Here's what you missed at this week's Carrboro Board of Aldermen meeting

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen met Tuesday to discuss the possible detrimental effects of 5G, DACA beneficiaries in Carrboro and gender neutral language in the town code.

The meeting started off with a poetry reading by Carrboro Poet Laureate Fred Joiner before Mayor Lydia Lavelle gave a proclamation of remembrance, noting the origins of the American slave trade and how society today is still affected by the past institution. 

Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP President Anna Richards followed the mayor by telling a personal anecdote about her family’s connection to Africa. 

Issues raised by the public

A man addressed the board about the nationwide implementation of 5G, the newest generation of cellular network technology, and speculated that it would have adverse effects on human health. However, a New York Times article has debunked the myth that the higher frequency radio waves of 5G would be dangerous.

Later, a woman harshly accused the board of refusing to enforce town ordinances against Tony Merritt, and said that her adjacent land has lost more than 100 trees due to his excavation non-permit land. 

The assistant town attorney said that there have been multiple meetings with county officials and Merritt’s representatives about the issue, and that the site will be visited in the future to survey the state of the land.

Consent agenda items 

The board discussed and passed several items in the consent agenda on Tuesday. 

Board members asked for clarification of economic development report for the month of September. 

An upgrade to the murals in Martin Luther King Jr. Park was brought to the board. The proposal includes a mural the East and West Wall of the restroom facility to commemorate King. The mural display will be completed by high school students that live in Carrboro along with the Carrboro Arts Committee and mural coordinator. 

Next on the agenda was a resolution for assistance to Carrboro residents who are beneficiaries of the DACA program. Representatives from El Centro Hispano showed their support and answered questions at the meeting. The proposal included a grant amount of $10,000 to assist DACA beneficiaries with costs related to DACA renewal applications. 

An authorization for town staff to move forward with a comprehensive review of the town code to include gender-neutral language was also discussed. 

“Our staff told us it will take some time, and they’ll tackle it a few bites at a time, but they think they’re up for the task of having this gender neutral language throughout,” Lavelle said.

Other matters

The two other items included an updated design of the Jones Creek Greenway and a stormwater update and service delivery report. 

The discussion of the Jones Creek Greenway changes included the design for the greenway's surface and bridge, vegetation, access to the site and the alignment of the greenway. 

In terms of the stormwater update, in 2018 the board adopted a new stormwater utility rate structure. The town staff has been transitioning from a formative to operational stage. 

The Center for Neighborhood Technology prepared a proposal for the neighborhood pilot “RainReady” project in upper Toms Creek watershed. This proposal is aimed at preparing residents with the ability to contribute to flood mitigation efforts. 

@beccafiely

city@dailytarheel.com