Holly Springs Watch

How to get a policy changed

2012-01-28T06:39:00.004-05:00

A friend in Branchburg NJ is working to rally the troops to get some action on a new grading system in their schools. It appears to be the same type of grading system our elementary school kids have to endure (1, 2, 3, 3*, 4). I am writing this for their benefit as well as your benefit here in Holly Springs, because all too often when citizens try to get a policy changed, it is done with emotion but few facts. As a result, elected officials really cannot use the input provided, which ends up making citizens distrust government.

First, don't insult those who are in those decision making seats. Don't tell them that they already had their minds made up. Yes, individually, as an elected official you would have an opinion on the issue based on data previously provided. However, you cannot meet as a group unless it is an official meeting. So don't accuse them of meeting ahead of time, because you will be accusing them of breaking the law!!

Second, understand how the meeting must be handled. There are certain things that must be done in an open meeting. Sometimes the public is allowed to speak, sometimes not. The best thing you can do is watch and learn the decorum over time. I would also suggest contacting the clerk ahead of time to better understand what can and cannot be done. On the new Holly Springs website they have added some of this information in the town council section.

Third, provide facts about the issue, facts about successes or failures in other places. You can even provide personal experiences, but don't resort to using tactics or phrases like, "the blood of the children will be on your hands". Yes, that is something I was once told!

There was a group of citizens who lived on Skybrook Drive who bought their homes after plans for a pump station were in place behind this cul de sac. Certainly one could say that the pump station plan came first and they did not do their research. However most of the men in this cul de sac came together asked questions, put together facts, were professional and persistent. There was one gentleman who became the lead spokesman for the group which allowed them to be concise and efficient with their comments. As a result, they were able to get some significant buffers added around the pump station, which may not have been perfect, but much more than they would have gotten otherwise. There was one member of the group who did have the propensity to get emotional, but the group often made efforts to stifle him.

I always use this issue an the example of how to complain effectively. These guys fought an uphill battle, but they accomplished much more because they handled the issue professionally and with drive and persistence.

Town planning retreats

2012-01-15T07:39:00.004-05:00

By calling these meetings "retreats" is actually misleading. Retreats are normally associated with rest and relaxation. Town planning retreats are not relaxing by any means. Yes, it is done in a more relaxed setting, but the time spent discussing town issues can be grueling.

This year the town will try a different schedule, but try to accomplish just as much. As I have said before these meetings are often the target of taxpayers groups as being a waste of money, but as a participant of these meetings, they are very worthwhile. They permit long uninterrupted discussions on various town topics over a few days in a more relaxed setting. And, of course, these meetings open to the public. Normally these meetings take place at a conference center outside of town over the course of a weekend, this year on a Friday and Saturday. Holly Springs will be using a hotel in nearby Moore County. The cost of lodging, meals and mileage is well worth it as the town will realize the benefits in the short and long term. Look around at the many improvements which have taken place in Holly Springs and it was likely discussed at an annual retreat. I expect the same impact will occur this year.

Clarifications of massive misinformation and misunderstandings on GOLO

2012-01-14T07:31:00.005-05:00

GOLO is the medium that WRAL uses when readers on their website want to comment. Here are two issues that need clarification:

First, the town manager is not listed on the salary grade matrix because he is on contract. He does not automatically get the standard employee cost of living and merit increases.

Second, there were gripes about the fire chiefs salary. The fire chief is a salary grade 89 and the published salary falls between the median and high range. The town calibrates it's salaries periodically to determine it's fairness and competitiveness against other like municipalities.

Many of the other issues mentioned in these postings involved alleged knowledge of corruption, which no one was willing to disclose even on a forum where identities can be hidden. Over my years in Holly Springs many people had stories about days gone by that they were unwilling to share.

iPads for Council Members

2012-01-08T08:51:00.002-05:00

Now that Holly Springs has a new council in place, they are ready to take on new technology. Giving council members an iPad to use for their agenda packet is a good decision. This short term expense has long term benefits. Using this technology can get the agenda packet to council members much quicker. Currently a member of the police department delivers the packet to each council member every Thursday. In addition , there is not a need for multiple copies of agenda notes as well as labor required to put these packets together.

What is nice too is that council members will be able to access source and reference materials to help them work through issues. Seeing these advancements really makes me miss this line of work!!

Mayor and council pay

2011-12-31T06:24:00.002-05:00

There is a bit of controversy developing in Apex regarding mayor and council salaries. There are various council members across the region and state who have voted down their own pay increases during recent years. This sends a nice political message, although the savings to the town is minor compared to other town expenditures.

Elected officials are the targets of all sorts of accusations, however, someone must make policy decisions for the town. Whether or not you like those in office, that is their job. It is my feeling that elected officials should get the same pay increase percentage as town employees. Remember, elected positions are part time jobs, therefore the increase is very small. Example, a councilman in Holly Springs earns approximately $6300 per year. A 2% increase amounts to $126 per year or about $11 a month.

Frankly, any elected official who makes a big deal about council pay increases is really doing it for media exposure and political posturing. In my experience, most elected officials I served with earned their pay. I am not going to say it is a hard job, but you have to put in your time, learn the ropes and keep up with the latest developments. Some of my council peers who I learned the most from had as much or less experience than me. This was due to the time they put into the job, other career experiences or research they did on their own time. This is why these council pay increases are appropriate , especially in Holly Springs.

So if a council member or anyone in Holly Springs ever makes an issue about council pay increase, they are probably only talking about a few bucks, the equivalent of two meals at a fast food restaurant or two packs of cigarettes!

Arguing is not a bad thing....

2011-12-23T06:44:00.011-05:00

In a recent edition of the Southwest Wake News, Parrish Womble, who held a seat on the town council for 30 years, was interviewed. There was one quote attributed to him and a statement made by the reporter which got my attention:

Ham Womble seemed a little weary of the job himself. "I enjoyed it better a long time back", he said. There was less arguing, he said, and he fondly remembers group trips to a municipal conference in Washington, DC, when the entire board piled into his 1988 Chevrolet van.

