The NCTA representatives were clear: they wanted from the town a simple yes or no vote on a reconnection, nothing more. After a lengthy discussion of options and with much wordsmithing of the resolution, the NC Turnpike Authority got their answer. By a vote of 5-2, the Morrisville Town Council agreed in principle to a reconnection of Kit Creek Rd to Davis Dr. In favor: Faulkner, Johnson, Stohlman, Snyder, Martin. Against: Lyons, Murry. The NCTA will try to minimize negative impacts to residents. But cost and safety will determine the final design. Additional words on the resolution are nonbinding.
It's now up to the NCTA, who does have eminent domain authority, to make good on their promise to long time residents. And the residents and developers of Kitts Creek to agree to and share the cost of necessary traffic calming measures.*
*It shall be the policy of the Town to require property owners of the affected area to bear 50% of all actual costs over $1,000 of the described and approved traffic mediation device(s) installation project and that such costs may be assessed in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Church Property to Be Condemned For a Sidewalk?
The town of Morrisville has plans to construct sidewalks in our historic Shiloh community. The town of Morrisville also has Community Development Block Grant funding for about 80% of the associated cost.
Hard to tell from the briefing exactly what happened during negotiations, but with no public hearing scheduled, town staff is now proposing taking church property for sidewalks. Property owned by Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, location of the October 2006 celebration recognizing the historic contributions of the Shiloh Community, is under consideration for condemnation. Eminent Domain. Of church property. For sidewalks.
If our town council votes to condemn church property, cost estimate for the transaction is $8,000 - $10,000. If an agreement is worked out? $2,000.
Deep breath. And a little common sense. Hire a mediator. Skip the mediator and sit down over a cup of coffee. Scrap the sidewalk if an agreement can't be reached. The surrounding community will soon lose access to NC54 via Barbee Rd. Don't add insult to injury. Don't use eminent domain to take church property.
Kit Creek Road Connection - To Be Or Not To Be?
OPEN HOUSE and PUBLIC HEARING Tuesday October 14, 2008
Open House: 5:30-6:30 PM, prior to Town Council meeting
Public Hearing: Begins at 6:30 PM (Agenda Item 7E)
Town Hall Council Chambers
100 Town Hall Drive
Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Chamber of Commerce, 260 Town Hall Dr
After commissioning a study assessing possible traffic impacts of the road and in an effort to evaluate alternatives for the reconnection, the town of Morrisville will now consider options for connecting Kit Creek Rd from its western terminus to Davis Dr through the Kitts Creek subdivision.
What is Known
The North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) has given the town a November 7, 2008 deadline to accept or reject NCTA funding for the reconnection. The three possible options:
• Agree to the original NCTA reconnection design which adversely impacts some existing homes or
• Request an alternative reconnection or
• Notify NCTA of a desire to withdraw the reconnection from the roadway project
Based on a build-out projection of:
• 1,700 Dwelling Units
• 887 Office Employees and
• 900 Industrial Employees
19,000 daily vehicle trips are expected on Kit Creek Rd. RTP and cut through traffic resulting from the reconnection would add an additional 2,000 daily trips. If traffic calming measures are needed, town policy requires impacted residents fund 50% of the cost. (See Town of Morrisville Traffic Calming Policy)
Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the proposal, the options and voice your opinion on neighborhood impact, pedestrian safety and alternatives.
Unable to attend Tuesday’s open house and public hearing? Written comments can be submitted to:
TownCouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us
Town Council will vote on the proposal on Tuesday, October 28th
For additional information and updates, visit: www.MorrisvilleAction.org
Open House: 5:30-6:30 PM, prior to Town Council meeting
Public Hearing: Begins at 6:30 PM (Agenda Item 7E)
Town Hall Council Chambers
100 Town Hall Drive
Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Chamber of Commerce, 260 Town Hall Dr
After commissioning a study assessing possible traffic impacts of the road and in an effort to evaluate alternatives for the reconnection, the town of Morrisville will now consider options for connecting Kit Creek Rd from its western terminus to Davis Dr through the Kitts Creek subdivision.
What is Known
The North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) has given the town a November 7, 2008 deadline to accept or reject NCTA funding for the reconnection. The three possible options:
• Agree to the original NCTA reconnection design which adversely impacts some existing homes or
• Request an alternative reconnection or
• Notify NCTA of a desire to withdraw the reconnection from the roadway project
Based on a build-out projection of:
• 1,700 Dwelling Units
• 887 Office Employees and
• 900 Industrial Employees
19,000 daily vehicle trips are expected on Kit Creek Rd. RTP and cut through traffic resulting from the reconnection would add an additional 2,000 daily trips. If traffic calming measures are needed, town policy requires impacted residents fund 50% of the cost. (See Town of Morrisville Traffic Calming Policy)
Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the proposal, the options and voice your opinion on neighborhood impact, pedestrian safety and alternatives.
Unable to attend Tuesday’s open house and public hearing? Written comments can be submitted to:
TownCouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us
Town Council will vote on the proposal on Tuesday, October 28th
For additional information and updates, visit: www.MorrisvilleAction.org
Vote - To Honor a Veteran
In the midst of what has become another nasty campaign season, here's a bit of fresh air to replace that which has become hot: North Carolina Vote in Honor of a Veteran Program
From the website:
North Carolina is proud to implement this program in time for the 2008 General Election. The Vote in Honor of a Veteran Program provides North Carolina citizens an opportunity to pay tribute to those that have served this country and protected our freedom. You can honor a Veteran this upcoming General Elections by requesting a button and/or sharing a story that may be posted on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
But you'll need to act fast. Requests must be in the hands of the SBOE by Wednesday, October 15th.
From the website:
North Carolina is proud to implement this program in time for the 2008 General Election. The Vote in Honor of a Veteran Program provides North Carolina citizens an opportunity to pay tribute to those that have served this country and protected our freedom. You can honor a Veteran this upcoming General Elections by requesting a button and/or sharing a story that may be posted on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
But you'll need to act fast. Requests must be in the hands of the SBOE by Wednesday, October 15th.
Monday, September 22, 2008
The State of Morrisville
The Sept 19th Triangle Business Journal event was.... informative. Interesting. And right there at the end - downright depressing.
Overall, we're in better shape than many areas of the country. No surprise there. Mayor Faulkner talked about how "blessed" we were. Are. Marvin Waldo, President, Retail Strategies of NC, offered updates on Grace Park. Andrew Kelton, EVP Duke Realty, should have had more microphone time. His encouraging update on Economic Development was one worth hearing, a reminder that Morrisville is a much desired location. In his 90 seconds he offered this fascinating accolade: Out of 47 facilities, and with a Misery Index of only 10, RDU is the 10th least miserable airport. Take that, LAX!
The developer of Park West Regional Activity Center also used the word "blessed" when describing the approval PWV received from Morrisville's elected officials. Though his project is "well funded and capitalized," those looking to live/work/play at the corner of NC54 & Cary Pkwy are being asked for "patience." He also noted that "significant change is in the mix," and that professional and/or medical services might fill some "short term vacancies" in Morrisville.
Ok, now the depressing part. When asked what the state plans to do to address worsening traffic on NC54, especially in light of $4MM Morrisville tax dollars spent at the intersection of NC54/Aviation Pkwy, Joey Hopkins, Deputy Division 5 Engineer, NCDOT had this to say:
"Nothing."
The mayor concurred. The answer is: Nothing. The town of Morrisville has not made NC54 a priority, it's not on the FY 2009-2015 CAMPO MTIP list, so the state has no reason to include the roadway on it's list of priorities.
Our work-in-progress Transportation Plan calls for NC54 to be a Six-Lane Blvd (think US 15/501) for a stretch, narrowing to a Four-Lane Roadway north bound at Henrico Ln, then back to a Six-Lane Blvd at Perimeter Park Dr. Our consultant has noted that even those 6 lanes of asphalt might not be enough to relieve traffic congestion.
Alrighty then. We need a whole bunch of pavement to support existing, approved and planned development. But we haven't yet told the state that their road is in need of repair? I'm good at math. Not half bad at budgeting. But there's no way to turn NC54 into US 15/501 on an annual town budget of $20MM. Even with triple coupons and new calculator batteries it's not possible. The 19% tax increase proposed earlier this summer? Times ten? Still not in the ballpark.
With another nod to that 60s sitcom sage Ricky Ricardo - somebody's got some 'splainin' to do.
Overall, we're in better shape than many areas of the country. No surprise there. Mayor Faulkner talked about how "blessed" we were. Are. Marvin Waldo, President, Retail Strategies of NC, offered updates on Grace Park. Andrew Kelton, EVP Duke Realty, should have had more microphone time. His encouraging update on Economic Development was one worth hearing, a reminder that Morrisville is a much desired location. In his 90 seconds he offered this fascinating accolade: Out of 47 facilities, and with a Misery Index of only 10, RDU is the 10th least miserable airport. Take that, LAX!
The developer of Park West Regional Activity Center also used the word "blessed" when describing the approval PWV received from Morrisville's elected officials. Though his project is "well funded and capitalized," those looking to live/work/play at the corner of NC54 & Cary Pkwy are being asked for "patience." He also noted that "significant change is in the mix," and that professional and/or medical services might fill some "short term vacancies" in Morrisville.
Ok, now the depressing part. When asked what the state plans to do to address worsening traffic on NC54, especially in light of $4MM Morrisville tax dollars spent at the intersection of NC54/Aviation Pkwy, Joey Hopkins, Deputy Division 5 Engineer, NCDOT had this to say:
"Nothing."
The mayor concurred. The answer is: Nothing. The town of Morrisville has not made NC54 a priority, it's not on the FY 2009-2015 CAMPO MTIP list, so the state has no reason to include the roadway on it's list of priorities.
Our work-in-progress Transportation Plan calls for NC54 to be a Six-Lane Blvd (think US 15/501) for a stretch, narrowing to a Four-Lane Roadway north bound at Henrico Ln, then back to a Six-Lane Blvd at Perimeter Park Dr. Our consultant has noted that even those 6 lanes of asphalt might not be enough to relieve traffic congestion.
