Ted Mohn

Occupation: Combat Simulations Specialist (Fort Bragg Civil Service Employee)

District you are running in 8

Campaign Manager: Self

Daytime Phone Number: 867-1342

Address: 6961 Bone Creek Drive Fayetteville, NC 28314

Campaign Email: tmohn@aol.com

Campaign Website: 

List most recent political/community experience (provide dates): May 2004 – July 2007. Member of the Cumberland County Citizens United (CCCU). This nonprofit 501C organization holds monthly meetings to discuss citywide issues effecting newly annexed citizens of Fayetteville. I served as one of the vice presidents from July 2006-July 2007.

Currently, I’m serving on the “We the People” consolidated government committee to study possible courses of action associated with combining city and county services/departments for more efficient government.

 

What business/civic organizations are you associated with (list leadership roles): Recently resigned my board position on the CCCU to run for Fayetteville City Council District 8 to avoid any appearance concerning conflicts in interest.

 

As a candidate, what are your top three policy issues?

- Cleaning blighted properties/areas and protecting neighborhoods.

- Extending city services to all residents of Fayetteville not currently receiving them.

- Smart growth and planning (continued economic development).

 

What specific NEW initiative would you suggest for economic growth in Fayetteville? How would it be implemented? Although this is not a new initiative, I feel the biggest impact for economic growth in our community is the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) preparation and execution. Fayetteville and Cumberland County have been presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity for significant economic growth over the next 2-10 years. The relocation of Forces Command & the U.S. Army Reserve Command from the Atlanta metro area to Fort Bragg is an awesome opportunity. We must support our Regional and Local BRAC Committees as they develop and execute a marketing plan to identify community issues relative to this initiative. The CCBC, as our premiere economic development entity must continue to play a significant role in this process. Therefore, the Fayetteville City Council must provide enough financial resources to the CCBC to get this job done right. We also need the City, County, CCBC, BRTF and FAMPO working together to leverage their collective knowledge and experience to foster positive economic growth.

 

Can Fayetteville and Cumberland County successfully consolidate/merge their governments? What would be the benefits/problems of consolidating the two into one? I am currently serving on the “We the People” committee studying this very issue. This study could take months/years and those volunteering should take the necessary time to get this right. While there is no easy solution, there are examples of consolidation that have already occurred. Fayetteville and Cumberland County have merged their respective Parks and Recreation Departments into one entity. The City and PWC have consolidated Purchasing and Fleet Maintenance and are studying merging other departments including IT. The City and County School Systems have already merged. We must continue studying other opportunities. The economic savings by eliminating duplicated services cannot be overlooked. More analysis is needed and citizens need to take the lead and be actively involved conducting this analysis, not our elected officials. It’s to soon to specifically say what can and cannot be consolidated. Our group study will help identify the myriad of possibilities.

 

What do you believe to be the city council’s greatest accomplishments and disappointments in the last two years?

Accomplishments include:

- Increasing pay for the men and women of our police and fire departments and obtaining the new vehicles they needed.

- Passing resolutions to begin a recycling program and help with storm water run off.

- Supporting Fayetteville Beautiful efforts to study strengthening city ordinances concerning litter enforcement.

Disappointments include:

- The decision to cut funding for the CCBC.

- The lack of sewer extension to the 8,000 properties the city said, back in 2003 needed sewers because of massive septic failures.

- The inaction to fund a study to update our zoning ordinances to accommodate current realities and our inevitable growth due to BRAC decisions.

 

How should the city best leverage the impact of the BRAC process? City leaders and our community must stay abreast of BRAC developments and work to build the needed infrastructure for our economic growth and associated development. City leaders must be involved with the BRAC Regional Task Force and the Local BRAC Committee. Fayetteville stands the most to gain so we must be at the table with the right people to ensure our success. This takes joint planning between the county and the various municipalities. This also includes working with the CCBC, FAMPO, Board of Education, Parks and Recreation, Police and Fire Departments, Social Services, PWC, NORCRESS, Eastover Sanitary District, NCDOT and the list goes on. Proactive and cooperative planning is the key to best leverage the economic potential our community is going to realize from the BRAC process. Fayetteville must work with CCBC to ensure the development of a Military Business Park comes to fruition. This park will provide a first class location for government contractors and provide Fayetteville an increased tax base to help maintain and expand city services to our citizens. Based on the proposed sites I have read about this Business Park will also serve as a potential economic catalyst to an undeveloped area.

Fayetteville must work towards a more welcoming city for our current and new residents. Cleaning blighted properties/areas and protecting neighborhoods is a small part of this. We must make Fayetteville a more attractive, clean, safe and peaceful city.

 

How the city council and the business community can work more effectively to build a better workforce? A strong workforce is crucial to the economic growth of our city and county. While the County and CCBC have historically addressed workforce related issues, I believe Fayetteville has a role in this partnership as well. The entire community should work together and build the resident workforce and improve access to jobs. This effort potentially is another area for joint community planning. 

 

What would you do to work cooperatively with the other members of the city council? Teamwork is the key to working together. I will listen to my fellow council members and obtain a better understanding of their ideas and concerns before formulating judgments and opinions. Team members must form a synergy to function in a professional and efficient manner.

During my 22 year Army career, I was a member of several planning staffs and teamwork was essential. Respecting the opinions and ideas of fellow team members (council members) will help build team synergy. I pledge to be a positive team member and work to enhance cooperation between fellow council members.