CCEC Alerts & Bulletins

Upcoming & Revised County Public Meetings
Here is an update on revised and newly scheduled important public meetings on:

Landfill siting
Public hearings on four development projects and the five year Capital Improvement Plan
Proposal for a Wake County discharge pipeline to be run through southeast Chatham County.

Landfill Siting Meetings Revised Schedule

Date: Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Time: EVENING - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Chatham Community Library
197 NC Hwy 87 N
Pittsboro, NC 27312

Date: Thursday, January 20, 2011
Time: EVENING - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Moncure Fire Department
2389 Old US 1
Moncure, NC 27559

Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2011 (this is the rescheduled meeting)
Time: EVENING - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Chatham Central High School
14950 NC Highway 902 West
Bear Creek, NC 27207

Tuesday, Jan. 18 – Board of Commissioners Meetings

The next meeting of the Board of Commissioners will be held in two locations:

The afternoon work session, tentatively slated for 2 pm, will be held in the Multipurpose Room in Building 2 of Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro.

The regular session at 6 pm will be held in Pittsboro Elementary School's Multipurpose Room, located at 375 Pittsboro Elementary Road in Pittsboro. The school is almost directly behind the School Administration Building on West Street in Pittsboro. On the agenda:

Public Hearing on four Development Projects. Follow this link for details:
http://www.chathamnc.org/RezoningSubdivisionCases/2011/2011_items.htm

Public Hearing on Five Year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)
The county adopts an updated five-year CIP each year to provide a long-term plan for funding capital needs, such as facilities, equipment and other projects that cost at least $100,000.

The major project added since last year is the rebuilding of the Historic Courthouse. The expected estimated cost of $10 million is to be covered by insurance reimbursement. The other major differences in the proposed plan for 2012-16, compared to the plan adopted last January, include:

High School on Jack Bennett Road
Due to changes in the county's debt model, opening a planned new high school on Jack Bennett Road in August 2015 would require a either a tax increase or a redirection of current funds equal to 1.2 cents in the upcoming budget. The proposed CIP outlines other options for addressing the high school:
Delay opening to August 2017: This options means funds would be borrowed in January 2015 and would require a 0.6-cent tax increase in the upcoming budget.
Delay opening to August 2020: This option would involve borrowing funds in January 2018, with NO tax increase needed in the upcoming budget.

Emergency Operations Radio Consoles: Replace the radio dispatch equipment at each work station, the supporting equipment that relays the transmissions and a monitoring and control system for each tower site and the communications room. Estimated cost: $563,735, covered by the 911 surcharges. (Commissioners approved this project at their Dec. 13, 2010 meeting and the project will be completed this budget year.)

School Roof Replacement: Fund the roof repairs or replacement at J. S. Waters School, which was not covered by recent Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) that have been used to replace or repair roofs at other schools. Estimated cost: $1,277,345 from fund balance.

Patient Data Management & Electronic Health Records System: Purchase and implement a software data system to manage health patient and other electronic public health records. Estimated cost: $265,000, to be covered by fund balance.

Other CIP projects, including school projects, remain the same as previously adopted in the CIP last year.

Follow this link to view the entire proposal: www.chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=1457. Copies also can be viewed at the county libraries in Pittsboro, Siler City and Goldston by Jan. 8, 2010.

Following the public hearing, the commissioners will discuss the proposed CIP at their budget retreat on Jan. 31, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8. The retreat will be held at Northwest District Park, located at 2413 Woody Store Road in the Silk Hope area. Although no start time has yet been set, in the past such meetings usually began at 9:00 and ran all day.

Public Meetings Will Present Landfill Information

Four public meetings to present landfill site evaluation background, proposed evaluation criteria, and an explanation of the scoring methodology will take place at four sites across the county in January. The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday 1/11 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Western Sr. Center 112 Village Lake Rd. Siler City
Tuesday 1/18 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Chatham Central High School 14950 NC Hwy 902 W Bear Creek
Wednesday 1/19 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Chatham Community Library 197 NC Hwy N Pittsboro
Thursday 1/20 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Moncure Fire Dept 2389 Old US 1 Moncure

For more on content of the meeting and other landfill related information, visit http://chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=1402

Following these public meetings, the project team will narrow the list of nine potential sites down to three sites for the next evaluation stage.

