Former Town Council member Julie McClintock, who also worked for the EPA, has participated in many planning efforts. She offers her reaction to the town’s priority-budgeting survey: In a recent email from the Town, I was invited to take a budget survey to show “what [I] value.” Since I’m an engaged citizen, I took the [...]
All posts in category Spending
A representative view
Posted by Nancy Oates on March 18, 2013
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2013/03/18/a-representative-view/
Big Bang Theory
How much would you pay for the fireworks display last week? Technically, we’ve prepaid for the July 4th show through our taxes, but the town put out a tip jar at the entrance gate and sent around an email with instructions on how to make a tax-deductible contribution through its Friends of Chapel Hill Parks [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on July 9, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/07/09/big-bang-theory/
Windfall
I’ve read about people who come into money and then the trouble starts. Town Council showed a hint of that at Monday night’s meeting when they began talking about how to spend the money from the sale of “two-thirds” bonds. These bonds don’t need voters’ approval, but council does have to approve the sale. The [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on April 19, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/04/19/windfall/
Gym jumps through hoops
Chapel Hill now has two town-owned buildings that can’t be rented out due to overdue maintenance. The Chapel Hill Museum building at 523 E. Franklin St. was shuttered in June 2011 because the town did not have the approximately $800,000 to do the repairs. And last week, Orange County Gymnastics learned it would have to [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on February 27, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/02/27/gym-jumps-through-hoops/
The Roger Stancil Show
Town manager Roger Stancil is a completely different person in daylight than he is tucked away at the end of the dais during Town Council meetings at night. As guest speaker at the Friends of Downtown meeting Thursday morning, he was relaxed, gregarious and funny. Stancil referenced signs that have popped up around town since [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 27, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/01/27/the-roger-stancil-show/
Fiscally happy New Year
Town manager Roger Stancil must have eaten his New Year’s Day Hoppin’ John on behalf of the town this year. When Town Council resumes meetings tonight, council members will vote on whether to accept money from several sources. The consent agenda asks council to accept $5,000 from OWASA toward Code Red, a service that notifies [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 9, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/01/09/fiscally-happy-new-year/
To our health
Tonight Dr. Bill Roper, CEO of UNC Health Care System, and Brad Wilson, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina, will unveil plans for a new clinic that they expect will provide better patient care and reduce health-care costs. They’ll give their presentation at 6 p.m. in Town Council Chambers at Town Hall. No [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 5, 2012
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/01/05/to-our-health/
Keeping up with Ames
We’re doomed, Melissa Cain, executive director of the library foundation, told council members Monday night, if you don’t vote to expand the library. And as seven of the nine council members listed their reasons for voting to sell bonds that would put town residents $20.41 million further in debt, I gleaned from their comments that [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on June 8, 2010
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/06/08/keeping-up-with-ames/
Book fees
Town Manager Roger Stancil was quick to point out at the Town Council meeting Monday night that going ahead with issuing library renovation bonds would not increase taxes this year. But there is not a single soul sitting on the council dais who believes that renovating the library will not increase taxes. It will; it [...]
Posted by Don Evans on May 12, 2010
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/05/12/book-fees/
Playing hardball
County commissioner and sports writer Barry Jacobs could title his next book Getting to No, a negotiating how-to. He could lead with the discussions over how much Orange County will contribute toward operating expenses for the Cadillac library Chapel Hill hankers for, even though the expansion would max out the town’s debt limit. The town, [...]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 6, 2010
http://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/05/06/playing-hardball/