FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - On Monday, March 17, 2025, Cumberland County hosted a Joint City-County Liaison Committee Meeting in Room 564 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse, welcoming leaders from the City of Fayetteville and others to discuss key issues affecting the two jurisdictions. The theme for this month’s meeting was Economic Development.
The Joint City-County Liaison Committee convenes monthly to provide an opportunity for leaders from the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and Fayetteville City Council to provide updates, share insights, and discuss topics of mutual interest.
The committee includes three elected officials from each governing body, including the Board of Commissioners chair and vice-chair, and the Fayetteville mayor and mayor pro tem. Committee members for 2025 include Board of Commissioners Vice Chairwoman Veronica Jones (Committee Chair), Chairman Kirk deViere and Commissioner Pavan Patel, Fayetteville Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen (Committee Co-Chair), Mayor Mitch Colvin, and Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin.
During the meeting, the Committee received the following updates related to Economic Development within the County:
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Tye Vaught, Cumberland County Chief of Staff and Interim Community Development Director, provided an update on the Community Development Department, including a breakdown of available programs and the ongoing consolidated planning process, which aims to identify priority areas that will support countywide economic growth.
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Alex Baker, Assistant Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of Fayetteville, shared an update on behalf of the City department. He discussed programs and available funding and highlighted key issues including the need for affordable housing, workforce development programs, small business support, and enhancements to the downtown area.
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Robert Van Geons, President and CEO of the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation (FCEDC), gave an update on his organization’s economic development efforts. He emphasized the role of childcare in attracting new businesses and supporting workforce development. Mr. Van Geons also provided updates on both current projects and future priorities, including the making sure the I-685 corridor expansion comes through Cumberland County, developing the airport corridor, creating new industrial sites in the County and extending infrastructure to current and future industrial sites.
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Chancer McLaughlin, Town Manager of Hope Mills, provided an economic development update for the Town. He discussed updates to the town's land use plan and requested a future discussion on regional transportation needs. Mr. McLaughlin also stressed the importance of partnerships with regional organizations like the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO).
The Committee unanimously directed City and County staff to discuss collaborative ideas for programs aimed at poverty reduction and workforce development, and to present that information at the May 2025 committee meeting.
The Committee instructed City and County staff to evaluate the current regional transportation plan and explore how transportation improvements can support the economic development goals of the County, City of Fayetteville and other municipalities. They requested an update on this item, as well as solutions for childcare-related issues discussed at a previous committee meeting, be presented at the May 2025 meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 1:18 p.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 21, 2025.
For more information about Cumberland County and upcoming meetings, visit cumberlandcountync.gov or follow the County on social media at CCNCGov.