Pittsboro Journal

In this morning's Chatham Chatlist, from downtown business owner and attorney Greg Stafford -

Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 14:48:27 -0500
From: Gregory Stafford
Subject: I wish to add my voice to those supporting the HRCA

As an owner of commercial real estate I wish to add my voice to those supporting the HRCA. Actually, on second thought, I will change positions from merely supporting to openly begging the Board to approve the school. Pittsboro is in dire condition and anything that will bring folks here is a great idea.

Greg

Do you believe what a pompous a** this man is?

He has gone ahead and make the tragedy of Gabrielle Giffords shooting all about himself. How inappropriate!

This is so disgustingly distasteful I cannot say more.

From today's chatlist.

Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 17:52:52 -0500
From: Voller Mayor
Subject: The Town of Pittsboro officially supports civil discourse with  resolution number R-01-11

This year on January 8th I celebrated my 43rd birthday I share this
birthday with the �King� Elvis Presley and world renowned theoretical
physicist and cosmologist Dr. Stephen Hawking.

But on January 8th, 2011 a tragic shooting occurred in Tucson, Arizona.
U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at point blank
range, a federal judge, local constituents and Giffords� staff member Gabe
Zimmerman were murdered in cold blood. Now, January 8th has a somber
connotation.

The violence and tragedy of this event is seared into my consciousness due
to its date, but also tattooed on my soul because I, too, am an elected
official, like Congresswoman Giffords.

With that kind of double barrel blast, is it any wonder why I was so keen
last year for the Town of Pittsboro to pass an official resolution
condemning the Tucson attack and supporting civil discourse?

In fact, Pittsboro�s official resolution �R-01-11�� the first of 2011 for
the Town of Pittsboro -- encouraged public officials  �...to meet
constituents in open forums that are safe for civil debate and open
dialogue..�; supported ��the safety and well being of public officials who
serve for the common good�� and �condemned the violence that was expressed
in this attack �.as such actions have no place in a civil society.�

It is now 2012 and all over the country, state, and even in Chatham County
there are a small number of people who conveniently forget the �due process
of law� and use modern methods such as blogs and the internet to intimidate
opponents, disseminate untruths, and create a parallel society dominated by
fear and recrimination.

Regardless of personal beliefs, political party or affiliation, race,
religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, marital status, income
level, educational achievement, wealth, income, place of origin,
citizenship, or any other group that we may claim as our own, it is
imperative that as a community we respect the due process of law and that
we operate under a system that at its core guarantees that we enhance our
community, ensure opportunity, operate fairly, pursue the truth and ensure
equality for all.  Anything less is a dereliction of duty and an invitation
for the ghosts of the past to haunt our future. We are better than that and
we owe Congresswoman Giffords and the six who were murdered our fealty to a
due process, open dialogue and commitment to civil discourse.

Late change proposed for Cary-Chatham plan
BY ANDREW KENNEY, akenney@newsobserver.com

REad the entire story at http://www.carynews.com/2012/02/01/51496/late-change-proposed-for-cary.html

CARY - The town of Cary and Chatham County are just steps from a general agreement on the future of their shared border, but a late change to the plan has raised old questions about the relationship between the suburb and the rural county.

The pair's joint land-use plan, crafted by staff and representatives of both towns over six years, will guide the development of almost 10,000 acres of land west of Cary and inside Chatham County. Both governments are considering a near-final draft of the document, but Chatham County's Board of Commissioners already has demanded a change to the plan.

The draft plan states that the governments "should research and discuss the feasibility" of giving Cary extra-territorial jurisdiction, or the authority to enforce town rules about zoning and building design on county land near the border. The joint town-county board agreed in October that the plan should suggest a future discussion of ETJ.

But in a vote at a public hearing this month, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners unanimously decided to remove the ETJ suggestion from the plan.

"We don't see any reason we would want to give up jurisdiction to Cary," said Brian Bock, chairman of the Chatham board.

