City Council held their annual planning retreat.  The day long meeting took place at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens.  A full council was in attendance in addition to city administration and staff.  The following are top priroties for the coming year.

1.  Crime & safety

2. Economic Development

What Was Said:
Councilman Crisp – “We’ve been depending on the Alliance and the Chamber.  We’re depending on other people.  We want to drive our train because it hasn’t been done.

Councilman Colvin – “We haven’t seen rapid progress.  We have to support small business in our community.”

Councilwoman Jensen – “We need a campaign to make people feel guilty for not spending money in Fayetteville.”

Mayor Pro Tem Davy – “Tony Chavonne is doing a good job with the downtown alliance and he will begin bringing ideas back to the council.”

Councilman Mohn – “Could we lobby the General Assembly to add Shaw Heights to the city?”

Ted Voorhees (City Manager) – “It has been suggested in concept but no.”

Mohn – “Can we get a bill?”

Councilman Arp – “It should have been annexed…it has an impact on the city.”

3. Parks & Recreation

What Was Said:
Jensen – “We need to take the elephant and chip away.”

Voorhees – “We need a bond package…none of us bought our house with cash.  This gives us the ability and a responsible way for large capital.”

Council suggestion – updated Parks & Recreation plan

4. Customer Service

5. Homelessness

What Was Said:
Mayor Robertson – “We have a boarded up building and we have had some cold nights.  Without this being on the radar, staff will not see it as a priority.

6.  Land Use Plan

Other Business:

Deteriorating Neighborhoods

What Was Said:
Scott Shuford (Development Services Director) – “There are gaps created in neighborhoods…need to be more active.  We have got to overcome the local developer not interested in inner city development.”

Colvin – “Is there an incentive to close the gap?”

Victor Sharpe (Community Development Director) – “With low to moderate income, we can acquire land and encourage them to build developments..take a risk.  We have land but local developers are not willing to take the risk and part of it is location.  If we can come up with the right project…”

Rochelle Small-Toney (Assistant City Manager) – “We need a land bank.  The city acquired properties and puts it back out on the street.”