A council member told of going to dinner at a new restaurant in town and having to wait a half-hour for a table. Initially, he took that as a good sign of how well the new business was faring. But once he was seated, he noticed that several tables had been removed since the last […]
All posts in category Council Members
Economics of affordability
Posted by Nancy Oates on October 9, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/10/09/economics-of-affordability/
Fighting back for DACA
Donald Trump seems to delight in causing chaos, regardless of the consequences. Like a toddler in the throes of a temper-tantrum, breaking everything he can get his little hands on, Trump gets attention through the disruption he creates. And Congress, the only authority figure that can put him in time out, instead stands to the […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 18, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/09/18/fighting-back-for-daca/
Season Premiere
Some of the candidates for Town Council attended our season opener on Wednesday. I hope those who stayed through the development agreement discussion do not rue their decision to run. The Sept. 6 council meeting gave candidates an accurate picture of some of the tortuous discussions we get ourselves into. Council is beta testing holding […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on September 11, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/09/11/season-premiere/
Two ways to message
The N.C. General Assembly declined to pass HB-746 during its short session, which left one gun advocate livid. The proposed bill would have allowed concealed handguns to be carried without a permit. The bill came to the floor for consideration at the start of a week that would erupt in eight mass shootings in the […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on August 28, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/08/28/two-ways-to-message/
A Blast on the Fourth
I would like to say that my choice of where to live has been motivated by work and family, but you could make a case that fireworks factored in. Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. From the time I was a kid, I woke up every July 4 knowing it was going to be […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on July 10, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/07/10/a-blast-on-the-fourth/
I know a guy …
With the new travel ban in effect, the U.S. has moved a step closer to the elitist mentality that Donald Trump admires. As of last Thursday night, if you come from one of six Muslim-majority countries — Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — your ability to visit the Land of the Free depends […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on July 3, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/07/03/i-know-a-guy/
Use housing market forces to help
So much for the law of supply and demand. Council has approved a plethora of high-end market-rate apartments because a majority of council members believe that flooding the market with high-rent units will saturate housing demand and eventually inhibit rent hikes. These council members ignore the fact that in Chapel Hill, as in most cities, […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 22, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/05/22/use-housing-market-forces-to-help/
Classic decision-making
The world would be better off if we had more classics majors. This past weekend, with so many universities in the Triangle showcasing their accomplished faculty and alumni as part of commencement celebrations, I couldn’t help but notice that innovation and entrepreneurship took the spotlight. Applied sciences got the glory, along with the plethora of […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on May 15, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/05/15/classic-decision-making/
Playing the game: basketball and politics
Town Council members caught some flack last year when we approved the 2016-17 meeting schedule and moved our first regular Monday night meeting in April to the first Wednesday. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Final would be held that Monday, and if UNC were to play in it, many of us would want to watch. “You […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on April 3, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/04/03/playing-the-game-basketball-and-politics/
Bargaining Power
People love to feel special. Sales agents make a living by understanding the power of “just for you”: “I don’t usually do this, but just for you, I’ll …” It closes the deal and mitigates buyer’s remorse. But “just for you” would lose its value if there were no standards or rules to push back […]
Posted by Nancy Oates on March 13, 2017
https://chapelhillwatch.com/2017/03/13/bargaining-power/