I found the "arguing" reference quite interesting. As we know, arguments only take place when there is a difference of opinion. As this town grew, more people started moving in and offering different perspectives and various levels of experiences and, some may say, sophistications. As the town grew, these opinions, compared to older more antiquated thought here in Holly Springs, were what helped us get to this point today. I can tell you from experience, that new ideas and questioning of prior decisions were not always greeted positively by some of the "old guard" in Holly Springs. I remember attending meetings in 1996 and early 1997, when one former council member, a transplant from the Northeast and retired corporate techie, whose inciteful and critical questions were not always greeted with open arms!

The only real arguments that I recall during my service occurred when one or two council members, just a couple of years ago, tried to uncover some sort of non-existent wrongdoing in town hall. Needless to say, nothing was ever "uncovered". Some of these topics included Green Oaks Parkway, town hiring practices, ethics, employee vehicle allowances. These arguments were not bad things to argue about, after all, if all the council members embraced these witch hunts, the town would have lost a lot of credibility in my opinion.

Very often having some arguing and discord is a good thing as long as council members are doing it for the good of the town, not political or media attention.

"Consultant" is not a bad word in municipal government

2011-11-04T19:54:00.006-04:00

The Southwest Wake News recently published the council candidate responses to various questions. The comment attributed to Cheri Lee : "One instance would be utilizing the town staff more for project research and compilation instead of hiring outside agencies and spending $50,000 plus on master plans" is a bit shortsighted.

My interpretation of this comment is that she recommends using town staff to handle the research and creation of master plans and other planning documents in order to save money. This sort of statement has good political traction, but if you look at this issue more closely, it really does not save money, actually it can be more costly from many perspectives. I can speak from experience on this matter. In addition, I really don't think this comment was made with much thought nor research.

First, if you rely on existing staff levels to get these plans done,you would have to push aside routine, day-to-day activities. From the planning and engineering perspective, this would have an impact on development work as well as infrastructure work. This means that the development schedule for residential subdivision plans, commercial plans or anything else would have to be pushed back, since town staff would be needed to compile data and prepare reports. This would likely drive economic developers to other municipalities who have more timely review and approval schedules. This could put the availability of essential services to citizens at risk, such as water and sewer projects.

Second, if you are not willing to push aside routine development and other work, then you would have to hire additional town staff. There is no way around that! There are costs involved with that as well. Not only is there the need to establish a competitive salary to get qualified personnel, but there are benefit costs (an additional 30% over salary), recruitment costs as well as general office expenses. You incur some or all of these costs whether it is a permanent or temporary employee. In addition, once this work dries up, you may have to lay off employees. This could be a negative hit to the town’s reputation as a stable employer. If we get the reputation for being an unstable work environment then no solid job candidates will ever want to work here.

Third, the time involved in putting together these plans is significant for a quality report. These are some approximate consultant times, provided by town staff, for some these previously prepared plans:

Beyond the Green (P&R master plan)- 3 consultants over 9-10 months
Vision Holly Springs- 5 consultants over 736 hours
Bicycle Transportation Plan- 500 hours
Holly Springs Comprehensive Transportation Plan- 800 hours

In addition, if town staff had to research, create and publish these plans, the hours needed would be much greater. Consultants are normally experts in these very specific fields and have a lot of pre- established plan formats as well as research and experience to rely on, which saves a lot of time. The product quality a town can expect would be better from an expert consultant as well. Town staff, although very knowledgeable, may not have the detailed technical expertise for some projects. Staff engineers, planners and parks staff are more like "generalists". After all, would you go to a general practitioner for a heart ailment? Of course not, you would go to a cardiologist!

As I have stated a number of times in the past, when you hear shocking or sensational comments from a candidate, the best thing you can do is research and verify to get the truth. This was my personal interpretation and opinion related to this comment. This is my opinion based on the information I gleaned over my 12 years on the town council. I did also contact a number of town staff members in order to get these consultant hours for each plan. It is healthy to raise issues to help improve the services that the town offers, but raising issues to alarm or create suspicion, without valid research or data, is not beneficial to the citizens of a town.

Partisan endorsements in municipal elections

2011-08-19T06:13:00.007-04:00

In recent years, the local political party organizations have been endorsing candidates in the municipal non-partisan elections. Is this a good thing? I am not sure. For a candidate, this can help since some voters may vote for you just because of the affiliation. On the other hand , some may not vote for you for the very same reason.

Thus far in this campaign, the Wake County GOP has endorsed the only Republican in the race, Cheri Lee. I am sure that the Democrats will do the same for those with that affiliation: Ray Riordan, Ken Henke , Pete Utley and Otis Byrd. Although they will have to rule two of them out since there are only two seats.

The other candidates, Tim Sack and Gerald Holleman, are listed as unaffiliated. Holleman has previously been affiliated as a Democrat and Republican at different times in the past.

In my last campaign for town council, I sought and received the GOP endorsement. Did it help me? I don't know, but I did capture the highest number of votes in that 2005 contest. As a candidate , I did not see any material benefit since I did not get any financial backing from the party, nor did they provide any manpower.

In the 2009 town council race, the Wake GOP endorsed two candidates who were highly critical of the pattern of growth in Holly Springs. One would normally associate the growth of the free market with the Republican party, which made these two endorsements puzzling in my opinion. The point I am trying to make is that you still need to research the candidates on your own and not rely on a political party's endorsement.

Council representation of the population

2011-06-18T07:15:00.001-04:00

We are approximately one month away from the first filing day for the two council seats up for grabs this year. Sorry to disappoint some of you but this post is not about voting district representation on the town council, an idea which makes no sense today in Holly Springs. This post is about representation of the under 50 year old population in Holly Springs. Right now, to the best of my knowledge, no one on the council is under 50 years old, actually I think only one is under 60. The average age on the council is probably about 65 years old.

Does this adequately represent a town which has about 50% of it's residents between the ages of 21 and 55? (I based this on my own estimates using the 2000 census and more recent approximations.). Also, the estimated median age in Holly Springs is 33 years old. This is for you to decide, but I simply wanted bring this to your attention to make you think about your vote this November.