Alrighty then. We need a whole bunch of pavement to support existing, approved and planned development. But we haven't yet told the state that their road is in need of repair? I'm good at math. Not half bad at budgeting. But there's no way to turn NC54 into US 15/501 on an annual town budget of $20MM. Even with triple coupons and new calculator batteries it's not possible. The 19% tax increase proposed earlier this summer? Times ten? Still not in the ballpark.
With another nod to that 60s sitcom sage Ricky Ricardo - somebody's got some 'splainin' to do.
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Home of Higher Standards
First came the unrecognized ATM charge from an out of town merchant, followed by, shall we say, a less than satisfying conversation with a bank representative. Then came the realization, once again, that though the ADA has helped widen doorways, it hasn't and can't address attitudinal barriers. Red tape is no less sticky than in pre 1990 days.
What looked to be an identity theft wasn't. It was nothing more than an honest mistake, a couple of numbers transposed. It happens. But situations that are bumps in the road for some can be trying for folks with developmental disabilities.
Fortunately....thankfully...... the Morrisville police officers who paid us a visit got it right. With common sense and sensitivity, professionalism and comforting small talk, they got it right. To them go our sincere thanks.
What looked to be an identity theft wasn't. It was nothing more than an honest mistake, a couple of numbers transposed. It happens. But situations that are bumps in the road for some can be trying for folks with developmental disabilities.
Fortunately....thankfully...... the Morrisville police officers who paid us a visit got it right. With common sense and sensitivity, professionalism and comforting small talk, they got it right. To them go our sincere thanks.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Just the Facts Ma'am, Part II
Save the Dates:
Monday, Sept 8 from 6:30-8:30 PM
Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
260 Town Hall Dr
Joint Meeting between the Morrisville Planning and Zoning Board and Town Council. Though not specified on the agenda, a discussion on the ever important Land Use and Transportation Plans may occur. Of interest: an increase in the size of the Park West Village Regional Activity from 95 acres to roughly 300 acres, Crabtree Crossing Pkwy extension, and a 6 lane/4 lane vision for NC54.
Tuesday, Sept 9 6:30 PM
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
Town council briefing session, with discussion on policy for downtown land purchase. Meeting will conclude after a closed session to discuss specific land acquisition. Should be an interesting discussion coming so soon after June's budget fiasco. NOTE: Town website calendar lists meeting place as Cedar Fork Community Center. That's a typo.
Thursday, Sept 11 from 5-6 PM and 6 - until
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
P&ZB open house on the Kit Creek Rd Connection study followed by a public comment opportunity on the extension.
Monday, Sept 8 from 6:30-8:30 PM
Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
260 Town Hall Dr
Joint Meeting between the Morrisville Planning and Zoning Board and Town Council. Though not specified on the agenda, a discussion on the ever important Land Use and Transportation Plans may occur. Of interest: an increase in the size of the Park West Village Regional Activity from 95 acres to roughly 300 acres, Crabtree Crossing Pkwy extension, and a 6 lane/4 lane vision for NC54.
Tuesday, Sept 9 6:30 PM
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
Town council briefing session, with discussion on policy for downtown land purchase. Meeting will conclude after a closed session to discuss specific land acquisition. Should be an interesting discussion coming so soon after June's budget fiasco. NOTE: Town website calendar lists meeting place as Cedar Fork Community Center. That's a typo.
Thursday, Sept 11 from 5-6 PM and 6 - until
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
P&ZB open house on the Kit Creek Rd Connection study followed by a public comment opportunity on the extension.
No Time to Say Hello, Goodbye or Just the Facts, Ma'am
Credit Morrisville Action:
Kit Creek Connector: Study and Public Comment Opportunity
The much anticipated Kit Creek Connector Study, commissioned by the Town of Morrisville and carried out by the Louis Berger Consulting Group, is now available online. The study concludes that in 2035, Kit Creek Rd will carry 21,817 cars daily. Not surprisingly, the intersection of Church St and Kit Creek Rd is expected to perform poorly regardless of whether or not Kit Creek Rd is extended. The consultant recommends a southbound right turn lane and signal at the T intersection, but notes that those changes will "improve operations minimally." Because the intersection is constrained by the RR and existing structures, the feasibility of adding additional lanes is poor.
Don't miss this opportunity to share your thoughts! An open house is scheduled to discuss the study:
Thursday, Sept 11 from 5-6 PM
Morrisville Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Dr
The open house will be followed immediately by a Planning and Zoning Board meeting and opportunity for public comment.
Can't make the meeting? Contact:
PlanningBoard@ci.morrisville.nc.us - Your volunteer planning and zoning board
cc: bhitchings@ci.morrisville.nc.us - Planning Director Ben Hitchings
cc: towncouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us - Your elected town council
Kit Creek Connector: Study and Public Comment Opportunity
The much anticipated Kit Creek Connector Study, commissioned by the Town of Morrisville and carried out by the Louis Berger Consulting Group, is now available online. The study concludes that in 2035, Kit Creek Rd will carry 21,817 cars daily. Not surprisingly, the intersection of Church St and Kit Creek Rd is expected to perform poorly regardless of whether or not Kit Creek Rd is extended. The consultant recommends a southbound right turn lane and signal at the T intersection, but notes that those changes will "improve operations minimally." Because the intersection is constrained by the RR and existing structures, the feasibility of adding additional lanes is poor.
Don't miss this opportunity to share your thoughts! An open house is scheduled to discuss the study:
Thursday, Sept 11 from 5-6 PM
Morrisville Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Dr
The open house will be followed immediately by a Planning and Zoning Board meeting and opportunity for public comment.
Can't make the meeting? Contact:
PlanningBoard@ci.morrisville.nc.us - Your volunteer planning and zoning board
cc: bhitchings@ci.morrisville.nc.us - Planning Director Ben Hitchings
cc: towncouncil@ci.morrisville.nc.us - Your elected town council
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
No soup for you!
Ok, it wasn't that blatant. Likely just a poor choice of venue with no intent to skirt the public meetings law intent. But last night's Land Use and Transportation Plan workshop should have taken place at town hall chambers as originally posted on the TOM website. With no microphones for participants and little room for the public inside the conference room, the meeting should have been moved from the Public Safety/Inspections/Planning building to accommodate the interested public.
As per UNC School of Government David Lawrence's Q&A on open meetings:
Q: Does the open meetings law say anything about meeting rooms? If the room is too small for the audience, has there been a violation of the law?
A: The law says nothing about the size of meeting rooms. As long as a public body does not consistently meet in a room too small to hold all who wish to attend, there should be no violation of the law if occasionally an unexpectedly large crowd causes the room to be too small. Of course, if such an occasion arises, the public body should attempt as best it can to accommodate citizens. This sort of approach won the support of the Georgia, New Mexico, and Wisconsin courts in comparable cases.
The LUTP process has been a flawed one. Volunteer PAC members had their roles changed early in the process from influential to well, bobble head dolls. The resultant documents were not approved nor even endorsed by the volunteer committee originally tasked with helping create them. There is unease with both the process and the product. Holding an important LUTP workshop in a sardine can didn't help.
My suggestion for the next PZB/Town Council meeting on Monday, Sept 8th: hold it in a venue that meets the intent of the NC open meetings law.*
* SS143-318.9 - Whereas the public bodies that administer the legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative, and advisory functions of North Carolina and its political subdivisions exist solely to conduct the people's business, it is the public policy of North Carolina that the hearings, deliberations, and actions of these bodies be conducted openly.
As per UNC School of Government David Lawrence's Q&A on open meetings:
Q: Does the open meetings law say anything about meeting rooms? If the room is too small for the audience, has there been a violation of the law?
A: The law says nothing about the size of meeting rooms. As long as a public body does not consistently meet in a room too small to hold all who wish to attend, there should be no violation of the law if occasionally an unexpectedly large crowd causes the room to be too small. Of course, if such an occasion arises, the public body should attempt as best it can to accommodate citizens.
The LUTP process has been a flawed one. Volunteer PAC members had their roles changed early in the process from influential to well, bobble head dolls. The resultant documents were not approved nor even endorsed by the volunteer committee originally tasked with helping create them. There is unease with both the process and the product. Holding an important LUTP workshop in a sardine can didn't help.
My suggestion for the next PZB/Town Council meeting on Monday, Sept 8th: hold it in a venue that meets the intent of the NC open meetings law.*
* SS143-318.9 - Whereas the public bodies that administer the legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative, and advisory functions of North Carolina and its political subdivisions exist solely to conduct the people's business, it is the public policy of North Carolina that the hearings, deliberations, and actions of these bodies be conducted openly.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
Tropic Thunder is playing at Park Place Cinema. In Morrisville. Maybe for several more weeks, than on it will go, to Carmike/Blue Ridge. A DVD release will no doubt follow.
The movie has made headlines for it's success at the box office and for it's use of the R word.
California's first lady Maria Shriver has written about it.
So has her brother Timothy Shriver.
Marcia Brady has pledged not to see the film.
Whether folks go see the movie or not, the R word is being discussed. It's a step. Yes it is.
UPDATE 8/29 - Likely the discussions will get a bit more..... interesting. McCain's running mate has an infant son with Down syndrome. As a high profile special needs parent she joins the likes of Gene Stallings, George Will, Julie Newmar, Dale Evans & Roy Rogers. But politics is a far different kind of high profile. I hope the discussions are productive ones.
The movie has made headlines for it's success at the box office and for it's use of the R word.
California's first lady Maria Shriver has written about it.
So has her brother Timothy Shriver.
Marcia Brady has pledged not to see the film.
Whether folks go see the movie or not, the R word is being discussed. It's a step. Yes it is.
