Press release:

ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY

         

 A public, non-profit agency providing water, sewer and reclaimed water services to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community.

 

NEWS RELEASE    April 29, 2009

 

OWASA Board of Directors calls budget and rate hearings on May 28th;

9.75% increase proposed for monthly water and sewer charges

 

On Thursday, April 23rd, the OWASA Board of Directors scheduled public hearings for Thursday night, May 28th on the draft budget for July, 2009 through June, 2010 (FY 2010), the Capital Improvements Budget for FY 2010-2014,15-Year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and proposed rate increases.

 

The May 28th public hearings will be part of an OWASA business meeting at 7:00 PM in the Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The meeting will be televised live on local cable channel 18. All customers are invited to attend and speak at the public hearings and to provide comments for the OWASA Board by e-mail to webmaster@owasa.org, or by letter to 400 Jones Ferry Road, Carrboro, NC 27510, at any time.  Additional notices of the public hearings, including a formal notice in a local newspaper, will be distributed in May.

 

The OWASA Board could take final action on the budget, CIP and proposed rate increases as soon as the Board’s June 11th meeting.

 

OWASA’s draft FY 2010 budget includes a 9.75% rate increase in monthly water and sewer rates. A 9.75% rate increase would increase a monthly bill by $6.68 (from $68.24 to $74.92) for a typical individually-metered residence using 5,000 gallons per month. (Please see additional examples below.) The normal effective date for changes in OWASA’s rates is October 1st following adoption of an annual budget in June.

 

OWASA’s draft FY 2010 budget includes expenditures of $18.7 million for operations, $6.8 million for capital improvements and $9.7 million for bond debt payments.  The operating budget includes:

 

Ø  $1.7 million in cost reductions including elimination of 10 positions and freezing of 8 vacant positions, deferral of a sewer maintenance program and postponement of water meter replacements;

Ø  reduced capital spending including a one-year delay in the next phase of odor elimination improvements at the Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant;

Ø  reducing recreation days at University Lake from Friday through Monday to one day per week (Saturday), and continuing the current Saturday-only schedule at Cane Creek Reservoir; and

Ø  substantial increases in the cost of chemicals used in water and wastewater treatment.

 

Without the increase in chemical costs, the draft operating budget for FY 2010 would be 6% less than the budget for FY 2009.

 

The draft budget also reflects continuing low water demand and reduced revenue from new development connections due to the slow economy. Projected water demand in FY 2010 is 16% less than in FY 2001, while the number of customer accounts has increased by 3,100 since then.

 

For more information:

 

Kevin M. Ray, Director of Finance and Customer Service, 537-4236 or kray@owasa.org

 

400 JONES FERRY ROAD, CARRBORO, NC 27510

PHONE: (919) 968-4421;     FAX: (919) 968-4464

WEB SITE: WWW.OWASA.ORG;      E-MAIL: WEBMASTER@OWASA.ORG

Via Facebook:

Host:	Ernest Dollar
Type:	Party - Benefit
Network:	Global

Date:	Friday, March 27, 2009
Time:	6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:	Horace Williams House
Street:	610 E. Rosemary Street
City/Town:	Chapel Hill, NC

Phone:	9199427818
Email:	chpreservation@mindspring.com

Description

Come to the Horace Williams House for a fun night. Food, music, auction of original artworks - all going to benefit the restoration of Chapel Hill's murals. The theme is blue. Blue drinks, blue food, blues music. We're hoping to raise funds to restore the first mural painted in Chapel Hill, the "Starry Night" a pointillism interpretation of Franklin Street at night.

http://www.chapelhillpreservation.com/blue.htm

It is part of the ongoing Painted Walls Project that seeks to save Chapel Hill's unique landmarks.

Via e-mail from Mae McClendon:

Mark your calendars.
 
ANNUAL CHAPEL HILL - CARRBORO BRANCH OF THE NAACP's
ANNUAL FREEDOM BANQUET
 
SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2009
 
7:00PM
 
CARRBORO CENTURY CENTER
 
TICKET PRICE $35 PER PERSON
 
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
REV. BRIAN WRIGHT
TERRELL'S CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH
PRESIDENT OF THE MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE
 
MC - BUSTER BROWN, RADIO PERSONALITY
 
ENTERTAINMENT: KINGS OF HARMONY
 
SEMI FORMAL - DRESS TO IMPRESS
 
MORE DETAILS  TO COME

From IFC:

23rd ANNUAL CROP WALK

Date:  Sunday, March 22
Registration: 1:30 PM at Carrboro Town Commons
Step off starting time: 2:30 PM

Please consider joining with others in the community for a four- or two-mile walk through Chapel Hill and Carrboro.  Funds raised will help to end hunger in our community as well as throughout the world through the Inter-Faith Council and Church World Service.  Invite your friends, co-workers, or neighbors to walk with you or sponsor you.  Especially during these rough economic times, your support is urgently needed!

WHAT'S NEW:
1) Shorter route option--to allow for more individuals and families to participate
2) Lighter "Environmental Footprint"--T-Shirts are all organic and we are encouraging folks to bring their own water bottle if you have one to reduce waste at water stations
3) CROP Walk Benefit Concert--two great performances at The Station at Southern Rail (by Weaver St. Market)
                                                       March 15, 7 PM (see attached flyer)

T-Shirts are $8 in advance and $10 the day of the Walk.

A CROP Walk Benefit Concert is the Sunday before the Walk-- see attached flyer!

Please contact Shannon Gigliotti for more information or to purchase a T-Shirt in advance.