Recent letter in HS Sun by former council member

2011-06-05T09:52:00.005-04:00

In a HS Sun letter to the editor, a former councilman complained about the approval of the expansion of the outdoor area for a dog boarding, training and grooming facility. He also complained about Councilman Van Fossen's vote in favor of the expansion since he served as the architect on the original design of the facility, not this current plan.

I knew before I read the letter that it would be slanted with innuendo, after reading it, I was right. However, one cannot dismiss the appearance of impropriety that voting on such a matter gives. Let me first address the voting issue. Van Fossen was not permitted to vote on the initial design since he would financially benefit from a positive vote on the project. He was recused from voting on the matter. According to his statements, he no longer is associated with Doggie Village other than being a customer. Legally he can and must vote on this expansion, but, the average person not familiar with municipal law and procedures would question this. Even if Van Fossen did not cast a vote or even if he left the room, he would have still gone on record as casting an "aye" (or yes) vote.

In the weeks prior to the initial approval of Doggie Village, Hope Chapel sought to lease this same facility in the business park. However a church is not a permitted use in the Light Industrial zoning district. The council voted against changing this entire zoning classification to include churches, which would have conveniently benefited this church, but would have affected this zoning in the entire town. The council never directly denied Hope Chapel from occupying this facility, they just did not approve changing the current zoning ordinance. Again, the average person may not understand this, but one with municipal experience would understand this issue. In addition, a "dog kennel" is a permitted special exception use in a Light Industrial" zone.

Hopefully this clarifies the issues presented in the letter. As I have said before, if something does not make sense, there is probably a valid explanation, like in this case. The only thing I can do is provide clarifications of the process and issues. But often the rules and requirements in government may not make sense to the average person, but it is the process to be followed. As far as the impression that such a vote provides, only you, the citizen, can make that determination. But I urge you to get the facts first.

Autumn Park parking issue

2011-04-22T19:53:00.003-04:00

At the April 19 town council meeting, a couple of residents of this subdivision complained that high school kids and parents of elementary and middle school are parking in their neighborhood. They felt that use of the streets in the subdivision should be restricted to only subdivision residents.

These are town streets which are for the use of the general public and cannot be restricted to the benefit of only those people who live on the street. Not sure what they are trying to accomplish, but the restrictions they are seeking really cannot be done.

Should you expect elected officials to complete their term?

2011-03-26T11:11:00.002-04:00

In the N&O, there was a story about two county commissioners who may abandon their seats after being duly elected by voters. Comm. Stan Norwalk will likely resign due to health concerns and he also states that he will move closer to family in Kansas. Norwalk was elected to his first term a few years ago at the age of 77. Comm. Tony Gurley is considering running for Lt. Governor and would have to abandon his seat if elected to that seat.

Rosa Gill resigned her seat on the Wake School Board to accept an appointment to the state senate. Beverley Clark resigned from her school board seat in 2009 citing personal reasons.

The term for a Holly Springs Mayor and Councilman is 4 years. This may be a good question to ask candidates this fall: Do you intend to serve all 4 years of your term?

Town Council Retreats

2011-03-04T14:02:00.003-05:00

I blogged about this topic about a year ago, however, this may get some people talking especially after the article in the Southwest Wake News.

As I have mentioned before these meetings are often the target of taxpayers groups as being a waste of money, but as a participant of these meetings, they are very worthwhile. They permit long uninterrupted discussions on various town topics over a few days in a more relaxed setting. And, of course, these meetings open to the public. Normally these meetings take place at a conference center outside of town over the course of a weekend (Friday afternoon through midday on Sunday). Holly Springs is using a facility in Wallace, NC this year. This is the same facility that the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce used for their retreat.

The cost of lodging, meals and mileage is factored into the town budget. About two years ago, Holly Springs did not conduct an out-of-town weekend retreat. The town used the Yates Mill facility for a day long retreat. It certainly cost less than a weekend retreat at a hotel, but the facilities were not comfortable and the agenda was very rushed. I don't think that we accomplished as much that year as prior years. At a weekend retreat we probably spent close to 20 hours talking about town issues, at Yates Mill the discussion time was closer to 6 or 7 hours.

Local naysayers and members of the media will try to put a negative spin on this annual expense. However, rarely do they ever research to understand how these meetings have inevitably benefited the town, long and short term. One decision at this year's retreat could easily cover the expense of the whole weekend.

So if you learn that the town council is going on a weekend planning retreat, find out the topics and the results, then determine how much the town benefited from this weekend work. Take a look at the survey on the right and cast your vote.

Public input on the 2011-12 town budget

2011-02-26T08:23:00.003-05:00

We are fortunate here in Holly Springs that the town actually seeks our input. Granted, anyone at any time, via most any media, can provide the town council with input on how our tax money should be spent. However, the town council actually puts aside a time specifically for citizen input.

In the past, very few people have participated in this process. Some have even used this period of time to announce their intention of running for office, inappropriately enough. I do encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, but make sure you use the time properly and effectively.

I expect that some people will ask questions like, "will you including money for x?". Please understand that this is the time to tell the town council what you want to see or not see in the budget, not ask if something will be in the budget, because this is the input that staff will use while preparing the budget.

Please take the opportunity to share your thoughts in person, via email, telephone or US Mail. The public hearing will take place on March 15.

Appropriate comments and questions during a rezoning agenda issue

2011-02-06T16:38:00.001-05:00

Very often you will hear inappropriate questions or comments made by speakers at a rezoning public or by council members during the deliberations. Often these questions involve landscaping or buffering, traffic circulation on the parcel, curb cuts or an actual project intended for the parcel. None of this can be considered in determining if a proposed zoning classification is appropriate for the parcel.

In a rezoning deliberation, all you really can consider is if the proposed use is acceptable for that property. You can consider adjacent uses and zoning classifications, but you cannot discuss a proposed site plan in the zoning proceedings. I am glad to provide guidance to individuals or HOAs who wish to speak out a rezoning public hearings.

