Board to review lingering law

Carrboro's anti-lingering ordinance passed last year despite criticism that it unfairly targeted Hispanics has succeeded in eliminating problems at a day labor pickup site town officials say.

The ordinance will be reviewed today by the Carrboro Board of Aldermen in accordance with a requirement that it be looked at after one year.

Officials say that the only issue is whether it is still necessary and critics say they have seen little reason to maintain opposition.

The board approved the ordinance last November after residents complained that loitering on the corner of Jones Ferry and Davie roads resulted in trespassing littering public consumption of alcohol and public urination.

The town officials said at the time they wanted to eliminate these problems without interfering with day laborers who are mostly Latino" that gather on the corner looking for work.

""In all fairness" we did not want to create an anti-lingering ordinance" said Alderman Randee Haven-O'Donnell. People gathering should not be a problem.""

She said that because of concerns" the board planned to review the ordinance after one year.

The ordinance is in effect between 11 a.m. and 5 a.m." which allows day laborers seeking work in the morning to gather on the corner while eliminating the loitering that occurs later in the day.

""There's some flexibility. There are day laborers getting picked up versus people hanging out after 11 and starting to drink"" said Capt. Joel Booker of the Carrboro police.

So far the ordinance has proved effective in preventing lingering and the associated problems, Haven-O'Donnell said.

There would've been a heads up if there had been a continuation or increase in the activity. When folks are concerned" they come out in droves" she said. The information we have is that things have definitely settled down and improved.""

Booker said lingerers leave voluntarily rather than face penalties authorized by the ordinance.

According to a memo to the aldermen from Carolyn Hutchison" Carrboro's chief of police no one has been arrested for violation of the ordinance.

Though the ordinance was criticized for targeting Latinos" response from the community has been limited this time around.

""I have not heard any comments to the negative or the positive"" said Victor Melendez, executive director of El Centro Latino.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which considered challenging the ordinance because it could cause racial profiling, has been unable to do so because nobody has filed a complaint, Legislative Coordinator Sarah Preston said.

The main issue for the board to consider is whether it needs to remain an ordinance, Haven-O'Donnell said.

The controversy is" do we think we need to keep this on the books?" she asked.

It's my hope that we've laid the expectation so that we don't have to monitor it.""



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