News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 
(Oct. 16, 2024) 

Slow Down for Poetry at the West End Poetry Festival this weekend. Halloween events in Carrboro start Friday with Music and Stories Under the Stars. A Downtown Area Plan Community Input Session is set for this Sunday afternoon at The ArtsCenter. We are delighted to welcome Chaz Offenburg as the new chief financial officer for the Town of Carrboro. Get all the details here! 

Carrboro to feature 19th Annual West End Poetry Festival: Community

The 19th Annual West End Poetry Festival returns, Oct. 17-19, 2024. All events are free and open to the public.

Thursday, October 17 │ Luna Rotisserie at 307 E. Main Street, Carrboro

• 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - Carrboro Poet’s Council Feature and Open Mic!

Friday, October 18 │ The ArtsCenter at 400 Roberson Street, Carrboro

• 5:00 p.m. - 6:30p.m -  Youth poetry workshop, pizza, sodas and fun with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green . This free event welcomes all youth poets ages 11 -24 to come write with the NC Poet Laureate. Pizza is provided but bring your own paper to write on. For questions, text 919-408-7134.
• 7:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. -  Music jam poetry lounge, writing to music and sharing open mic with Alison Weiner and Mahalo Jazz

Saturday, October 19 │ Carrboro Century Center at 100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro

• 1:00 p.m. -  Welcome from Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee, youth poets read Farmer's Market poems, Area Youth Poet Laureates, Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis Liza Wolff-Francis
• 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. - Book poets reading 
  • John Hoppenthaler
  • Fred Joiner
  • Debra Kaufman
  • Ashley Lumpkin
  • Ralph Earle
• 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Coffee and snacks, publishers and tables, books for sale
• 4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. - Poetry reading and workshop with Emilia Phillips
• 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Dinner from Carrburritos
• 6:00 p.m. - Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis reads 
• 6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - North Carolina Hall of Fame poets reading and conversation
  • Joseph Bathanti
  • Lenard Moore

Saturday, October 19 │Steel String Brewery at 106A S. Greensboro Street, Carrboro

• 8:00 p.m. - Poetry Slam hosted by Josephus Thompson III

Read more about the 2024 West End Poetry Festival.

Gather your pumpkins for carving or decorating and put on your favorite costumes! The Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department invites you to participate in the 2024 Carrboro Halloween Events and Activities.

Music and Stories Under the Stars

Join us on Friday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for an evening of music and stories at Weaver Street Lawn, 101 E Weaver St. Put on your best costume for the annual costume contest, bring a blanket or a low chair, and snuggle up for these stellar shows!

• Music will begin at 5 p.m. 
• Costume contest, registration will be held from 5 to 5:50 p.m. 
• Winners of the costume contest will be announced before the storyteller. 
• Appropriate for all ages.

Halloween Carnival

Come enjoy the Carrboro Halloween Carnival on Friday, Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W Main Street.  We boast a host of carnival style activities for all ages that reward the children’s participation with a wickedly good prize bag. Popcorn, water, hot chocolate, apple cider and coffee will be sold at the concession booth. No registration required.

Virtual Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Contest

Submit a photo of your carved or decorated pumpkin by 5 p.m. ,Tuesday, Oct. 29. Photos will be posted on Carrboro Recreation, Parks & Cultural Recourses Department’s Facebook page. and The “Best of Show” winner will be announced on Thursday, Oct. 31. 

• Send photos to dhughes@carrboronc.gov. 
• Please include a sign that says “Carrboro 2024” in your picture. 
• Only one pumpkin in a photo. 
• Please remember that this is a kid-friendly event and CRPCRD reserves the rights to deny entries deemed inappropriate.

Chief Financial Officer named

for the Town of Carrboro

Town Manager Patrice Toney has named Chaz Offenburg as the new chief financial officer for the Town of Carrboro. 

In his role with the Town of Carrboro, Offenburg will assist the Town Council, Town Manager, and Town departments with the management of financial resources and activities including preparation of the Town Budget, debt and cash management, payroll, vendor payment, financial reporting, purchasing, general billing, and revenue collection.

