City Issues Affect Your Life, Too

While news that emanates from Chapel Hill and Carrboro might not be as "sexy" a topic as stem cell research or carry the life-or-death consequences of peace in the Middle East, it is important. In fact, decisions made by the Chapel Hill Town Council and the Carrboro Board of Aldermen affect your life more directly than you might think.

All of us deal with "the city."

Most students and faculty live in apartments or houses off campus.

Even those who call residence halls home eventually wander onto Franklin Street.

And we all rely on fire and police protection.

Chapel Hill has an operating budget of more than $57 million for the 2001-02 fiscal year. Carrboro's is nearly $13 million.

That's not exactly small change. Remember that you contribute to those coffers.

It's your right to know how it is being used -- and your responsibility to keep abreast of the things going on in the community you live in. That's where I come in. My job is to present local news to you in the most painless and interesting manner possible. So here is a quick rundown of some issues that will undoubtedly make headlines this school year.

#1: UNC's Master Plan. The Master Plan is the blueprint for growth and development for the University during the next 50 years. Some residents are up in arms about proposed University expansion. A town-gown committee composed of University and local government officials began meeting earlier this year to try and iron out any disagreements. On July 3, the University filed its development plan with the town. You can view it at http://www.fac.unc.edu/DevelopmentPlan. There will be a public hearing on the plan Sept. 19. Expect a lot of fireworks once residents get a chance to get behind the podium and address the Town Council. The Town Council is expected to vote on the plan as early as Oct. 1. Considering the long-term implications of the Master Plan, this is one of the most important stories for both the University and the towns.

#2: Elections. Both mayoral spots are up for grabs in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Chapel Hill Mayor Rosemary Waldorf will not be seeking re-election this year, so the town will have a new mayor for the first time in nearly six years. Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson, who ran unopposed two years ago, faces challenger Stacy Smith. Smith, a psychotherapist who now works as a organizational consultant, moved to Carrboro in 1995 -- the year Nelson was first elected.

All in all, there are 26 people running for 12 seats -- three for mayor and 10 for Town Council in Chapel Hill, two for mayor and six for the Board of Aldermen in Carrboro, and five for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. Those elected this November will decide how the town develops. Their stance on UNC's Master Plan will help or hinder the University's development process.

#3: The Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. After more than two years of legal battles with Orange County, Carolina Power & Light Co., operating under government-ordered secrecy, placed spent uranium fuel rods in a third storage pool at Shearon Harris in Wake County last month. Citing unresolved safety questions for the nuclear waste storage, the county has spent about $250,000 on its legal challenges so far, and the case is still being pursued in the U.S. Court of Appeals.

#4: Fare-Free Busing. Transportation is always a hot topic in local politics. Starting Jan. 1, Chapel Hill Transit will begin fare-free ridership.

The operating expenses, once covered by bus passes and fares, will be divvied up among the University, Chapel Hill and Carrboro. There's a lot of questions that need to be answered. Will fare-free busing increase ridership? Will it hurt the quality of service? Is it worth the increase in student fees? We'll see.

That's simply a taste of the things going on just a few steps outside of the University. It will be an interesting year.

And so it begins ...

Columnist Jonathan Chaney can be reached at jhchaney@email.unc.edu.