Two political newcomers are vying for an open seat on the Fayetteville City Council to represent District 6.
Businessman Peter Pappas says the city needs “mature, reasoned leadership.” Retired postal worker Derrick Thompson says quality of life should be “everyone’s top priority.”
Pappas, 44, has owned and operated Baldinos restaurants for 24 years and is a commercial real-estate broker.
Thompson, 60, served in the Army for 20 years. He is retired from the U.S. Postal Service.
The District 6 seat became open when Councilman Chris Davis decided to run for the Democratic nomination for N.C. House District 45.
The municipal election is July 26. Early voting is underway at the Cumberland County Board of Elections Office.
CityView TODAY asked the candidates for City Council and mayor questions about several issues facing the community. These are their answers, which have been edited for style and grammar.
Age: 44
Occupation: Business owner, Baldinos sub shops; commercial real estate broker
Elected offices held: None
Crime in the city continues to rise, according to a recent report on the first quarter of 2022 by Police Chief Gina Hawkins to the City Council. Are city officials — and specifically, the police chief and the Police Department — doing enough to address crime? If not, what should they do differently?
Keeping our community safe is a multi-faceted issue. I applaud the police officers who continue to show up despite the national attitude of disrespect they endure. In my opinion, a culture of reprisal exists in our department — if your employees feel demeaned and under threat of losing their job, they will be reluctant to act. There were ethical questions that went unanswered, and the process was clear as mud. I demand accountability at all levels of government, but I can act locally and bring the answers my voters expect.
Record numbers of officers have left and are leaving our police force. Many are underpaid and feel they don’t have the support of their leaders. What is your plan to correct this serious issue?
As we re-enter the budget cycle for the following year, I will evaluate the performance of city offices, efficiency, and return on taxes to the voters. By evaluating “the fat,’’ I will find money within our means to re-fund the Police Department. The starting salary for a new officer is about $41,000 — as the sixth largest metro in N.C., we must pay them on par with our size. Bonuses for education, training, etc. need to be available. I don't just want to pay the officers more, I want the officer to find a home here, by offering the upward mobility afforded to those in other careers. Working for the city of Fayetteville will no longer be a dead end for the law enforcement officer.
Affordable housing continues to be an issue for many in our community. The City Council decided to earmark part of its American Rescue Plan Act funding to address housing issues. What else can the city do to help residents find safe, affordable housing?
Opportunity is at hand, the city cannot bring affordable housing on its own. As a councilman, it's my job to facilitate public and private partnerships. The city doesn't have the knowledge to go and build housing — we need the expertise of the private sector to plan and run these projects. When a developer wants to build a new neighborhood, we can ask that a portion of their project be “set aside’’ for affordable units, and in exchange, the city works with the developer to obtain grant funding from the federal government or other grant sources to lessen the burden of construction. I want to see beautiful developments, with sidewalks and parks as standard, and equity among its residents. Some may be housing voucher rentals, some are market rents, all look the same and all receive the same services.
A review of Fayetteville’s traffic stops shows they totaled over 70,000 in 2016 and less than 22,000 last year. There are still problems with speeding, red light violations and other traffic issues. Was there a conscious decision made to ban minor traffic stops, and if so by whom? Are you concerned about the decrease in stops and what should the city do about it?
I'm very concerned about the lack of traffic stops as our roads have turned into killing fields. I also see the lack of stops feeding directly back to the punitive nature of the command structure in the department. In addition, enforcing the “small crimes’’ will lead to an overall reduction in crimes in our neighborhoods. If those who intend to do harm to others are stopped for speeding, for instance, and a gun is found in possession of a felon, then that's one less gun in the hands of criminals.
Fayetteville has seen some economic news in recent months with the new Amazon distribution center and other business announcements. What does city leadership need to do to increase jobs in our community? What city resources need to be devoted to this cause?
First and foremost, we must act as one Fayetteville. My district elects me, and I must deliver to the people who believe in what I bring to the table. As I address the needs of my neighbors, I will apply their input to a future plan for Fayetteville. I will be prepared for council meetings, I conduct myself in a poised and professional manner and will work with my fellow council members to adopt a plan of growth to capture the retirees from Fort Bragg. We can't expect outside investment if our council does not portray a sense of decorum and professionalism. This is what I bring to our city.
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired
Elected offices held: None
Crime in the city continues to rise, according to a recent report on the first quarter of 2022 by Police Chief Gina Hawkins to the City Council. Are city officials — and specifically, the police chief and the Police Department — doing enough to address crime? If not, what should they do differently?
The last report mentioned most of the city's crime is theft and car break-ins, most assaults are domestic violence. They have appointed a resident advisory board and a citizens review board. They have installed the red-light camera project to help identify crime through license plate technology, and the micro-grant program which just awarded the first $50,000 to many communities getting them engaged in reducing crime. A new initiative is the Pause no more crime, no more violence program. Also buy back guns program. More can always be done, but progress is being made to reduce crime.
Record numbers of officers have left and are leaving our police force. Many are underpaid and feel they don’t have the support of their leaders. What is your plan to correct this serious issue?
Our first responders have our support. We need to regain their trust and confidence. The city has just approved a pay raise for the Police Department, hired 19 new officers, and has a housing incentive to help those who live in Fayetteville. When I'm on the council I will find funding to continually be competitive in salary with surrounding cities to help retain our officers.
Affordable housing continues to be an issue for many in our community. The City Council decided to earmark part of its American Rescue Plan Act funding to address housing issues. What else can the city do to help residents find safe, affordable housing?
Housing is essential for a city to thrive. The city has funded 3.4 million to help with affordable housing, community development block grants, Hope 6 projects, and the American Rescue Plan. They have incentives for real estate investors and developers to build at low-interest loans. The city is looking to remodel old, abandoned homes, trailer parks and hotels. We need more projects like Oakridge Estates on Bunce Road, where we can turn old neighborhoods into thriving communities.
A review of Fayetteville’s traffic stops shows they totaled over 70,000 in 2016 and less than 22,000 last year. There are still problems with speeding, red light violations and other traffic issues. Was there a conscious decision made to ban minor traffic stops, and if so by whom? Are you concerned about the decrease in stops and what should the city do about it?
There has been a shortage of police officers, which in turn reduces stops for minor violations. Now that staffing has increased, and more cops are on patrol, the traffic stops for speeding and other violations will increase. The city has invested in more cameras around the city to get those red-light traffic violators.
Fayetteville has seen some economic news in recent months with the new Amazon distribution center and other business announcements. What does city leadership need to do to increase jobs in our community? What city resources need to be devoted to this cause?
Education is the key to getting a workforce and economic development in our city. We can create a partnership with FTCC (Fayetteville Technical Community College) which receives $2 million to help with training the future needs of Fayetteville. Technology and trade crafts are essential in the development of our future. Also, we need to invest in a larger airport to be a hub for the big companies that want to move here. We have Amazon coming, DHL and the postal service are looking for locations. We have those capabilities; we have to invest in them!