“I am delighted for the opportunity to serve the Town of Carrboro,” Offenburg said. “I've dedicated my career and education to public service and worked with knowledgeable, passionate stakeholders at every level of government. Town Manager Toney has shared a great vision. I look forward to being part of it.”

Prior to joining Carrboro, Offenburg has worked for Orange County Government since 2018, most recently as a deputy chief financial officer, and also as a financial systems administrator and a budget management analyst. He has also served as a management analyst for the City of Alexandria, Va., in 2017. 

Offenburg holds a master’s degree in public administration from UNC-Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in political science from NC State University. 

The appointment will become effective on Nov. 4, 2024.

Town Council Update

CARRBORO, NC -- The Town Council is scheduled to meet next 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 for its regular business meeting. The agenda will be 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/

The livestream will be available at YouTube

New Council Meeting Time 
A new meeting time has been set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday meeting dates through 2024. The Council wants to hear from the community about if the new time works well! Let us know at Engage Carrboro.

Past Meeting Recap 
The Carrboro Town Council met on Tuesday, Oct. 15, and considered an agenda posted at https://carrboro.legistar.com/ 

Council actions included the following:

• Adopted resolutions/proclamations including Minority Enterprise Development Week and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Read Carrboro Proclamations and Resolutions
• Received the Police Department Equity Report. 
• Authorized a contract not to exceed $227,000 for a playground replacement project at Baldwin Park, 400 Broad St. 
• Passed a resolution to name the 203 Greensboro Building the Drakeford Library Complex. The Orange County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to vote on the building naming on Thursday, Nov. 7.
• Held a legislative public hearing on Land Use Ordinance text amendments relating to advisory board and commission consolidation and attendance. Since March 2023, the Town Council has been examining various provisions relating to advisory boards and commissions. The Council authorized changes to add the duties of the Appearance Commission to the Planning Board and to make the Northern Transition Area Advisory Committee a subcommittee of the Planning Board. Duties associated with the Climate Action Team and the Environmental Advisory Board are to be combined into a new Climate and Environmental Advisory Commission. The Transportation Advisory Board and Greenways Commission are to be consolidated into a new Transportation, Mobility and Greenways Advisory Commission.
• Approved the Greene Tract Master Plan, which designates and defines the following: mixed income housing opportunities with rental and ownership choices and options for seniors and veterans; 22 acres of jointly owned property as preserve; network of transportation facilities; recreation opportunities; makers-space, small business opportunities, and community space for seniors, teens, and/or veterans; 16-acre public school and public recreation site. The Master Plan was developed through an engagement process designed to create a shared vision with the community and elevate the voices of the Historic Rogers Road Neighborhood.
• Watch the livestream on YouTube.

ABOUT CARRBORO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. You can reach the Town Council with your ideas, views and questions anytime at Council@carrboronc.gov Meetings are open to the public to join in person at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. OR via Livestreaming at YouTube.com/CarrboroNC  

Regular business meetings are generally held the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Work sessions are generally held the second Tuesdays of the month. Public comment is not accepted during work sessions, and votes are not taken. 

• Agendas (and meeting videos) are posted at https://carrboro.legistar.com/
• The Town of Carrboro offers free language translation and interpretation services to residents. Information: 919-918-7391 or info@carrboronc.gov
• Sign up to receive Council Updates with meeting agendas and post-meeting recaps at www.carrboronc.gov/signup (choose Carrboro Town News)
• Learn more about your Town Council at https://www.carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council
• Questions? Reach Town Clerk Lamar Joyner at 919-918-7309 or townclerk@carrboronc.gov

Carrboro Celebrates Minority Enterprise Development Week

Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaims Oct. 20-26 as Minority Enterprise Development Week in Carrboro.

Minority Enterprise Development Week, often referred to as MED Week, serves to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of minority-owned businesses and to recognize individuals who have excelled as entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Despite a history of institutional and systemic racism that restricted access to capital, property, markets, advertising and other aspects of commerce and economic life, minority entrepreneurs have used their talents, ideas, passions, hard work and tenacity to build successful business enterprises throughout our nation’s history.

