An annual tradition during Bike Month in Carrboro, the Bike Breakfast is coming up!
Everyone out on the Libba Cotten Greenway off Robeson Street from 7 to 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 17, is welcome to drop by for breakfast treats! Cycling information and resources will also be available.
The Town of Carrboro is organizing the event with support from the following sponsors:
- GoChapel Hill
- Carrboro Bicycle Coalition
- Open Eye Café –coffee
- Neal’s Deli—biscuits
- Back Alley Bikes
- Clean Machine
For more information, contact Town of Carrboro Planning Administrator Christina Moon at cmoon@carrboronc.gov
Visit carrboronc.gov/bikemonth
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Tuesday is Election Day!
Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17. You must vote at your assigned precinct on Election Day. Use the State Board of Elections voter lookup tool to find your Election Day voting place: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/
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In Memory of Carrboro Mayor Robert Drakeford
The Town of Carrboro expresses its deepest sympathy that former Carrboro Mayor Robert “Bob” Drakeford has passed away.
Mr. Drakeford made history as Carrboro’s first and only Black mayor, elected in 1977 and serving until 1983. Longtime residents remember him as the young activist mayor who was elected as part of the progressive Carrboro Coalition in the 1970s.
“Mayor Drakeford brought a planner’s sensibility and a forward-looking vision to a Carrboro that was ripe for both,” Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils said. “Many of his priorities, from expanding public transportation and improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to fostering a welcoming, inclusive community, are at the heart of what we in Carrboro continue to reach for today.
“I offer sincerest condolences to Mayor Drakeford’s family from the community he made a better place.”
Mayor Drakeford served as alderman from 1975 to 1977 before being elected as mayor in 1977. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill’s city and regional planning program, he was an advocate for public transit and cycling, and he developed valuable collaborations with other progressive Black mayors in the South during his tenure.
Mayor Drakeford held public office when the Council (then Board of Aldermen) hired Richard Knight as the town’s first Black town manager, employed from 1976-1980. And he served as mayor during the hiring of the Town’s first professional planner, who was Black. This decision helped set high standards that eventually made Carrboro more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. He also established a loan program to encourage business entrepreneurs, and created the Carrboro Community Park, later renamed the Hank Anderson Community Park. The biggest issue during his tenure was planning the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Bus System.
The Town of Carrboro will remember Mayor Drakeford for his service to the community, for his courage and dedication, and for laying the foundation for an inclusive community.
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Town Council Update
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 at carrboronc.gov/signup
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
Please note that the Council will not meet on Tuesday, May 17, which is Election Day with polls open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. This is the Statewide Party Primary for Federal, State and County races; Orange County Board of Education; and Town of Carrboro Special Election. Learn more at https://orangecountync.gov/1720/Elections The Town Council will meet next at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, to consider an agenda that will be posted at carrboro.legistar.com
This in-person meeting will be held at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream at carrboro.legistar.com OR YouTube.com/CarrboroNC OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro).
To submit a comment on this agenda, please contact publiccomment@carrboronc.gov to reach the Town Clerk.
For more information, including a past meeting summary, visit https://www.townofcarrboro.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2156
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Police Week in Carrboro
The week of May 15-21 is Police Week in the Town of Carrboro.
Mayor Seils stated: “I encourage residents to share their gratitude with the officers and other professionals in the Police Department for promoting the safety of Carrboro’s residents and visitors, and to understand the duties and responsibilities of these essential employees and the risks they often must face to help make Carrboro a safe and welcoming place to live.”
In 1961, a joint resolution of Congress authorized the President to proclaim May 15th of each year to be Peace Officers Memorial Day, which honors law enforcement officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty, and to proclaim the week of each year during which that date occurs as Police Week; and
Did you know? In the most recent biennial community survey, the Carrboro Police Department was among the major categories of Town services that had the highest levels of satisfaction.
The Carrboro Police Department provides a vital public service by fostering the well-being of the community in a way that respects and promotes the rights of individuals; by providing for the safety of the Town’s residents and visitors; by acting as first responders in emergency and crisis situations; by investigating and solving crimes; by offering a variety of community services to individuals, local businesses, and community organizations and agencies; and by participating in ongoing training to stay up to date on current policing techniques, to achieve the department’s bias-free policing goals, and to provide community services in a fair and professional manner.
