Got a little card in the mail from the Orange County tax office yesterday. The card was one of those fold-here-tear-here-do-it-in-this-order constructions that are so evocative of governments everywhere. The card was to tell me that my request to have the assessed value of my property lowered had been denied. I applied for the reduction […]
Keep the taxman busy
Posted by Don Evans on April 22, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/22/keep-the-taxman-busy/
A tick’s best friend
This town council is a tick’s best friend. That became apparent Monday night during a public hearing on whether the town should approve an urban deer hunt. Despite information from the manager of Duke Forest about the explosion of the deer population there and efforts to control it, the disastrous environmental effects of an out-of-control […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 20, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/20/a-ticks-best-friend/
Public forum without the public
The Budget Status Report and Public Forum was the first item on the agenda for Monday night’s Town Council meeting. Town Manager Roger Stancil was there at the microphone to update the council and residents on his staff’s work to fashion the fiscal 2011 town budget. Only the town had neglected to get the status […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 14, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/14/public-forum-without-the-public/
Burning a hole in her pocket
Some Town Council members are ready to spend tax dollars at the drop of a hat. Other council members want to examine expenditures carefully to gauge the need. Which one do you want making fiscal decisions in tight economic times? During the Town Council business meeting Monday, council member Sally Greene was ready to OK […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 13, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/13/burning-a-hole-in-her-pocket/
Taking care of business, not one another
It’s bad enough that we remain stuck in the worst economy in a generation. Now Republicans in the General Assembly want to throw away even more of my tax money on a frivolous lawsuit. Republicans led by state Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger apparently think it’s a good thing to spend taxpayer dollars on a […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 9, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/09/taking-care-of-business-not-one-another/
Gone with the pig
The Barbecue Joint is locked down, and a great big “Closed” sign is taped to the glass door at the entrance. The yellow notice from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office pasted beside the “Closed” sign forbids anyone from entering the building. The Joint’s Facebook page hasn’t been updated since mid March. And the huge catering […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 7, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/07/gone-with-the-pig/
The survey has spoken
The Community Survey that recently was presented to the Town Council had a lot of information in it about satisfaction with town services. One area where the council should study real hard is what residents want in bike safety. As many respondents were dissatisfied with the ease of biking and walking in town (35 percent) […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 5, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/05/the-survey-has-spoken/
On the road
Merritt’s diners can now choose to sit at tables with awnings where the gas pumps used to be. Al fresco dining is not something most Chapel Hill residents associate with Merritt’s, where the famous BLT remains a favorite and a lot of the clientele is construction workers. But the new scene at Merritt’s will soon […]
Posted by Don Evans on April 1, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/04/01/on-the-road/
Banking on apartments
Talk around the water cooler at the Crosland construction company is that work on the Chapel Hill North and Chapel Watch Village projects in north Chapel Hill will be back on track in 90 to 120 days. Those who’ve been around for more than 10 years were probably looking at those projects, which represent 243 […]
Posted by Don Evans on March 31, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/03/31/banking-on-apartments/
The debit list
I sure would like to see the document Matt Czajkowski was asking for at last Monday’s Town Council meeting. Czajkowski had requested a one- or two-page listing from town staff that would lay out what other financing or bond requirements, certificates of participation, interest-bearing and required debt service, and other fiscal obligations that the town […]
Posted by Don Evans on March 29, 2010
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2010/03/29/the-debit-list/