Published on February 13, 2025
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The Fayetteville City Council met Feb. 11-12 for their 2025 Strategic Retreat at the Dorothy Gilmore Recreation Center, located at 1600 Purdue Drive. The two-day retreat provided an opportunity to reflect on the City’s accomplishments, address operational challenges and set a strategic course for the future.
The first day of the retreat included outlining key achievements from the past year, establishing a problem-solving framework and identifying best practices in strategic planning for a local government. Council members also reviewed the city’s current operational context and determined a list of ongoing strategic priorities to champion for the City.
“This retreat has been an opportunity for the Council to reflect on what we’ve achieved and strategize how we can continue to serve Fayetteville effectively on a long-term basis,” said Mayor Mitch Colvin. “It’s about building on successes and prioritizing clear, actionable plans for the future.”
Throughout the retreat, the Council engaged in a variety of sessions, including departmental updates, creative problem-solving exercises and the development of an “investment portfolio” of priorities. This portfolio guided the city’s initiatives, focusing on projects the City needs to start, continue, adjust or discontinue based on community needs and city resources.
The Mayor and Council found consensus through collaborative exercises on the following set of strategic priorities for FY26:
Fayetteville’s Senior Leadership Team also supported the Council at the retreat, sharing departmental achievements and identifying areas where ongoing Council support is critical to achieve their priorities.
The retreat was facilitated by Fountainworks, a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and organizational development.
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