News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 
(October 31, 2023) 

Here's what's new in Carrboro:  Happy Halloween! Stay safe and have fun! Read the latest resolutions passed by the Town Council, note that early voting continues this week,  feel free to Leave the Leaves, and save the Date for the Carrboro Film Festival. Find all the details here ...

Carrboro Town Council Honors Braxton Foushee

In a resolution presented on Oct. 24, 2023, the Carrboro Town Council has designated Dec. 13, 2023, and every Dec. 13 thereafter, as Braxton Dunkin Foushee Day of Service in Carrboro.

Even as a young man, Braxton Foushee worked to advocate for Black residents. Around the age of 15, he worked alongside Ms. Rebecca Clark, helping escort and protect older Black citizens to register to vote, breaking a national pattern of voter disenfranchisement. In 1961, he began to work with the local labor movement, advocating for equal pay and fair treatment for Black residents.

Mr. Foushee became the first Black member of the Carrboro Town Council in 1969, serving until 1981.

He has championed many issues that have directly impacted the Black community in Carrboro, including ensuring equitable access to paved roads, sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure. He worked tirelessly to fight injustices against Black residents by law enforcement, resulting in state agencies investigating and diversifying the Carrboro Police Department in the 1970s.

Braxton Foushee has dedicated over 54 years of his life to continuous service as an elected official, a member of a town advisory board and a community leader.

The Council honors and thanks Braxton Dunkin Foushee for his tremendous service to the Town of Carrboro.

Every year on Dec. 13, the Town encourages the residents of Carrboro to learn and reflect on Carrboro’s Black history and perform an act of service to their neighbors or the community.

Read the full proclamation here.

Early voting continues this week

Information from the Orange County Board of Elections 

Election Day is Nov. 7, 2023.

Orange County offers early voting to all registered Orange County voters who wish to vote early, in-person rather than voting absentee by mail or on Election Day. 

Remember that a photo ID is now required to vote. Many forms of government-issued IDs are acceptable. For more information, please visit orangecountync.gov/PhotoID

Early Voting Locations:

• Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons (in lieu of BOE office): 113 Mayo St. Hillsborough 
• Carrboro Town Hall Complex: 108 Bim St., Carrboro 
• Carrboro Chapel of the Cross: 304 E Franklin St., Chapel Hill 
• Chapel Hill Seymour Senior Center: 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill  
• Chapel Hill Library: 100 Library Dr, Chapel Hill

Carrboro Town Hall Complex, Chapel of the Cross, Seymour Senior Center and Chapel Hill Library

• Monday – Friday, Oct. 30 – Nov. 3: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Tuesday (Halloween), Oct. 31: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 4: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons

• Monday – Friday, Oct. 30 – Nov. 3: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Tuesday (Halloween), Oct. 31: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 4: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

For more information on early voting, please visit https://www.orangecountync.gov/1116/Early-Voting

Questions? Call 919-245-2350 or email vote@orangecountync.gov 

Carrboro Town Council Recognizes Wesley Barker

In a resolution presented on Oct. 24, 2023, the Carrboro Town Council recognizes the exceptional commitment and contribution Wesley Barker has made to the Town of Carrboro as Town Clerk.

Beginning his services as Town Clerk just as the Town was emerging from the COVID-19 public health emergency, Wesley made it a priority to provide excellent customer service to Carrboro’s residents and visitors. He worked to systematize many processes in the Town Clerk’s Office to help bring greater consistency and efficiency to Town operations.

Wesley has made the fulfillment of public records requests a priority and has developed a detailed tracking database of requests received by the town. He has established a protocol of routing those requests so they can be dealt with promptly.

He has created a process for managing and updating the rosters of the Town’s 20 advisory boards and commissions, working closely with staff liaisons and volunteer applications to navigate the appointment process.

Wesley has been an integral part of the Town’s management team, leading the collating and publishing of the Council’s weekly agenda materials and creating a set of detailed how-to guides for staff to follow in developing agenda items. 