On Wednesday, January 5 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Chatham Community Library Holmes Family Meeting Room the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) will hold its regular meeting. Meetings are open to the public.

Attend Comprehensive Conservation Plan Open House Nov. 16

Members of CCEC’s Board of Directors will be in attendance at this important event, and urge citizens to turn out to learn more about this unique plan and process created by the Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP). We wholeheartedly affirm the work that CCP has been doing to produce this innovative conservation plan, and ask that citizens of the county become familiar with it and advocate for its implementation. Please help spread the word.

Best regards,
CCEC Board of Directors

Chatham Conservation Partnership hosts open house to help shape the State’s first county-based conservation plan

The Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP) is working to create an innovative new tool, the Comprehensive Conservation Plan, to help with land protection and development decisions in Chatham County. Once completed, this plan will be the first of its kind created for a county in North Carolina. As part of the process, the Partnership is inviting local citizens to provide input on the plan at an open house community meeting on November 16^th.

The open house meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 16th, 7:00-9:00 p.m., at the Chatham Mills Meeting Room 410, next to Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro. Following a brief presentation on the conservation plan, maps and other information will be available at stations representing important natural resources in Chatham County: agricultural resources, forest resources, water resources, and wildlife habitat. The public is encouraged to attend to learn more about the plan, and provide input and feedback on the mapping and recommendations for each of the natural resource components. This will be the last public meeting for the plan, which is scheduled to be completed in December 2010.

The Comprehensive Conservation Plan assesses the state of important natural resources in the county. Final products of the conservation plan will include a printed document and a website that includes a clickable map of the county which any computer-user will be able to use to find relevant environmental data about any site in the county.

"Ideally the plan will be used by developers and the County to make informed decisions about how to develop property to safeguard natural resources," said Allison Weakley, a local biologist and consultant for Biocenosis, Inc., who is leading the planning effort.

Landowners will be able to use the plan and data to understand the significance of the natural resources on their land, and to gain a perspective of the significance of their property relative to the whole county. Conservation groups like Triangle Land Conservancy will be able to identify the most important sites in the county and target their efforts in those directions.

“The data and information in the plan can also be used to support funding and other opportunities for the conservation of important resources in the county,” said Weakley.

The CCP secured funding to develop the conservation plan from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the NC Urban and Community Forest Grant Program of the NC Division of Forest Resources through the help of Triangle Land Conservancy and the Piedmont Conservation Council. Though the plan is not being funded by Chatham County, the Partnership hopes it can help inform future land use and land protection decisions.

To learn more about the conservation plan, please visit the CCP website at http://chathamconservation.wikispaces.com/.

Score a Perfect 10 – Join the 10% Campaign

If you are like most of us, you want to do what’s right and good for yourself, your community and the planet. You are chocked full of good intentions. But somehow those good intentions don’t always bear fruit. Someone once noted that, “The road to perdition is paved with good intentions.” No doubt, they were a frequent traveler on that busy street. I know I am.

I need all the help I can muster to redirect my travels and set me on the straight and narrow path toward personal health, responsible citizenship and community building. Enter the Farm to Fork 10% Campaign… to the rescue! Here’s a plan to help me set a reasonable goal of committing to spend 10 percent of my existing food dollars on locally produced healthy food. To help me stay the course, I get online support every week and can track my progress and that of others like me all across the state. What a good deal. It is good for me, good for you and good for the local food economy.

It starts with a 10% intentional commitment. That means 10 cents out of every food dollar will be earmarked to purchase that good-for-you food that is produced close to home. For the help you will want to move those good intentions toward your goal, visit this web site: http://www.nc10percent.com/index.php?county=Chatham. Read the information and visit the other links provided to get you on board and on the road not to perdition, but to better nutrition.

You will learn that this is a program for not only folks like us, but it is also urging businesses, organizations, schools etc. to take the pledge. Chatham citizens, businesses and organizations are blessed with numerous opportunities to spend their food tithe locally. Visit the Chatham County Cooperative Extension website. A link to the Local Foods page can be found in the left hand column of the home page. And see the following message from our Local Foods Coordinator, Debbie Roos: http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LOCL+1.

