Election season open thread

If you're asking whether the presence of signs gets someone otherwise unremarkable elected, the answer's no. But a few observations from someone who was at one time just a little apathetic about local politics (sad but true). Take the following tongue-in-cheek and for-what-it's-worth.

1. Signs proliferating at intersections is a reminder to the general, politically sleepy public that there's an election coming up and, on election day, a reminder to vote -- especially for those who don't bother (shocking!) to read articles about the election in local papers or blogs.

2. Some people (shocking, again!) arrive in the voting booth with perhaps one or two people they intend to vote for but little idea of who many of the other candidates are. If they haven't seen the name very often somewhere, they're unlikely to even consider ticking a box. If there's someone they particularly want to vote against, they are likely to vote for the generic Somebody Else, and I'm guessing that'll be someone whose name they've seen and associated with a "reliable" logo, like a leaf or a branch (;-) !) More than sad but true.

3. All other things being equal, the absence of signs for one candidate may be interpreted as either the inability to raise financial support or even lack of full attention to the campaign.

I know, I know, like so many other aspects of politics locally and, even more so, nationally, there's much nonsense that goes on because someone's afraid NOT to do it. And I agree with all the good reasons to spare candidates and the environment the scourge of signs. Just sayin' . . .

Signs are funny things.We all complain when there are too many and if canidates don't take them down in time.But if a canidate doesn't have signs people say "They can't be that serious they don't even have signs".It's similar to having people at the polls on election day.Most voters don't want to talk to poll workers but if you don't have anyone working the polls some voters,not all, think that you don't care or don't have enough support. I find yard signs more effective then signs in public places because they show support.
I used the same set for five elections.
Jacquie Gist

Duncan, I recently saw the Washington collection of political
memorabilia that you described and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Jingles do work. Even though I've
never smoked, I can still sing "Winston tastes good, like a
-- bump bump -- cigarette should." Why do we remember them so easily?

Sorry to disagree with almost everyone, but I think that signs
do work. They are particularly good for reaching the
majority of the voters, who, unlike OP participants, are
not local election junkies. They are an inexpensive
and effective way to saturate the town with your name
and the office you are chasing. As to expense, I think
that Mark Chilton's and Joyce Brown's hand-painted
signs were extremely effective.

Relating to effective novelty, in 1991, my campaign manager
Bill Davis got the idea to use Burma Shave-like signs
on some of the town's main roads. We made up some
jingles, e.g.,

All the traffic
got you down?
vote Capowski
for our town.

This was quite effective for people sitting in traffic on
Manning Drive at 7:30.
It worked! I got lots of complements -- and votes.
Mark Chilton sent me a book about the history of Burma Shave.
I'm surprised that no one has used something simlar
lately? Where's our creativity? Can't anyone create
a slogan based on the "Southern Part of Heaven"?

Katrina - new faucet limits make sense to me too, but may not be sexy enough for this thread. maybe try the water shortage posts?

I hope you all don't get a faucet limit in effect before Tom and I get a permit to build our little retirement bungalow in Carrboro!! Give us a few weeks, please!

I will get the League of Women Voters' dvd of the Carrboro forum posted somewhere by late next week. Both forums were very informative. Maybe you all would be interested in our upcoming event on Oct 10---Economic Impact of Hispanic Immigration on NC. In conjunction with Kenan-Flagler. See our web site for more details.
www.lwvodc.org

In fact, I don't know why all of you are not members of the League!
Thanks.
Vicki Boyer

Terri asked about good questions for the candidates. I was just giving in my pitch for a discussion of the areas ultimate carrying capacity.

