News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC (February 14, 2023) 

For the Love of Carrboro: Happy Valentine's Day! Watch BIPOC Elected Officials of Orange County present a poetry reading for Black History Month, learn about upcoming cemetery improvements, Black History Month events in Carrboro, the Town Council Update, and more! 

BIPOC Elected Officials of Orange County, N.C. Present Poetry Readings for Black History Month 

February is Black History Month in Carrboro

History is all around us.

It's in the ordinary spaces we call our community. Spaces known and long forgotten.

Triangle Bikeworks works to bring out the history of "ordinary" spaces for teens as they travel across the country discovering new places and breathing life into historic places.

For Black History Month, they  invite you to take a ride with them on February 26, 2023, to discover the known, little known, and forgotten history of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. 

They will  meet just before 12:30 p.m. and head off on a nice, leisurely Sunday afternoon bike ride. Not only that, they'll have refreshments to replenish you for the journey home.

The 5-mile ride will take you past at least 6 historic spots around the two towns.

This is a family friendly ride. We have a rich and combined history of both good and bad. On this day, we celebrate the good. This is a no trauma ride.

Link to site for event:  https://spokenrev.org/bhm-ride

Volunteer Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040A4CAEAC2CA31-ride

Carrboro Town Calendars

January saw a great team effort of the Communication & Engagement and Fire-Rescue departments to distribute bilingual (English/Spanish) Town of Carrboro calendars! Staff members hung nearly 2,000 calendars on doorknobs at residences located in Carrboro apartment complexes and mobile home communities.

Our calendars feature free events put on by the Town of Carrboro from Black History Month events to the Annual Kite Fly to our awesome Freight Train Blues Concert Series, Carrboro Music Festival, West End Poetry Festival and Carrboro Film Fest.

 A limited supply remains. Anyone who still needs a 2023 calendar can drop by Town Hall at 301 W. Main St. to request one from the Communication & Engagement Team or contact us at communications@carrboronc.gov

Town Council Update

Meeting agendas and updates are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. To receive these by email or text, sign up for Carrboro Town News at https://www.carrboronc.gov/SIGNUP

Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. Reach the Town Council with your ideas, views, and questions at Council@carrboronc.gov

Coming Up

The Town Council will meet next for a  Work Session: Bolin Creek Greenway Phases 3 and 4  at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. The agenda is available at https://bit.ly/3jMdoee and posted with other agendas at https://carrboro.legistar.com/   The Council occasionally holds work sessions to allow time for in-depth consideration of certain topics and to provide feedback to the town manager. The Council does not take formal action or receive public comment during work sessions.

This work session will be held at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream at https://carrboro.legistar.com/    OR YouTube.com/CarrboroNC OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro). 

The next regularly scheduled Town Council Meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 21, 2023, to consider the agenda that will be posted at https://carrboro.legistar.com/

Please contact publiccomment@carrboronc.gov to reach the Town Clerk for public comments at Council meetings. 

To download a copy of the full meeting calendar click here.

Past Meeting 

The Carrboro Town Council met Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, and took the following actions on the agenda posted at  bit.ly/3YbzFkC   

• Passed a resolution in solidarity with Carrboro’s LBBTQ+ Community 
• Received a quarterly equity report from the Carrboro Police Department
• Approved $30,815 to Hope Renovations and $25,625 to Rebuilding Together of the Triangle for critical repairs, modifications, and weatherization for homes owned by elderly homeowners. These repairs will support homeownership retention and the ability to age in place.
• Supported an application for Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant 
• Authorized the Town Manager to sign office space lease with Carr Mill Mall Limited Partnership. 
• Approved a work session to discuss the possibilities of the future of Westwood Cemetery, including expansion, a park space, a combination space, and a new rural cemetery, and inquiring about potential partnerships with other jurisdictions.
• Approved proposed improvements at Carrboro cemeteries including fence repair, drainage improvements, tree replacements, and hardscape improvements.

The Town Council, which is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, comprises Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Romaine, Council Member Barbara Foushee, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Danny Nowell, Council Member Eliazar Posada, and Council Member Sammy Slade. More information is available at https://www.carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council 

Cemeteries in Carrboro to undergo improvements

Improvements are coming to cemeteries in Carrboro, following Town Council action taken on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. 

The Town owns and maintains two public cemeteries, the Old Carrboro Cemetery at 110 Old Cemetery Road and Westwood Cemetery at 401 Davie Road.  

Improvements approved by the Town Council will feature new fencing at the Old Carrboro Cemetery to be implemented soon. A rain garden for controlling drainage and erosion, tree plantings, and new benches, planters and decorative lighting are slated for the Westwood Cemetery, pending approval of the FY24 Budget.  The improvements are estimated to cost $135,000. 

The Town Council requested that a work session be scheduled to discuss future plans for Carrboro cemeteries.  

The Council may also revisit a concept plan for the Westwood Cemetery that includes designated areas for green burials, a memorial garden, walking paths, and options for cremains including columbarium walls, an ossuary, and a scattering garden. Westwood Cemetery is divided into sections with approximately half of the space currently undeveloped and unplotted. Green burials are not permitted in the Westwood Cemetery. 

As of January 2022, the Old Carrboro Cemetery has sold out of plots. In October 2018, the Town began selling plots in the Old Carrboro Cemetery designated for green or natural burials. Since then, approximately half of the burials have been green burials with the demand increasing considerably in 2021. The Old Carrboro Cemetery dates to 1910. 

The Westwood Cemetery has been an active public cemetery since 1933.  As of January 1, 2023, Westwood had 102 plots left for purchase and is expected to sell out within the next couple years at the current rate of sales.  Neighboring municipalities have sold out of traditional burial plots. 

Learn more about the cemeteries in Carrboro at https://www.carrboronc.gov/2245/Cemetery-Management  

Carrboro Seeks Volunteers to Serve Community

Consider applying for a Town of Carrboro Advisory Board or Commission. We need your voice at the table!

Please especially consider volunteering if you represent any of the following underrepresented groups: Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Americans, and Subcontinent Asian Americans, Senior Residents, Ages 20-34, Differently Abled, LGBTQ+ , and Families of Incomes of $50,000 or Less.

Learn more and apply: https://www.carrboronc.gov/228/Advisory-Boards-Commissions