That’s it; you’re on the road toward scoring that perfect 10 (%).

Chatham BOC Responds to NCDOT US64 Corridor Study

Last year in May the Chatham Board of Commissioners (BOC) in a letter to the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) stated their concerns and objections regarding a plan to upgrade routes 64 and 49 so as to relieve traffic on I-40 and I-85. That was the sentiment in 2009 toward the Phase I US 64-NC 49 Corridor Study. They deemed it to be a bad plan for Chatham. In no uncertain terms, that remains the sentiment in 2010 to the US64 Phase IIA Study.

In their most recent response (released this week) to the NCDOT’s plan to convert US64 into an Interstate super slab through the heart of Chatham, the BOC turned to key county government boards, committees and officials as well as citizen comments to drive home their message. That message in a nutshell:

“In the final analysis, the Board of Commissioners believes the proposed plan is a bad idea for Chatham County, the region and for other North Carolina citizens. Until such time as the issues expressed herein are adequately addressed, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners opposes the proposed plan.”

To take a look at all “the issues expressed herein,” follow this link to the Executive Summary document that has been sent to NCDOT. (http://www.chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=1294 then find US64 Phase IIA Study).

As CCEC stated in our previous US64 Bulletin, this is not the end of the road, but this official document (to which 36 citizens contributed) is a resounding message as to where that road should (or should not) go. To those 36 citizens, we extend our thanks for making the most of the opportunity for which we advocated. To the groups that contributed their valuable input to this county document, we offer our gratitude. To the NCDOT, we propose that this is now the time to put public relations and active listening skills into high gear as they process the feedback from a county that is left feeling like second class citizens:

“It is an understatement that we believe we have been relegated to second tier status as citizens given the obvious impact such a plan will have on Chatham County.”

CCEC looks forward to a time in the near future when we can hopefully share with you a response from the NCDOT that sincerely addresses the issues and concerns set forth.

AIRing Our Concerns

A

IR… It’s the “ocean” in which we humans swim.

Nearly 30,000 times every day of our adult lives, without ever giving it a thought, our lungs process the oxygen in the air and return carbon dioxide to that ocean. It is the rhythm of life, so automatic that we take it for granted. We take breath and air for granted. That is a dangerous truth. It is dangerous because in the absence of air we are dead within minutes. Life is snuffed out like a candle in a vacuum. It is dangerous also because in the absence of clean air we are compromising our health and dying a slow death.

As you read this bulletin, Chatham County is under an air quality advisory issued by the Division of Air Quality (DAQ). It’s a perfect time to address the critical matter of the purity (or lack of it) of the air we breathe. You and I need to think long and hard about the quality of the air we process nearly 30,000 times a day. We need to focus on that next breath and concentrate on what may be contained in it beyond the life giving oxygen we crave. We need to be concerned about this ocean of air and what we are doing to make it more or less breathable. And we need to “air” those concerns to one another, and most certainly to those who have the greater power and authority to affect the quality of our next breath.

To this end, you are cordially invited to join with other air breathers for the viewing of “Burning Issues in Medical Waste Incineration.” Presented by The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) (www.bredl.org ), it will be “aired” Wednesday September 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the General Store Café, 39 West St. in Pittsboro. The documentary is produced by Sanford Lewis, a Massachusetts-based attorney for Health Care Without Harm (an international group of medical professionals, health care establishments and environmental and other groups.)

Why is the film being shown now in Pittsboro and at other venues in the region? It’s all part of BREDL’s public awareness efforts in advance of a September 7 hearing on air quality standards at UNC-Greensboro. Hopefully this film will inform and inspire air breathers to attend the state hearing on medical waste incineration. The state will hear comments on the implementation of new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules regarding air quality, which are anticipated to go into effect statewide in 2014. The new rules require stricter emissions standards for heavy metals and other potentially toxic substances.

BREDL has taken the leadership role in stating concerns about medical waste toxins that incineration releases into the air and water, affecting wildlife, food sources and human health. They site cancer statistics and warn of other health risks for developing fetuses, infants, children and the elderly. The goal is to move those in the medical waste disposal business (such as Stericycle) to use newer and cleaner practices (such as autoclaves.)