UPDATE 8/29 - Likely the discussions will get a bit more..... interesting. McCain's running mate has an infant son with Down syndrome. As a high profile special needs parent she joins the likes of Gene Stallings, George Will, Julie Newmar, Dale Evans & Roy Rogers. But politics is a far different kind of high profile. I hope the discussions are productive ones.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Landfall... the Land Use & Transportation Plan in a Nutshell
Your 'Tis blogger, like Jimmy Buffet, is tryin' to make a little sense of it all. This week it's Morrisville's vision-in-progress, aka our Land Use and Transportation Plan or LUTP.
The current versions of Morrisville's LUTPs have some wrinkles. Serious ones. A massive Regional Activity Center radiating outward from Park West Village is a bad idea. It's a bad idea even if NC54 is widened to the six lane boulevard proposed for the area. Likewise, labeling the largest contiguous undeveloped land in Morrisville a "small area plan" with nary a hint of what's to come.... well jeepers! If it's a plan, there should be more than shades of gray on the document. Otherwise, we should call it the Land Use and Transportation I'll Get Back to You Later on That One, the LUTIGBTYLOTO. Then there's the extension of Crabtree Crossing Parkway, massaged, debated, tweaked, narrowed, but basically unchanged - a thoroughfare through a residential community, the red herring to addressing NC54 woes.
A little starch, a hot iron, maybe some Retinol-A, we can remove the wrinkles:
Thursday, 8/14/2008 Planning and Zoning Meeting
LUTP Open House & Public Comments
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Open House
6:00 PM - PZB meeting and public comment opportunity begins
(The usual 3 minute time limit applies to public comments)
Can't make the PZB meeting? Offer comments via email:
PlanningBoard@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Our volunteer Planning and Zoning Board)
MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Our elected officials)
BHitchings@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Our Planning Director)
But if you have an opinion, don't wait until landfall.
The current versions of Morrisville's LUTPs have some wrinkles. Serious ones. A massive Regional Activity Center radiating outward from Park West Village is a bad idea. It's a bad idea even if NC54 is widened to the six lane boulevard proposed for the area. Likewise, labeling the largest contiguous undeveloped land in Morrisville a "small area plan" with nary a hint of what's to come.... well jeepers! If it's a plan, there should be more than shades of gray on the document. Otherwise, we should call it the Land Use and Transportation I'll Get Back to You Later on That One, the LUTIGBTYLOTO. Then there's the extension of Crabtree Crossing Parkway, massaged, debated, tweaked, narrowed, but basically unchanged - a thoroughfare through a residential community, the red herring to addressing NC54 woes.
A little starch, a hot iron, maybe some Retinol-A, we can remove the wrinkles:
Thursday, 8/14/2008 Planning and Zoning Meeting
LUTP Open House & Public Comments
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Open House
6:00 PM - PZB meeting and public comment opportunity begins
(The usual 3 minute time limit applies to public comments)
Can't make the PZB meeting? Offer comments via email:
PlanningBoard@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Our volunteer Planning and Zoning Board)
MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Our elected officials)
BHitchings@ci.morrisville.nc.us (Our Planning Director)
But if you have an opinion, don't wait until landfall.
Monday, August 4, 2008
National Night Out - Morrisville Style
Scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, 2008, this year's event will be held at Cedar Fork Community Center, located at 1050 Town Hall Drive, from 7-10 pm. Our Morrisville fire department will provide free hotdogs, popcorn, and drinks, and all are welcome to participate in and enjoy a variety of games and activities including:
Sporting Competitions - Citizens vs Morrisville Firemen and Police Officers
Family Games and Activities
Highway Patrol Helicopters on display
Special Operations Response Team demonstrations
McGruff the Crime Dog
Sparky the Fire Dog
Police Vehicles
Fire Vehicles
EMS Vehicles
Fire House for smoke and fire safety
For more information contact Officer Shawn McGrady at 463-1622.
Sporting Competitions - Citizens vs Morrisville Firemen and Police Officers
Family Games and Activities
Highway Patrol Helicopters on display
Special Operations Response Team demonstrations
McGruff the Crime Dog
Sparky the Fire Dog
Police Vehicles
Fire Vehicles
EMS Vehicles
Fire House for smoke and fire safety
For more information contact Officer Shawn McGrady at 463-1622.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Morrisville Charter: Something Old, Something New
The something old: by a 6-0 vote, Morrisville will retain district residence requirements for 4 of 6 elected officials. A bit surprising, that vote.
And the something new: Come September 1st, there will be no more Morrisville Board of Commissioners.
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Our governing board will be known as the Morrisville Town Council.
Gotcha.
And the something new: Come September 1st, there will be no more Morrisville Board of Commissioners.
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Our governing board will be known as the Morrisville Town Council.
Gotcha.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
No Excuse Early Voting in Morrisville
With credit to our Wake County Board of Elections, early voting just got easier for Morrisville residents. Beginning this fall, voters will be able to cast ballots at Cedar Fork Community Center on Town Hall Dr:
Thursday - Saturday 10/23 - 10/25 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday 10/26 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Monday - Friday 10/27 - 10/31 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday 11/1 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Not yet registered? I'll save the lecture and instead point you in the right direction. Voter Registration Forms can be filled out online, but must be printed and mailed to:
Wake County Board of Elections
PO Box 695
Raleigh NC 27602
at least 25 days prior to an election. That means a postmark by October 10th to be eligible to vote in the general election.
Your 'Tis blogger doesn't want to hear any whining after the fact if you don't register and vote.
Thursday - Saturday 10/23 - 10/25 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday 10/26 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Monday - Friday 10/27 - 10/31 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday 11/1 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Not yet registered? I'll save the lecture and instead point you in the right direction. Voter Registration Forms can be filled out online, but must be printed and mailed to:
Wake County Board of Elections
PO Box 695
Raleigh NC 27602
at least 25 days prior to an election. That means a postmark by October 10th to be eligible to vote in the general election.
Your 'Tis blogger doesn't want to hear any whining after the fact if you don't register and vote.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Coming Soon to an Intersection Near You
First the good news: Morrisville-Carpenter/Aviation Pkwy & NC54/Chapel Hill Rd, will be sporting a new look in the not too distant future. That's right - we're getting closer to sharing our Heart of the Triangle crossroads with orange cones, heavy equipment and the like. The town's website has been updated and now estimates completion in about a year.
And the not so good news: The $4 million bond approved in 2004 will cover only about 2/3rd of the cost to fix up the intersection and construct E St. Sure, everything (except Beanie Babies) costs more today. But a jump from $4M to $5.9M since board approval in 2006? Ai-yai-yai-yai-yai! There's some splainin' to do.
The other not so good news: intersection traffic will get worse before it gets better. It's the nature of road construction. Patience Grasshopper.
And the not so good news: The $4 million bond approved in 2004 will cover only about 2/3rd of the cost to fix up the intersection and construct E St. Sure, everything (except Beanie Babies) costs more today. But a jump from $4M to $5.9M since board approval in 2006? Ai-yai-yai-yai-yai! There's some splainin' to do.
The other not so good news: intersection traffic will get worse before it gets better. It's the nature of road construction. Patience Grasshopper.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
How much wood can a woodchuck chuck?
He'd chuck as much wood - well, you know the rest. The bigger question - how much news related ink do we expect from a paper that costs .36 a day?
Apparently more than we are currently receiving. And unlike my don't-just-do-something-sit-there response to the thinner paper, Keith Hempstead did something about it. He sued the News and Observer. Shrinking staff and all..... they covered it.
Apparently more than we are currently receiving. And unlike my don't-just-do-something-sit-there response to the thinner paper, Keith Hempstead did something about it. He sued the News and Observer. Shrinking staff and all..... they covered it.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
PZB opening - Time's A Wastin'
Been wondering what to do on the 2nd Thursday of each month? Interested in having a bigger say in Morrisville development? Here's your chance, but you must act in the next five minutes to take advantage of this special offer:
Morrisville's Planning & Zoning Board
Purpose: Serves as an advisory body to the Morrisville Board of Commissioners and deals with land use, zoning and development issues. The Planning and Zoning Board consists of five members and two alternates appointed by the Board of Commissioners. One member is appointed from the Town's extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Meets: 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:00 pm, Town Hall
Staff Contact: Rodney Wadkins, Senior Planner
There are currently two openings, and deadline for applications is July 11th. Appointments are for two year terms. Wanna try before you buy? Minutes and agendas are here. Or you can attend the July 10th meeting, run home, and submit your application by Friday.
This is an important one. Our Land Use and Transportation plans are being updated, and the PZB plays a significant role. If you do decide to apply.... consider skipping mention of your 'Tis blogger in the box labeled "How did you hear about this committee." Better you saw the notice in today's N&O or received an email from town hall.
Now I'm going to have June Carter's song stuck in my head all day.....
Morrisville's Planning & Zoning Board
Purpose: Serves as an advisory body to the Morrisville Board of Commissioners and deals with land use, zoning and development issues. The Planning and Zoning Board consists of five members and two alternates appointed by the Board of Commissioners. One member is appointed from the Town's extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Meets: 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:00 pm, Town Hall
Staff Contact: Rodney Wadkins, Senior Planner
There are currently two openings, and deadline for applications is July 11th. Appointments are for two year terms. Wanna try before you buy? Minutes and agendas are here. Or you can attend the July 10th meeting, run home, and submit your application by Friday.
This is an important one. Our Land Use and Transportation plans are being updated, and the PZB plays a significant role. If you do decide to apply.... consider skipping mention of your 'Tis blogger in the box labeled "How did you hear about this committee." Better you saw the notice in today's N&O or received an email from town hall.
Now I'm going to have June Carter's song stuck in my head all day.....
Friday, June 27, 2008
Morrisville's 2009 Budget
The news is good - our adopted Morrisville budget is based on a tax rate of .3665 per $100 of valuation. That rate is just slightly below revenue neutral, a long way from the 19% tax hike that appeared imminent 10 days ago.
We now have a tax rate that is competitive with Cary's and a budget that will maintain the level of town service we've come to expect.
Thanks go to members of Morrisville Action and all Morrisville residents who took the time to write, phone and speak out. Thanks are also in order to our elected officials. They can be reached by email at MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us
We now have a tax rate that is competitive with Cary's and a budget that will maintain the level of town service we've come to expect.
