In this weeks Carrboro Citizen you'll find the Charter of the Town of Carrboro. You may wonder who besides a politician or bureaucrat would enjoy reading this document? Well me for one.
Why? Because within this ancient legalese lies answers to why things happen in Carrboro. Time and time again here on OP people ask why a Town does this or that. Most, but not all, answers to these questions can be found in this document. Barring interpretation and enforcement of-course.
Now I may not sit down and read the whole thing at once. But I will digest this document in small chunks. Plus I'll use it as a reference. Its so much easier to read a big paper folded long ways like a city bus rider than a 8 1/2 x 11 PDF IMHO.
I am particularly impressed by The Carrboro Citizen's willingness to use so much valuable space in their paper. In my mind its a important duty of media to educate the public. Now that The Citizen has set the stage I hope they refer to this document often as they explain and editorialize. May they find many creative ways to help people learn about local government.
So I'll end this post with a question. What would our local democracy be like if everyone in Carrboro knew this document inside and out?
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Comments
I had an intern once -- a
I had an intern once -- a really good young fellow. Gave him one of my sacred copies of the Constitution. Inscribed it this way: Here are the rules. You don't like 'em, change 'em.
I thought it might be good for the paper and its readers to start out by at least knowing the rules. It might be tedious and trivial to some, but it seemed like a responsible way to celebrate our first Carrboro Day.
kmr