News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC (February 28, 2023) 

See the exciting progress via drone footage of the new library/civic building under construction, check the deadline for the Uproar Festival of Public Art, and save the date for poetry workshops planned for Women's History Month. 

Upcoming Poetry Workshops and Events For March

Poetry Workshops for Women-identified Women

Come write a poem for women!

Two workshops are being offered on Saturday, March 4, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (in English) and from 3 to 4 p.m.  (in Spanish) at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. 

This workshop is for women identified women and young people who identify as girls. We will write about who we are, what we do, what challenges we face, and what we want the world to know. International Women’s Day is observed on March 8. In honor of women all over the world, we will write and share poetry by women. Free. 

Taller de Poesia- La primavera es un buen momento para escribir poesia. Aun si no piensas que eres poeta, tu puedes escribir con nosotros! El sábado 4 de marzo de las 3:00-4:00 estaremos en el edificio del Carrboro Town Hall (al lado del mercado de los granjeros).

El taller será en español y es para personas que hablan español. Para toda edad. Gratis.  

Ecopoetry Workshop on Zoom

Carrboro's Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis is hosting an Ecopoetry Workshop on Zoom on Monday, March 6. 

Come read a bit of ecopoetry and write an ecopoem of your own. 

Zoom opens at 6:45 p.m., workshop is from 7 to 8 p.m. 

All are welcome. Free.

Join zoom here: https://bit.ly/3EtLWJ5

Carrboro Poets Council Reading and Open Mic

Come hear members of the Carrboro Poets’ Council read their poetry and sign up to read at the community open mic at Flyleaf Books on Wednesday, March 15  from  6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at Flyleaf Books, 752 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC. Featured poets: Jay Bryan, Paul Jones, Susan Spalt, Alex Benedict, Davis Lensch, Giddeon Young, and Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis. 

The Poets Council is a volunteer-based group that organizes poetry in Carrboro, including the West End Poetry Festival and poetry for Carrboro Day and informs the Town of Carrboro of poetry needs, and it is also comprised of published poets. 

Please come enjoy their poetry and sign up to read a poem of your own. 

In April, look for announcements of live workshops out in nature!

 Black History Month Concert Series: Gospel Winds 

Dear Readers:

Please take a few minutes to share your views on our email updates including Carrboro This Week!

Here’s the link -  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YTJZPNX

The survey will be open through March 8.

Many thanks,

Catherine Lazorko
Communication & Engagement Director
Town of Carrboro, NC
clazorko@carrboronc.gov

Uproar Festival Call for Artists: Submissions Due Wednesday, March 1

Uproar Festival of Public Art is a new arts festival coming to North Carolina, July 14 – August 12, 2023. High-impact, bold works of art will be showcased throughout Orange County, in the downtown communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. Sixty works will be selected for display and $27,500 in cash prizes awarded.

Uproar seeks to:

1. To celebrate artists. We want to celebrate, support, and welcome participating artists, whose fantastic, awe-inspiring works of art will engage audiences near and far.
2. To engage art lovers of all types. We believe ALL people should be able to participate in the arts. Uproar will provide a completely free and accessible arts experience for visitors of all abilities.
3. To support our community through the arts. Uproar will turn our community into a month-long, interactive arts experience, generating tourism and visitor spending that will support our local economy.

The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) is the primary coordinator of the festival. Uproar is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts with support from the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough; Orange County Government; the Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro; the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership; UNC-Chapel Hill; and, the Orange County Arts Alliance.

ELIGIBILITY

Artists must be 18 years old and a resident of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia.

PRIZES, SALES, AND COMPENSATION

Uproar will provide the following incentives for selected artists:

• The opportunity to win $27,500 in prize money.
• A $500 honorarium for each selected applicant (artist or team).
• Four nights complimentary lodging for artists living further than 60 miles from Chapel Hill, NC, at one of our partner hotels (two nights for install/opening, two nights for closing/de-install)
• A mileage stipend for up to 200 miles based on artist’s location (based on the IRS standard mileage rate for business travel in July, 2023).
• Sales opportunity: artists are encouraged to sell their work during Uproar. Sales, including tax payments, will be handled by the Orange County Arts Alliance (the nonprofit partner of the Orange County Arts Commission). The Arts Alliance will retain a 20% commission on any work sold during the festival.

PRIZES

• 1^st Place Jury Selection: $10,000
• 2^nd Place Jury Selection: $5,000
• 3^rd Place Jury Selection: $2,500
• People’s Choice Winner: $10,000

Orange County’s Creek Week is March 17-26

Show your love for Orange County’s streams, lakes, and rivers during Orange County Creek Week, scheduled for March 17-26. The annual event is part of the Clean Water and Education Partnership’s (CWEP) third annual Regional Creek Week. This year’s theme is “Water Connects Us.” The initiative will engage the public on the importance of clean and healthy waterways. 

“We had so much fun during last year’s events,” said Heather Holley, Stormwater Specialist with Town of Carrboro Stormwater Division. “We've been working with staff and our partners to plan some exciting events and activities to celebrate our creeks and promote waterway stewardship. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone out there!”  

Want to host your own event? Contact Heather Holley at (919) 919-918-7426 and hholley@CarrboroNC.gov.

For more information see our news flash on this year's Creek Week.

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 Carrboro Town Council will hold a Council Meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. The agenda is available at https://bit.ly/3xTcrUR and at https://carrboro.legistar.com/  

This meeting 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). 