In response to the impending renewal of Stericycle Inc.'s state incineration permit, BREDL has lobbied local elected bodies to support and pass a resolution asking the state to implement the EPA rules in 2012. The city of Graham and the Alamance County Board of Commissioners declined to pass the resolution. The town of Haw River, the city of Mebane and the Orange County Board of Commissioners passed the resolution. The Chatham County Board of Commissioners stated their strong support for such efforts and passed a resolution on May 17 (see attachment). The city of Burlington has yet to be presented with the resolution

BREDL will follow the film with a discussion of current emissions standards versus the updated emissions standards and how they would improve air quality in Alamance and surrounding counties. Should you attend? Take a deep breath, hold it, give thanks for the miracle, exhale and mark your calendar. Can you depend on the waste disposal industry, the EPA’s and DAQ’s of the world to always place ecology above economy, conservation over convenience and public health over special interests? Don’t plan on holding your breath until it happens. Get in the swim. It’s the only ocean of air we have in this life.

We’ll See You Down The Road!

As this Bulletin is being written, Chatham is under a Heat Advisory. High temps and humidity combine to raise the heat indices to the 105-109 range. It’s one of those days where the waves of heat rising from the concrete and asphalt roadways can actually skew one’s vision of the road ahead.

For the past few weeks CCEC has been active in issuing a Road Advisory in reaction to the NCDOT’s US64 Corridor Study. We’ve been trying to heat up the issue, but NOT for the purpose of skewing the public vision. Just the opposite, we’ve sought to increase people’s awareness of the plans and to clarify some of the potential “pot holes” that could negatively impact Chatham’s quality of life if the current plans were to be enacted over the next 30 or so years.

Rather than merely viewing the study and plans as a job well done by the transportation experts, and seeing a super highway through the heart of Chatham as the inevitable solution to the projected population explosion, we picked up on legitimate concerns raised by the Board of Commissioners. We shared those concerns with our list serve members and those of other concerned citizen action groups. We posted information on our website (www.chathamcitizens.org ). We informed the general public and distributed fliers to businesses along the US64 corridor. We asked the BOC to include citizen letters in their upcoming response to the NCDOT, and urged fellow citizens to write about their concerns and email them to the BOC via Melissa.Guilbeau@chathamnc.org prior to the August 15 deadline.

As that date approaches, we’ve come to the end of this stretch of the road. To those who have shared your concerns through letters to the NCDOT, we thank you for your active involvement in attempting to shape our future. To those who have been busy, there’s still time to write that letter. This is by no means the end of the road and the end of this issue. CCEC will continue to inform citizens of the progress of NCDOT plans, work with our BOC and encourage your involvement as plans unfold. We’ll see you (clearly) down the road.

CCEC BULLETIN: July 31, 2010

US64 SUPER Sizing: Who Cares Enough to Vote?

In a recent bulletin we announced that the Chatham County Board of Commissioners (BOC) had granted citizens the opportunity to weigh in on the NCDOT plans to Super Size US64. Just send them an email (addressed to: Melissa.Guilbeau@chathamnc.org), before August 15 with an attachment letter to the NCDOT stating your concerns, and the BOC will include it with their response to the NCDOT, due later in August. After the NCDOT had denied our request to extend the citizen comment period beyond June 30, this became the only way to enable citizens to voice their concerns. You could compare it to creating a “public referendum” on which citizens can vote.

The Right and Responsibility to Vote

When you think of it in these terms, the polls close here in Chatham at midnight of August 14, but we’re now in the midst of “early voting.” Whenever something is up for vote, the question facing each citizen is always the same: Who cares enough to exercise their privilege and responsibility as a citizen in a democracy to become informed and then cast their vote? To this point the ballot box has seen little use on this referendum. Shall the citizens of Chatham County:

___embrace NCDOT plans to turn US64 into an interstate highway through the county and on to Charlotte, or

___ reject NCDOT plans to turn US64 into an interstate highway through the county and on to Charlotte?

The CCEC web site (www.chathamcitizens.org) provides material to help citizens become better informed, and assist in creating a letter to the NCDOT. The absence of a letter of response stating concerns about NCDOT plans is, in effect, a vote for Super Sizing 64.