He was instrumental in helping the town achieve a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for the first time in 2022.

Wesley has taken on countless other responsibilities while serving as Town Clerk. He has been friendly, thorough, detail-oriented, organized and a true ambassador for Carrboro.

The Council wishes him and his family happiness upon their return to the mountains and knows he will find success and fulfillment as he pursues the next stage of his career.

Read the full resolution here.

Daylight Saving Time is about to come to an end 

We will “fall back” on Sunday, Nov. 5, turning the clocks back an hour. Of course, most folks will turn their clocks back an hour when they go to bed on Saturday night ... if they remember. (It’s also suggested that it’s a good time to change batteries in smoke and CO detectors.)

The good news is we’ll get an extra hour of sleep this weekend. The downside is it’s going to get dark much earlier.

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/list.aspx 

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. on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. 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). 

Meeting Recap 
 The Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 24, and took the following actions:

• Passed a resolution recognizing Town Clerk Wesley Barker
• Passed a resolution Honoring Braxton Foushee
• Passed a resolution for Operation Green Light for Veterans
• Authorized the Town Manager to execute a contract to Triangle Grading & Paving to modify the three sections of the center median on Jones Ferry Road and to adopt a project ordinance.
• Approved an amendment to the Capital Project Ordinance for Bike Loop Detector Project to increase funding so this project can advance to bidding for construction.
• Approved a clarification on the intent not to develop the designated greenspace of the Westwood Cemetery.
• Approved a request for an extension of the date when a Special Use Permit-A would otherwise expire for Lloyd Farm, Phase1.
• Held a public hearing to consider a text amendment to the Land Use Ordinance regarding residential density in Planned Unity Developments (PUDs) and adopted the amended ordinance.
• Held a public hearing to consider text amendments to the Land Use Ordinance that would modify residential parking requirements and adopted the amended ordinance.
• Held two closed sessions in compliance with NC General Statutes 143-318.11(A)(3) and 143-318.11(A)(6).

Watch the meeting at  https://www.youtube.com/live/gZo6iVN9l-A?si=T9ivSn9LvaqLNe5i

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

Carrboro Town Council passes resolution in support of Operation Green Light for Veterans

The Carrboro Town Council has passed a resolution for Nov. 6-12 to be a time to honor the service and sacrifice of individuals in uniform transitioning from active service.

The people of Carrboro respect, admire and appreciate the individuals who selflessly have served the United States of America in the Armed Forces by placing themselves in challenging or perilous situations. The contributions and sacrifices of those individuals who served in the Armed Forces have been vital in maintaining the freedoms and ways of life that we enjoy in our local communities.

Operation Green Light is a nationwide initiative to support veterans and raise awareness about the challenges many veterans face in accessing benefits and services.

In observance of Operation Green Light, the Town of Carrboro will be displaying green lights on Carrboro Town Hall. The Town Council encourages residents to participate by displaying a green light in a window of their place of business or residence from Nov. 6-12.

The Town of Carrboro seeks to join other communities through Operation Green Light for Veterans to shine a light on the plight of veterans across the country who are having a hard time connecting with benefits after serving their country.

Read the full resolution here.

Veterans Day ceremony to be held at Orange County Veterans Memorial site on Friday, Nov. 10

A special ceremony commemorating Veterans Day will be held at the Orange County Veterans Memorial on Friday, Nov. 10, beginning at 11 a.m. The memorial is on the campus of Orange County Southern Human Services at 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill.

Congresswoman Valerie Foushee will speak at the ceremony, and Dr. Mark Clodfelter will be the guest speaker. He is Professor Emeritus at the National War College, a tribute he earned for his decades long service to Professional Military Education. 

A former Air Force officer who was a ground radar officer by trade, Clodfelter served radar tours at Myrtle Beach and South Korea and spent the remainder of his career in military academia. 

