Time was Ed Harrison would joke about the council meeting he presided over that spilled into the next day. The meeting was memorable not only because it ended on his birthday but because of the rarity of a council meeting lasting past midnight. These days, it’s noteworthy if council ends before 11 p.m. Laurin Easthom […]
All posts in category Council Members
Call it a night
Posted by Nancy Oates on July 30, 2012
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/07/30/call-it-a-night/
Waving or waiving our values
Tonight Town Council members vote on two measures that are both for show. One vote is for a resolution urging North Carolina voters to vote against a state constitutional amendment that will ban certain people from marrying. The other is to decide whether to ban certain people from talking on cell phones while driving. On […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on March 12, 2012
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/03/12/waving-our-values/
Absentee voting
Viewers of American Idol know to call one number if they want to vote for one performer and another number to vote for another performer. Maybe Town Council has adopted a similar practice. Laurin Easthom left during a discussion of the Triangle Regional Transit Local Preferred Alternative issue. During a spate of late-night council meetings […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 26, 2012
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/01/26/absentee-voting/
Apologies due
At Monday night’s council meeting, Donna Bell said she was sorry that Katelyn Ferral was detained while covering a story at the Yates building but acknowledged that when you run with the big dogs, sometimes you get sprayed with drool. Those weren’t Bell’s exact words, but that was the gist of her response to Laurin […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 11, 2012
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/01/11/apologies-due/
New year resolutions?
Council meetings resume one week from tonight. Here’s a glimpse of what may grace the agenda in 2012: Homeless shelter’s Good Neighbor Plan: A Better Site representatives are participating in the meetings, but IFC won’t allow the proceedings to be recorded. A Better Site wants teeth to the plan, consequences if the tenets are violated; […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on January 2, 2012
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2012/01/02/new-year-resolutions/
2011 highlights
A sign in the window of the tax office at Town Hall, where about a dozen of us were waiting to pay our taxes yesterday around lunchtime, lists various products the town sells to market itself: flags, tote bags, books and ball caps. As I totaled up my various tax bills – vehicle, business, real […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 29, 2011
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2011/12/29/2011-highlights/
Seating chart
Mark Kleinschmidt started his second term as mayor by shaking things up a bit. But the tech crew almost upstaged him by turning the mikes on before the meeting started. Those of us watching at home saw the agenda on the screen but heard council members chatting. No gossip to report, and eventually the audio […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 6, 2011
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2011/12/06/seating-chart/
New team
Recently I spent a day in a room full of one-percenters who were serving on an advisory board for an organization that does good works globally. I was not on the board, but I wished I could make a training video of the discussion process. Board members all had degrees from top universities and were […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on December 5, 2011
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2011/12/05/new-team/
Fellowship of the ring
When a politician divorces, or he or she moves out of the marital home, or he or she is seen gallivanting about with someone not his or her spouse, that is newsworthy. Why should our mayor be treated differently? Obviously, readers of Chapel Hill Watch know much more about Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt’s domestic life than […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on March 3, 2011
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2011/03/03/fellowship-of-the-ring/
Attention to detail
After Nancy wondered whether Town Council member Donna Bell, who has missed the past couple of meetings, might be lured back to the chamber by some free food provided by food trucks, a local blogger lashed out. The blogger criticized Nancy for noting Bell’s repeated absence and for wondering why some council members’ absences are […]
Posted by Don Evans on March 2, 2011
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2011/03/02/attention-to-detail/