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Fayetteville council alters public‑forum timing after residents raise access concerns
Summary
After an hour of public comment opposing proposed changes, the council voted to move the forum to later in the evening and extend sign-up to 5 p.m. the day of meetings; a motion to table the policy for deeper legal review failed. Residents and some council members had urged broader public input.
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville City Council on Feb. 9 responded to a wave of public criticism about proposed changes to its public‑forum policy by approving a procedural change intended to preserve access for working residents while the council continues work on policy updates.
Residents in a packed chamber told the council the draft revisions — which would hold public forum sessions on a separate day, move the session start earlier, and narrow the sign‑up window — would reduce participation by people who work evenings or travel to City Hall after their shifts. "When we restrict their access to us... we are betraying the trust they placed in us," Councilmember McMillan said during debate, arguing public comment is a legal and democratic obligation.
The council voted to accept a supplemental proposal from Mayor Pro Tem Thompson that shifts the council’s first‑Monday work session later in the afternoon so the public forum will begin after recognitions and announcements, and instructed city staff to accept speaker sign‑ups until 5 p.m. the day of the meeting. The change was designed to give residents more time to arrive without reversing the policy committee’s work on broader amendments. The motion carried following extended debate about legal risk, public access and administrative practicality.
Why it mattered: Dozens of residents, community groups and individual commenters urged the council to keep in‑meeting public forums to ensure that working people and those without flexible schedules can address elected officials. Several speakers — including Ben Holtquist of Strong Towns Fayetteville and public commenters Lorena Murray and Kristen Starks — said an earlier start time and earlier sign‑up cutoff would effectively silence many working‑class voices.
What council members said: Councilmember McMillan moved to table the proposed amendments and schedule a work session with legal review and comprehensive public input. McMillan cited North Carolina General Statute "143‑318.1111" (as raised during the meeting) and warned that rushed changes could invite litigation if they curtailed constitutionally protected speech. The motion to table failed. After further discussion, the council adopted the timing modification recommended by the Mayor Pro Tem and asked staff to return with any remaining policy items for separate consideration.
What’s next: Staff will implement the timing and sign‑up adjustments and return with additional policy language or separate proposals for the remaining amendments. Council members who opposed the immediate changes asked staff to conduct more outreach and offered alternatives such as splitting public forum time across two regular meetings rather than creating separate sessions.