He taught at the Air Force Academy and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds a BS from the US Air Force Academy, an MA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Ph.D. from UNC.

Orange County Chair Jamezetta Bedford, Rep. Renee Price (D-Orange) and Jeff McNeill, Orange County’s Veteran’s Service Officer, will also speak. Orange County Sheriff’s Office will provide the Color Guard.

Learn more about the Veterans Memorial at ocveteransmemorial.com

Carrboro Film Fest Celebrates Southern Cinema

CARRBORO, N.C. -- The Carrboro Film Fest marks its 18th year this Nov. 17-19 with screenings of 2023’s films at The ArtsCenter, 400 Roberson St.

55 films. 9 screenings. 3 days. 1 venue.  Festival passes are only $50 now through Oct. 27. Tickets for individual screenings on sale Oct. 28.  

Carrboro Film Fest embraces its identity as a Southern institution and presents exclusively Southern films in a non-competitive setting.

Every year the fest leans into its mission to showcase the best, new Southern Films, and this year will be no different. Filmgoers can expect full-length films, Q&As with directors and actors after the screenings, and short films clustered around various themes which celebrate and interrogate Southern identity and culture.  

Carrboro has always been a little different. In Carrboro, Southern hospitality means everyone is welcome, and the folks here are curious about the world, engaged in their community, and lovers of the arts. That’s why our town is a great place for a film festival.

The Carrboro Film Fest has an established history as a dynamic event that brings filmmakers and audiences together for a heartfelt celebration of independent cinema.

Carrboro Film Fest is made possible with support from the Town of Carrboro and the Carrboro Tourism Development Authority.

Check for the festival schedule and ticket information at https://www.carrborofilm.org/events

Happy Halloween, Carrboro!

We had the most spooktacular time at the Halloween Carnival!

There were so many great costumes, the games were a huge hit and even the (unofficial) mascot of Carrboro Halloween showed up at Town Commons to join in the fun.

Check out all the great photos we shared on Carrboro Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CarrboroTownGov 

Avoid collisions with deer 

Drivers should remain vigilant on the roads to avoid deer-vehicle collisions, especially between September and December. Deer movement increases dramatically during this time, and limited lighting makes it more difficult for drivers to see them on or near roads.

According to the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Traffic Safety Unit, about 7 percent of all vehicle crashes in the state involve animal strikes.

Orange County had a total of 706 animal crashes from 2018-2020. These collisions with deer resulted in 33 injuries and a total of $2.2 million in damages reported. More data from around the state is available at https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/safety/driving-safety/Pages/deer-collisions.aspx ;

Safety Advice

Below are important tips from the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) regarding animal (usually deer) crashes: 

• Always maintain a safe amount of distance between your vehicle and others, especially at night. If the vehicle ahead of you hits a deer, you could also become involved in the crash. 
• Slow down in areas posted with deer crossing signs and in heavily wooded areas, especially during the late afternoon and evening.
• Most deer-vehicle crashes occur where deer are more likely to travel, near bridges or overpasses, railroad tracks, streams and ditches.
• Drive with high beams on when possible and watch for deer eyes reflecting in the headlights. 
• Deer often travel in small herds so if you see one deer near a road be alert for others.
• If you see deer near a road, slow down and blow your horn with one long blast
• Do not swerve to avoid a collision. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause a more serious crash.

If your vehicle does strike a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can be dangerous or further injure itself. Get your vehicle off the road, if possible, and call 911.

Put your ideas into action! 
Apply to serve the Town of Carrboro

The Town of Carrboro is seeking volunteers to provide a fresh perspective on important local issues.

Carrboro local government has various advisory boards and commissions that advise the Town Council on a wide range of issues. We are currently looking to fill vacancies!

When you serve, you become an advocate for the Town of Carrboro, provide feedback to the Council, and help strengthen the community with your unique perspective. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people as you put your ideas into action.

Learn more about the openings available.