Diversity issues – local discussions

I was pleased to speak on WCHL twice recently.  First I was a guest on D.G.Martin’s Who’s Talking? evening program discussing my new casebook, Sexual Identity Law in Context.  D.G. and I had an introspective conversation about the legal challenges faced by LGBT persons, particularly in North Carolina.You can hear the show at this link:

http://www.chapelboro.com/pages/9696168.php

A week later, I was invited to be a speaker on one of the panels at the annual WCHL Community Forum entitled Diversity:  Creating a Place for Everyone.  The conversation among the persons on this panel dealt with issues that many different groups face in our community.  You can click on the link below and scroll to the 2:00 p.m. hour to listen to this discussion:

http://www.chapelboro.com/pages/9717150.php

Both are examples of great local programming that WCHL does for our community.

 

Transit – a benefit to all

Note:  This commentary can be found on WCHL at http://www.chapelboro.com/Benefit-to-Some-AND-to-All/10391214?pid=231604:

A recent story on WCHL informed us that Orange County rural residents were upset because, although they represent 40% of the county population, they would only receive 12% of services under a newly proposed Orange County Bus plan.  One commissioner agreed, saying that it is crucial that county residents receive transit services in proportion to their investment in the overall plan.

 I disagree.  Receiving services in proportion to one’s investment is not achievable, nor should it be, with regard to government services.  For example, many persons do not have children but they still pay taxes for schools. I don’t currently need the Department of Social Services, the Seymour Senior Center or our county jail – still, my taxes help finance these county budget items.  In fact, with regard to transit itself, many residents of our towns get little or no bus service currently, yet our municipal taxes go toward our extensive and successful bus service.

One cannot view providing transit services only with regard to overall population.  Transit services succeed if they are concentrated in areas that are dense — like in Carrboro-Chapel Hill and Hillsborough where 60% of the county population lives.  It is economically sound to have most transit routes, including light rail, where they can carry large numbers of people.

This benefits the county as a whole – by helping our county’s workforce and other passengers move around efficiently, by informing our long-term land use planning, by helping us to avoid sprawl and create well-placed economic development opportunities, and by reducing our carbon emissions.

I ask everyone to consider that what might seem to be a benefit for one segment of our county can turn out to be a benefit for all of us.

 

What’s happening in Carrboro?

Most media coverage of late about what has been going on in Carrboro has been fixated on the property at 201 N. Greensboro Street.  Several weeks back, a group of local anarchists broke into a building on the property (after a few hours of discussion with our mayor and police chief, the persons inside the building vacated the premises).  A few weeks later, our Board of Aldermen learned through various sources that the group planned to disturb the property again.  Thereafter, our Board spent a good bit of time during a meeting hypothesizing with our police chief about what form this event could take, an event about which the town was never given formal notice (but one which was advertised on a flyer as an event whose purpose was to make the point that “all private property is stolen.”)   Days later, staff time was spent monitoring this event, resulting in one arrest.  Afterward, the local media reported that some citizens and aldermen were upset at the police presence at the event.  The police chief expressed her frustration through the press that “it hurts morale … We continue to do the right thing. We focus on our roles and responsibilities as police officers and enforce the laws … despite the lack of support.” 

As a member of the Board of Aldermen, I want to make clear where I stand in my support of the Carrboro police.  I have not heard anything related to the above-stated chain of events to change my opinion that our police department goes above and beyond its responsibility as an office of law enforcement to not only uphold and enforce the law, but to attempt to balance the values of our community while doing so.  In fact, I publicly stated my support of our police department at our board meeting on March 20, 2012. 

We have lots of work to do in Carrboro, and precious few resources available to get that work done.  During my campaign last fall, citizens were constantly asking me about our tax rate, and how we might increase our commercial presence and sales in Carrboro so that we could relieve the property tax burden on our citizens who own property in the town.  Working on this goal has been a major initiative of our Board.  We have a new Town Manager who is getting up to speed with all of our issues, and who is in the process of preparing a proposed budget for our upcoming fiscal year, a tremendous challenge.  We are constantly working to upgrade our bicycle and pedestrian network, and we are advocating for an expanded transit network via a transit tax that the Board of County Commissioners will likely put on the ballot this fall.   We continue to have important discussions with OWASA, our local water and sewer provider, as we work to make certain we will have a safe, adequate, plentiful water supply in the years to come.  And we are speaking out against the harms of proposed Amendment One, which is on the ballot on May 8, and making certain that people know there are Town employees that will lose their domestic partner benefits if this proposed amendment to our North Carolina Constitution passes.  

As you can see, plenty is happening in Carrboro, and there is lots of work to do.  Let’s turn our attention (and the media’s) toward tackling these other issues.