The debated point calls for discussion, but not implementation, of an ETJ zone that runs between a half-mile and a mile inside Chatham's border of Cary, ending at the proposed "rural buffer line." The suggestion drew criticism from some of the dozens of Chatham County residents who spoke at Chatham's public hearing on the plan. Most of those speakers opposed the plan in general.
Affected residents often protest the power as an incursion on their rights by a government that doesn't have to accept their votes.

If enacted here, extra-territorial jurisdiction would subject new construction along the border to Cary's rules about subdivision design, land use, open spaces, erosion control and more.

The town could not take the power without permission from Chatham County, according to Benjamin Howell, a county planner. And if Chatham ever did grant the new authority, Cary generally could only enforce its rules on new development; existing buildings would be "grandfathered in."

Bock, the Chatham board chair, said inclusion of the suggestion of an ETJ discussion would be a deal-breaker for the joint land-use plan.

This topic has been moved to North Carolina.

http://chatham-county-nc.com/bulletinboard/index.php?topic=25083.0

There is a budget survey available for all people in Chatham County to have input on the budget process on the Chatham County Schools website.

http://research.zarca.com/k/SsYQWSsQVsPsPsP

I urge everyone to take this survey, and to forward it to their friends, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers. The school budget is the largest part of the county budget, so you should care about how your tax money is being spent.

The survey will be available until February 17. Paper copies are available at the schools.

Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 21:03:29 -0500
From: "Jeffrey Starkweather@earthlink.net" <jeffreystarkweather@earthlink.net>
Subject: Local Mayors support for more education funding applauded

I want to applaud Siler City Mayor Charles Johnson, Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller, Goldston Mayor Tim Cunnup, and Sanford Mayor Cornelia Olive for supporting Governor Bev Perdue’s proposal to restore some $800,000 in state funds for our public schools. While I am not generally a supported of increased sales taxes because their

impact is “regressive� (lower income households pay a higher percentage of their income), I would support restore a three-fourths cent increase if that was the only politically feasible way to adequately fund our public schools. Obviously, I would prefer those who can better afford it to pay a higher percentage burden of any tax increase than the numerous retirees, blue collar workers and unemployed in Chatham and Lee Counties.

Since the 2008-2009 budget year approximately 6,108 public school employees have lost their jobs, 76% of whom were teachers or teacher assistants. Although our local schools have done a good job of keeping those numbers down, we still have lost a significant number of positions, including completely eliminating Chatham’s middle school Spanish program.  And while the Chatham Board board majority did not actually cut their dollar contribution, they did not provide sufficient funds to maintain the same per pupil funding, based on increases in student enrollment this year.  Commissioner Sally Kost and I lobbied for these funds because we both considered not fully providing them a funding “cut.�

I also support President Obama’s American Jobs Act, in large part, because it will provide North Carolina sufficient funds to restore or retain a total of 13,400 education jobs.

Any increased educational funding should be focused on classrooms and direct educational services.

Research clearly shows that the most important factor in improving a state’s and local community’s economic development and prosperity is public educational quality. Thanks to our state legislature’s misguided cut to education, North Carolina has dropped to 46th in per pupil state funding.  We are now below Mississippi and South Carolina. That is embarrassing.

It is time we put our future – our children and grandchildren – first. I don’t have all the answers as to the best way to fund education but I am willing to do my part and pay my share to make it happen and I believe most you are as well.

Jeff Starkweather for State House
Pittsboro, http://jeffstarkweatherforstatehouse.com

_________________

So, Mr. Starkweather is against regressive taxes, but he supports this one. All on the promises of our lame duck Governor. All the money will go to education (remember the lottery?), and while it taxes the poor, which flies in the face of FDR, er, I mean Jeffery's Fair Deal, he will support it because it goes 'to the children.' 

