Board discusses day laborers

Almost every morning, dozens of men gather at the corner of Jones Ferry Road and Davie Road in western Carrboro.

Construction trucks come by, and most of the men jump in to perform a day's labor. But some men don't come to the corner to find a job.

To combat an increasing concern with illegal behavior by those who stay after the workers leave, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen passed several resolutions to give town police more authority and to work toward a long-term solution.

"There seems to be a somewhat clear situation between those who are there to be picked up for work and those who are just hanging out," Town Manager Steve Stewart said.

The board voted unanimously to hold a public hearing Oct. 23 to discuss a loitering ordinance that would make it illegal to "stand, sit, recline, linger or otherwise remain within the area" after 11 a.m., the latest work trucks will come through.

The board also ratified an action plan outlining a response to several more issues brought up in community meetings over the past few months.

For several of the issues - including accumulation of litter and public urination - the board decided to let increased police presence and education through nonprofit advocacy group El Centro Latino attempt to solve the problem.

Ben Balderas, executive director of El Centro Latino, said that he already has spoken with the men who meet at the intersection and that many are in agreement with most of the board's sentiments.

"A lot were in agreement," Balderas said. "Those who stick around after the pickup time aren't there to work. They're there to hang out, and they're causing trouble."

The aldermen drew a distinction between those who come to work and those who don't - both groups largely made up of Hispanic immigrants.

"I don't want to bother anybody who works hard. I just want to bother those who don't," Alderman Joal Hall Broun said.

Another main problem identified at the meeting was reports of harassing and degrading language used against women.

"You don't have to threaten to shoot somebody; you can say 'I'd like to make love to you' in not-so-nice words, and it's still a threatening statement," Alderman Jacquelyn Gist said. "It interferes with your ability to function as an independent adult in your community."

But the aldermen agreed that Tuesday night's actions wouldn't solve the problems permanently.

"Regardless of what we decide for a short-term solution, that corner is not where we want those workers waiting to get work," Alderman Dan Coleman said. "It's not set up for it."

A motion to create a new space for day laborers to find work was also approved.

Carrboro officials have often been at odds with the federal government's policies as both the nation and town have dealt with a booming Hispanic immigrant population.

Federal immigration law requires illegal immigrants to be deported to their home countries.

Mayor Mark Chilton used the discussion of the day laborers to sound off again against those policies.

"I really think that Congress needs to step up to the plate, pull their heads out of the sand and recognize that they have a set of laws on the books that they are incapable of enforcing and unwilling to enforce," he said.

"I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to my Congressman."

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