HOPE MILLS — Mayor Jackie Warner said Monday’s meeting of the town Board of Commissioners was the shortest she has ever been a part of.
Commissioners Bryan Marley and Jerry Legge were absent, but Warner assured those in attendance that the council still had a quorum.
Commissioners Grilley Mitchell and Joanne Scarola and Mayor Pro Tem Kenjuana McCray were present.
With no old business on the agenda, no public hearing scheduled, and no comments from the public, the board approved every item on the agenda unanimously without much comment or disagreement.
Under new business, the board set a date for a public hearing on the Petromarts annexation. It was scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 7.
Parks and Recreation Director Lamarco Morrison told the board his department has seen an increase in requests to be on new marquees at Hope Mills Lake and John W. Hodges Public Safety Center.
“What this fee schedule does is set the price which is consistent with the rest of our other fees at the general space at the municipal park, golf view greenway and for the basketball court,” Morrison told the board. “It also sets the fee schedule for advertising on the digital marquee.”
Town Attorney Dan Hartzog Jr. raised a First Amendment concern and told the board it “cannot regulate content on the sign.”
“So, if we’re going to pick and choose which messages get displayed, I may want to tweak the policy,” Hartzog said.
He told the board that it needs to make sure the policy is consistent.
“I want to make sure we have some standards in place ahead of time, so we are not trying to judge piece-by-piece. That can be an issue.”
Commissioner Grilley suggested that if there are any content concerns that the board agree to direct them all to the Hartzog.
The board also heard a presentation by Andrea Tebbe, event chair for the statewide POW/MIA luncheon presented by Purple Heart Foundation of NC.
Tebbe said the luncheon will be at the Crown Complex on Sept. 9. Tebbe told the board she fought to get the statewide event to come to Fayetteville because of a wonderful response she received from Fayetteville in the past. The luncheon will honor POWs and MIAs, as well as their family members.
The board voted to be a sponsor of the luncheon.