2011 Town Council Election

2011-01-07T06:38:00.004-05:00

Now that our new representatives in Washington have been sworn in we can now focus on who should govern in Holly Springs. This year two of the five council seats will be up for grabs. These are the seats currently held by Tim Sack and Parrish Womble.

In case you were not aware, the position of Councilman is a part time job. One can expect to work at this approximately 15 to 25 hours per month, however it can vary based on how many auxiliary or community events you attend. This something that can easily be controlled.

As you know most of the town's population falls within the 25 to 45 year old range. It would be nice to have some good candidates who represent this age group. This is not to say that being this age means you will be a good candidate, but someone of this age may offer a different perspective which may be missing.

If you fall within this age group and want more information on the challenges and responsibilities of a Councilman in Holly Springs, please contact me. This is the time to plan for this, not in June. Look forward to hearing from a few folks.

Unaffiliated town council elections - a novel idea

2010-12-03T15:06:00.006-05:00

Someone recently asked me if political parties endorse local candidates. The answer is yes, but that endorsement is not listed on the ballot. Although I was endorsed by the Wake GOP in my last re-election bid, I am not sure that political party involvement in local elections is completely positive.

That same person asked me when the next municipal election would take place in Holly Springs. It will take place in November 2011. This prompted me to think about how we can get the candidates to focus and address the issues so the best people get elected. Often people cast their votes based on a candidates party affiliation and they may not pay any attention to their position on issues, which is unfortunate. As registered voters we can list ourselves with a party affiliation: Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or even be listed as unaffiliated.

What would be interesting is for all the candidates in the 2011 Holly Springs council race (2 seats will be up for grabs) list themselves as "unaffiliated". This way people will vote for them based on the issues and not affiliation.

What are your thoughts on this? Post them here or on the Facebook page

Holly Springs Citizen of the Year

2010-11-18T20:31:00.005-05:00

At the November 16 town council meeting, there was an agenda item regarding the formation of a new Citizen of the Year Committee. It is comprised of the current and former citizens of the year. Since the Chamber of Commerce abandoned the award this year without any notice, these committed citizens came together to help keep the spirit and importance of the award alive.

At the town council meeting, the reigning "COY" spoke about why the award was so important to her. In addition, the town council was asked to provide financial support...basically by purchasing the plaque (about a $25 expense).

The town council (with the exception of Parrish Womble) all supported the motion to provide this funding and logistical support so that this award could continue. I could not figure out his reasoning, but I think he wanted the town council to make the selection, essentially turning this into a political award. You can watch the meeting on streaming video http://www.hollyspringsnc.us/media/nov16/index.htm.

Recent chamber of commerce comments

2010-11-07T12:13:00.008-05:00

At the November 2 town council meeting, Councilwoman Williams expressed concern that the local chamber of commerce did not coordinate the 2010 Holly Springs Citizen of the Year process, which normally results in the announcement of the winner at Hollyfest. She also expressed concern that this same organization was given a $35,000 grant, but was not going to produce the annual directory which is provided to town citizens.

At the meeting, the Mayor Sears stated that the chamber is planning to substitute it with something in a Cary-based magazine. (I am not sure of the details associated with this.) We will see how this all plays out at the next meeting as the town council is seeking answers in this forum. (UPDATE: AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 16, NO ONE FROM THE CHAMBER SHOWED UP TO CONTEST ANY OF THESE COMMENTS).

I would like to share my understanding of this grant when I was on the town council. First, $10,000 is provided as a platinum level membership. Currently, the town of Holly Springs is the only chamber member at this level. The additional $25,000 was to be used to help offset the cost of the annual directory, to include production of the publication and postage since they use the advertising as a means to raise funds.

The town grant to the chamber increased from $25,000 to $35,000 a few years ago.

Keeping Emotion Out of Decisions

2010-09-28T20:49:00.005-04:00

At the September 21 town council meeting, there was a proposal to amend the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to allow churches in light industrial zoned areas. The petitioner for this amendment was the Hope Community Church. For those not familiar with this church, it is a well financed institution located on Buck Jones Rd in Cary and also holds services at Holly Springs High School. This church makes a significant effort to share those funds with the needy in the community.

This church was the petitioner for this amendment request, since they wanted to rent a building in the Holly Springs Industrial Park. The people who spoke during the public hearing, however did not present evidence that supported the change in the ordinance, they focused on what a great church Hope was. The council could not use any of this in their deliberations.

Although the council was cautioned by the town attorney that they need to focus on the ordinance, not all the wonderful things that this church does, the advice seemed to be ignored. Although it would have been better to completely avoid any reference to this church and its work, Council Members Cobb, Sack and Williams did focus the basis of their decision on the ordinance and the impact it would have on the town. Councilman Womble , the dissenting vote, seemed to make his decision based on merits of the church's work, not the impact that such a change would have on the UDO and the town. The council's job with this issue was not to judge the merits of this church or what it can bring to Holly Springs, but to decide if religious uses are appropriate in a light industrial zone.

I feel that if the council (and the speakers) focused on the ordinance and not the church's work, the deliberation would have been much shorter and focused. Also, if the church supporters (actually UDO amendment supporters) had done their homework, properly prepared for the meeting and focused on the merits of changing the UDO, the results may have been different.

Overall, it is my opinion, that the council made the right decision to deny this amendment.

Council questions during meetings

2010-09-12T06:42:00.000-04:00

While on the council, I would periodically have to respond to comments about why I did not ask a lot of questions during the meetings. There is and was a very simple response to this question: preparation.

The town council receives the agenda packet approximately 5 days prior to the meeting. The packet is very comprehensive. The public can see the same packet they get on the town website.

While in office, if I had questions about something, I would contact the appropriate town staff member to get my answers. I did that often. If I felt that this was something that was important to share publicly, I would let them know that I would ask the question at the meeting, so that they were prepared.

People may think that when council members ask a lot of questions during the meeting, that they are especially effective. Frankly, I always felt that it was the opposite, that it showed lack of preparation.

So I encourage you to check out the agenda packet online and see how many questions could have been answered in those documents.