Duncan,
The man who wrote the I like Ike slogan was Rosser Reeves, who also was responsible for Melts in Your Mouth Not in Your Hand.
He and his wife Betty retired to Chapel Hill in the mid-80s and he died shortly after that.

kmr

This thread started with mention of two things, one of which is was the club shooting. My information here comes from the local paper's article about it yesterday, quoting some the candidates. It seems to me that Raymond was right on target, that the proprietors of such places must bear the responsibility, such that they need to be screening their patrons appropriately. If they cannot do that, then such places ought not be allowed to operate. And in my view it only takes one shooting incident (involving an under-age patron, no less) to demonstrate that this responsibility is not being met. End of story. One shooting event was enough to can Apple Chill, so it would seem that one (or is it really six here?) should be enough in the present case. At the least, I'd think there would be a groundswell on the part of the candidates, especially those currently in office, to advocate temporarily suspending the club's license to operate, while waiting for a police report. What part of the club's failure to exercise its responsibilities don't some of the candidates seem to understand? Adding to police presence seem pretty much like putting on a bandage where excision of the offender seems to be the appropriate response. If this element has nowhere to go, then they won't be here and the increased police presence would not be necessary.

Have any of the incumbents discussed Town Manager Roger Stancil's 5 year budget projections that anticipate that 25% of the town budget will be going to debt service in 2010? Seems like this ought to be something we are talking about.

While the intersection signs don't do much for me, the individual signs going up around my neighborhood give me an idea who my neighbors think would be good in a position and then I can ask them why they think that. Even if I don't know all the candidates or they can't all make it to every door, I do know my neighbors.

Joe asked:

"Can't anyone create
a slogan based on the “Southern Part of Heaven”?"

I can - but first I'll need a hefty contract with the Downtown Commission.

Having served as an election official for more years than I can remember and in a number of precincts in this County. The one thing I have noticed is the number of voters that carry the Independent Newspaper into the polling place. I would say more city folks carry the paper in than rural folks. A big factor in that is the paper is more available in the city.

As a formal candidate I gave out money plant seed with a message on the back. I received good feedback and a number of smiles from people. Commissioner Jacobs like the idea of the seed packs and use it in his campaign but used sunflowers instead of money plants. I thought it was a good promotion tool.

Gerry,

That's pure poetry...

Since this thread began with a discussion of the shooting incident at Visions Night Club, I thought I'd share this.

Visions to Close.
Just released by Visions spokesperson, Russell Dula:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

VISIONS NITE CLUB IS CLOSING

Chapel Hill, NC—October 5, 2007 – The management team of Visions would like to express our most sincere apologies to the residents and business owners in the Chapel Hill Community for the unfortunate incident that occurred at Visions Nite Club on September 30, 2007. We would like to assure everyone that this was an isolated incident and we are taking proactive measures to ensure the safety, integrity and well being of the Chapel Hill Community. It was always our goal to provide a comfortable, secure entertainment venue for all to enjoy and while we realize that we can not control the actions of all patrons, please be assured that we do not in any way condone or encourage any acts of violence in or around our establishment.

We are conducting a complete review of the incident and based on our current assessment we feel that it is best that we permanently close Visions Nite Club effective immediately. We appreciate the time and consideration given to us by the Chapel Hill Police Department, Town Officials, and Local Leaders.

Anyone know investment banker Jim Neal of Chapel Hill who's announced he's running for US Senate? Here's an article about him from today's N&O: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/726741.html

The only thing I know about him is that he has been a big Dem. fundraiser for a while.

Thanks so much, Will. I appreciate the effort you put into helping make this video accessible!

I got an email from Bill Strom's campaign that he has received the Sierra Club's endorsement. Anyone know who the others are?

Re: Visions to Close.

Interesting news. Nevertheless, it seems to me that important questions remain about this incident and its circumstances for the incumbents and incumbent/candidates. These questions include how to prevent such incidents from recurring. The newspaper had stated that there were something like 25 police reports related to this place prior to the shooting. At some stage, should there be a triggering of an evaluation to determine if such a place should be allowed to remain in operation? I'd think that something well short of 25 ought to trigger a review, although it should be related to the severity of what was going on. The role of the proprietor...what is it in terms of their culpability if a shooting occurs? If they know that in advance, perhaps the owners would screen people differently. Should there be zero tolerance for certain incidents, including having under-age people in such an establishment, and the like? This should not drop just because the owners closed the place...after all, apparently one of the owners was involved in the previous establishment at this location, which was closed down.

"How many more shootings before we get a policy with adequate oversight?"