 

JFK and the proposed marriage amendment

The following editorial appeared in the Herald-Sun (Durham) on February 13, 2012, the Carrboro Citizen on February 23, 2012, and the Chapel Hill News and the Durham News on February 26, 2012 (note: the last sentence was deleted in the February 26 printings):

In the pulpit recently, Catholics were urged by a letter from the bishops of Raleigh and Charlotte “to protect traditional marriage” by voting in favor of the proposed amendment to the North Carolina Constitution on May 8, 2012.  The bishops stated that more information would be forthcoming, and that they wanted to “engage the debate in a manner that never diminishes the inherent dignity of any person.”   They stated that their position was “a principled one based on eternal and divine truth[.]” 

I felt a sense of sadness when I read this letter. I spent the greater part of my young life attending St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Athens, Ohio, where, growing up, I methodically marched my way through the sacraments (Baptism, Confession, Communion, and Confirmation). Sadly, however, I knew that the next step in the church – Marriage – was one that I would never be allowed to take. I was also sad because although I respect the Catholic Church and appreciate the manner in which they pledged to engage in this debate, I strongly disagree with their support of this amendment.

 I now attend a church that opposes the amendment. Like many other faith communities, my church advises that our faith calls us not to judge one another but to love one another. But my personal opposition to the amendment is further informed by my professional life, where I study principles of federalism, and state and local law and policy.  The proposed amendment seems to put little stock in the constitutional principle of the separation of church and state. And yet, as evidenced by the need for churches to state their positions – both for and against the amendment – in 2012, we seem not to be able to separate church and state.  

We have no proof about how John F. Kennedy, the nation’s first and only Catholic president, would feel about this amendment that would influence the legal rights of gay and lesbian citizens.  We do, however, have his own words (from a 1960 address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association) to remind us of what he said in an era when people in this country were concerned about having a Catholic as our Commander-in-Chief, and I believe those words provide some indication as to what his opinion might be. He said: 

“I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute–where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote–where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference–and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. 

“I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish–where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source–where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials–and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. 

“…  I believe in an America where religious intolerance will someday end–where all men and all churches are treated as equals–where every man has the same right to attend or not to attend the church of his choice–where there is no Catholic vote, no anti-Catholic vote, no bloc voting of any kind–and where Catholics, Protestants and Jews, at both the lay and pastoral level, will refrain from those attitudes of disdain and division which have so often marred their works in the past, and promote instead the American ideal of brotherhood.  … That is the kind of America in which I believe. …” 

President Kennedy, this is the kind of America I believe in, too.

 

Shelton Station – an important vote

On January 26, 2012, our Board approved the rezoning of parcels of property located at 404, 406, 500 N. Greensboro Street and 113 Parker Street for a project which has come to be known as Shelton Station.  The vote was 4-3 in favor of the rezoning (Mayor Chilton and Aldermen Haven-O’Donnell, Slade and I voted in favor of the project, and Aldermen Gist, Coleman and Johnson voted against the project).  We heard many thoughtful arguments for and against the project, which, if and when built out, will change N. Greensboro in a very noticeable fashion.   Pros of the project argued were that it would bring more people downtown to live, spend money, and conduct their daily activities in a more sustainable fashion (it is on a transportation corridor, and the project will be built to LEED-equivalent standards), and that it included a sizeable number of affordable units.  A further pro was that there is a purely commercial component to the project that will enhance the tax value of the property, and add to the sales tax base.   Arguments against the project were that it was too dense and would attract students, would lead to more traffic, and that it would change the character of the surrounding neighborhood.  

I think that this project is uniquely situated to be one that does not impact nearby residences (it sits between Southern States and the Fitch warehouse, and will back up to the railroad tracks).  The Carrboro developer, Ken Reiter, responded to concerns of the community and scaled back the project on two separate occasions.  I think what we have ended up with is exactly what the majority of the citizens of Carrboro would want as we continue to seek ways to reduce the tax burden on our taxpayers, and act responsibly while doing so.  You can read more about this here:

http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2012/01/26/carrboro-approves-shelton-station-zoning/

 

Back to business

On November 8, 2011, I was re-elected to another four year term on the Board of Aldermen.  THANK YOU to the voters of Carrboro!  Our swearing-in ceremony is Tuesday, December 6 at Carrboro Town Hall.  

During the campaign and since the election, we have had board meetings  that touched on various important issues affecting the town.  In the new year, I will be addressing those issues once again on this website.  In the meanwhile, we have a special meeting called for this Tuesday, November 29 to consider the profiles of several candidates for the Town Manager position.  It is nice to be able to focus fully on board business again.

 

While campaign is going on …

During this time, instead of Blog posts, I will be posting (temporarily) elsewhere on the site with information related to my run for a second term on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.

