News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 
(January 30, 2024) 

Looking forward to February? Carrboro is excited to present its Black History Month programs, including free concerts, lectures and a health and wellness fair. Most events will take place at the Carrboro Century Center. Wednesday is the deadline to apply for a  new town program assisting Carrboro families facing financial challenges with food, housing, utilities, transportation and childcare. The Orange County Board of Elections is hosting a Free Photo ID event this Friday afternoon at Town Hall. Open this issue for the details. Have a great week! 

February is Black History Month

The Town of Carrboro is proud to recognize and celebrate Black people and Black history in Carrboro and across the nation during Black History Month.

Black people have played and continue to play significant roles in Carrboro’s economic, cultural, spiritual, and political development.

The Town is committed to advancing racial equity and  continues to take actions in support  this commitment.

We invite and encourage all Carrboro residents to participate in local Black History Month events and to learn about and celebrate the lives, history, and contributions of Black people during this month and throughout the year.

Check out all of the great events coming in February!

Poetry Workshops for Floraffiti

Carter Hubbard, Floraffiti founder, teams up with Carrboro Poet Laureate Liza Wolff-Francis and Chapel Hill Poet Laureate Cortland Gilliam to bring poetry workshops to Carrboro and Chapel Hill. 

Floraffiti, a community engagement and placemaking project, is a program that focuses on environmental justice (EJ), a movement of environmental concern and activism. The adverse consequences of climate change and its environmental crises will be explored in these upcoming poetry workshops. The workshops will address social-political challenges and inequities that are exacerbated by the climate crisis.

These free workshops are open to all skill levels for teens and adults:

• Saturday, Feb.10, 2024

  Floraffiti Poetry Workshop with Carrboro Poet Laureate, Liza Wolff-Francis
  1:30-3:30 p.m.
  108 Bim St., Carrboro, NC

• Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024
  Floraffiti Poetry Workshop with Chapel Hill Poet Laureate Cortland Gilliam
  2-4 p.m.
  Chapel Hill Public Library, Room C

Learn more about Floraffiti!

Free Voter ID Event

The Orange County Board of Elections is hosting a Free Photo ID event at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W Main St. Carrboro, NC 27510, on Friday, Feb. 2 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Voters may also use this opportunity to register to vote or update their registration.

To obtain a free ID, voters will complete an ID request form providing their name, date of birth and the last four digits of their Social Security Number. No additional documents are required, and no appointment is necessary.

For more information contact the Orange County Board of Elections and 919-245-2350.

Family Financial Assistance: 
Deadline to apply is Jan. 31

The Carrboro Family Financial Assistance Program will continue to accept applications  for Carrboro families facing financial challenges with food, housing, utilities, transportation and childcare through Jan. 31. 

The program was approved by the Town Council on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024.  Partnering on the program are the Town of Carrboro Racial Equity Commission, Race and Equity team, Housing and Community Services Department, and the Orange County Department of Social Services. 

Pick up and drop off completed applications (English or Spanish) at any of the following: 

• Access applications on the program webpage 
• Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
• Hillsborough Commons, 113-B Mayo Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278 
•  Fax completed applications to 919-644-3305

For more information, contact Anita Jones-McNair at amcnair@carrboronc.gov or 919-918-7381 or Kannu Taylor at ktaylor@carrboronc.gov or 919-918-7351. 

Town Council Update

CARRBORO, N.C. -- Meeting agendas and updates are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. To receive these by email or text, sign up for Carrboro Town News.

Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. Reach the Town Council with your ideas, views, and questions at Council@carrboronc.gov

Coming Up
The Carrboro Town Council will hold its next regular Council Meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. You can find the agenda on legistar.

The Town Council meets at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream on YouTube OR at on Legistar OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro). 

The Council will meet again this week at a legislative breakfast set for 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Carrboro Town Hall. The purpose of this meeting is for Town Council members to gather and talk with General Assembly members who represent Carrboro to share the Town's legislative priorities for the year. 

Recap of Past Meeting  
The Council met for a work session on Tuesday, Jan. 16, to discuss the recommendations of the Community Safety Task Force. The Council meets for work sessions the second Tuesdays of most months. Public comment is generally not accepted during work sessions, and votes are not taken. 

Watch the work session replay on YouTube.

Town Council 
The Town Council, which is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, comprises Mayor Barbara Foushee, Mayor Pro Tempore Danny Nowell, Council Member Catherine Fray, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Jason Merrill, and Council Member Eliazar Posada. More information about our Town Council. 