To download a copy of the full meeting calendar visit https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12313 

Past Meeting 

The Carrboro Town Council met Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, and took the following actions on the agenda available at https://bit.ly/41wCU87 

• Approved an amendment to the 2022-2023 HOME Investment Partnership Program Annual Plan to reallocate $105,000 originally allocated to EmPOWERment, Inc. to acquire a rental unit in Carrboro to instead acquire an affordable rental property in Chapel Hill. The Council requested technical information including transportation data, the design process, environmental information, and more.  
• Amended the 2021-2022 HOME Investment Partnership Program Annual Plan to add the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. The Plan amendment would add the Allocation Plan for $1,371,401 in HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP) funding.
• Approved a Minor Modification Request to the Special Use Permit-A Project at 502-A North Greensboro Street. The modification will allow Hope Renovations to place a shipping container on the site for use as office space.
• Approved a Minor Modification request for the Special Use Permit for Estes Park Apartments at 306 Estes Drive allowing the property owner to construct a new maintenance building, replace the existing dumpster enclosure area, and remove eighteen parking spaces from the site.
• Approved a Town Code amendment to prohibit parking on E. Winmore Avenue from Jewell Drive east to Homestead Road. 
• Received the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and Independent Audit for Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2022. This was presented by the Town’s independent auditor, FORVIS LLP, (previously Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP). 
• Authorized a change to the Town’s audit contract to extend the deadline for submission of the audit to the Local Government Commission. 

Town Council 

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 

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Duke Energy Project Update for W Main Street

A contractor for Duke Energy is performing work on power lines along West Main Street, which is causing traffic impacts and potential power disruptions to nearby residents. 

Large utility and construction equipment, as well as utility crews, are present in work zones. Crews are also trimming vegetation to allow workers to safely access equipment. 

Duke Energy reports that their work consists of upgrading reclosers to improve outcomes during power outages. More information: https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/future/self-healing-technology

This project is expected to conclude in late March, weather permitting. 

For more information, contact Duke Energy Senior Public Engagement Manager Katoya T. White at Katoya.White@duke-energy.com or (919) 977-2363 .

FORWARDED NEWS FROM OWASA 

Temporary Change in OWASA's Water Disinfection Process in March

Water will remain safe to drink; taste and odor might differ.

In support of our commitment to provide high-quality drinking water, OWASA will temporarily alter its drinking water treatment process beginning at 12 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, 2023, and continuing through the month of March. Water will remain safe to drink during this time, but customers might notice a change in taste or odor of drinking water.

OWASA uses a combination of chlorine and ammonia, known as chloramines, to disinfect drinking water throughout the majority of the year. But, each March, we only use chlorine for the disinfection process. This change is only for the month of March and has no impact on the safety of the drinking water.

The change in treatment process is recommended by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and is standard practice among water providers, including neighboring utilities.

To ensure chlorine reaches all 400 miles of water pipes across Chapel Hill and Carrboro, OWASA will “flush” the system. This involves releasing water from fire hydrants in the service area. Flushing may cause some discoloration in water. If discoloration occurs, run the water for a few minutes until it becomes clear. If the discoloration does not clear after a few minutes, please call OWASA at (919) 968-4421.

Throughout the change, water will remain safe to drink. We do understand, however, that some customers may wish to neutralize the chlorine taste. To do so, customers can consider storing water in an open container in the refrigerator; chlorine taste and odor will dissipate over time. Customers can also add a few lemon slices to the tap water; the lemon has ascorbic acid, which neutralizes chlorine. Some home filters also use activated carbon to reduce the taste and odor. Lastly, customers can also boil water for one (1) minute and the chlorine will evaporate.

Dialysis patients and aquarium owners should continue to take special precautions to remove traces of ammonia and chlorine from the water prior to use. To learn more about the community’s water supply and treatment, visit www.owasa.org/water-health.

OWASA is Carrboro-Chapel Hill's not-for-profit public service agency. Our diverse team works across the community to deliver high-quality water, reclaimed water, and wastewater services. We invest regularly to upgrade infrastructure and increase system resiliency. Together, with the community, we conserve, protect, and sustain this vital resource. Learn more at owasa.org.

For more information:

Monica Dodson, Water Supply and Treatment Manager,  (919) 537-4205 or mdodson@owasa.org

Registration Opens for the 2023 Orange County Senior Games

Orange County Senior Games is one of 53 sanctioned programs of North Carolina Senior Games, Inc.  They are pleased to announce registration for the 2023 Games is now open through March 24, 2023.

Orange County Senior Games will be held April 13 – May 10.   Anyone interested in participating in the Senior Games Sports or SilverArts activities please visit www.ncseniorgames.org/orange or contact Local Coordinator, Dana Hughes at 919-918-7372 for more information. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 24, 2023.

North Carolina Senior Games is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing year-round health promotion and education for adults 50 years of age and better.  NCSG is sponsored statewide by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services. For more information visit www.ncseniorgames.org.

The coordinating agencies for Orange County Senior Games include the Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department, Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department, Orange County Department on Aging, and the Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation.

Sporting Events

Archery, Badminton, Basketball Throw, 3 on 3 Basketball, Billiards, Bocce, Bowling, Cornhole, Croquet, Cycling, Golf, Horseshoes, Pickleball, Shuffleboard, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis and Track and Field

SilverArts

Heritage: Basket Weaving, Crocheting, Knitting, Jewelry, Needlework, Quilting (hand-stitched), Pottery (hand-built and thrown), Stained glass, Tole/Decorative Painting, Wood Carving, Woodturning, Woodworking

Performing: Cheerleading, Comedy, Drama, Dance, Instrumental, Line Dance, Vocals

Visual: Acrylics, Drawing, Mixed Media, Oil Painting, Pastels, Photography (Digital and Film), Sculpture, Watercolor

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