Gail Morfesis

What are your top three priorities for enhancing economic growth opportunities throughout the city?

Three priorities are Transparency, Accountability and Open lines of communication . Currently our City is in
decline and we must work together to turn this around. There are two main reasons for this: Crime and lack of
well paid jobs. To alleviate these issues we must work to recruit companies here but that is not going to
happen without dealing with the root causes of the problems related to Crime, drugs and homelessness
blighting the reputation of our city. We are currently going to be receiving monies from the Opioid Settlement.
Over 18 years the City will receive 3.2 million dollars which must be responsibly monitored to create live-in
treatment centers and job skills training. This will work to help three fold by reducing drug use, drug related
crime and homelessness. We also must keep our city and neighborhoods clean and encourage out Green
spaces such as Linear Park. Companies wish to come to a place with clean, safe streets, good educational
facilities and of course, good water and city services.

The City Council and City Manager must also be accountable for monitoring all projects which have been
funded and not completed. This includes the proper credentialing of all contractors engaged by the City and
the continuous monitoring of all progress or lack there of. Unfortunately at this time we have 4 or 5 projects
which were started but not properly vetted or completed. We have already begun work on some of these
issues such as clean water but starting is not enough…completion is essential.

What are the most pressing issues facing the City of Fayetteville? How will you work to solve them?

Our most pressing issue is wasteful spending and mismanagement of taxpayers dollars. I believe for
Fayetteville to be the “Can Do City” we must have a Can Do City Council and currently that is not the case. We
have many projects begun over the course of the previous years that were not properly Vetted and monitored.
Hiring of contractors who are not insured, bonded and vetted must stop. This is a total waste of taxpayers
hard earned money and is one reason for the escalation of our taxes. We currently have two projects on Bragg
boulevard left by paid contractors in a state of disrepair. The Fire Department is not even structurally sound
and thus cannot be completed but must be torn down. Regular monitoring and timely completion of these
projects would have held down costs and insured proper construction. Then of course there is also the
parking garage at Segra constructed without an elevator. Any proper construction project demands the
placement of the elevator and shaft as an essential and important consideration. In this Case, only the
taxpayers got the Shaft! Many of our citizens feel “Disconnected” from their Government and councilmen who
must always keep the citizens desires and best interest in mind. I was encourage to run by some on our
County Commission because many projects such as the 911 system need joint work and therefore
cooperation and careful consideration. I will endeavor to be so.

We must have more public forums and direct interaction to connect with our constituents. At the present,
taxpayers can address the City Council during a public segment at the completion of their meeting by signing
up for a 2 or 3 min. slot however Councilmen have told me that these comments are basically ignored and not
brought for discussion later. I am not saying we can act on every desire but we must give consideration to all
ideas for the general good. Engaged taxpayers care more about their communities and thus should be
encouraged to work toward a better Fayetteville alongside their council person. We must do better.

What makes you the best candidate to represent the City of Fayetteville?

For far too long, I have followed local politics where it appears that decisions are made that are not fiscally
responsible, rather than complain I am willing to roll up my sleeves and work alongside our residents. Since I
have retired from the UNC system I have the time and energy to work hard for the betterment of our
Community and it's future. Though I have not held a public office, I am a local business owner and have done
work of a public servant through my work with nonprofit Public service organizations such as Care Clinic and
Better health and can contribute to the City Council to do a better job for our citizens due to my active work in
the business and Arts community as a professor at UNCP, The Lafayette Society, St Avold Sister city Alliance,
Gilbert theater, Heritage Square Historical Society and many more deserving service organizations. Better
control and strict supervision of Taxpayer funded projects must be put in place and all current projects need
to be reviewed for timely and correct completion. To complete these challenges Listed above, I would need to
work carefully with our City Economic and Community Development office and with other agencies of our City
along with the rest of the City Council to effect change. We had many organizations in the past like
Fayetteville Beautiful which were run by volunteers but many of these were taken over by the city which
thought it could be done better by bureaucracy however this has not proven to be true. We should encourage
our citizens in this work not discourage them through helping such great organizations as habitat for
humanity and many others. All this would need someone who can see problems and make the connections
with other organizations and city services. I feel I can do this work effectively and pledge to the citizens of
Fayetteville to keep my promises to them.