According to the Census Bureau, Carrboro is home to at least 55 minority-owned businesses, providing jobs for more than 1200 people.

Carrboro’s Economic Development Department has worked to promote minority-owned businesses through the BAG Business Accelerator Program, the development of the New Business Resource Center, BIPOC Business Pop-up Program, and the Boost Carrboro Business Training initiative.

2024 will see a variety of MED Week events throughout the United States and North Carolina, including the Minority Business Development Agency’s annual MED Week Conference on October 20-26, and the North Carolina Statewide MED Week Celebration & Expo on October 31 in Raleigh, North Carolina, which is free to attend.

More information:  

Photo -- The Boost Carrboro Business Summit, held in August 2024 by the Carrboro Economic Development Department, is one of the ways the Town of Carrboro works to support businesses, and help create networks among entrepreneurs, engage in meaningful conversations, and explore growth opportunities. 

Community Input Sessions

on Downtown Area Plan

The Town of Carrboro invites community input as it prepares The Downtown Area Plan. The study focuses on the Main Street and Jones Ferry Road corridors, as well as the downtown business districts and surrounding neighborhoods. 

Thanks to everyone who dropped by last week to share what you love, your ideas, and your vision for the downtown area. 

How to Participate:

• TAKE THE SURVEY –  Take our online survey.
• JOIN A COMMUNITY INPUT SESSION –  Drop by The ArtsCenter, 400 Roberson St., on Sunday, Oct. 20 anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. OR Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.  You can participate in an interactive session to share ideas and preferences for public realm improvements and development character areas envisioned for downtown. Expect to meet your neighbors and Town staff members. Share ideas while noshing on pizza and other snacks! 
• LEARN MORE at Engage Carrboro.

Carrboro Street Resurfacing and Rejuvenation Project Underway

The Town of Carrboro has contracted with Daniels Inc. of Garner for the 2024 Carrboro Street Resurfacing and Rejuvenation Project. 

Work coming up will target areas of Westview Drive (Oct. 21) and Rock Haven Road (Oct 22-25).

Learn more about the resurfacing and rejuvenation project.

Carrboro in Motion at

Fitch Lumber & Hardware 

The parking lot at Fitch Lumber & Hardware was the busy and bustling site of a Carrboro in Motion event held on a beautiful sunny Saturday, Oct. 12. It was a perfect day for Pelican’s SnoBalls! 

Thanks to everyone who turned out to learn more about services and engage on various topics from the Town of Carrboro Planning Department, Housing & Community Services, Police Department, Fire Department, and Communication & Engagement. In addition, we welcomed Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis, Red Ridge Bikes NC (which does small-issue bike repair on site), and wonderful partners from Orange County Government. 

Check back to learn about our 2025 plans for Carrboro in Motion.

Early Voting Begins on October 17

General Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 17. Orange County offers early voting to all eligible, registered Orange County voters who wish to vote early, in-person. Absentee voting by mail is available to all registered Orange County voters who wish to vote by mail rather than at a one-stop early voting site or on Election Day. 

If you decide to vote on election day, November 5th, you must vote at your assigned polling place. To find out your assigned polling place and view a sample ballot on Election Day, use the Voter Search Tool located on the Orange County Elections Webpage.

Spotlight On: The Carrboro Business Alliance 

Building a business-friendly local government with strategies for promoting growth, innovation and collaboration, Town Manager Patrice Toney met with the Carrboro Business Alliance for its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at Open Eye Café. The group shared challenges of parking accessibility, workforce housing and other business challenges while touting strong community support for local businesses. Town Manager Toney provided updates on the Downtown Area Plan, the Land Use Ordinance Rewrite, and a scheduled Spring 2025 Council Work Session on Paid Parking.

Carrboro recognizes

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaims October 2024 Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Carrboro.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, on average nearly 20 people per minute are abused by an intimate partner in the United States. In North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence, at least 73 individuals were murdered by a current or former intimate partner in 2023 and at least 63 have been murdered so far in 2024. At least two Orange County residents have been murdered so far this year by a current or former intimate partner or family member.

