This Old House Meets This New Flora

Thanks to Lenovo volunteers and Morrisville town staff, the Pugh House grounds are a much more attractive sight these days. The group combined plants recovered from the site of the former Bristol Myers facility with some new foliage, top soil and mulch on a recent Thursday morning. The result? A fine start toward sprucing up the exterior of the historic home.


What's next? Sod, lead paint removal by a professional, wood replacement and a fresh coat of paint. Oh, and money. There isn't any. Town revenue is down, and paint and sod don't qualify as essentials. So...... Council Member Pete Martin has asked the town to create a Pugh House account for receipt of donations. Funds can be sent directly to the Town of Morrisville, marked for Pugh House Renovation.


Many volunteer hours and thousands of dollars to go. A heartfelt thanks to those who are helping build momentum.


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has."

Ethic of Reciprocity vs Someone Jiggle the Handle

It's the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. A simple concept, one endorsed by most religions and taught to children when first they learn to share. (Although truth be told, my late father regularly suggested we do unto others before they do unto us. Funny one, Dad.) It's the starting point for many interesting discussions on human rights and ethics and what it means to live in a civilized community. And let's hope I can figure out a way to link the Golden Rule, the Ethic of Reciprocity, to Morrisville toilets.

Back in 2005, almost by accident, residents of the Wake county town of New Hill discovered that their community had made the short list of "Best Places in the Triangle to Locate Utilities Nobody Else Wants." In addition to hosting the Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant, New Hill was selected to become the home to a mega sewer plant. My community of Morrisville, along with Holly Springs, Apex and Cary formed the Western Wake Partners and quietly decided to plop down a shared sewer plant smack dab in the middle of historic New Hill. Before one could say "Hey, could someone jiggle the handle!" the deal was done. Property was condemned, plans were drawn, EIS' were put into motion and cost estimates were readied. That was in 2005. Enter the New Hill Community Association.



Time after time after time, going on 4 years now, this amazing group of neighbors has turned out in force to ask that the partner towns of Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, and yes, Morrisville, reconsider their choice of location for the sewer plant. And the thing is.... the New Hill residents and property owners have not taken a NIMBY stance. Far from it. They have asked only that the Western Wake Partners move our sewer plant about a mile down the road, from the front porch of historic New Hill, to the backyard of the community. The very definition of win-win.

Which brings us back to the Golden Rule. I'm quite sure do unto others applies to pumping sewage into your neighbor's community. Unless my dad had it right all along.


4/17 UPDATE: Cary News' Vickie Jean DeHamer has an article online ahead of the 4/22 publication date. WRAL also has a story on air this weekend and available for viewing on their website. And not to be missed: Matt Saldana's Indy Week Blog.

For additional information, be sure to click comments.

Original or Extra Crispy?

These are early days in Morrisville's budget process, but this we already know - money's tight in the Heart of the Triangle. Really tight. Freeze salaries tight. Cut out all capital spending tight. Keep police cars in service 25,000 miles longer than recommended tight. Dip into the town's savings tight. Look under the sofa cushions for change tight.

Here's another possibility - $3,000 per pothole in exchange for temporary KFC advertising. Won't make up for years of overspending, but it sure beats some of the alternatives for balancing the 2010 budget. And worth a closer look.