I am on the mailing lists for most of the local governments, and most of the info I get from them is dull press releases, public notices etc. I perked up when I saw this subject from the city schools "Press Release--Planner to visit class" but was even more surprised to see the following content:
Local developer to visit class
Local developer Roger Perry will speak to fifth grade students at Frank Porter Graham about residential planning on Wednesday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The students have recently completed a unit on using Global Positioning Systems to study and create maps. The equipment was provided through a Student Enrichment Grant awarded to teacher Kristen Bedell by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation. The equipment used by the students in this unit is the same used by professional planners and developers to view plots and design projects.
In cae you don't recognize the name, Roger Perry is the developer of Meadowmont and the upcoming East 54 project. So how does "planner" = "developer?" Aren't there lots of people who work for local governments and the University who are qualified to discuss mapping and planning?
Anyway while we're on the subject, does anyone want to write up something about the redistricting?
Issues:
Comments
Damn him! Damn him for
Damn him! Damn him for taking time off his job to visit a local school!
Before we jump to conclusions, maybe he has a child teaching at the school or a grandchild attending the school? Or, the child of a family friend Maybe he is doing something FOR the school?
Just a thought.
"The equipment used by the
"The equipment used by the students in this unit is the same used by professional planners AND (emphasis added) developers to view plots and design projects."
So is the point that Roger isn't qualified to talk to a class of 5th graders, or that there are so many others who are more "qualified?" Maybe there's a prior relationship and Roger said yes. Happens all the time, doesn't it?
I'm not saying this is
I'm not saying this is nefarious, just interesting.
I think the schools either should not call Perry a "planner" or they should get someone who *is* a qualified planner in there instead.
Looks like they are using
Looks like they are using the terms interchangably -
"Press Release–Planner to visit class"
"Local developer to visit class"
But it seems that they know what he is: "Local developer Roger Perry "
I guess that I just don't get what's "interesting" here, to the surprise of no one, I suspect. :-)
It is interesting that we
It is interesting that we can comment on someone labeling developer Roger Perry a planner (mistake?) when invited to talk to 5th graders but no one seems to want to talk about the 2% for public art proposal on the council agenda tonight or the requirement to have private projects pony up 2% too.
Status quo?
in new jersey, they brought
in new jersey, they brought in architects to talk about planning last week. as a planner, that was equally infuriating.
maybe perry has a planning degree? a lot of my least favorite developers seem to...
i agree, though. perry is NOT a planner.
The public school system
The public school system enforces and promotes the status quo.
Here's what I posted on
Here's what I posted on Orange Chat about the 2% for art proposal:
"This doesn't make sense for a lot of reasons, but surely we don't want the people that have brought us such lack-lustre development as we have seen in the last couple of decades deciding on the type of art we'll have.
Can you imagine what type of art Bunky Morgan's development cronies from the Home Builders Association would provide us?
It would be like requiring advertising copy editors to write poetry, Progress Energy to promote solar power, or Jim Black to teach Sunday school."
Instead of hijacking a
Instead of hijacking a thread please use an open one or send a guest post to the OP editor. The 2% Art program discussion is off topic for this thread. Thanks!
Some of those students run
Some of those students run with the Pacers back on the HWT and Bolin Creek corridor.
Of course we all remember what Mr. Perry had to say about preserving that space:
"There is never, ever going to be a willingness on the part of the university to put that land in perpetual open space," UNC trustee Roger Perry said at a meeting of a Carolina North advisory committee."
I wonder if he's showing them how to use those devices so they can help him shovel over their playground.