Disparity study for local business owners 

The Town of Carrboro has contracted with Griffin & Strong, P.C. (GSPC) to conduct a disparity study for local business owners to learn more about their experiences doing business or attempting to do business with the Town of Carrboro. 

The survey, distributed by Creative Research Solutions (CRS), will provide valuable data for the Town to inform policies, practices and procedures addressing the needs of the business community. 

If you are a local business owner and are interested in participating, please take the disparity survey here.

If you have questions, concerns or additional comments, please email carrborostudy@gspclaw.com

Fire damages Carrboro apartment complex Berkshire 54

The Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department responded to a structure fire at 12 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 at the Berkshire 54 apartment complex located at 112 NC 54 Bypass. 

No injuries were reported. The American Red Cross and property management group are assisting with temporary housing and other needs of two residents who were displaced due to fire and smoke damage. Two apartments were deemed uninhabitable.

Responding crews arrived in just over two minutes and found an apartment building with flames visible from one apartment and smoke visible throughout multiple other apartments. Fire crews immediately initiated a fire attack and extinguished the fire in about 10 minutes. 

Fire damage was contained to one apartment. There was smoke damage to three adjacent apartments and water damage to one adjacent apartment. Initial damage estimates are approximately $75,000. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

The Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department received assistance from the Chapel Hill Fire Department, White Cross Fire Department, North Chatham Fire Department, Orange Grove Fire Department, New Hope Fire Department, Orange County Emergency Medical Services, and the Carrboro Police Department. 

Town of Carrboro 2024 Bilingual Calendar 

Town of Carrboro staff teams got their steps in this month (January 2024) hand-delivering more than 1,000 bilingual 2024 wall calendars around town.

There were some chilly and misty days! It was fun to meet neighbors at the Pine Grove Mobile Home Park on Old Fayetteville Road like Cyetesse Cotten, who said she is related to Elizabeth Cotten (her grandfather’s cousin).

In addition to calendars, staff circulated flyers about a financial assistance program for Carrboro families facing financial challenges with food, housing, utilities, transportation and childcare. Learn more at Carrboro Launches Family Financial Assistance Program https://ecs.page.link/eVCN6

This was a team effort of the Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department, the Carrboro Police Department, the Race and Equity Division, and the Communication & Engagement Department.

Please drop by Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St., and pick up a free calendar while supplies last. Check out the calendar at https://ecs.page.link/ShxrQ

Save the Date: Carrboro Open Streets

See what happens when the Town closes a street to cars and reclaims this public space with all sorts of other car-free activities! 

Come downtown to bike, dance and do your thing. Experience your street in a new way - fun for everyone with new activities every year! 

The event will be held Sunday, April 7 from noon to 4 p.m. along Weaver Street in downtown Carrboro.

Want to have a booth at Open Streets? Contact Jpoythress@carrboronc.gov .

Countywide Public Safety Hiring Event 

 Join us at the Countywide Public Safety Hiring Event on March 7, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Durham Technical Community College!

We're actively recruiting dedicated individuals to join our team of heroes! If you're passionate about making a difference and serving your community, this is your chance.

Positions available:

• Police Officers
• Firefighters
• Paramedics
• EMTs
• Telecommunicators
• and More!

Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a rewarding career in public safety. Bring your resume and be prepared for on-site interviews. We look forward to meeting you and building a safer community together!

2024 Winter-Spring Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Program Guide Available

The 2024 Carrboro Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Winter-Spring Program Guide is now available!  This guide covers programs and events from January through April, including Spring Athletic Leagues, and registration for 2024 Summer Camps.

Registration for Carrboro residents will open at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3.  Registration will open to all other participants on Thursday, Jan. 4. 

Registration will be accepted in the Carrboro Century Center during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and online via RecConnect.

If you are a new participant who wishes to register online, please be sure to set up an via our online registration site (linked below).  Please allow at least 3 business days for account review and approval.

If you have any questions, please contact the Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Department at 919-918-7364.

Important Information:

• Program Guide (PDF format)
• Online Registration Site
• Financial Assistance Program Information

Public parking available in downtown Carrboro

It’s easy to find free two-hour public parking in Carrboro, where you can access convenient parking at 10 public lots all over town.

Please remember that the Carr Mill Mall parking area is for mall customers and is not a public parking lot. Leaving the mall premises after parking risks towing. When in doubt, always park in public lots, and enjoy a hassle-free and relaxed shopping and dining experience.

Find more information including an interactive parking map on our Downtown Parking webpage.