Thanks go to members of Morrisville Action and all Morrisville residents who took the time to write, phone and speak out. Thanks are also in order to our elected officials. They can be reached by email at MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Morrisville's Budget - Close But No Cigar
Our elected officials appear close to approving a budget, the revision under consideration a far cry from the version that required a 19% tax hike.
After a late night on 6/25, commissioners continued the meeting until:
Thursday June 26th 7:00 PM
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
Budget Discussion and Final Vote
Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce 260 Town Hall Dr. Vehicles parked directly on Town Hall Dr are subject to ticketing.
After a late night on 6/25, commissioners continued the meeting until:
Thursday June 26th 7:00 PM
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
Budget Discussion and Final Vote
Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce 260 Town Hall Dr. Vehicles parked directly on Town Hall Dr are subject to ticketing.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
It's Unanimous - NO to proposed budget
By a 7-0 vote, our Morrisville elected officials sent a strong message to town staff - a 19% tax increase is too much. To our residents go much credit. They wrote. They phoned. They spoke to each other, to the media and to our elected officials. And Commissioners listened. Our board was well prepared last night, offering specific suggestions and general guidelines for staff. Their work is appreciated.
Now it's pencil sharpening time:
Budget Workshop (and likely final budget vote)
Wednesday June 25th 6:00 PM
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce 260 Town Hall Dr. Vehicles parked directly on Town Hall Dr are subject to ticketing.
In addition to work on the budget and tax rate, leaders will have to revisit our Long Range Financial Plan. Passed by a 4-3 vote on April 22, (For: Faulkner, Johnson, Snyder, Stohlman; Against: Lyons, Martin, Murry) the plan is based on a tax rate of .4396.
Attend tonight's meeting if possible. And stay tuned. There's more to come.
Now it's pencil sharpening time:
Budget Workshop (and likely final budget vote)
Wednesday June 25th 6:00 PM
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce 260 Town Hall Dr. Vehicles parked directly on Town Hall Dr are subject to ticketing.
In addition to work on the budget and tax rate, leaders will have to revisit our Long Range Financial Plan. Passed by a 4-3 vote on April 22, (For: Faulkner, Johnson, Snyder, Stohlman; Against: Lyons, Martin, Murry) the plan is based on a tax rate of .4396.
Attend tonight's meeting if possible. And stay tuned. There's more to come.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
All those in favor....
Our Morrisville budget and tax increase vote is scheduled for later today:
Tuesday June 24th 6:30 pm
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
(Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce 260 Town Hall Dr. Vehicles parked directly on Town Hall Dr are subject to ticketing.)
Residents turned out en masse on 6/18, offering heartfelt comments, emotional appeals and reasonable suggestions. (Follow links at Morrisville Action for media coverage.) Surprising to your 'Tis blogger - as of 6/23, the budget is as originally proposed on 5/13. But a decrease in the tax rate is still possible. Here are the options for this evening's Board of Commissioner Business Session:
- Our elected board can vote to approve the budget and 19% tax increase
- Our elected board can ask for on-the-fly changes and approve an amended proposal
- Our elected board can table the item and continue the meeting to another date prior to 6/30
- Our elected board can vote to deny the budget
If our commissioners go with either of the last two options, an additional TBD public meeting will be required.
It's not too late to weigh in:
Email the board at MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us
Call your Morrisville representatives:
Jan Faulkner (Mayor) at 481-0122
Liz Johnson (Mayor Pro Tem) at 462-8859
Mark Stohlman (Commissioner, District 2) at 949-1403
Linda Lyons (Commissioner, District 1) at 469-1992
Mike Snyder (Commissioner, District 4) at 447-0456
Pete Martin (Commissioner, At Large) at 462-8182
Tom Murry (Commissioner, At Large) at 468-1213
And stay tuned......
Tuesday June 24th 6:30 pm
Morrisville Town Hall
100 Town Hall Dr
(Overflow parking, if needed, is available at the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce 260 Town Hall Dr. Vehicles parked directly on Town Hall Dr are subject to ticketing.)
Residents turned out en masse on 6/18, offering heartfelt comments, emotional appeals and reasonable suggestions. (Follow links at Morrisville Action for media coverage.) Surprising to your 'Tis blogger - as of 6/23, the budget is as originally proposed on 5/13. But a decrease in the tax rate is still possible. Here are the options for this evening's Board of Commissioner Business Session:
- Our elected board can vote to approve the budget and 19% tax increase
- Our elected board can ask for on-the-fly changes and approve an amended proposal
- Our elected board can table the item and continue the meeting to another date prior to 6/30
- Our elected board can vote to deny the budget
If our commissioners go with either of the last two options, an additional TBD public meeting will be required.
It's not too late to weigh in:
Email the board at MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us
Call your Morrisville representatives:
Jan Faulkner (Mayor) at 481-0122
Liz Johnson (Mayor Pro Tem) at 462-8859
Mark Stohlman (Commissioner, District 2) at 949-1403
Linda Lyons (Commissioner, District 1) at 469-1992
Mike Snyder (Commissioner, District 4) at 447-0456
Pete Martin (Commissioner, At Large) at 462-8182
Tom Murry (Commissioner, At Large) at 468-1213
And stay tuned......
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Morrisville Tax Increase - Public Input Opportunity
From Town Hall:
Town of Morrisville Budget Presentation Wednesday, June 18th
The Morrisville Board of Commissioners wants to give Morrisville residents one more chance to learn and comment about the proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2009. A special presentation will be held on Wednesday, June 18th from 7pm - 8:30 pm at Town Hall. Come prepared to hear a short presentation, but most importantly, to give your feedback!
See town website for additional info.
Town of Morrisville Budget Presentation Wednesday, June 18th
The Morrisville Board of Commissioners wants to give Morrisville residents one more chance to learn and comment about the proposed operating budget for Fiscal Year 2009. A special presentation will be held on Wednesday, June 18th from 7pm - 8:30 pm at Town Hall. Come prepared to hear a short presentation, but most importantly, to give your feedback!
See town website for additional info.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
They paved paradise and put in a......
parking lot to end all parking lots. To be sure, the $600,000 structure has not yet been approved. First briefing was 6/10 with a vote scheduled for 6/24.
It will be a lovely parking lot with 174 spaces, brick walls, landscaping, maybe a few $3200 custom recycling containers and an $800 trash can or two. Where is this parking lot you ask? Downtown. It's the Town of Morrisville Downtown Parking Lot, adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce. No, Morrisville does not currently have a downtown. If all goes as planned, we'll begin construction on a cultural arts center in 8 years, after the next revaluation and tax hike. So at some point, we may indeed need a downtown parking lot. But now? During consideration of the largest tax increase in the Triangle? Timing could be better on this one.
The near term parking lot purpose, from the Planning and Zoning Board discussion:
Mr. Goel asked if the parking lot was only to support the Town offices and the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Wadkins said Mr. Goel was correct.
At this time, parking doesn't seem to be a problem for town staff. So your 'Tis blogger has a suggestion, worth about what you are paying for it: the town should commit the $600,000 toward either fire station #1 or road improvements. Those are real needs. An upscale parking lot? Not so much.
It will be a lovely parking lot with 174 spaces, brick walls, landscaping, maybe a few $3200 custom recycling containers and an $800 trash can or two. Where is this parking lot you ask? Downtown. It's the Town of Morrisville Downtown Parking Lot, adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce. No, Morrisville does not currently have a downtown. If all goes as planned, we'll begin construction on a cultural arts center in 8 years, after the next revaluation and tax hike. So at some point, we may indeed need a downtown parking lot. But now? During consideration of the largest tax increase in the Triangle? Timing could be better on this one.
The near term parking lot purpose, from the Planning and Zoning Board discussion:
Mr. Goel asked if the parking lot was only to support the Town offices and the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Wadkins said Mr. Goel was correct.
At this time, parking doesn't seem to be a problem for town staff. So your 'Tis blogger has a suggestion, worth about what you are paying for it: the town should commit the $600,000 toward either fire station #1 or road improvements. Those are real needs. An upscale parking lot? Not so much.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Back by Popular Demand - Money
No wisdom here about the love of same being the root of all evil. Sorry. But if the calendar says the Durham Bulls are at the DBAP and Greg Fishel is atwitter over the heat index..... it must be budget season. And time to talk dollars and sense.
(click graphic for larger view)
First the dollars:
Morrisville leads the triangle in proposing a tax rate a whopping 19% above revenue neutral. Since the budget was unveiled last month, that number has not changed. There have been no adjustments made, no attempt to address taxpayer concerns of overspending. Of note:
The only road project in the 2009 budget: improvements to a small section of Morrisville-Carpenter Rd to the tune of $600k, with 7 year financing.
Proposed expenditures for General Government are $558k above the current year.
Proposed expenditures for Public Works are $1.4MM over current FY, but that includes a fire truck.
Proposed expenditures for Public Safety, with no new personnel, add $1.19MM to this year's spending.
Proposed expenditures for Engineering, up $170k.
Fire station #1 isn't what it once was and the money from the $5.7MM public safety bond has already been spent. (See Whadda ya mean you spent your lunch money) The additional money needed for the fire station, $3MM, 15 year finance
Now the sense:
Yes, that's a blank line. It's symbolic.
Sense would require taking a serious look at departmental spending and limiting increases to reasonable amounts. Not zero increases. Oh gosh no. I'm not at all in favor of reducing head count or services. I'm suggesting passing a budget that includes reasonable increases in spending.
Specifically:
As currently proposed, expenditures for General Government increase by 18%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 8%.
As currently proposed, expenditures for Public Works increase by 34%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 15%.
As currently proposed, expenditures for Public Safety increase by 17%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 8%.
As currently proposed, expenditures for Engineering increase by 33%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 15%.
Those reasonable spending increases bring us close to a revenue neutral rate. Most of our taxpayers will still pay a bit more this year than last. But at .37 per hundred dollars of valuation, our tax rate will be both competitive and fair.