Domestic violence encompasses not only physical abuse, but also emotional, verbal, financial, sexual, or digital abuse, isolation and/or stalking.

Domestic violence disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities, undocumented people, women, trans and gender non-conforming people and disabled people.

Read more about Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Carrboro recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day

The second Monday of October is recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Carrboro.

First adopted by the Carrboro Board of Aldermen in 2015, Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity to celebrate the thriving cultures and values of the Indigenous Peoples of our region.

The Town recognizes and values the many contributions made to our community through Indigenous Peoples' knowledge, labor, technology, science, philosophy, arts and culture.

Looking to explore the traditional and contemporary cultural contributions of American Indians in North Carolina? Save the date - The 29th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22-23 at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St. in Raleigh, NC. While the North Carolina Museum of History is closed for renovation, this year's festival is being held at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Activities will take place on the Bicentennial Plaza and inside the museum.

Read more about Indigenous Peoples' Day in Carrboro.

Carrboro Celebrates American

Pharmacists Month

Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaims October 2024 as American Pharmacists Month in Carrboro.

There are over 10,000 pharmacists licensed in North Carolina and 300,000 pharmacists in the United States providing services to assure the rational and safe use of all medications.

Pharmacists provide both expertise and accessibility which are crucial to patients fully optimizing access to medications. They also provide patient care that ensures optimal medication therapy outcomes.

Read more about American Pharmacists Month in Carrboro.

Lights Out for Birds

The Town of Carrboro encourages everyone to go lights out 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. now through Nov. 30 to help save birds migrating through North Carolina. 

Birds play a crucial role in Carrboro’s local ecosystem. They help with seed dispersal, pollination and pest control. Additionally, their nutrient-rich droppings contribute to natural balance of nutrient cycling, enriching the soil and having a significant impact on the entire ecosystem. Preserving these species aligns with Carrboro’s Community Climate Action Plan.

Contribute to Lights Out

• Turn off exterior decorative lighting
• Extinguish pot and flood-lights
• Substitute strobe lighting wherever possible
• Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible
• Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories
• Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late or pull window coverings
• Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward
• Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible
• When converting to new lighting assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology

Learn more from the North Carolina Audubon Society .

Provide Input on Eno-Haw Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan

Alamance, Durham, Orange, and Person Counties and their incorporated communities are updating the Eno-Haw Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Local governments are required to prepare and update hazard mitigation plans to be eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation assistance grants.

Public input is critical to the planning process. Please take a few minutes to complete a brief public survey to provide your input on hazard risks and mitigation options. Click here for the survey.

For more information about the plan update, visit the project website at www.enohawhmp.com. On this site you will find information about upcoming and past Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee meetings and public meetings, a link for the public survey, draft documents, and other mitigation planning resources.

Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources

Monthly Events Newsletter

View the Monthly Events Newsletter and discover all of the exciting programs and special events that are coming up!

Check out the Monthly Newsletter.

2024 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Holiday Parade Participant Application Now Open

Walk, dance, bike, and scoot your way through the 2024 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Holiday Parade on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.!

We’re looking for local organizations with diverse cultural, faith, and community traditions to participate. We hope you’ll consider joining. A few things to keep in mind:

• Get festive. Decorate your parade unit with a winter theme and add entertainment value. Be a spectacle!
• Get creative. Describe how your unit will entertain/engage spectators. Show us what you got!
• Get ready. This year’s parade will be non-vehicular. Stay on foot, bike, or scooter.
• Please, no ads. No entries for strictly advertising, fundraising, or recruitment activities. No political campaigning or electioneering.

Apply online today to participate in the 2024 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Holiday Parade.

Public parking available in downtown Carrboro

It’s easy to find free two-hour public parking in Carrboro, where you can access convenient parking at 10 public lots all over town.

Please remember that the Carr Mill Mall parking area is for mall customers and is not a public parking lot. Leaving the mall premises after parking risks towing. When in doubt, always park in public lots, and enjoy a hassle-free and relaxed shopping and dining experience.

Find more information including an interactive parking map on our Downtown Parking webpage.