So Will, what should that policy be? Establishment of security checkpoints at the major entranceways to Chapel Hill? Random stops and searches? Throw in a few strip searches for good measure?

Much of the increase in violence we're seeing is probably related to the gang activity spreading out from Durham (Fayetteville?). How about telling us what your solution is? How about telling us what you would instruct the Mgr. to have Chief Curran do as you obviously are prepared to do.

Re: clubs and "So Will, what should that policy be?":

It seems to me that items in that direction have already been suggested, and I believe some of WillR's comments on that were in the newspaper. This includes NOT increasing police presence, but rather making the owners fully culpable and on notice that there will be no tolerance of underage patrons, and other activity that leads to a certain number of police reports of a certain type, for example (details to be worked out by citizen input and consensus). If such occur, then an establishment like that would be closed down. This puts the onus on the owners to screen patrons properly, restrict their alcohol intake appropriately, provide security, or whatever measures. If the bar is raised high enough, then maybe the miscreants won't come and such establishments will be only populated by UNC students who come there to study.

Re: "only populated by UNC students who come there to study"...
I was being facetious. Nobody expects such places to cater only to UNC students, nor for people to study in a bar/club.

Again, it ought to be up to the owners to decide what screening to perform, and what sort of security is necessary. If it costs them in legal fees to learn what can and can't be done, that is one of the costs of running the kind of business that attracts people with guns.

I agree that current office-holders have been all too quiet about addressing such issues. Now is a good time for them to agree or disagree and/or put forward some of their own thinking here.

"This puts the onus on the owners to screen patrons properly, restrict their alcohol intake appropriately, provide security, or whatever measures. If the bar is raised high enough, then maybe the miscreants won't come and such establishments will be only populated by UNC students who come there to study."

Barnes B,

I can agree with screening for underage patrons and restricting alcohol intake appropriately and providing security. But are you suggesting that if someone isn't carrying a laptop or doesn't look like they're a UNC student that they should be excluded? So should they owners set up a dress code? And what's next? A skin color code or a sexual preference code?

I dislike the fact that gang activity is increasing in Chapel Hill as much as anyone, but I am reticent to suggest that owners keep someone out because they "don't look right". Maybe metal detectors are going to be the norm - they seem to be popping up a lot of other places. And while Chapel Hill is a college town there is no reason to exclude non-students from places of entertainment. You'd be surprised how many non-students there are in this area that help to build the University and keep it and the Town running. And just because they may not talk or look like UNC students doesn't make them miscreants. Whatever the fix is for this problem it needs to be fair and just for all of the citizens, not just the ones that "look right".

WillR,

The CHPD calls on the Durham PD to come over and help them identify gang members when they think there might be an occasion for gang member presence. And Chief Curran was quoted in one of the news articles saying that the CHPD had Durham police officers working with the CH police officers on the weekend for just that purpose. Unfortunately, as Chief Curran pointed out, they picked the wrong night. I applaud the VISIONS owners for closing the club but I also lament the fact that the criminal minority has won out over the large and lawful majority. The CHPD are certainly working to try to solve this issue but it is one that has no easy solution. If there was an easy solution (or any for that matter), then Durham, with its 30-member gang task force, would have come up with one by now.

Will,
I've heard a lot of criticism but not one suggestion from you that offers a valid solution. The CHPD has stepped up its gang intelligence, both within the department and with the assistance of Durham gang unit members. But even if the police officers on the scene that night had identified known gang members, what would you have them do? Stop them from entering the club? On what grounds - they hadn't (at that point) broken any laws. Search them? On what legal grounds?

The fact of the matter is that the individual(s) that pulled a gun that night did so with police officers right outside the door. Unfortunately some of the most dangerous criminals are the most stupid because the consequences of their actions never factor into their decision making. And unless I'm mistaken, no one has made a scanner that flashes a sign that says "stupid criminal" or "smart criminal".

So Will, WHAT should the Town be doing to improve security at these venues?: Banning them altogether? Providing more police (which obviously doesn't deter the stupid criminal)? Requiring metal detectors? (that will be interesting on Halloween on Franklin Street).