Determine spending based on a tax rate instead of the other way around. Now there's a thought. And if that happens, we will have some of our money back. By popular demand.
(click graphic for larger view)
First the dollars:
Morrisville leads the triangle in proposing a tax rate a whopping 19% above revenue neutral. Since the budget was unveiled last month, that number has not changed. There have been no adjustments made, no attempt to address taxpayer concerns of overspending. Of note:
The only road project in the 2009 budget: improvements to a small section of Morrisville-Carpenter Rd to the tune of $600k, with 7 year financing.
Proposed expenditures for General Government are $558k above the current year.
Proposed expenditures for Public Works are $1.4MM over current FY, but that includes a fire truck.
Proposed expenditures for Public Safety, with no new personnel, add $1.19MM to this year's spending.
Proposed expenditures for Engineering, up $170k.
Fire station #1 isn't what it once was and the money from the $5.7MM public safety bond has already been spent. (See Whadda ya mean you spent your lunch money) The additional money needed for the fire station, $3MM, 15 year finance
Now the sense:
Yes, that's a blank line. It's symbolic.
Sense would require taking a serious look at departmental spending and limiting increases to reasonable amounts. Not zero increases. Oh gosh no. I'm not at all in favor of reducing head count or services. I'm suggesting passing a budget that includes reasonable increases in spending.
Specifically:
As currently proposed, expenditures for General Government increase by 18%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 8%.
As currently proposed, expenditures for Public Works increase by 34%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 15%.
As currently proposed, expenditures for Public Safety increase by 17%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 8%.
As currently proposed, expenditures for Engineering increase by 33%. Suggestion - limit the increase to 15%.
Those reasonable spending increases bring us close to a revenue neutral rate. Most of our taxpayers will still pay a bit more this year than last. But at .37 per hundred dollars of valuation, our tax rate will be both competitive and fair.
Determine spending based on a tax rate instead of the other way around. Now there's a thought. And if that happens, we will have some of our money back. By popular demand.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
'Tisn't About Morrisville, but 'tis a good thing
With sincere and heartfelt thanks to Marla Dorrel for her years long and continuing effort. The Kids Together Playground at Marla Dorrel Park. It's perfect.
(Reprinted with the author's permission)
Kids Together park renamed for Dorrel
Adam Arnold, Staff Writer
Marla Dorrel had no idea what was coming Thursday night.
The former Cary Town Council member knew that a resolution in her honor was on the council’s agenda but had no clue what the honor was.
Just moments into the meeting, she learned that Marla Dorrel Park is the new name of the facility christened as Kids Together Park in 2000.
“What a wonderful surprise and it was a huge surprise,” Dorrel said in an interview Friday. “I had no idea that this was coming.”
Dorrel, who served on the Town Council from 1999 to 2007, raised funds for the park’s construction. She also serves as president of Kids Together Inc., a nonprofit organization that backs the park. The park is located at 111 Thurston Drive in south Cary.
The concept for the park emerged in 1994 and was originally spearheaded by then 8-year-olds Helen Rittelmeyer and Kristin Holcombe. The pair, who have siblings with special needs, learned of the town’s interest in creating a playground similar to a handicapped-accessible play area in Raleigh. They began fundraising for the project with bake sales, craft bazaars and Beanie Baby raffles.
The play equipment was specially designed to be accessible to all children. Play structures and other structures are built to allow wheelchair access and to help the visually impaired use the facilities.
Dorrel said that as longtime Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources volunteer Tom Hemrick read the proclamation, she wondered how the “Kids Together” part of the name would be handled. It is now known as “Kids Together Playground at Marla Dorrel Park.”
Regarding the inclusion of the original name, she said she appreciated “how tidily it had been taken care of.”
Bruce Brown, who in the early 1990s was a member of what is now the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Advisory Board, recruited Dorrel for the fundraising in 1994.
Former Town Council member Richard Burton had recommended her, Brown said.
Brown and Dorrel first discussed the project on a Saturday at an area Chik-fil-a.
At the time Dorrel had no fundraising experience.
“Fortunately for the playground she decided to get involved,” Brown said.
Brown, an original director for Kids Together, still serves on the board. The aim was to build a playground that integrated facilities for both able-bodied and disabled children, Brown said.
“We got out to do something that really hadn’t been done in Cary or the surrounding area,” Brown said.
Hemrick, also a director of the nonprofit organization, said the honor was fitting.
“Marla Dorrel is an unselfish person who gives back to the community many times over,” Hemrick said. “I love the fact that this thing was a total surprise.”
Hemrick said that the project was “a dream” for the two girls and that Dorrel’s involvement really helped move it forward.
Though Dorrel was an executive with Time Warner Cable at the time she got involved with Kids Together, her academic and professional background was in special education. Bringing those elements back into her life was part of the park’s appeal.
“Something that was really missing from my life was working with kids,” Dorrel said.
“I was able to draw on my education and teaching experience. It had to do with kids, it had to do with special needs. It was a great way to meet people.”
Dorrel said she ended up raising about $300,000 for the park, which cost a total of about $1 million.
There was also a significant contribution of sweat equity by volunteers and Kids Together leaders.
“They put out the mulch and raised the money at the same time,” Hemrick said.
Dorrel said the volunteers looked at other successful private-public partnerships, especially the work that had been done to restore the Page-Walker Arts & History Center.
She said she also got a lot of encouragement to stick with it.
“The momentum was strong and the public support was strong,” Dorrel said. “It was easy for the town to say ‘yes.’ … We worked so hard for it to be everyone’s park and everyone’s playground.”
After nearly a decade and a half of involvement with the park, it is still clear how tightly bound she feels to it. “Other than my house,” Dorrel said, “there’s not another piece of land in Cary where I feel more at home.”
Contact Adam Arnold at 460-2609 or aarnold@nando.com.
© Copyright 2008, The News & Observer Publishing Company
(Reprinted with the author's permission)
Kids Together park renamed for Dorrel
Adam Arnold, Staff Writer
Marla Dorrel had no idea what was coming Thursday night.
The former Cary Town Council member knew that a resolution in her honor was on the council’s agenda but had no clue what the honor was.
Just moments into the meeting, she learned that Marla Dorrel Park is the new name of the facility christened as Kids Together Park in 2000.
“What a wonderful surprise and it was a huge surprise,” Dorrel said in an interview Friday. “I had no idea that this was coming.”
Dorrel, who served on the Town Council from 1999 to 2007, raised funds for the park’s construction. She also serves as president of Kids Together Inc., a nonprofit organization that backs the park. The park is located at 111 Thurston Drive in south Cary.
The concept for the park emerged in 1994 and was originally spearheaded by then 8-year-olds Helen Rittelmeyer and Kristin Holcombe. The pair, who have siblings with special needs, learned of the town’s interest in creating a playground similar to a handicapped-accessible play area in Raleigh. They began fundraising for the project with bake sales, craft bazaars and Beanie Baby raffles.
The play equipment was specially designed to be accessible to all children. Play structures and other structures are built to allow wheelchair access and to help the visually impaired use the facilities.
Dorrel said that as longtime Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources volunteer Tom Hemrick read the proclamation, she wondered how the “Kids Together” part of the name would be handled. It is now known as “Kids Together Playground at Marla Dorrel Park.”
Regarding the inclusion of the original name, she said she appreciated “how tidily it had been taken care of.”
Bruce Brown, who in the early 1990s was a member of what is now the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Advisory Board, recruited Dorrel for the fundraising in 1994.
Former Town Council member Richard Burton had recommended her, Brown said.
Brown and Dorrel first discussed the project on a Saturday at an area Chik-fil-a.
At the time Dorrel had no fundraising experience.
“Fortunately for the playground she decided to get involved,” Brown said.
Brown, an original director for Kids Together, still serves on the board. The aim was to build a playground that integrated facilities for both able-bodied and disabled children, Brown said.
“We got out to do something that really hadn’t been done in Cary or the surrounding area,” Brown said.
Hemrick, also a director of the nonprofit organization, said the honor was fitting.
“Marla Dorrel is an unselfish person who gives back to the community many times over,” Hemrick said. “I love the fact that this thing was a total surprise.”
Hemrick said that the project was “a dream” for the two girls and that Dorrel’s involvement really helped move it forward.
Though Dorrel was an executive with Time Warner Cable at the time she got involved with Kids Together, her academic and professional background was in special education. Bringing those elements back into her life was part of the park’s appeal.
“Something that was really missing from my life was working with kids,” Dorrel said.
“I was able to draw on my education and teaching experience. It had to do with kids, it had to do with special needs. It was a great way to meet people.”
Dorrel said she ended up raising about $300,000 for the park, which cost a total of about $1 million.
There was also a significant contribution of sweat equity by volunteers and Kids Together leaders.
“They put out the mulch and raised the money at the same time,” Hemrick said.
Dorrel said the volunteers looked at other successful private-public partnerships, especially the work that had been done to restore the Page-Walker Arts & History Center.
She said she also got a lot of encouragement to stick with it.
“The momentum was strong and the public support was strong,” Dorrel said. “It was easy for the town to say ‘yes.’ … We worked so hard for it to be everyone’s park and everyone’s playground.”
After nearly a decade and a half of involvement with the park, it is still clear how tightly bound she feels to it. “Other than my house,” Dorrel said, “there’s not another piece of land in Cary where I feel more at home.”
Contact Adam Arnold at 460-2609 or aarnold@nando.com.