Sounds like a man with no principles to me. However, at least he is willing to pay his part, unlike his good friend, who signed the tax hike in support though is not willing to pay his part.

If you want another throw more money at it candidate, Jeffery is your guy. Your other choice is the lady who is not even sure how much money she had while Chair of the school board. Oh yeah, and then there is that NCHSAA thingy.....

Great choices. I am voting for Mrs. Wright.

He is being put out to pasture, literally

I do find it puzzling that all of these folks who claimed to be fighting for the children, the children, the children, are now jumping ship. 

He and Bev are in the lifeboat while we try to patch the hole and save the sinking ship they left us.

The throw money at education administration is taking off. Big shoes to fill for Jeffery, lol.

From this morning's chatlist -

Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:03:32 -0500
From: chathammatters
Subject: Town Board & Haw River Christian Academy

The pros and cons of the Haw River Christian Academy in downtown Pittsboro:

PROS:
According to the Director of the NC Main Street Program the 3 highest priorities of downtown revitalization are:
#1 increasing traffic
#2 filling vacant buildings
#3 improving the appearance of buildings

The school accomplishes all three of these objectives.

After dropping off or before picking up their children the parents would likely be more inclined to get their coffee, dry-cleaning, groceries, etc. while here in town, perhaps even get their hair done/cut in town.

Don't forget the school teachers and employees will likewise be more inclined to shop in Pittsboro.

The school would be situated optimally for traffic as well, with the entrance on Hanks street, exiting onto W. Salisbury street where you have many options to exit, left up to the light and 15/501, right up to 87/Old Graham, or jog over to 64 either direction, or circle around pick up 15/501 from the top of the hill.  This nicely disperses the exit traffic.  And the traffic is during non-peak hours.

The issue of the Liquor license and the City Tap has been answered definitively (well before the last town board meeting) - this is a non-issue.

The planning board has reviewed and passed it.
The fire department has reviewed and passed it.

The owner of the property pays the property taxes, the school pays the water and sewer making up some of the loss of the chicken plant closing.

CONS:
The only one raised but not addressed by the Pros is that it isn't retail so the town doesn't get any sales tax.  This has been covered in many places but bears repeating�  This building has been empty for about two years, has had a number of different stores located there, but none have stayed, it's just too big for small retail and too small for large retail, it's an awkward size.

So finding a good fit for the space is not a con, it's a pro.

SUMMING UP:
Well, it seems like a no-brainer to me, what about you?

Let's stop the Scapegoating of Mayor Voller.  Blaming him for all the problems of the town, i.e., Water, Location of a School, The General Store, Taxes, Business Closing etc. etc.

This Scapegoating is a hostile social routine by which some people are trying to move blame towards a target i.e.. the Mayor. It is inappropriate and let's stop!  It really is unmerited negative treatment of him.  Give the guy a chance.  He was elected to serve the town.  We should stand behind him!

And I'll even quote a Republican:
�The search for a scapegoat is the easiest of all hunting expeditions.�
― Dwight D. Eisenhower

Because working families who are having a hard time making ends meet are not paying enough taxes Randy Voller & Charles Johnson want to raise your taxes.

Best part of this is that the Chatham County School Board and Superintendent have mismanaged funds and have been accused of fraud by the NC State Auditor and we want to give the MORE money to mismanage?

Mayors supports Perdue's proposal
by ALEXA MILAN

SANFORD � Sanford Mayor Cornelia Olive, Pittsboro Mayor Randolph Voller and Siler City Mayor Charles Johnson are among the North Carolina mayors voicing their support for Gov. Bev Perdue's push to institute a temporary sales tax increase to restore some state education funding.

Perdue, who announced Thursday she will not run for re-election, released a letter Wednesday containing the signatures of 53 North Carolina mayors in support of the initiative.

Read more: Sanford Herald - Mayor supports Perdue's proposal
http://sanfordherald.com/bookmark/17304441-Mayor-supports-Perdue-s-proposal