October 2014

Chapel Hill and Carrboro Citizens' Police Forums

This coming Saturday (October 4) and next Monday (October 6), Chapel Hill Police and Carrboro Police respectively, along with representatives from their funding agencies, will be holding Public Forums, at which citizens will be invited to offer thoughts on the way they wish to be policed. I will be unable to attend the Carrboro Forum as I will be working. But I have written a letter to the organizers, a letter which is (amazingly) quite self-explanatory:

"Dear Carrboro Alderpeople, Chief Horton and David Andrews [Carrboro Town Manager],

I understand there is to be a Public Forum on Policing in Carrboro, held on October 6, at 7.00pm. I will not be able to attend, as much as I have expressed interest in this subject.

I am a shift worker, and like most shift workers, I need at least three weeks notice to be able to accommodate events to my work schedule.

OrangePolitics Monthly Editors Meeting

Date: 

Sunday, October 5, 2014 - 11:00am to 1:00pm

Location: 

Looking Glass Cafe

Quarterly Happy Hour

ORANGEPOLITICS TO HOST HAPPY HOUR, ENGAGE COMMUNITY BEFORE ELECTIONS

OrangePolitics will host a happy hour on Friday, Oct. 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at TRU Deli + Wine for residents to gather and discuss local politics prior to the upcoming elections. 

The happy hour will offer attendees the opportunity to discuss local politics prior to upcoming elections with candidates and current elected officials, as well as others in the community who are well versed in local politics.

Local officials who have attended in the past include town commissioners, councilors and members of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County Boards of Education. 

TRU is located at 114 Henderson St., a close walk for students and individuals who live downtown.

OrangePolitics will also be providing complimentary cheese platters.

Orange County will hold elections on Nov. 4, and polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. With the happy hour just three weeks before elections, voters will have a prime opportunity to hear more about local candidates and issues from a well-informed sect of Orange County residents.

Date: 

Friday, October 10, 2014 - 5:30pm to 7:00pm

Location: 

Tru Deli + Wine, 114 Henderson Street, Chapel Hill

This Week in Orange Politics: October 6-12

It’s another busy week for Orange County’s elected boards. The Carrboro Alderfolks will consider joining the Bee City USA program and discuss locating agricutlural support uses in the Rural Buffer, while Chapel Hill devotes a day-long work session to the Obey Creek development. The County Commissioners will talk about upgrading 9-1-1 technology, while the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board will evaluate the superintendent. Both the Hillsborough and County School Boards are on break this week.

And, of course, don’t forget to join us for our quarterly happy hour Friday at TRU Deli +Wine.

Here’s the full summary:

CARRBORO BOARD OF ALDERPERSONS

CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL

2014 Intercity Visit: A Schools Perspective

It's all connected. That was what the trip to Athens taught me.

Discussion of Living Wage at Joint Meeting

Last Tuesday (September 30), the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, and Orange County Board of Education held a joint meeting with an agenda that included overviews of the budgets for both school districts, the possbility of cross-district courses, and "affirming the shared goal" of a living wage for school system workers. Although the meeting lasted close to 2 hours, the topic of a living wage held the floor for 6 minutes.

A representative from Orange County Schools reaffirmed their commitment to pay their workers a wage of $12.76 an hour, although Commissioner McKee noted that, although called a living wage, this is "not a housing wage."

A representative from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system state that over the last 15 years, classified employees have averaged a 1.8 percent pay increase each year. However, this year, all classified employees will receive at a 3 percent increase. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will look into UNC's wage plan and the county's living wage level as they determine how best to enact a living wage for their employees.

Information Session on Housing Choice Voucher Program

Please join us to learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher Program.  This briefing will provide an overview of the program, its goals and objectives, landlord & tenant requirements and inspections as well as its significant benefits to participating property owners wishing to rent affordable homes to responsible tenants. Whether you are a current participant of the program or are interested in participating in the future, we invite you to attend.  Please bring your questions and experiences which will help us to build a stronger and more responsive program.

WHEN: 
Friday, October 17th at 3:00 PM

WHERE:
The Orange County Main Library in Hillsborough (137 West Margaret Ln.)

WHO:
This session is free & open to the public and is especially important for non-profit housing advocates, landlords and property managers who are considering participation in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Questions?  Call James Davis at (919) 245-2488

The Latest From Rogers Road

RENA and neighbors from across Rogers Road hope to gain the support of the Town Council to move forward with the enactment of the ETJ for the purpose of contributing toward the cost of the sewer infrastructure, in accordance with the recommendations of the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood Task Force.

This Week in Orange Politics: October 13-19

It’s another busy week for Orange County’s public bodies. The Carrboro Alderfolks will consider a new mixed-use zoning classification, while their Chapel Hill counterpart will take action on making the Rogers Road area part of the ETJ. The Hillsborough Town Board will consider its noise ordinance, while the county commissioners will hold a work session cover community centers, water and more before holding a wide-ranging joint meeting with Carrboro on everything from solid waste to transit to the new southern branch library.

Bike Safety

This announcement about bike and ped safety was posted by the town of Chapel Hill this weekend. Unfortunately recently there was another cyclist fatality near MLK and Hillsborough. This occurred where I was hit by a car while biking to work a decade ago. One suggestion I had back then was to have the reminder sign about" sharing the road with cyclist" be moved from uphill going towards downtown to place it going downhill closer to the corner gas station. I was told several times this was going to happen but it was never done. The chronic problem of warning signs being hidden by vegetation needs to be addressed. I know that the sign in that area was hidden by vegetation. It sounds from this memo that more attention will be given to this. When I ran for town council this is one of the things I meant by the town being more proactive rather than complaint driven. (Don't wait for someone to complain that a sign is hidden, have bus drivers or other employees notice and report it.) Having visible to drivers signs showing where a bike or greenway trail feeds into a street is a great idea and I hope the sign for the Bolin Creek Greenway and MLK is placed there quickly.

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