Appointments and removals from town boards

2010-08-29T16:25:00.002-04:00

At the 8/3 town council meeting, a former planning board member addressed the town council and groused about being removed from this board due to poor attendance.

In this case it sounded like he missed a substantial number of the meetings over the last year.
Although the town council has a policy regarding attendance on appointed boards (ie planning board or parks and rec board) , they do not have to adhere to this policy and they are well within their rights to remove anyone who is not fulfilling their responsibility to the citizens of the town.

Non profit grants - still unfinished business

2010-08-29T14:44:00.002-04:00

It ends up that most of the decisions on this will be made at the next council meeting. However, they did allocate $500 of taxpayer money to go toward a festival in Raleigh.

Non profit grants for organizations outside of Holly Springs

2010-08-15T14:31:00.009-04:00

At the August 17 town council meeting, agenda item 9g, the town council will determine which organizations will get grants from the town as well as how much. (http://www.hollyspringsnc.us/gov/agendatc081710/9b.pdf)

Well, it appears that a committee comprised of two council members has recommended that $1500 of tax payer money go to a school outside of Holly Springs town limits, so they can purchase soccer and basketball goals.

This committee has also recommended a reduction in the amount requested by Holly Springs High School's "Hawks TV" organization. They have requested $2500 to purchase equipment for students to video, edit and produce shows for HSTV11. I understand that this will include high school athletics events. (HSTV 11 has reported that they have received lots of inquiries about more programming focused on schools.) This is perfect situation where the students (under a faculty advisor) will produce programs for the community to view, and at the same time, learn about television production. Unfortunately this committee has decided that their $2500 request is too much and recommended that they only receive $2000.

Please understand that this is a committee recommendation, not the final word. The final word will be delivered on August 17 when the entire town council votes on this.

Council member discussions do not always have to be in public

2010-08-06T12:32:00.005-04:00

At the August 3 town council meeting, one woman expressed concern that the topic of the Mayor's salary had been discussed amongst council members outside of a public meeting. She was concerned about this.

Council members can and do discuss issues outside of town meetings. They can discuss matters on a one on one basis. They are prohibited from discussing town business when they have established a quorum. A quorum is established when the mayor and a majority of the council is present. In Holly Springs, this would be the mayor and three council members. Although three councilmen can meet, this is questionable as they can form a majority opinion on an issue.

There are also times when a governing body can meet in private to discuss certain matters. (See my December 16, 2009 posting)

Citizen responsibility and municipal voting districts

2010-07-15T07:40:00.012-04:00

At the July 6 Holly Springs town council meeting, Kenneth Martin, the de facto lead of the voting district movement in town, expressed reservations with the report that Mayor Sears prepared. He stated a number of things which he would have liked to have seen in the Mayor's report and did not feel it was balanced since opinions like his were not included.

This is where "citizen responsibility" comes into play. If those who support district voting are truly passionate about this issue, they will conduct the research and present data which supports their opinion. This is the best way to affect change...do the research and present a compelling case. To date, no one who has spoken or written in support of voting districts, has provided data which supports the change. If I was in their shoes, I would research votes cast by the current council to determine if they have voted as a block in favor of projects or issues which directly benefited their areas of town or to the detriment of other areas. I would also research other towns, of similar size, and find out why they have districts, how it has benefited them as well as the problems they have experienced.

All I have heard or read has been emotionally based. I have looked at this issue myself and found that the emotional perspective is all that district proponents have. So the advice here for any issue is...if you truly want to affect change make a proposal based on facts and data which also considers the pros and cons.

Evolution of the Holly Springs Mayor's Salary

2010-06-30T18:00:00.000-04:00

The mayor's job is essentially a part time position, however Dick Sears puts in full time hours in this role and was recently awarded a salary increase as well as a travel allowance. With all the good things that he has helped the town achieve, in my opinion, this was a good decision made by the council. But let me give you some background on the mayor's position in Holly Springs.

I can only provide details based on my recollection and involvement in the town. When I began my first term in 1997, Gerald Holleman served as the elected mayor as well as the town administrator. The town operated under a Mayor-Council form of government, which was typical for such a small town. I don't remember how his salary was accounted for, but between those two jobs he earned in the $60,000 range for his full time role. The mayor/administrator and council pretty much handled the day-to-day operations of the town during this time.

When the town changed the charter in 1999, we moved to the Council-Manager form of government, which gave the day-to-day operations to the town manager and policy decisions to the council. At this time the mayor's salary was determined to be in the $7000 range, to the best of my recollection. Holleman handled this role pretty much like a part time mayor by presiding over town meetings, signing official documents and other ceremonial duties. He also participated in staff level meetings, but not as he had done when he was the town administrator. Holleman resigned about a year after this change in government.

Parrish Womble was appointed to serve the remaining months of Holleman's term. He handled the mayor's job as a part time job, similar to Holleman's final months.

When Dick Sears was elected in 2001, he essentially put in full time hours and the town saw the results. Because of his time, efforts and results, he was rewarded with a monthly travel allowance of $700. This was a unique arrangement as an actual salary increase was not approved. Many of us were not comfortable with permanently raising the salary, just in case a successor decided to operate in the position as a part time mayor, only handling ceremonial duties. When some new council members were elected in 2007, that allowance was taken away from him, bringing his salary back down to about the $8000 mark. Most recently this travel allowance was partially restored and a small monthly increase in salary was approved. Based on the discussion I heard on HSTV 11, it was increased for the same reasons discussed in 2001.

This is a very high level overview written in about 10 minutes! If you find this type of "history" enlightening, please let me know of anything else you may want to hear about.

