Kathryn Grim

News

Aldermen Ban Loitering in Designated Public Locations

By Kathryn Grim | January 23

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen adopted an ordinance Tuesday that prohibits loitering in the Town Commons, the Century Center, town parking lots and bus shelters. Reports of loitering in bus shelters by police and transit authority personnel have increased since the transit system adopted fare-free bus services a year ago. Police Chief Carolyn Hutchison proposed the ordinance to the board last year to increase the capacity of officers to regulate loitering in these areas.

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Firm Pick Based on Experience

By Kathryn Grim | January 23

When members of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen chose the Mercer Group Inc. as the firm it will use in its search for a new town manager, a large part of its decision was based on the firm's experience in working with university towns. Over the past 20 years, the board and town staff have seen Carrboro move away from small-town isolation toward further integration into the communities surrounding UNC. This evolution has changed what the board will look for in a new town manager.

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Carrboro Aldermen Consider Solid Waste Management Alternatives

By Kathryn Grim | January 16

The Carrboro representatives of the Solid Waste Advisory Board presented a progress report to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen on Tuesday concerning alterations to the solid waste management program. The advisory board's recommendation is a possible key item for the Orange County Commissioners' Feb. 26 work session.

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Carrboro to Define Criteria for New Manager

By Kathryn Grim | January 15

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen worked with the head of the Mercer Group Inc. on Tuesday to make preliminary decisions and set a timeline for its search for a new town manager. The board hired the Mercer Group in December after former Town Manager Robert Morgan resigned to take the job of assistant town manager in Greensboro. Attorney Mike Brough is serving as interim town manager until the board completes its search. The search will take another 90 to 100 days, said Jim Mercer, head of the Mercer Group.

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Fraternity Court Gets New Neighbors

By Kathryn Grim | January 9

It's all that is Fraternity Court with none of the rushing. In a twist on off-campus housing, the new private owner of the former Pi Lambda Phi house in Fraternity Court will open its doors to students -- Greek or not -- as another apartment-style option. The lofted beds and community bathrooms have been replaced with spacious suites and more privacy in ongoing renovations. Starting in February, owner Guy Solie will begin offering yearlong leases that run from May to May for $500 a month per bedroom, plus electricity.

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Carrboro Hires Firm to Find New Town Manager; Brough Voted as Interim

By Kathryn Grim | January 8

At a special meeting Tuesday, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved the Mercer Group Inc. as the search firm Carrboro will use to find a new town manager. The board decided to use a search firm in December when former Carrboro Town Manager Robert Morgan left his post of more than 18 years to take the job of assistant town manager in Greensboro. The board chose Mike Brough, Carrboro's attorney for the past 26 years, to serve as interim town manager from Dec. 30 until it completes the search.

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Inter-Faith Shelter Keeps Out the Cold

By Kathryn Grim | December 7

When weather like Wednesday's snow blows through the Triangle, homeless residents turn to the Inter-Faith Council Community House kitchen and homeless shelter for protection from the elements. The shelter has 42 beds for men and women and 14 for women and children, said Executive Director Rosetta Wash. Priority always is given to Orange County residents, women and children and people with medical emergencies, but the shelter receives referrals from all over, she said.

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Chamber Gets Feedback On Land-Use Ordinance

By Kathryn Grim | November 27

Community members drafted a set of recommendations Tuesday to give to the Chapel Hill Town Council this week concerning the land-use management ordinance. At a work session hosted by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, the group reviewed the latest draft of the ordinance and prepared a list of suggested adjustments. The main concern of the attendees was altering building height limits and resource conservation requirements to encourage the construction of affordable housing and the protection of the environment, said Virginia Knapp, chamber director of external affairs.

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Carrboro Starts Search For New Town Manager

By Kathryn Grim | November 22

With Carrboro Town Manager Robert Morgan leaving his post in December, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen is beginning to organize the search for a qualified replacement. Bob Crowder of the N.C. League of Municipalities guided the aldermen through the process at Tuesday's board meeting. Hiring a town manager is one of the most important decisions a board will ever face, he said, one that none of the board members has ever had to make. Morgan, who has accepted the position of assistant town manager in Greensboro, has served as Carrboro's manager for more than eighteen years.

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Work to Begin on Affordable Homes

By Kathryn Grim | November 22

The Orange Community Housing and Land Trust will hold its groundbreaking ceremony today for the construction of Rosemary Place, a new affordable housing complex in Chapel Hill's Meadowmont community. The nonprofit trust sells affordable housing to a wide range of buyers, said Orange County Affordable Housing Task Force member Christine Westfall. "Many people cannot afford housing in Chapel Hill," she said. "A typical teacher might earn around ($30,000) to $35,000. And they would probably start at something lower."