A Major Quality of Life Issue for Chatham

The Chatham BOC and CCEC both see the NCDOT US64 Corridor Study as one of the major quality of life issues to “come down the pike” and land in Chatham’s lap in many a year. The BOC told the NCDOT last year in no uncertain terms that the potential impacts of the plan on Chatham were far too negative and not in Chatham's best interests, and that the plan should be abolished. However, they got little to no attention or consideration, as was revealed in the NCDOT’s second study released in April of 2010. We suspect that the forthcoming BOC response that includes statements from various county governmental boards and committees along with any citizen letters will continue to raise the old valid concerns and add new ones.

Inspiration and Motivation from the East?

While Chatham now clamors for attention and seeks to have concerns recognized, folks in Wake County had already begun demonstrating their passion for this issue well over a year ago. They cared enough to form a citizens’ action group in an attempt to alter the NCDOT’s initial proposals (see www.SAVE64.org).

Rallying neighbors around the cause and working with area transportation groups and local governments, they actually made some headway. Then when the NCDOT released its second study in April of this year, they realized that they still had a way to go. They sent out an Alert that stated in no uncertain terms what they felt was at stake:
“ALERT! The Apex/Cary community is under siege and you must act NOW to preserve and protect the integrity of your community.”
They created a Petition stating their demands, stood outside a local supermarket for weeks getting signatures and urged fellow citizens to get signatures and to write to authorities with their demands that NCDOT plans be changed. They also urged Apex and Cary governments to work with area transportation consortiums and Chambers of Commerce to issue a joint statement.
(See Unified position on US 64 West Corridor: http://www.letsgetmoving.org/priorities/64west#position). Together they have made “inroads” into the Wake section of the US64 Corridor plan.

Now It’s Chatham’s Turn

This is the moment of truth when the people of Chatham either “go to the voting booth” to echo the sentiments of their neighbors to the east and declare: “Chatham County is under siege and we must act NOW to preserve and protect the integrity of our community” –or- avoid the polling place, remain silent and place their future in the hands and plans of the state’s Department of Transportation. The polls close in Chatham this voting year at midnight August 14.

CCEC BULLETIN: July 10, 2010

Municipal Broadband Survives!

Remember the Municipal Broadband Moratorium that was being pushed by Sen. David Hoyle on behalf of Big Telecom? We are pleased to inform you of the outcome of the broadband wrangling that CCEC asked our list serve readers to weigh in on earlier this year. It experienced all sorts of permutations on its journeys through the General Assembly.

The 2010 General Assembly session finally ended at 5:32 Saturday morning with bills flying back and forth at a frenzied pace. It was at approximately 5:00 a.m. that proponents of municipal broadband breathed a sigh of relief as the House threw a legal block into the bill that would have banned municipal broadband efforts in NC.

How this prestidigitation was accomplished is understood by only the most savvy legislative watchdogs and reporters. For those of us who enjoy magic tricks (who doesn’t?), read all about how it was done from the Save NC Broadband web site:
http://savencbb.wordpress.com/.

Bottom line, North Carolina's municipal broadband providers have won another victory over local service provider incumbents AT&T, Time Warner Cable and CenturyLink, which weren't able to get their anti-community fiber bill passed. That’s good news for NC cities like Wilson and Salisbury that have built their own respective Fiber to the Home (FTTH) networks. And it’s also good news for Chatham and its municipalities that reside in the “slow lane” of internet communications, and could benefit from the chance to follow the lead of the Wilsons and Salisburys.

To all who spoke to your legislators on this major issue, well done! You may wish to contact Rep. Joe Hackney (Joe.Hackney@ncleg.net 919-733-3451) and Sen. Bob Atwater (Bob.Atwater@ncleg.net 919-715-3036) who went to bat for us on this issue.

CCEC BULLETIN: July 10, 2010

CCEC Endorses NC SAVE$ ENERGY

Helping families save money on their utility bills
Creating green jobs
Improving housing conditions across North Carolina.

Would you endorse that kind of agenda? CCEC would… and has! Looking ahead to the 2011 legislative session, CCEC’s Board of Directors has acted to stand along with other statewide groups concerned about social justice, jobs and economy and taking control of our own energy future. We’re endorsing a citizen based movement modeled on programs that have proved successful in other states. It’s called “NC SAVE$ ENERGY,” and its purpose is to bring REAL energy efficiency to NC.