Town Budget: Non-profit grants

2010-06-13T07:24:00.008-04:00

At the June 1 Holly Springs Council meeting, there was discussion about grants being given to local non-profit organizations. This has been a regular exercise each year where council members discuss the merits of each application. There are guidelines in place which help increase a member organization's chances of getting a grant. One of the key elements for awarding grants involves where the funds will be used. Grant requests receive more favor if the funds are planned to be used in the Holly Springs community.
In this year's discussion, all the organizations indicated that the grants would be spent in that manner, with the exception of the Rotary Club, which stated that they were going to use their requested $2500 grant to fund a "Million Meals" project in order to purchase food to send to needy people overseas. There was a lot of discussion on the Rotary application with Councilmen Womble and Van Fossen, both Rotary members, arguing for the grant. However, when the final vote was taken, Council Members Cobb, Sack and Williams voted to provide grants to organizations like the Golden Hawks Club, HSHS Band Boosters, Holly Springs Women's Club and a number of other
high school based organizations which help improve the Holly Springs community and its youth. The motion did not call for any funds to go toward the Rotary project. Womble and Van Fossen voted against the funding.

I have posted this since many folks may not know that this type of funding, which helps to make the town a more vibrant and community spirited place, exists in the town budget.

District representation

2010-05-15T08:11:00.002-04:00

Like prior efforts to encourage town council representation by districts in Holly Springs, this current effort lacks objective and compelling data which supports this change. Those who watched the April 20 meeting, either in person or on HSTV 11, would have seen that the speakers, supportive of this change, based the need on subjective and emotional examples.

There are a number of reasons why district representation on the Holly Springs Town Council is NOT a good idea.

1- At large council members must expect and fulfill the responsibility of representing all town citizens. District reps are less likely to have this mindset. Their focus and political future relies on the benefits afforded to their district. Holly Springs is too small for this sort of segmentation of the town.

2- Under district representation, the number of elected representatives for each citizen decreases. If our five At-Large council members were converted to a system which provided two At Large and three districts members, then each citizen would have only have three true council member representatives. Why would anyone want fewer representatives?

3- Using this same information, Holly Springs citizens can vote for all five council members, in a district system they cannot. They can only vote for their district rep and the at large seats. So, citizens cannot vote for some of the people who levy taxes, determine level of services and make decisions which affect their lives.

4- A district system is likely to water down the candidate pool too. Let's look at Election Day 2009, there was only one candidate who lived west of Main Street! If western Holly Springs (west of Main Street) was one election district, then that candidate would have run unopposed. Citizens are better served by competitive elections, as actual issues and political philosophies can be brought to the forefront for discussion and debate. We may even be in a position where no one in a specific district files to run and the town council would likely have to appoint someone to fulfill that term.

5- Regarding the weak argument that five of six council members are from Sunset Ridge, here is some data. Sunset Ridge (not Sunset Ridge North) is in voting precinct 06-05. In the 2009 municipal elections, this district produced a mayoral candidate (Sears) and three council candidates (Cobb, Van Fossen and Williams). This voting district also cast the highest number of ballots and had the highest percentage of registered voters who actually voted (30%). The Sunset Ridge subdivision should not be maligned for having engaged and involved citizens.

6- In addition, any district lines drawn will come under scrutiny and criticism. Gerrymander will become a new word in everyone's vocabulary in Holly Springs!

In summary, changing our form of representation should be considered when Holly Springs have gotten so massive that At Large representation is not effective. We can look into this when we have are flirting with a population of 100,000. Based on what I heard during the debate on April 20, it appears that most of our town council members are ready to represent and govern the entire town.

Why are campaign signs out so early?

2010-04-10T09:59:00.006-04:00

You may see a bunch of campaign signs out on the roads and are wondering why they are out so early.....well they aren't. There is a primary election taking place on May 4. There are a number of judge seats on district court and appellate court. These are non-partisan primaries, as judge elections tend to be (at least on the surface). In addition there are some partisan primaries, which directly affect our voting district.

The US Senate seat currently held by Senator Richard Burr has both Republican and Democrat primaries. The US House seat currently held by Rep. David Price has a primary for his Republican challenger. In addition, there is a primary for the District 2 Republican challenger for Wake County Commissioner. This is the seat currently held by Commissioner Lindy Brown.

It does not matter is you are registered as unaffiliated, Republican or Democrat, you can vote. If you are unaffiliated, you can pick up an unaffiliated ballot or you can choose a Republican or Democratic ballot. If you are registered as a D or R, you have to vote on their ballot. This is exactly why I choose to remain unaffiliated.

But I do encourage you to only vote if you have researched the candidates and make an educated vote. I view voting as a privilege, not a right. We have certain responsibilities for the privilege to vote, and it is to do our research.

On a personal note, I did promise my friend, Mrs. McCullers, that I would mention that her son Damion McCullers is running for district court judge. (He has a FB page "McCullers for Judge").

Backyard chickens

2010-04-02T08:19:00.003-04:00

The debate on this particular issue may go on for a while if the Websters, the family that has been politicizing this issue, has their way. I have been looking at this issue, not as a chicken or egg issue, but as more of a process issue. Frankly, I don't know enough about raising chickens to comment on this.

Basically, before you embark on a project, which seems to be very different or unconventional, you should check to see if it meets local laws or codes. Based on what I am reading and viewing on HSTV 11, it appears that they bought the chickens and the coop before checking with local laws. Now it appears that they want the laws changed in order to accommodate their needs. I believe that Councilman Sack made this point too.

In addition, even if the town says it is ok to have backyard chickens, it may not meet the HOA rules. Depending on how aggressive an HOA is with addressing rule violations, you could easily end up in court or have a number of fines assessed on your property.

So, before you go out and buy that pot belly pig or other livestock, make sure that you check up on their rules.

2010-03-24T21:22:00.004-04:00

Although municipal elections are non-partisan, they have become increasingly partisan over the years. Many people have asked me about party affiliation and party "tickets", which is often how municipal elections are handled in the Northeast and other places. From an official perspective, municipal races are non-partisan, but there is a lot of party involvement in many races.

As I mentioned, partisan politics have crept into municipal elections in recent years. This has been mostly due to the establishment of political "clubs" which are based on party affiliation.
Has this been a good development in municipal elections? In my opinion and experience, no. There are two reasons why I feel this way.

First, local issues are very different from those at the state and national level. Local elected officials should do what is best for the municipality, and not give the appearance that decisions are being made based on party influence. Second, in my opinion, the local parties in this area have based their endorsements on the popularity of candidates already involved in those political circles, not on the issues. This has not been the case in all endorsements, but in my opinion it was in some of them.

