Mark Chilton's blog

November Fifth

Submitted by Mark Chilton on November 5, 2011 - 10:39am

In 1991, as a 20 year-old rising Senior at the University of North Carolina, I did the most outlandish and absurd thing I have ever done in my life.

On Going to Jordan

Submitted by Mark Chilton on November 2, 2011 - 1:21pm

[At the March 1, 2011, meeting of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, in response to a request from the OWASA Board of Directors to facilitate greater access to water from Jordan Lake, Mayor Mark Chilton made the following remarks. The Editors of OP asked if we could publish his comments here as a blog post, and he agreed. -Ed.] 

What the evidence that was just laid out before you clearly shows is that our community is capable of living with the water supply we have now, that the water supply now is very substantial, is scheduled to grow significantly in 2035, and that water conservation efforts have proved to be more effective than—I think they've really proved to be more effective than anybody would have guessed 10 years ago, than the most wild-eyed optimists would have believed 10 years ago. We've been more successful than that. We have not even exhausted the water conservation and water efficiency technologies and policies and procedures that even possibly could be implemented within our community.

Farewell Forever Old Road to Durham?

Submitted by Mark Chilton on May 11, 2011 - 4:40pm
Have you ever wondered why there is no rail line between Chapel Hill and Durham?  Do you want to know how we can ever create one?  Do you want to know how you can help?  Let me tell you . . . 
 

Taste of Hope

Submitted by Mark Chilton on April 8, 2011 - 4:00pm

This past week the Carrboro Board of Aldermen heard a joint presentation from IFC's Chris Moran and OWASA Board Members Braxton Foushee and Wm Stott about Taste of Hope.  Taste of Hope is a joint effort of OWASA and the Inter-Faith Council.  Any OWASA customer can sign up to have their water bill rounded up to the nearest dollar; the extra change allows IFC to assist struggling local families with their water bills.

At first it may not sound like much, but a home with no water is no home at all.  Even a little help with an OWASA bill can make the difference between being homeless or not for families trying to make ends meet in this difficult economic time.

This program will cost you less than $12 per year, but can help prevent homelessness in our local community.  To learn more, go to:

http://www.owasa.org/customerService/taste-of-hope.aspx

If you are ready to sign up on line, go to:

https://www.owasa.org/Forms/TasteOfHopeRequest.aspx

Rogers Road (Before Rogers Road Was Cool)

Submitted by Mark Chilton on April 6, 2011 - 4:56pm
As someone who has worked with the Rogers Road neighborhood for many years, it really upsets me when I hear some of the criticism lobbed at our local elected officials over the issue of justice for the Rogers Road neighborhood.  It’s true that some of our elected leaders have sought to sweep the issue of landfill compensation under the rug.  But some elected officials in both Chapel Hill and Carrboro have worked hard on these issues for a long time. So let's not paint everyone with the same brush.  
 
The Landfill Compensation Working Group 
 
In 1996 and 1997, a group of elected officials (including me, then a Chapel Hill Council-member) and residents of the Rogers Road community recommended a list of 14 compensation items that our local governments owed to the neighbors of the landfill.  This list was a result of inclusive facilitated meetings of the Landfill Compensation Working Group (as the committee of neighbors and officials was known).
 
Showdown at the Assembly of Governments Corral 
 
The Assembly of Governments met on October 30, 1997 to discuss the LCWG's recommendations.

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