© Copyright 2008, The News & Observer Publishing Company
Toilet Talk and Commode Cash
NEW PROGRAM ENCOURAGES CARY CITIZENS TO STOP FLUSHING WATER AND MONEY DOWN THE COMMODE
400 rebates of $150 now available for replacing older toilets with high-efficiency models
CARY, NC - As part of its ongoing efforts to lead the state in conserving finite natural resources, the Town of Cary has begun offering $150 rebates to water customers who replace their older toilets that use between 3.5 and 5 gallons of water per flush (gpf) with new, high efficiency toilets (HET) that use 75 to 80 percent less water or 1.28 gpf ( Click here for details ). An initiative approved by the Cary Town Council on March 13, 2008, as part of four new innovative water conservation measures, the HET Retrofit Rebate Program is aimed at reducing indoor water usage. In its initial phase, the program provides 400 rebates to Cary water customers for replacing their older toilets with WaterSense labeled high-efficiency toilets in their homes or businesses -- a limit of three rebates per single-family property and five per non-residential property, all issued on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Town of Cary water customers -- including those in Morrisville -- are eligible to participate in the program. To apply for a rebate, residential and non-residential customers must mail in a completed application with original receipt(s) dated on or after June 3, 2008. Following a site visit to verify the new toilets installation, the Town will issue a rebate check to qualified applicants within about four weeks.
"As a community that has long been on the forefront of water conservation, we are pleased to begin implementing this new program as one more way our citizens can continue our successful culture of conservation," said Water Conservation Coordinator Marie Cefalo. "In Cary, we've found that our greatest source of indoor water usage comes from toilets, so If 400 toilets per year are replaced, the Town could save an estimated 2.6 to 4 million gallons of water per year."
The prices of high efficiency toilets are comparable in price to regular toilets, with prices beginning at $119.
The Town's Water Conservation Program has two focus areas: (1) reducing per capita water consumption, and (2) managing the peak demands that occur during the hottest, driest times of the year. These program goals are accomplished through education, regulation, and financial incentives such as a tiered rate structure, rain barrel sales, and toilet flapper rebates.
For a listing of toilets that are WaterSense certified as High Efficiency, visit the WaterSense site. For more about the Town's water conservation initiatives, click on Water Conservation or call (919) 469-4090.
CONTACTS: Marie Cefalo, Water Conservation Coordinator, (919) 469-4387
April Raphiou, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951
400 rebates of $150 now available for replacing older toilets with high-efficiency models
CARY, NC - As part of its ongoing efforts to lead the state in conserving finite natural resources, the Town of Cary has begun offering $150 rebates to water customers who replace their older toilets that use between 3.5 and 5 gallons of water per flush (gpf) with new, high efficiency toilets (HET) that use 75 to 80 percent less water or 1.28 gpf ( Click here for details ). An initiative approved by the Cary Town Council on March 13, 2008, as part of four new innovative water conservation measures, the HET Retrofit Rebate Program is aimed at reducing indoor water usage. In its initial phase, the program provides 400 rebates to Cary water customers for replacing their older toilets with WaterSense labeled high-efficiency toilets in their homes or businesses -- a limit of three rebates per single-family property and five per non-residential property, all issued on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Town of Cary water customers -- including those in Morrisville -- are eligible to participate in the program. To apply for a rebate, residential and non-residential customers must mail in a completed application with original receipt(s) dated on or after June 3, 2008. Following a site visit to verify the new toilets installation, the Town will issue a rebate check to qualified applicants within about four weeks.
"As a community that has long been on the forefront of water conservation, we are pleased to begin implementing this new program as one more way our citizens can continue our successful culture of conservation," said Water Conservation Coordinator Marie Cefalo. "In Cary, we've found that our greatest source of indoor water usage comes from toilets, so If 400 toilets per year are replaced, the Town could save an estimated 2.6 to 4 million gallons of water per year."
The prices of high efficiency toilets are comparable in price to regular toilets, with prices beginning at $119.
The Town's Water Conservation Program has two focus areas: (1) reducing per capita water consumption, and (2) managing the peak demands that occur during the hottest, driest times of the year. These program goals are accomplished through education, regulation, and financial incentives such as a tiered rate structure, rain barrel sales, and toilet flapper rebates.
For a listing of toilets that are WaterSense certified as High Efficiency, visit the WaterSense site. For more about the Town's water conservation initiatives, click on Water Conservation or call (919) 469-4090.
CONTACTS: Marie Cefalo, Water Conservation Coordinator, (919) 469-4387
April Raphiou, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951
Saturday, May 31, 2008
FAQs (also SAQs, OAQs and NRATQIJMTUs*)
*Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes Asked Questions
Questions Asked Once and
Nobody Really Asked These Questions, I Just Made Them Up.
Q: How went the 5/27 budget public hearing?
A: It went. After 4 speakers, the board voted to close it. That’s that. No more addressing the board in public about the largest tax increase in the triangle.
Q: What do you mean? The public is allowed to comment on anything, right? It’s on the agenda every 4th Tuesday.
A: There is one public comment restriction – speakers will not discuss matters which are the subject of public hearings.
Q: Nobody told me my taxes are going up and now I’m finding out I don’t get to address the board. Oh great.
A: I’m sorry, you must phrase in the form of a question.
Q: What is…… nobody told me my taxes are going up and now I’m finding out I don’t get to address the board?
A: Correct, select again.
Q: So I have no options for weighing in on this tax increase?
A: You can call individual board members, because your elected board values public input. Phone numbers are on the town website. Or you can email them as a group at MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us There will be an election in 2009. But that’s two tax bills from now.
Q: Why do you keep saying our tax increase is the largest in the Triangle? Our tax rate isn’t the highest.
A: No, our tax rate isn’t the highest. But there’s no reason why our tax rate can’t be very close to revenue neutral or 37 cents per $100 of value. The staff proposal is 19% higher or .4396
Q: What does that mean for me?
A: It depends which property you own. Do this: go to Wake County Real Estate Data search page. Enter your address (or name) and click. Look in the bottom right corner of the page with your property information. That’s your new valuation. Multiply this number by .4396 and divide by 100. That’s your Morrisville tax bill if the proposed budget passes. (You’ll also have Wake county taxes, new rate something like .5340) Next, compare your 2008 taxes with last year’s. From that same page, click the “Tax Bill” tab then click on your 2007 account. The left most column shows your 2007 valuation. Multiply that number by .4677 (last year’s tax rate) and divide by 100. How’d you do? Oh, wait. This is an A box and I asked a Q. Sorry. Look at the two numbers side by side. If you want to get the % change, divide 2008 tax amount by 2007 tax amount and subtract 1.
Q: I’m not good with all this math. Can’t I just wait until I get the bill?
A: Yes. But only if you like surprises.
Q: Where can I see a comparison of local revenue neutral rates?
A: (click graphic for larger view)
Rolesville, Garner, Fuquay and Holly Springs tax payers should send a note of thanks to their town staff and board members. All 4 are proposing a revenue neutral tax rate. Cary’s adding less than a penny. Morrisville? We win the Visine award for interpreting “get the red out” as “please raise our taxes.” (Graphic credit goes to Town of Cary and my DH.)
Q: Is it true Apex is building a new combination public safety building for $2M?
A: Yes
Q: Well then how come Morrisville’s new fire station will cost $3M?
A: Here’s something you won’t hear from your ‘Tis blogger often – Beats me. Maybe ours will be 50% better?
Q: How come you don't want Morrisville to have a downtown?
A: I think a downtown is a swell idea. But I don't think the Town of Morrisville belongs in the development business. We have neither the money nor legislative authority to buy up property for other than narrowly defined public purposes.
Q: Do you ever have anything good to say about Morrisville?
A: Yes.
Q: Well?
A: I honestly believe Morrisville, heart of the triangle with clogged arteries, is a delightful town. Our Parks and Rec department is a good one. Dedicated staff are in the process of making sure our annual Day at the Park (June 14th) will be a not-to-be-missed fun time for all. The town manager’s 2004 special census was a smart move. Our police and fire departments are top notch. But we need to address other issues, ones that are of importance to our residents – a reasonable tax rate, critical road improvements, responsible growth, a local government that is open and transparent. Responsive elected officials would also be ever so lovely.
Q: What’s for dinner?
A: Another FAQ for which I have no answer.
Sometimes Asked Questions
Questions Asked Once and
Nobody Really Asked These Questions, I Just Made Them Up.
Q: How went the 5/27 budget public hearing?
A: It went. After 4 speakers, the board voted to close it. That’s that. No more addressing the board in public about the largest tax increase in the triangle.
Q: What do you mean? The public is allowed to comment on anything, right? It’s on the agenda every 4th Tuesday.
A: There is one public comment restriction – speakers will not discuss matters which are the subject of public hearings.
Q: Nobody told me my taxes are going up and now I’m finding out I don’t get to address the board. Oh great.
A: I’m sorry, you must phrase in the form of a question.
Q: What is…… nobody told me my taxes are going up and now I’m finding out I don’t get to address the board?
A: Correct, select again.
Q: So I have no options for weighing in on this tax increase?
A: You can call individual board members, because your elected board values public input. Phone numbers are on the town website. Or you can email them as a group at MayorandCommissioners@ci.morrisville.nc.us There will be an election in 2009. But that’s two tax bills from now.
Q: Why do you keep saying our tax increase is the largest in the Triangle? Our tax rate isn’t the highest.
A: No, our tax rate isn’t the highest. But there’s no reason why our tax rate can’t be very close to revenue neutral or 37 cents per $100 of value. The staff proposal is 19% higher or .4396
Q: What does that mean for me?
A: It depends which property you own. Do this: go to Wake County Real Estate Data search page. Enter your address (or name) and click. Look in the bottom right corner of the page with your property information. That’s your new valuation. Multiply this number by .4396 and divide by 100. That’s your Morrisville tax bill if the proposed budget passes. (You’ll also have Wake county taxes, new rate something like .5340) Next, compare your 2008 taxes with last year’s. From that same page, click the “Tax Bill” tab then click on your 2007 account. The left most column shows your 2007 valuation. Multiply that number by .4677 (last year’s tax rate) and divide by 100. How’d you do? Oh, wait. This is an A box and I asked a Q. Sorry. Look at the two numbers side by side. If you want to get the % change, divide 2008 tax amount by 2007 tax amount and subtract 1.
Q: I’m not good with all this math. Can’t I just wait until I get the bill?
A: Yes. But only if you like surprises.
Q: Where can I see a comparison of local revenue neutral rates?