Criticism is easy and cheap - constructive solutions are a lot harder to come by. If you have some why not offer them up rather than pull a Nixon. And the one about gang intelligence doesn't count since that has already been ongoing in the CHPD.

Carolina North, Transit Orient Development = higher density -
does OWASA have the capacity to support these development plans? I don't know - hope one of you do.

Will,
I don't believe that our elected officials are experts in every field, nor do they try to be, and they can not (should not) try to make policy without adequate guidance. I would not be the least bit surprised if the Council were to ask Town Manager Stancil to work with Chief Curran to try to come up with a solution to the every-increasing gang problems. But I also believe that there are no easy solutions as illustrated in a recent N&O article about the Durham gang unit:

http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/709960.html

Durham has 30 officers assigned to their gang unit and the Durham County Sheriff's Office has 4 officers assigned to such duties. Combined, these two units outnumber the number of Chapel Hill officers assigned to gang activity by 34 to 1. But as the article illustrates, the number of officers assigned to gang activities is certainly no guarantee of success.

I don't have to ask the incumbents to weigh in with their solutions on gang activities because there are obviously no easy solutions at this point. Will, if you have have a solution at hand I would suggest you grab a bus over to Durham and offer your solution to the Durham authorities first because they have been trying longer and harder than anyone else and are certainly in need of some novel solutions.

Suzanne,

OWASA is charged with providing water to its service area. The service area is bounded and zoned, so future water needs can be predicted.

About six years ago, OWASA completed a 50 year master plan for providing water and sewer for the entire service area. It assumed build-out for the areas of the service area that are now undeveloped or under-developed.

The 50-year plan provides for adequate water supplies, including the Carolina North area. A key part of the strategy was buying the American Stone Quarry. When it is available as a reservoir (about 2030), it will hold as much water as Cane Creek Reservoir. Additionally, the quarry and the reservoirs will be linked by pipes and pumps so that the storage capacity of the watershed can be maximized.

After the drought of 2001-2002, OWASA focused on water conservation. It became apparent that there were great opportunities to save water. The joint water-reclamation project with UNC which will pipe clean wastewater for irrigation throughgout campus was begun and is slated to be operational in 2009.

The OWASA Board took the concept of water conservation and living within our carrying capacity a step further when it passed a resolution calling for planned conservation measures to be introduced over the years (using conservation as a source of "supply"), so that we would not need to get water from anywhere else. That is the current path that we are on and the policy of OWASA. Of course, future boards could change that, so vigilance is in order. However, we need to understand that at this point we have some of the most progressive water policies in the country and that rumor-mongering about plans to import water from other watersheds is not reflective of current reality. We would be better off if people recognized that OWASA is an ally in sustainability and helped build a stronger foundation for a water supply future based in maximizing our watershed through conservative practices.

Will,
I'm suggesting that you can't run on a platform saying that you have a plan to end the increasing gang presence & violence and then not tell us what that plan is. And as I stated, the effort at increasing the PD's intelligence regarding gangs is already in play so it has to be something new and constructive.
I apologize for the Nixon comparison - that was a low blow indeed.

George C., you seem to be confusing addressing how to handle establishments that are get out of control with a comprehensive policy on handling gang activities. While related, these are two different things. I believe WillR, and I, have stated some clear steps to handling the former, which will have some effect on the latter. One can indeed learn a lot about problems such as gang activities and how to address them if one is so motivated....looking at what other communities are doing around the country can be researched on the internet and other ways.

I was looking for something else and came across sample ballots on the OC web site. Useful link to have -- http://www.co.orange.nc.us/elect/SampleBallot.asp

Suzanne,
To punctuate what Mark wrote above, Ed Hollard, the
planning director of OWASA attends all the Carolina North
meetings and has been involved in many technical planning
meetings with UNC staff about CN. I asked him exactly your question at one of the meetings, and he said that OWASA
has it under control. OWASA has been superb in the
last 15 years, to Mark's and others' credit. If only Wake County
could deal with the water aspects of growth this well (bad pun).