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Public Works Week in Carrboro
The week of May 15-21 is Public Works Week in the Town of Carrboro, proclaimed by Mayor Damon Seils.
The town is following a national observance, of which the theme is “Ready and Resilient,” highlighting the ability of public works professionals to perform regular public works duties and react as first responders during natural disasters and overcome trials in the field.
“I encourage all residents to thank and celebrate the Town’s public works employees and to recognize the importance of public works professionals and public works programs for protecting our health, safety, and quality of life and making Carrboro a great place to live,” Mayor Seils said.
- What does Carrboro Public Works do? The department provides reliable solid waste collection; loose leaf collection; street, greenway, and right-of-way maintenance; snow removal; stormwater facility maintenance; mowing and landscaping of Town properties; tree trimming and removal; ball field preparation and maintenance; facility maintenance; vehicle and equipment maintenance; cemetery maintenance and burials; and more.
- Who does it? There are 35 dedicated employees, half of whom joined the Town in the last five years, 10 of whom have reached up to 15 years of service, 4 of whom have reached up to 25 years of service, and another 4 of whom have achieved more than 25 years of service.
- How are they doing? In the most recent biennial community survey, Carrboro Public Works earned residents’ highest ratings of satisfaction, with 91% of residents indicating they were satisfied or very satisfied with the department’s services.
Thank you, Carrboro Public Works! Read the complete proclamation at https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11328/Public-Works-Week-2022
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No Mow May!
The Town of Carrboro is participating in No Mow May! The goal of No Mow May is to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of May, creating habitat and forage for early season pollinators.
Learn more below and at https://beecityusa.org/no-mow-may/
- educing how often you mow allows flowering plants to bloom, providing bees and other pollinators with food and habitat they need to survive.
- Researchers in Wisconsin studying the impact of No Mow May found that participating yards had three-times higher bee species richness and five-times higher bee abundance than nearby parks that had been mowed.
- Many pollinator species emerge in May from their hibernation or wintering habitat and flowers in your yard can provide them with a critical first meal.
- Regular lawn mowing favors grasses and other low-growing species. Mowing your lawn less can allow different species to thrive, increasing biodiversity.
- Researchers in Canada have found that certain allergenic species, such as ragweed, can be decreased simply through reducing lawn mowing frequency.
- As part of its commitment to Bee City USA, the Carrboro Town Code was updated to allow managed natural landscapes. No Mow May is one way you can participate!
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Looking For Stormwater Help? Don’t Know Where to Start?
To promote residential stormwater improvements and help bridge the connection between residents seeking assistance and those companies wishing to provide it, the Stormwater Division is continually compiling a directory of qualified contractors who are capable and available to perform such work and wish to be contacted by Carrboro residents.
The Directory is now available! Download the Directory as an Excel workbook at https://bit.ly/3wj7Riv
Want your business to be included, or know of a business that you think would like to be listed? Contractors/businesses are invited to submit information for listing in the directory via the Contractor Directory Application. at https://www.townofcarrboro.org/FormCenter/Public-Works-Department-23/Stormwater-Services-Contractor-Directory-199
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Carrboro seeks feedback on Jones Ferry Road’s protected bike lane
The Town of Carrboro is seeking feedback from cyclists who have used the protected bike lane along the eastbound lane of Jones Ferry Road.
Take the survey at:
The protected bike lane in Carrboro was approved by the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) as a pilot project and installed by the Town’s Public Works Department. It begins just south of the N.C. 54 eastbound ramps and extends north to the point near Barnes Street, where the street narrows and the buffered bike lane end.
Protected bike lanes generally have a separation element between the bike lane and the vehicular travel lane. On Jones Ferry Road, this element is a row of flex posts. The flex posts serve to identify the bike lane as a space for people on bikes.
Contact Planning Administrator Tina Moon at 919-918-7325 or cmoon@carrboronc.gov to submit additional questions, comments, or to request a physical copy of the survey.
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Freight Train Blues is Friday!
The Town of Carrboro continues its Music Maker Foundation’s Freight Train Blues series of live concerts every Friday evening at the Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. The series is a collaboration among the Town of Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources; the Music Maker Foundation; and WUNC 91.5FM.
More information: www.freighttrainblues.com
An annual event, the concert series highlights GRAMMY-winning folk and blues artist and North Carolina Music Hall of Famer Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten, born in Carrboro, North Carolina in 1893. Cotten’s soulful voice and unique guitar style have rendered her a legend in the world of blues, leading her to receive National Heritage Fellowship in 1984 and a GRAMMY award in 1985. She lived to be 104 years old and died in 1987. Her songs, like the iconic “Freight Train,” have been reimagined by artists like The Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan.
May 20- Sacred Soul of North Carolina Revue; Weaver Gospel Singers Tribute
Surviving members of the Weaver Gospel Singers — in song and with an oral history – will pay tribute to group leader Susie Weaver, who passed away in 1984. Susie Weaver’s original song “Freedom in Chapel Hill” was recorded live at First Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina by JCP Records during the Civil Rights era. In addition to singing, Mrs. Weaver owned a funeral parlor and was active in the Civil Rights movement. The music will be accompanied by praise dancer Joshua Weaver, Susie’s nephew. This set is presented in partnership with the Marion Cheek Jackson Center.
The Sacred Soul of North Carolina Revue features Bishop Albert Harrison & the Gospel Tones, Big James Barrett & the Golden Jubilees, The Johnsonaires and The Glorifying Vines Sisters. These artists appeared on the “joyous” (MOJO Magazine) fall 2021 compilation album Sacred Soul of North Carolina (Bible & Tire / Music Maker), which earned praise from NPR Music and DownBeat Magazine.
BishopAlbert Harrison, leader of the Gospel Tones, has been traveling and singing gospel music solo since the 1980s. Harrison hails from the experimental planned black community of Soul City in Warren County, while the Gospel Tones make Ahoskie, N.C., their home base.
The Johnsonaires recently marked two decades of performing in their hometown of Greenville, N.C., and on the road. The group is made up of all brothers whose musical education came from their father, their uncle, and their dedicated church attendance. Tony Johnson remembers one life-changing Christmas morning when his father surprised the brothers with real instruments — guitar, drums, microphones. When their uncle’s group disbanded, the Johnson brothers created their own group to “carry on the mantle” and continue the family’s musical legacy.
The Glorifying Vines Sisters are a thriving musical institution. Based in Eastern North Carolina, they’ve been tearing up the road for decades and tearing up every church they visit. But they don’t confine themselves to churches; they’re comfortable playing secular venues, too. Their music is steeped in the traditions of quartet gospel and they have shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the genre, including the Mighty Clouds of Joy and the Swanee Quintet. With over four decades of experience, the Vines Sisters continue to travel, record, and perform. And they’ve instilled gospel music into their children and grandchildren, who keep the tradition alive and thriving.
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Town of Carrboro receives NC3C Excellence in Communications Awards
GREENVILLE, NC – The Town of Carrboro was among 29 North Carolina governments to earn recognition in the North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C) 2022 Excellence in Communications Awards. The Town of Carrboro won two awards in the Citizen Participation and Most Creative with Least Dollars categories.
The awards were announced April 28, 2022, during NC3C’s annual conference in Greenville. All 111 award program entries were judged by professional communications peers from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.
The Town of Carrboro received the First Place Award for Citizen Participation with the Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan. The engagement plan aimed to have all residents, organizations, businesses, and appointed and elected officials come together to develop a common vision for the future of Carrboro and set of goals and strategies to meet that vision. The Draft Carrboro Connects 2022-2042 Comprehensive Plan has been well received by the community. This engagement effort culminated in a new draft which was released on May 2 and is available for viewing at https://www.carrboroconnects.org/
A 29-member citizen task force aided in the outreach, visioning, and development of Carrboro's first Comprehensive Plan in over three decades. The consultant team of Teska Associates with Teresa Lockamy, Lockamy Consulting and the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) worked closely on citizen engagement with the Town’s Planning Department and the Communication and Engagement Department.
One judge commented that Carrboro Connects was a great example of going above and beyond during a complicated pandemic year for engagement. “I appreciate the tension that can come from altering in-person events and creating virtual ones instead. I wish more organizations would do as you have by utilizing the multilingual features of Zoom. What great resources for your residents and community. High-quality photos of real people participating in real events are not to be taken for granted. A round of applause for the photo and video staff supporting this one. Well done!”
