June 2015

Information session for CHCCS School Board potential candidates

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will hold an information session for anyone interested in running for the Board of Education on Wednesday, June 17 from 6-7:30 p.m. The session will take place at Lincoln Center, the district’s Central Office, located at 750 S. Merritt Mill Road in Chapel Hill.

Four seats will be up for election in November. Potential candidates will meet with district administrators and current Board members to learn about the expectations and responsibilities of serving, as well as some of the large upcoming projects that will require considerable Board attention in the coming years.

The filing period begins Monday, July 6 at 8 a.m.

Anyone planning to attend is asked to contact Jeff Nash, Executive Director of Community Relations, at jnash@chccs.k12.nc.us or by phone at 919-967-8211 (ext. 28227).

Date: 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Location: 

Lincoln Center, 750 S. Merritt Mill Rd, Chapel Hill

What We're Reading: June 5

We read a lot of articles about local government, public sector innovation, open government, urban planning, and social justice. Since we often relate these articles to things happening locally here in Orange County and the Triangle, we thought we'd start sharing them from time to time. Here's what we read this week:

Town Council Delays Vote on Obey Creek

At their meeting last night, the Chapel Hill Town Council took public comment and discussed the Obey Creek development agreement, but delayed a vote on the proposal until next Monday.

The Council also discussed and enacted the 2015-16 budget and approved a revised personnel ordinance.

Public comment on Obey Creek centered around the issues that have long dominated the discussion: traffic, transit, and the size of the development. Council members seemed interested in delaying their vote a week due to new staff information, including smaller development scenario outcomes, that the Council received last Friday.

Tweets recapping last night's meeting are captured in the Storify below. Have thoughts about Obey Creek or the other items discussed? Add them in the comments.

Lavelle Running for Re-Election in Carrboro, Parker Running for Council in Chapel Hill

With election filing under a month away, announcements are coming in from local candidates. Just this morning, Carrboro mayor Lydia Lavelle announced she will be seeking re-election. Earlier this week, Michael Parker, a health care consultant and Chapel Hill Planning Commission member, announced he will run for Chapel Hill Town Council this fall. (Parker also applied for the seat vacated by former Council member Matt Czajkowski.)

Chapel Hill Town Council members Lee Storrow and Donna Bell confirmed earlier this year that they will also seek re-election. Council member Jim Ward has also indicated he will likely seek re-election as well.

Have you heard of any other potential candidates or any other candidates who are seeking office this year? Or is there anyone you would like to see run? Let us know in the comments.

What We're Reading: June 12

Happy Friday! Here's some of what we've been reading this week:

Bike and Sidewalk Safety and connectivity

I just sent this to the mayor and council email. Everytime I bike or drive by the ghost bike I promise myself I am going to say something so now or never. The bikepath/sidewalk on the up/north side is officially one way even for the the segment that takes one from the Bolin Creek Greenway to the stop light where one can cross safely to go various directions.  "I am sorry to see that after six months the solution to the accidents near Hillsborough and MLK is a sign saying do not enter. When Bolin Creek Greenway reaches MLK many people will want to ride their bike south to the Hillsborough MLK intersection to go in various directions. It makes no sense to prohibit that movement. If you are worried about the driveways just place warning signs at those points. (Are joggers also prohibited from running that way.) As an aside when our son was young our rule when riding on the sidewalk was to stop, look and walk at all driveways but I do believe it should be the drivers responsibility to make sure it is safe to eneter or leave a drive.

This Week in Orange Politics: June 14-21

Both the Carrboro Alderfolks and county commissioners will consider approving their budgets for the next fiscal year Tuesday, after the Chapel Hill Town Council meets Monday to discuss Obey Creek and other development projects. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education will consider several smaller items, while its counterpart in the northern part of the county meets in closed session. The Hillsborough Town Board is on break this week.

Here's the full rundown:

CARRBORO BOARD OF ALDERPERSONS

CHAPEL HILL TOWN COUNCIL

Obey Creek Approved in 7-1 Vote

The Chapel Hill Town Council voted 7-1 to approve the Obey Creek development agreement last night. Council member Ed Harrison was the lone no vote against the proposal.

The development will be built across from Southern Village on 15-501 South and, at full buildout, will include 800 apartments and townhomes, 475,000 square feet of retail space, 600,000 square feet of officespace. and 400 hotel rooms. The project is expected to take 20 years to be completed.

The development agreement also preserves 85 acres of land to be named the Wilson Creek Preserve.

Trying to Sum It All Up

It’s tough trying to boil multiple-hour meetings into a news story.  Local media outlets have recapped the public hearing where the Obey Creek development agreement was approved after a nearly six year process (read more here and here). I tried futilely to capture what Council said in 140 characters (see Storifys from the May 11, May 18, June 8, and June 15 meetings that discussed Obey Creek). 

What We're Reading: June 19

Happy Friday! Here are a few articles that piqued our interest this week:

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