Personally, I feel that citizens are better served when political parties stay out of local races and allow candidates to focus on the issues.

Public Comment Decorum

2010-03-06T13:42:00.006-05:00

Recent input by many speakers during the public comment section at the Wake County School Board meetings has been inappropriate, offensive, but mostly ineffective in my opinion. Most of what I have seen and heard from critics will not do anything to sway opinions of the school board majority nor will those comments positively influence the policies established by that elected board. What you are seeing on the news is a perfect example of how not to address elected officials!

In my February 2 post, I provided tips on how to provide effective comments during public hearings. The same strategy applies during public comment periods. Whether you are a student, a supporter, a critic or a member of a special interest group, elected officials need to be with respect and decorum. Because someone is an elected official does not give you any special privilege to be rude or disrespectful.

The best strategy, if you truly want to change policy, is to present your issue respectfully, provide convincing data and do not threaten the very elected officials you want to impress.

School Superintendent drama

2010-03-03T19:31:00.003-05:00

On TV and in the newspapers, you can't miss the drama associated with Dr. Del Burns' resignation and recent comments which have disturbed some Wake school board members. There is now talk about removing him prior to his 6/30/10 resignation date.

The relationship between a school superintendent and the school board is similar, if not the same as the relationship between a town manager and the town council.

As a Councilman for twelve years, I know that the relationship between the council and the town manager is extremely important. The council must trust the manager and the manager must earn the council's trust. The manager must be apolitical and carry out the policies established by the council, even if he does not agree with them. The manager should offer his opinion on issues, but should not question decisions once they have been made, especially in the press.

If the town council does not trust that the manager will carry out their policies, then the relationship is fractured and the town's citizens and employees suffer. This is what the Wake school board is now facing. Superintendent Burns has stated in the press that he does not support the direction that the school board (basically his boss) is going. The school board (at least a majority of its members) are probably uneasy with him at the helm of the day-to-day operations of the school system.

While I was on the town council we were faced with a situation where we did not feel that the manager was working with us. At times it felt like he was working against us. As a result we had to make a change in the town manager. So I understand what the school board is going through. I hope this helps you better understand this situation which is in the press almost daily.

Why do they drive the fire truck to the supermarket and all around town?

2010-02-28T17:59:00.000-05:00

I have heard this one a few times, normally it is asked with contempt. What most do not know is that firefighters do not get a "lunch break". When they are at work, they are on duty every second of their shift.....

When you see a fire truck at a restaurant or the supermarket, the firefighters are ready to go to a fire if the alarm sounds. In addition, fire trucks have diesel engines and it is absolutely necessary that they are driven to keep the engine in tune.

Patronizing of local businesses by the town

2010-02-19T14:22:00.001-05:00

Over the past year or two, there had been some concern expressed by citizens and local business owners that the town of Holly Springs should make more use of local businesses.

The town uses local businesses for various goods and services in every possible opportunity. However, the town is, by no means, required to give business to anyone because they happen to be located here or a member of the local chamber of commerce.

The town has the obligation to find the best contractor or provider, at the best cost, with the best quality, giving our citizens the best value for their tax dollar. Towns, like Holly Springs, also consider the vendor's track record with the town, as well as other municipalities.

Yes, the town's use of local vendors is a good thing, but may not be possible nor appropriate for every circumstance.

Non-profit grants and contributions

2010-02-12T20:36:00.001-05:00

Each year the town budget has line items which provides grants to non-profit organizations as well as an annual contribution for the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce. The intent of this was to provide funds to assist local civic organizations with their activities and projects. Some groups have relied on this yearly grant either for a specific project or for their operational costs. The town has provided as little as $500 to some groups to as much as $35,000 to the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce. Each year a councilman heads a citizens committee to review the applications and make recommendations on the requested funding.

In the past, these grants have not gotten much attention, but I would suspect that this year they will get more attention from not only the town council, but citizens as well.

What is not mentioned in the budget is the amount of in-kind support that the town provides some groups as well. This is normally in the form of free use of the Cultural Center and town staff support.

Group Homes

2010-02-06T22:44:00.002-05:00

In case you are wondering if an adult group home can be restricted from being sited in a residential neighborhood, the answer is no. There is a general statute which protects the rights of the disabled. Town ordinances or zoning cannot overrule:

§ 168‑20. Public policy.

The General Assembly has declared in Article 1 of this Chapter that it is the public policy of this State to provide persons with disabilities with the opportunity to live in a normal residential environment. (1981, c. 565, s. 1; 2005‑450, s. 1.)

§ 168‑21. Definitions.

As used in this Article:

(1) "Family care home" means a home with support and supervisory personnel that provides room and board, personal care and habilitation services in a family environment for not more than six resident persons with disabilities.

(2) "Person with disabilities" means a person with a temporary or permanent physical, emotional, or mental disability including but not limited to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, hearing and sight impairments, emotional disturbances and orthopedic impairments but not including mentally ill persons who are dangerous to others as defined in G.S. 122C‑3(11)b. (1981, c. 565, s. 1; 1985, c. 589, s. 62; 1995, c. 535, s. 36; 2002‑159, s. 24; 2005‑450, s. 1.)

§ 168‑22. Family care home; zoning and other purposes.

(a) A family care home shall be deemed a residential use of property for zoning purposes and shall be a permissible use in all residential districts of all political subdivisions. No political subdivision may require that a family care home, its owner, or operator obtain, because of the use, a conditional use permit, special use permit, special exception or variance from any such zoning ordinance or plan; provided, however, that a political subdivision may prohibit a family care home from being located within a one‑half mile radius of an existing family care home.

(b) A family care home shall be deemed a residential use of property for the purposes of determining charges or assessments imposed by political subdivisions or businesses for water, sewer, power, telephone service, cable television, garbage and trash collection, repairs or improvements to roads, streets, and sidewalks, and other services, utilities, and improvements. (1981, c. 565, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 619, s. 1; 1999‑219, s. 3.2.)