Small Town Pride won a Second Place Award in the Most Creative Least Dollars category. This fun, quirky, short video kicked off a joint Carrboro-Chapel Hill monthlong Pride celebration in June 2021. In it, two openly LGBTQ elected officials (Chapel Hill Town Council Member Karen Stegman and former Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle) are walking to meet each other on the border of the two communities. Each is carrying a rainbow pride flag under a bright blue NC sky. The video was conceived, shot, edited and distributed by Catherine Lazorko, Communication and Engagement Director for the Town of Carrboro. WATCH at https://youtu.be/wf5vlRSM0jk
The purpose of North Carolina City & County Communicators is to encourage professional development and networking among local governmental communications professionals. The organization is celebrating 15 years of its founding in March 2007 and consists of professional government communicators from around the state. For more information about NC3C, visit nc3c.com.
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Carrboro and Chapel Hill Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) Pride Month is celebrated nationally and locally each year in June. The Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill are hosting Small Town Pride, a joint celebration featuring events, art installations, online resources, and other opportunities to celebrate the Pride community. Through Small Town Pride, we aim to affirm community values ensuring that all residents, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are treated with respect and dignity.
The origins of Pride stem from the Stonewall Riots that occurred in June of 1969, when attendees of the Stonewall Inn in NYC clashed with anti-LGBTQ police. Marches and protests popped up in some major US cities in June of the following year to commemorate the event, and the tradition has continued.
Together with Carrboro, the Town of Chapel Hill’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) has been instrumental in planning Small Town Pride. “Pride has always been really important to us as a time of celebration, reflection, and action,” says Samantha Slayer, a member of Chapel Hill’s LGBTQ+ ERG. “It's exciting to have the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro both supporting us in growing this event, and to see the community's passion for it. It's especially encouraging at this time when queer rights are so under threat. We're really looking forward to celebrating our identities and our community this year.”
Celebrations will happen the entire month of June and will recognize local LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and activists, and highlight history, resources, and businesses. More information is available at carrboronc.gov/pride and chapelhillarts.org/smalltownpride.
Participate in one of the many events happening in June:
- Chapel Hill Pride! Promenade | Saturday, June 4 from 2-4 p.m. (downtown Chapel Hill)
Gather at Peace and Justice Plaza (179 E. Franklin Street) and strut alongside performers and other revelers in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community to 140 West Franklin Plaza for a social gathering with music and activities. - Poets Open Mic Night | Tuesday, June 7 from 7-9 p.m. (via Zoom)
Celebrate LGBTQ Pride through your poetry with other local poets. This event encourages the writing, reading, and listening of poetry. Hosted by Carrboro Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Department. Join the zoom event at https://townofcarrboro.zoom.us/j/83552560398?pwd=R3dIa29aTzgrNWU3NGZwQWxoR0ZuZz09 - Drag Story Times | Saturdays, June 11, 18, and 25 from 3-4 p.m. (locations vary)
Drag Story Times celebrate glamour, imagination, play, and gender fluidity while providing positive queer role models. Bring your kids to enjoy a fabulous hour of story time by some of the most prominent Drag royalty in the Triangle! - ORGULLO LATINX PRIDE | Saturday, June 11 from 5-9 p.m. (Carrboro Town Commons)
Celebrate Latinx Pride! with local food trucks, a drag show, a DJ, and games for the kids. Organizers from El Centro Hispano aim to create an event that fosters unity, inclusivity, and empowerment by showcasing our community’s talents while providing social, healthcare, and advocacy resources, and family fun. - Pride Piper Walk | Friday, June 24 at 4:30 p.m. (Carrboro Century Center)
Join local officials and the Bulltown Strutters, to help roll “Rainbow Ram” down Weaver Street from the Century Center to Town Commons for the Pride Food Truck Rodeo & Dance Party. - Pride Food Truck Rodeo & Dance Party | Friday, June 24 from 5-8 p.m. (Carrboro Town Commons)
Join for food, dance, and frolicking on the lawn. If you’re interested in participating as a vendor or by setting up a table, fill out the application form at https://www.carrboronc.gov/FormCenter/Communication-and-Engagement-Department-31/PRIDE-Events-at-Carrboro-Town-Commons-201
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Small Town Pride hopes to promote the equality of the LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as increase visibility, challenge anti-LGBTQ legislation, and bring awareness to other LGBTQ issues. Progress for true equality requires the support of everyone, including straight allies who know that support for LGBTQ+ people strengthens the entire community.
For media inquiries, contact Catherine Lazorko for the Town of Carrboro at clazorko@carrboronc.gov and Melissa Bartoletta for the Town of Chapel Hill at mbartoletta@townofchapelhill.org
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