A: (click graphic for larger view)
Rolesville, Garner, Fuquay and Holly Springs tax payers should send a note of thanks to their town staff and board members. All 4 are proposing a revenue neutral tax rate. Cary’s adding less than a penny. Morrisville? We win the Visine award for interpreting “get the red out” as “please raise our taxes.” (Graphic credit goes to Town of Cary and my DH.)
Q: Is it true Apex is building a new combination public safety building for $2M?
A: Yes
Q: Well then how come Morrisville’s new fire station will cost $3M?
A: Here’s something you won’t hear from your ‘Tis blogger often – Beats me. Maybe ours will be 50% better?
Q: How come you don't want Morrisville to have a downtown?
A: I think a downtown is a swell idea. But I don't think the Town of Morrisville belongs in the development business. We have neither the money nor legislative authority to buy up property for other than narrowly defined public purposes.
Q: Do you ever have anything good to say about Morrisville?
A: Yes.
Q: Well?
A: I honestly believe Morrisville, heart of the triangle with clogged arteries, is a delightful town. Our Parks and Rec department is a good one. Dedicated staff are in the process of making sure our annual Day at the Park (June 14th) will be a not-to-be-missed fun time for all. The town manager’s 2004 special census was a smart move. Our police and fire departments are top notch. But we need to address other issues, ones that are of importance to our residents – a reasonable tax rate, critical road improvements, responsible growth, a local government that is open and transparent. Responsive elected officials would also be ever so lovely.
Q: What’s for dinner?
A: Another FAQ for which I have no answer.
Monday, May 26, 2008
No Time Like the Present
Tuesday - May 27 6:30 PM
100 Town Hall Dr
Public Hearings
- 2009 Budget - proposed tax rate of .4396 or 19% above revenue neutral*
- Change in election method from districts to all At-Large representation
Three minute time limit per speaker. Speak now or throw your tax bill across the room later this year. Your call.
*For comparison: Cary is considering a rate 2% above revenue neutral, Wake Forest discussions also start at 2% above rn, Holly Springs will likely set their rate at .415. That's their calculated revenue neutral with no proposed increase. Holly Springs: 0% above revenue neutral. Morrisville 19% above. What's up with that?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Public Hearings (or what to do with 3 minutes on a Tuesday night in Morrisville)
Public hearings. Probably ought to be called public talkings because these are scheduled opportunities for the public to talk, but not necessarily times when town officials listen. Sometimes at public talkings, our elected officials do listen but they don’t agree. In that case, we would call these 4th Tuesday opportunities public why-did-I-bothers.
No matter what we call them, they are an important and valuable part of the governmental process, a sort of don’t-just-sit-there-do-something that takes 3 minutes plus travel time. Ok, ok, traveling within Morrisville can be a real time drain. But there’s a payoff: invest 3 minutes (plus travel) and your name and opinion become a part of the official Morrisville public record. What a deal, right? But wait! There’s more! Get your like minded friends to do the same, and, who knows? Our tax rate might get lowered, road improvements might move to the top of the spending list, growth might pay for itself. Probably not. But one can hope.
Next public hearings/talkings/why-did-I-bothers are scheduled for Tuesday May 27, 2008 at town hall. You can view all six here. Of particular interest:
- The proposal to change Morrisville elections from district representation to an all At-Large process is a fascinating one. Presently, four of six representatives must reside in a particular district. The other two can live anywhere. (Anywhere in Morrisville. Not anywhere, anywhere. That wouldn’t make sense.) Here’s the current district map . All Morrisville voters have the opportunity to cast ballots for all races, regardless of the voter’s district of residence. Wanna run for the District 2 seat in 2009? The way things are now, you have to reside in District 2. But you have to campaign town wide, not just in District 2, because while there is a district residence requirement to run, there isn’t a district residence requirement to vote. If the process changes, out goes the residence requirement. If three seats are up for grabs, the top 3 vote getters get them. If all 3 reside in District 2, then so be it. The will of the people and all. The potential problem: some elected officials are, um, gosh, what’s that phrase? Oh, yes. SELF SERVING. Stack a board with elected officials all residing in a single area of town and that district could end up with all the marbles. Need some marbles and don’t live in the marble district? Bummer. You can always attend a board meeting on any 4th Tuesday of the month. That’s when there is another 3 minute opportunity to speak. On the agenda it’s labeled “Public Comments.”
and - FY 2009 Operating Budget (ie, your tax dollars and how they are spent) Taxes are going up, service levels aren’t. ‘Nough said.
Tuesday, May 27 100 Town Hall Dr with overflow parking available at the Chamber Building down the street. Fun begins at 6:30 registration available night of. 3 minutes to say what's on your mind. If you decide to skip, you'll never know if you missed a 3 minute public why-did-I-bother or a 3 minute chance to affect our tax rate.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Whaddya mean you spent your lunch money at the 7-Eleven?
No, no, not me. I always spent my lunch money on lunch.
As I remember it, we used to get lunch money every Monday for the coming week. 75 cents bought some kind of casserole, a vegetable, maybe a half cup of ice cream with a flat wooden thing that looked nothing like a spoon but was called one anyway. The food wasn't great, it wasn't awful, but compared to $3.75 all at one time, well.... it's easy enough to see how one might spend $3.75 on things other than a casserole with instant mashed potatoes on top. Especially if one could get replacement lunch money by blaming an anonymous mean kid for swiping Monday's $3.75.
So what's this have to do with Morrisville? Surely we don't need a tax increase because lunch money was spent on other than lunch.
In 2004, by a 4,062 to 896 vote, Morrisville residents approved a $5.7M General Obligation bond referendum that went something like this:
Shall the order adopted on July 26, 2004 authorizing not exceeding $5,700,000 PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES BONDS of the Town of Morrisville, North Carolina for the purposes of providing funds, with any other available funds, for acquiring, constructing and equipping police station and fire station facilities, including, without limitation, the acquisition of any necessary equipment and furnishings, all to provide public safety services within and without the corporate limits of said Town, be approved?
Ok, that's clear. $5.7M for combined police and fire stations and whatever else was needed to equip them. Chairs and maybe some communication gadgets and special garage door openers and such. Get our firefighters out of the old, in-the-way station #1 near the RR tracks. All good. All good. Counting on fingers here.... 2005, 2006, 2007, and a bit. 3 1/2 years. Miss the grand opening for the new public safety facility did you?
Well...... the design for the combined facility was higher than $5.7M. A lot higher. So the town used the bond money to buy the Stewart Engineering Bldg on Town Hall Dr instead. It's right next to what used to be the police station and adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce. No more Stewart Engineering. The space has been converted into a Public-Safety-Planning-Engineering-Inspections HQ. (Morrisville has skilled planners, we do, we do. But I wouldn't expect them to respond to a 911 call.) There's no room for any fire trucks or firefighters at PSPEI HQ. Fire station #1 is still old and in the way and now the money's been spent. Oops. Reckon we can tell people a big mean kid took it and we need some more?
No to the first part (that would be dishonest) and apparently yes to the second. That's one of the reasons your taxes are going up. A new fire station will run somewhere in the neighborhood of $3M. Ouch.
As I remember it, we used to get lunch money every Monday for the coming week. 75 cents bought some kind of casserole, a vegetable, maybe a half cup of ice cream with a flat wooden thing that looked nothing like a spoon but was called one anyway. The food wasn't great, it wasn't awful, but compared to $3.75 all at one time, well.... it's easy enough to see how one might spend $3.75 on things other than a casserole with instant mashed potatoes on top. Especially if one could get replacement lunch money by blaming an anonymous mean kid for swiping Monday's $3.75.
So what's this have to do with Morrisville? Surely we don't need a tax increase because lunch money was spent on other than lunch.
In 2004, by a 4,062 to 896 vote, Morrisville residents approved a $5.7M General Obligation bond referendum that went something like this:
Shall the order adopted on July 26, 2004 authorizing not exceeding $5,700,000 PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES BONDS of the Town of Morrisville, North Carolina for the purposes of providing funds, with any other available funds, for acquiring, constructing and equipping police station and fire station facilities, including, without limitation, the acquisition of any necessary equipment and furnishings, all to provide public safety services within and without the corporate limits of said Town, be approved?
Ok, that's clear. $5.7M for combined police and fire stations and whatever else was needed to equip them. Chairs and maybe some communication gadgets and special garage door openers and such. Get our firefighters out of the old, in-the-way station #1 near the RR tracks. All good. All good. Counting on fingers here.... 2005, 2006, 2007, and a bit. 3 1/2 years. Miss the grand opening for the new public safety facility did you?
Well...... the design for the combined facility was higher than $5.7M. A lot higher. So the town used the bond money to buy the Stewart Engineering Bldg on Town Hall Dr instead. It's right next to what used to be the police station and adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce. No more Stewart Engineering. The space has been converted into a Public-Safety-Planning-Engineering-Inspections HQ. (Morrisville has skilled planners, we do, we do. But I wouldn't expect them to respond to a 911 call.) There's no room for any fire trucks or firefighters at PSPEI HQ. Fire station #1 is still old and in the way and now the money's been spent. Oops. Reckon we can tell people a big mean kid took it and we need some more?
No to the first part (that would be dishonest) and apparently yes to the second. That's one of the reasons your taxes are going up. A new fire station will run somewhere in the neighborhood of $3M. Ouch.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
But the N&O says Cary Tax Rate to Rise Slightly, too
Well.... that headline wasn't quite right. Cary's current property tax rate is 42 cents per $100 valuation. Their revenue neutral rate is 32.38 cents. Cary's proposed rate? 33 cents. It's been awhile, but my less than greater than lessons from early public school education are ones learned and retained. 33 cents is less than 42 cents. Cary's tax RATE is dropping. But what's important to tax payers is the tax bill. In Cary, that bill will rise slightly for most tax payers due to increases in property values. Still, it's a conservative increase. To Cary staff goes the credit.
Now back to Morrisville's .44 tax rate and that hypothetical $300,000 home.....