Effective Comments in Rezoning Public Hearings

2010-02-02T19:50:00.000-05:00

Over my 12 years on the council, I think I can probably count on one hand the total number of truly effective comments made during public hearings. I am not referring to the public comment section of the meeting, but in public hearings when you can weigh in on a specific issue such as an ordinance change, annexation, rezoning etc.

I think the main problem that people face is lack of understanding of the process and preparation for the process. Normally the people who speak have a vested interest in the topic. Often they live near a parcel of land which is being rezoned to a non-residential designation and they are either angry or nervous about what may be built on the land. They come to the meeting completely unprepared and speak emotionally. Hopefully these tips will help you make an impact the next time you speak at a public hearing, specifically if it involves a rezoning:

1- Understand the purpose of the public hearing. It is to get input on whether or not you feel that the uses in that new zoning classification are appropriate for that parcel.

2- Understand all the uses in the zoning classification. This info can be found in the UDO on the town website. Make your comments based on all the potential uses.

3- Understand the attributes of the landscaping requirements.

4- The public hearing only addresses the scope of uses within the zoning classification, not the proposed specific use.

5- Know the zoning classifications of adjacent properties.

If you do your homework, prepare and make valid points, the council will be able to use your input and they may even vote the way you want!

If you are ever faced with this, I would be happy to help coach you through the process.

But my real estate agent told me nothing was going to be built there!

2010-01-26T20:37:00.002-05:00

I have heard this numerous times over the years. Every parcel in town has a zoning classification and every parcel has the potential to have something built on it. For Holly Springs residents, you may want to check the zoning map and the land use map in the Planning section of the town website (http://www.hollyspringsnc.us/dept/planning/map.htm)

Once you know the zoning classification, check out the attributes of that zoning classification in the town UDO (http://www.hollyspringsnc.us/dept/planning/policy/udo/udo.htm)

If you live somewhere other than Holly Springs, your town's website probably has this info available ie Apex (http://www.apexnc.org/depts/plan/index.cfm)

If you live next to a vacant or wooded lot, you may want to check this out.

What else would you want to know about?

2010-01-22T06:36:00.001-05:00

Please let me know of any process, condition or dynamic that you would like to read in an upcoming post.

Town Council Retreats

2010-01-17T07:24:00.000-05:00

These meetings are often the target of taxpayers groups as being a waste of money, but as a participant of these meetings, they are very worthwhile. They permit long uninterrupted discussions on various town topics over a few days in a more relaxed setting. And, of course, these meetings open to the public. Normally these meetings take place at a conference center outside of town over the course of a weekend (Friday afternoon through midday on Sunday). Holly Springs normally uses a hotel in nearby Moore County. The cost of lodging, meals and mileage is well worth it as the town will realize the benefits in the short and long term. Look around at the many improvements which have taken place in Holly Springs and it was likely discussed at an annual retreat.

So if you learn that the town council is going on a weekend planning retreat, please understand that you will be the beneficiary of the work done with the time spent while they are away from home.

"Sidewalks to Nowhere"

2010-01-07T19:11:00.000-05:00

While on the council I would hear questions or complaints about "sidewalks to nowhere". Basically these are sidewalks in front of new developments which don't lead anywhere. Examples can be found on Bass Lake Road, in front of Just Tires as well as Advance Auto Parts.

There is a very easy explanation for this. Developers must provide sidewalks along public thoroughfares that the project fronts. This is an example of how private development provides infrastructure, essentially one of the positive attributes of growth. Certainly towns may build sidewalks at taxpayer expense, such as the sidewalk on Cayman Ave, but often they wait for development to handle this. There are times when a critical connection is needed and towns may incur the expense by building the sidewalk on their own.

(In case you did not know, Holly Springs will be installing a sidewalk, thanks mostly to a federal air quality grant, on Main Street from Ballentine Street to Main St. Square.)

Facebook

2009-12-31T17:49:00.000-05:00

Join the "Holly Springs Watch" fan site on Facebook.

The Mayor's Job

2009-12-28T22:31:00.000-05:00

During my tenure on the town council, many people actually thought that the mayor's job was full time, also many people believed that he ran the day-to-day operations of town hall. Both are incorrect. I will address this from a Holly Springs perspective.

The mayor in NC towns is considered the ceremonial head of state and the spokesman for the council or town. The mayor conducts the town meetings, and in the case of Holly Springs, normally does not vote on council matters. He is only called upon to vote in the event of a tie.

As a council member, the mayor is more of a facilitator and consensus builder. The mayor can help steer or direct policy discussions and decisions, but does not and cannot dictate or implement policy on his own.

As far as the day-to-day town operations, the mayor does not have any power nor responsibility to handle these tasks. The town manager is responsible for that (which will be covered in a future post). The position and its pay is part time as the mayor's basic responsibility is only to run town meetings, vote to break ties and sign documents on behalf of the town. Anything else the mayor does is "gravy".

Closed Session

2009-12-16T22:40:00.007-05:00

Not all council business is conducted in open session, some things can and should be done in closed session, out of the public eyes and ears. Some the the reasons for a closed session include: any confidential information, consultation with an attorney, claims or litigation, economic development matters, real property acquisition, employment contracts, personnel matters and investigations.

During open session, the town attorney normally provides the general statute which explains why the closed session is necessary.

In the past we discussed issues relating to personnel matters, land acquisition, economic development matters such as various litigation matters and the Novartis incentives.
Once the closed session is concluded, the council will resume open/public session and adjourn or continue the meeting.

So next time you are wondering why the council is going behind closed doors, you will understand why!

Blog theme to change slightly

2009-12-13T09:13:00.003-05:00

As you know, the intention of this blog was to cut through the exaggerations that exist during political campaigns. Now I would like to help citizens better understand some concepts associated with municipal government and how to better communicate with local government.

Here are some possible topics:

-the essentials of mayor's position and town council

- non-profit grants

- the development process

- closed session

- offering effective comments during public comment/hearings

- effectively communication of complaints and getting your issue addressed by town hall

Hopefully you will find this information helpful. Too often, as a councilman, I found that citizens became most frustrated by an issue or decision because they simply did not understand it. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks.