Comparing Boone to Carrboro … by the numbers

By Brian Voyce

Carrboro rulers love to compare themselves to Paris, France. But the town with the mightily overblown “Paris of the Piedmont” moniker is more appropriately compared to the town of Boone. Both are in North Carolina. Both are subject to the same municipal rules and laws from the state Legislature. Both are towns with a public university as the economic engine. Both are in the state-designated category of towns between 10,000 and 50,000 in population and roughly the same size (Boone, 14,473 and Carrboro, 18,611). Both do not incorporate an electrical utility in town financials. Both have had a population increase over the past five years of about 7 to 8 percent. Both are “blue” towns politically, compared to the rest of the state.
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by Rich Fowler
Staff Writer

Chapel Hill residents can expect an 11.3 percent increase in town property taxes should the town council approve the proposed 2008-2009 budget at its meeting Monday. It would be the first increase in property taxes in two years.

Town Manager Roger Stancil’s recommended budget contains a 5.9-cent property tax increase mainly to cover increasing debt cost from new facilities including the town operations center, the Homestead Road aquatics center and Southern Community Park.
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by Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

With little fanfare and virtually no discussion, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen unanimously passed the town’s fiscal 2008-09 budget Tuesday night.

The final vote came after Town Manager Steve Stewart modified his original proposal to include an additional $4,000 for the Orange County Land Trust. Stewart had trimmed the Land Trust’s request in a fashion similar to other jurisdictions, but was asked by the board of aldermen to fully fund the group’s request after a public hearing last week. Land Trust advocates had argued that it needs the additional funds to help sell a growing inventory of properties.
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by Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

After a short public hearing at Town Hall Tuesday night on the proposed 2009-2009 budget, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen asked for a small rewrite and indicated they are likely to approve the proposal at the next meeting on June 3.

The main change as a result of the hearing was an addition of $4,000 to the amount the town will send to the Orange County Land Trust.
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by Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

Several county residents spoke against the proposed tax increase while others spoke in favor of funding programs and services at an unusually short public hearing on the proposed county budget Tuesday night.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said Ben Lloyd, a longtime county resident and former county commissioner. “Last year there was so much jumping up and down and hollering.”
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By Katie Spencer
Carrboro Commons Writer

Freelance web designer Brian Russell’s vision to create a shared workplace for freelancers and other creative types is moving toward a concrete Carrboro reality.

The idea to open what he called a shared office space with a coffee shop atmosphere was first mentioned publicly nearly a year ago. Russell said James Harris, director of economic and community development in Carrboro, encouraged him to make it happen.

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By Katie Spencer
Carrboro Commons Writer

Freelance web designer Brian Russell’s vision to create a shared workplace for freelancers and other creative types is moving toward a concrete Carrboro reality.

The idea to open what he called a shared office space with a coffee shop atmosphere was first mentioned publicly nearly a year ago. Russell said James Harris, director of economic and community development in Carrboro, encouraged him to make it happen. More »

By Ken Moore

For 20 years, the holiday greenery that has adorned the columns of Carrboro’s Town Hall has been the result of the time and creativity of members of the Carrboro Community Garden Club.

Now, this group of gardeners is not your typical garden club organization. It does not belong to a Garden Club Council. It does not collect dues. A hat is passed around if the group needs a few dollars. It does not have any official elected officers, though several individuals voluntarily perform essential functions to keep the group loosely organized. Members meet monthly at members’ homes, where they enjoy walking about one another’s gardens, discovering new plants and gardening ideas. All learn from members freely sharing growing wisdoms and experiences. These monthly gatherings have also become a rather serendipitous gourmet feast of members sharing food and treats. There are meeting agendas, but they are frequently altered on the spot to meet the immediate interests of the members. Typically everyone enjoys talking at once and, amazingly, some rather remarkable things get planned and executed.

The group has three ongoing projects in the Carrboro community.

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