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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 is on a summer recess until early September.
Past Meeting
The Carrboro Town Council met Tuesday, June 21, and took the following actions on the agenda posted at https://bit.ly/3MgTPmt
This meeting was videoed and can be viewed at https://carrboro.legistar.com/ OR YouTube.com/CarrboroNC
o Adopted the Town of Carrboro Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23. This complete agenda item with attachments is available at https://bit.ly/3OI6ZKG Highlights of the adopted budget totaling $90.87 million for fiscal year 2023 are as follows:
• There is no property tax rate increase. The budget sets a property tax rate of 60.44 cents per $100 in property value. The town tax bill for the owner of a home valued at $400,000 will be $2,417.60. Carrboro property owners also pay Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district taxes. Affordable Housing tax rate remained at 1.5 cents, and ARPA funds will be used to raise additional ½ cent.
• The budget includes funding for The 203 Project, the new civic and library building at 203 S. Greensboro St. (Debt service on building.)
• The budget includes allocations to the Interfaith Council housing assistance program in the amount of $92,950; and, Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness in and amount of $129,976. This is for one year and anticipated discussion on potential long-range funding model.
• The budget sets a living wage of $15.85 an hour and provides for $3,000 to be added to all fulltime employees’ salaries and prorated for part-time positions. Health insurance costs will increase by 15 percent.
• Employee recruitment and retention are high priorities of the budget due to the increased competition for talent in the local government employment sector. To be better prepared to meet this challenge, the Town has a compensation and classification study underway which is expected to be completed by the fall of 2022.
• With the adoption of Carrboro Connects, the five-year comprehensive plan, staff will be engaged in implementing the new plan which may require additional resources. The Town will continue to implement the Energy and Climate Protection Plan and the Community Climate Action Plan. The Energy and Climate Protection Plan seeks to reduce Town greenhouse gas emissions, become more energy efficient and generate more renewable energy. The Community Climate Action Plan articulates the Town’s community greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and emphasizes measures that the broader community is asked to take to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets.
• The Stormwater Utility Enterprise Fund, established in 2017, to comprehensively address stormwater management and flood remediation needs throughout the Town is supported by user fees. The current user fee for stormwater ranges from $75 to $90 based on portion of property affecting stormwater management. Staff plans to conduct a comprehensive stormwater infrastructure assessment during fiscal year 2023.
- Approved a development application for a new commercial building at 201 N. Greensboro St. Development plans call for a three-story, 16,186-square-foot commercial building and an adjacent 40-space parking lot at 201 N. Greensboro St. Learn more at https://www.beaconpropertiesgroup.com/properties/detail/downtown-carrboro-201-n-greensboro-st
- Adopted a resolution to award a service sidearm to a retiring police officer to recognize his dedication to duty and his service to the Town of Carrboro. Carrboro Police Captain Anthony Westbrook II will retire from the Town of Carrboro Police Department on July 1, 2022 after 20 years of service with the Town and 30 years of total law enforcement service.
- Received reports from the Police, Fire and Economic Development departments, and the Stormwater Utility Division. These are reports are available from the link above.
- Approved a request for an extension of the date when a Conditional Use Permit would otherwise expire for a Mixed-Use Building at 603 Jones Ferry Road.
- Approved revised assignments of Town Council Members to various committees.
- Authorized the Town Manager to accept payment for damages to Fire Station 2 by Utility Line Construction Services, LLC (ULCS) and sign the Release for Property Damage Only.
- Designated the fund balance for Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Items not yet spent or encumbered.
- Approved a Reasonable Accommodation Request for 714 West Main St. or construction of an access ramp. Reasonable accommodation requests are processed in accordance with Land Use Ordinance.
- Accepted the Racial Equity Commission’s Annual Synopsis and approved a change in the commission make-up.
- Modified the contracting authority for the Town Manager to provide for uniformity and more efficient contracting.
- Appointed Melody Kramer and Dr. Elmira Mangum to the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) Board of Directors.
About the Town Council
The Town Council is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, consisting of the following: 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 http://carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council