 

Environmental policies

I just had my candidate interview with the local Sierra Club, and it made me think more specifically about environmental issues we have addressed on the Board of Aldermen.  Much of what we do has an environmental “bent” (for example, providing our transit system reduces our dependence on gasoline, approving enhanced buffer regulations improves the quality of our water, up fitting homes and businesses so that they are more energy-efficient results in less use of electricity and gas).  So, here is a list of several action items we have approved on the Board within the last year that I believe directly reflects our long-standing Board policy of preserving and protecting our environment:

-We have spent a great amount of time on our local and regional transit and greenway plans.

-We received a $74,000 grant from the Southeastern Energy Alliance/U.S. Department of Energy (in partnership with the Town of Chapel Hill),  implemented our Carrboro WISE (“Worthwhile Investments Save Energy”) program (approving the design of a residential retrofit program), and approved our first energy efficiency revolving loan.

-We approved various developments under our stalwart Land Use Ordinance, including a unique development (Veridia) that is proposed to be LEED certified with many environmental features, such as a solar photovoltaic array to offset community electrical usage, solar water heaters, a rainwater capture and reuse water system and a community garden.

-We have encouraged walking and biking by the construction of sidewalks and bike lanes.

-We constructed a new Town fire station, complete with many environmental features such as extensive use of daylighting, energy-efficient lighting, flushless toilets and a solar water heater.

-We filed a bill in the North Carolina General Assembly to ask to operate under the new N.C. Building Code requirements (these will contain required energy efficiency standards) a year early.  The new requirements are scheduled to take effect in 2012; we asked to have them effective for us in 2011 (unfortunately, the bill has not moved forward).

-We approved and supported Town staff’s participation in environmental restoration efforts along the Bolin Creek Watershed and Baldwin Park.

-We authorized and received a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (prepared by a class at the University of North Carolina), a report analyzing community and municipal GHG emissions and ways to reduce these.

-We have been working to improve protection of the riparian buffers and streams that flow into Jordan Lake by making revisions to our ordinances, pursuant to the Jordan Lake Rules.

I am proud of this work we have done and know that we will continue these types of efforts.

 

Running again

I filed today.  Here is my news relase:

Lydia Lavelle announced that she will file to run for a second term on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen. Lavelle was first elected in November 2007.

During her first term, Lavelle has not only been a steady presence on the Board, but has also been actively representing Carrboro’s interests in several other capacities.

This year, she is serving as the chair of the regional Transportation Advisory Committee of the Durham/Chapel Hill/Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (TAC-MPO), a group composed of elected officials from Orange, Durham and Chatham counties responsible for addressing and planning for transportation needs for the region. In addition, she sits on the Transit Partners Committee, a work group of elected officials and staff that discusses issues related to Chapel Hill Transit. She also represents Carrboro on the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors, and is the BOA liaison to the Planning Board.

Lavelle has lived in the triangle area for 28 years, and at her current address for seven years. She became a member of the Town’s Planning Board and chaired its New Horizons Task Force after her neighborhood became a part of the town in January 2006. An attorney, Lavelle is employed as an Assistant Professor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham.

“I am grateful to the voters of Carrboro who elected me four years ago to serve as an alderman. During my first term, I have established a reputation as a person who listens and makes well-reasoned decisions. I work hard to be accessible to my constituents and colleagues. Further, I actively represent the interests of Carrboro in a variety of regional settings. I have enjoyed getting to know many fine people who also care about Carrboro during my tenure. If I have the opportunity to serve the Town of Carrboro with a second term of office, I will continue the local leadership that I have established these first four years.”

Lavelle has a history of service in her communities. Before serving on the Board of Aldermen, she worked for the city of Durham for eight years, after which she became a member of the City of Durham Recreation Advisory Committee and the Durham Open Space and Trails (DOST) Commission. She was vice-chair of the DOST for several years, and also a member of the Trails Committee, which planned and routed many of the trails and greenways in Durham.

Her continuing priorities will be to work to improve transportation options, to represent Carrboro’s concerns and interests with regional partners, and to steward Carrboro’s growth and development with an eye towards diversifying the town’s tax base.

 

Jones Creek Greenway

On June 3, a trail opening ceremony was held near Morris Grove Elementary School for the Jones Creek Greenway.  This Orange County project was funded with ARRA funds and recently completed.  The greenway is a .62 segment of path through the woods near the site of the future Twin Creeks Park.  It ends abruptly a short distance from the back of my neighborhood (Fox Meadow) as well as Lake Hogan Farms, but neighbors have found ways to get to it for pleasant walking and running and for kids to ride their bikes to school. Draft plans are for it to continue on to Homestead Road someday.  What a great project!