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Coming Up
The Carrboro Town Council will hold a Council Meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. The agenda is available at https://carrboro.legistar.com/
The Town Council meets at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream YouTube.com/CarrboroNC OR at https://carrboro.legistar.com/ OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro).
Recap of Past Meeting
The Council met for a regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30, and took the following actions.
- Approved a Street Closing Permit Application submitted by Marcela Slade for the temporary closing and usage of East Weaver Street from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm on Friday, April 12, 2024, to host the sladesign Fashion Show 2024.
- Made appointments (Huru Price and Bridget Pemberton-Smith) to the Carrboro Tourism Development Authority (CTDA).
- Made an appointment (Liz Carter) to the Racial Equity Commission
- Set the filing fee and filing period for the November special election to fill the vacancy on the Town Council that was created upon Mayor Foushee assuming the office of Mayor. A special election is called for Nov. 5, 2024, to coincide with the General Election. The filing period opens at noon on June 10, 2024, and ends at noon on Friday, July 5. The filing fee is $10. More information will be available at https://www.orangecountync.gov/2728/Filing-for-Office
- Amended the Town Code to change all references to Phipps Street to Lavender Street. The Town received a request from Brian Pence to change the name of Phipps Street to Lavender Street to disassociate the street from its namesake Luther James Phipps, a local attorney, judge and known segregationist. Planning staff received the formal petition with signatures from all 10 affected property owners in August 2023.
- Accepted a $5,000 contribution from the Carol Woods Charitable Fund to support the Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Resources Department’s Active Life Programs, which provide enriching activities and opportunities for older adults in our community.
- Allocated funds for cost assistance to offset direct and indirect costs to residents affected by the renaming of East and West Carr Street to Braxton Foushee Street. On November 29, 2023, Carrboro Town Council approved the street renaming. Foushee was the first Black member of the Carrboro’s Board of Aldermen, currently sits on the Planning Board, and is a local leader who championed the desegregation movement and many civil rights initiatives.
- In the FY 2023-24 budget adopted on June 20, 2023 Council approved the appropriation of $1 million in unassigned fund balance to be used for the purpose of Town Hall Renovations. The Council authorized that $145,000 of this funding will be appropriated for the purpose of Security Upgrades in the Capital Projects Fund.
- Upgraded the Deputy Town Clerk position as a full-time role, effective immediately.
- Authorized the Mayor to execute an employment contract with Lamar Joyner for the position of Town Clerk.
- Adopted 2024 Legislative Priorities. Typically, the legislative priorities for the Town are considered and adopted by the Town Council in January each year with a legislative breakfast or dinner to follow in late January to allow Council to discuss these priorities with the local General Assembly members.
- Adopted a rewrite of the Business Revolving Loan Program Policy in order to remove certain racial equity barriers such as collateral requirements and increasing access to capital by permitting low value loans to not require any collateral. The loan program was established in 1986 for business and development projects that result in the creation or retention of jobs.
- Approved a written policy for future police officer retirements when an officer makes a request under NCGS 20-187.2 to purchase their service sidearm.
- Police Lieutenant Michael Metz has retired from the Town of Carrboro Police Department after 25 years of service with the Town. The Police Department would like to award Lieutenant Metz his service sidearm to recognize his dedication to duty and his service to the Town of Carrboro. The Town Council adopted by resolution Town staff’s recommendation to award the service side arm to Lieutenant Michael Metz.
Watch the livestream of the Jan. 30 meeting at https://youtube.com/live/ONHCpFc5IOI?feature=share
Also last week, the Council met for a legislative breakfast set on Friday, Feb. 2, at Carrboro Town Hall. The purpose of this meeting is for Town Council members to gather and talk with General Assembly members who represent Carrboro to share the Town's legislative priorities for the year. View the priorities at https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14153/20240130_-Adopted-Legislative-Priorities
Town Council
The Town Council, which is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, comprises Mayor Barbara Foushee, Mayor Pro Tempore Danny Nowell, Council Member Catherine Fray, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Jason Merrill, and Council Member Eliazar Posada. More information is available at https://www.carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council