Morrisville tax bill on a $300k residence: $1318.80
Cary tax bill on a $300k residence: $990.00
DIFFERENCE: $328.80 or 33% more to call Morrisville home
Heart of the Triangle with clogged arteries. And now heartburn. A 33% difference in property taxes between Morrisville and Cary is significant.
Morrisville has grown at an average 8.6% per year for the last 8 years. We grew. We are growing. And now so are our property tax bills. Growth pays for itself? Not even with fuzzy logic.
Now back to Morrisville's .44 tax rate and that hypothetical $300,000 home.....
Morrisville tax bill on a $300k residence: $1318.80
Cary tax bill on a $300k residence: $990.00
DIFFERENCE: $328.80 or 33% more to call Morrisville home
Heart of the Triangle with clogged arteries. And now heartburn. A 33% difference in property taxes between Morrisville and Cary is significant.
Morrisville has grown at an average 8.6% per year for the last 8 years. We grew. We are growing. And now so are our property tax bills. Growth pays for itself? Not even with fuzzy logic.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Revenue What? I just want to know how much it costs to live in Morrisville
About this time each year, our Morrisville staff and elected board comes up with a budget for the coming fiscal year. This year they've taken a different approach.... decide on a tax rate first, tied to a Long Range Financial Plan and consider the budget second. Novel approach, that one. With the recent property revaluations it gets..... interesting. And pricey for most Morrisville residents. In short:
Revenue neutral is the rate that would bring in the same amount of revenue as before the new assessment, plus a bit extra for growth. Morrisville has decided that rate (also known as the ad valorem rate) is .3692 per $100 of valuation. Here's the math for a property that jumped in value from $217,400 to $300,000:
$300,000 x .3692 / 100 = $1107.60
At revenue neutral, your Morrisville tax bill would be $1107.60.
But we're not talking about applying a revenue neutral rate. We're not talking about revenue neutral + a few pennies to make up for an expected decrease in sales tax revenue. Morrisville staff proposed, and Morrisville leaders agreed to set a tax rate of .4396 or 19% above revenue neutral. Ouch.
Back to the hypothetical $300,000 property and yes, you may use a calculator:
$300,000 x .4396 / 100 = $1318.80
At the rate agreed to on April 22, your Morrisville tax bill now comes to $1318.80. An additional $211. But wait, there's more.....
Before the revaluation, that $300,000 property was valued at $217,400. The tax rate applied last year was .4677:
$217,400 x .4677 / 100 = $1016.78
So..... last year's Morrisville tax bill: $1016.78
this year's Morrisville tax bill: $1318.80
DIFFERENCE: $302.02
The town needs additional revenue to hire a real estate specialist and fix roads, right? Well, no to the real estate specialist and yes to the road improvements. But the extra $302.02 you'll pay doesn't fix much. Morrisville Carpenter Rd at Progress Energy site. That's it.
So where's the extra money going? Hard to say. Budget discussions are yet to come. The big ticket item - a new fire station. The one that was supposed to be built using funds from the 2004 $5.7 million voter approved bond. Stay tuned......
Revenue neutral is the rate that would bring in the same amount of revenue as before the new assessment, plus a bit extra for growth. Morrisville has decided that rate (also known as the ad valorem rate) is .3692 per $100 of valuation. Here's the math for a property that jumped in value from $217,400 to $300,000:
$300,000 x .3692 / 100 = $1107.60
At revenue neutral, your Morrisville tax bill would be $1107.60.
But we're not talking about applying a revenue neutral rate. We're not talking about revenue neutral + a few pennies to make up for an expected decrease in sales tax revenue. Morrisville staff proposed, and Morrisville leaders agreed to set a tax rate of .4396 or 19% above revenue neutral. Ouch.
Back to the hypothetical $300,000 property and yes, you may use a calculator:
$300,000 x .4396 / 100 = $1318.80
At the rate agreed to on April 22, your Morrisville tax bill now comes to $1318.80. An additional $211. But wait, there's more.....
Before the revaluation, that $300,000 property was valued at $217,400. The tax rate applied last year was .4677:
$217,400 x .4677 / 100 = $1016.78
So..... last year's Morrisville tax bill: $1016.78
this year's Morrisville tax bill: $1318.80
DIFFERENCE: $302.02
The town needs additional revenue to hire a real estate specialist and fix roads, right? Well, no to the real estate specialist and yes to the road improvements. But the extra $302.02 you'll pay doesn't fix much. Morrisville Carpenter Rd at Progress Energy site. That's it.
So where's the extra money going? Hard to say. Budget discussions are yet to come. The big ticket item - a new fire station. The one that was supposed to be built using funds from the 2004 $5.7 million voter approved bond. Stay tuned......
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Cary News April 30, 2008
Morrisville moves toward at-large elections
Adam Arnold, Staff Writer
Morrisville has taken a formal step toward changing the name of its governing board as well as the way its citizens vote for town officials.
At its meeting Tuesday, the Morrisville Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution of intent to change the town charter so that the board would be rechristened the town council. In addition, council districts would be eliminated so voters would elect all council members at large.
The next step will be a public hearing on the proposals on May 27. The changes, if approved, would not become effective until later in the summer.
“We’re definitely not amending our town charter tonight,” said Commissioner Tom Murry.
Depending on the interest residents show in the changes, Mayor Jan Faulkner said that it is possible the public hearing could be continued into June.
Though the action Tuesday was the Morrisville board’s first formal step in the process, town officials have been discussing the proposals for months.
According to minutes from the board’s retreat in January, former Commissioner Hill Carrow raised the idea of the name change.
Carrow said that some residents were confused by the nomenclature, as most municipal boards are called town councils and Wake County’s governing body is called the board of commissioners.
Apex and Holly Springs have also made the switch. Both towns had boards of commissioners until 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Apex and Holly Springs also elect all of their council members at-large.
Morrisville currently has six commissioners and a mayor. The mayor and two of the commissioners are elected at-large. The other four commissioners are elected by district by all voters.
Using an all at-large approach would return Morrisville to the method that it used until the 1980s, when it adopted its current mode of election.
According to the retreat minutes, Murry raised the idea of returning to at-large elections, saying that district races appeared to get fewer candidates than at-large contests.
In addition Murry said he was concerned about the redistricting process, which he said was contentious following the town’s special census in 2005.
Following the announcement of the outcome of the 2010 census, the town would have to redistrict in 2011, an election year.
Contact Adam Arnold at 460-2609 or aarnold@nando.com.
Adam Arnold, Staff Writer
Morrisville has taken a formal step toward changing the name of its governing board as well as the way its citizens vote for town officials.
At its meeting Tuesday, the Morrisville Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution of intent to change the town charter so that the board would be rechristened the town council. In addition, council districts would be eliminated so voters would elect all council members at large.
The next step will be a public hearing on the proposals on May 27. The changes, if approved, would not become effective until later in the summer.
“We’re definitely not amending our town charter tonight,” said Commissioner Tom Murry.
Depending on the interest residents show in the changes, Mayor Jan Faulkner said that it is possible the public hearing could be continued into June.
Though the action Tuesday was the Morrisville board’s first formal step in the process, town officials have been discussing the proposals for months.
According to minutes from the board’s retreat in January, former Commissioner Hill Carrow raised the idea of the name change.
Carrow said that some residents were confused by the nomenclature, as most municipal boards are called town councils and Wake County’s governing body is called the board of commissioners.
Apex and Holly Springs have also made the switch. Both towns had boards of commissioners until 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Apex and Holly Springs also elect all of their council members at-large.
Morrisville currently has six commissioners and a mayor. The mayor and two of the commissioners are elected at-large. The other four commissioners are elected by district by all voters.
Using an all at-large approach would return Morrisville to the method that it used until the 1980s, when it adopted its current mode of election.
According to the retreat minutes, Murry raised the idea of returning to at-large elections, saying that district races appeared to get fewer candidates than at-large contests.
In addition Murry said he was concerned about the redistricting process, which he said was contentious following the town’s special census in 2005.
Following the announcement of the outcome of the 2010 census, the town would have to redistrict in 2011, an election year.
Contact Adam Arnold at 460-2609 or aarnold@nando.com.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Heart of the Triangle.... clogged arteries and all*
Welcome to Morrisville, NC, population 15,000 or so, former railroad hub turned...... dunno. A work in progress. That's what we'll call it for now.
Despite the popular notion that "you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around and that's what it's all about" we've got the real deal. Location. Smack dab in the middle of the triangle we are. Should be a plus, but our close proximity to Cary, RTP, RDU Airport and points beyond is causing some real headaches. Growing pains, I guess you could say. Still, we're a lovely little town, a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in need of a bit of attention.
There's even a book about us. Local historian Ernest Dollar gets the credit for Morrisville (Images of America: North Carolina) A fascinating look at where we've come from. And then some.
Ernest Dollar I'm not. But I'm also not Ernest T Bass. So I'll share a bit of what's going on in the Heart of the Triangle without throwing rocks through your winders. Windows.
Jackie
*Controlling risk factors isn't popular with a majority of our elected board and staff. Angioplasty is an option - with money and thoughtful planning we could indeed open up some of the blocked arteries. For now we can rely on.... aspirin.
Despite the popular notion that "you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around and that's what it's all about" we've got the real deal. Location. Smack dab in the middle of the triangle we are. Should be a plus, but our close proximity to Cary, RTP, RDU Airport and points beyond is causing some real headaches. Growing pains, I guess you could say. Still, we're a lovely little town, a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in need of a bit of attention.
There's even a book about us. Local historian Ernest Dollar gets the credit for Morrisville (Images of America: North Carolina) A fascinating look at where we've come from. And then some.
Ernest Dollar I'm not. But I'm also not Ernest T Bass. So I'll share a bit of what's going on in the Heart of the Triangle without throwing rocks through your winders. Windows.
Jackie
*Controlling risk factors isn't popular with a majority of our elected board and staff. Angioplasty is an option - with money and thoughtful planning we could indeed open up some of the blocked arteries. For now we can rely on.... aspirin.
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