Aldermen Discuss November Bond Issues

The board met Tuesday night at Carrboro Town Hall to discuss projects the board felt should be included in the $72 million Orange County November 2001 bond referendum.

Carrboro Recreation and Parks Director Richard Kinney presented the board with a list of projects it must consider for the bond referendum. Among the items were Smith Middle School Park, Hillsborough Road Neighborhood Park, a town gymnasium and the Bolin and Morgan Creek greenways. These projects will total $5,252,359 of the $72 million in the bond referendum.

Kinney also reminded the board about the need for playground equipment in Wilson and Anderson parks and informed the aldermen that Carrboro is slated for money going to equipment this year.

"We are recommended in this year's budget," Kinney said.

The aldermen also discussed projects they felt Carrboro needed and attempted to work out what wasn't necessary for the town.

Town Manager Robert Morgan said he felt the board should look at investments given and take advantage of only things Carrboro needed.

"We are trying to minimize investment by taking advantage of things being proposed," Morgan said.

Excluded from the list of projects being considered for funding were an outdoor swimming pool and a soccer complex. The exclusion of these two items provoked a discussion among board members about the need for them in Carrboro.

Alderman Diana McDuffee said she felt voters would be more likely to vote on things they really need and she knew from talking to local parents that more soccer fields was one of them.

"Most people want swimming pools and soccer fields," McDuffee said.

Mayor Mike Nelson also voiced his opinion on how the town could get a soccer complex.

"We should push for additional funds to get additional lands," Nelson said.

Also excluded from the main list of projects were a justice facility and an Orange County Community College, which would be a satellite of Durham Technical Community College.

Alderman Joal Broun suggested the board back the plan for a new justice building or expansion in Hillsborough. She also asked the board to consider and back the idea of the community college.

"A community college facility would meet the needs of individuals who aren't able to afford a four-year school," Broun said.

The board resolved to send the main list of the projects Kinney introduced in the meeting to the Orange County Board of Commissioners. But in addition to the main list, they requested more money for the development of an outdoor pool and an additional $3 million on top of the $2 million already put toward affordable housing.

The board also decided to further discuss the soccer complex, new justice building and community college before passing them to the commissioners.

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.