What is NC SAVE$ ENERGY?
NC SAVE$ ENERGY is a proposal by consumer, social justice, senior, environmental and citizen action groups to create an independent energy efficiency program for North Carolina. Once enacted, this $60 million dollar fund would provide money for projects that create thousands of green jobs, reduce household utility bills, and protect vulnerable populations and the environment. We are working to get this passed through the state legislature in 2011, during the long legislative session which begins in January. You shouldn’t be surprised to know that powerful lobbying forces will oppose this proposal. That’s why we are starting now to form alliances and inform the public as we push for passage in 2011.

Why does North Carolina need NC SAVE$ ENERGY?

· 2 million people across North Carolina live in substandard housing conditions

· North Carolina (currently) has an unemployment rate of over 10%

· Stimulus funding for weatherization projects will run out in 2012

· North Carolina alone dumps more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuel than 186 nations. Wasting electricity means burning more coal and increasing global warming.

NC SAVE$ ENERGY would address all of these issues.

How would NC SAVE$ ENERGY work?
NC SAVE$ ENERGY would fund projects to weatherize houses, provide green job training programs, monitor energy use and reduction, create and sustain revolving loan funds, and carry out other programs that are aligned with the program’s goals. Six states have implemented such programs, lowering energy costs for millions of customers, creating thousands of jobs, and reducing greenhouse gases by millions of tons a year. NC SAVE$ ENERGY would generate its funding through a small fee, averaging $2 per month per household.

Why not let the electric utilities run their own efficiency programs?
Well, why not pay a donut manufacturer to design your diet plan? The purpose of the utilities is to sell power for a profit. Expecting utilities to manage energy efficiency involves an inherent conflict of interest. (Don’t contract with Red Foxx Builders, LLC to construct your chicken coop or Wiley Coyote Security Services, LLC to guard it.) An independently administered program would have a clear mission to carry out cost-effective efficiency activities in the public interest.

How can I learn more? You can visit www.ncsavesenergy.org –or- contact NC SAVE$ ENERGY Campaign Coordinator, Jennie Renner-Yeomans, at 919-260-5517 or jennie@ncsavesenergy.org.

CCEC BULLETIN: July 8, 2010

“Give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile.”

It’s more than just a benign cliché when you are forced into a face-off with the Department of Transportation (DOT). Opening the doors to Chatham County by even a crack is like opening a bag of chips before the hungry eyes of the DOT. You can bet they won’t eat just one. Plan on tossing that empty bag right into the trash can.

The DOT has its eyes on the prize of our entire County, but is willing to whittle away a little at a time, bite by bite and mile by mile. Chatham is a big County to consume all at once, but the DOT’s approach is similar to the plan for eating an elephant: one bite at a time. The eastern border near Hwy 751 to the Pittsboro US64 bypass will provide the hors d'oeuvres before the main course.

A similar approach by the government and citizens of Chatham is needed if there is to be any hope for preserving the County’s quality of life as we know it. Small but persistent steps by a growing cadre of informed and inspired citizens will be needed to throw up a road block to deter or detour the DOT’s ultimate plan to turn Chatham’s main thoroughfare (US64) into another super interstate, the likes of I40.

Over the past weeks CCEC has alerted citizens to the threat posed by the DOT’s studies on the US64 Corridor, presented information regarding the studies and sought citizen involvement in the effort to curb the DOT’s appetite for Chatham’s resources. We’ve reported on the DOT’s denial of CCEC’s request to extend the time for citizen comments beyond June 30.

The CCEC Board of Directors formally responded to the DOT report prior to the June 30 deadline, stating our primary concerns with the study and plans. Please take a moment to follow this link to our web site to see the first small step we’ve taken to stand up, speak out and try to deny them that inch which will eventually stretch the full length of Chatham:
http://www.chathamcitizens.org/alerts-bulletins/alerts-bulletins.html#comments

Please stay tuned and become involved. As we continue to lead the opposition, we encourage your commitment of dollars, time and abilities to assist in the cause. Checks should be written to CCEC, Inc. and mailed to CCEC P.O. Box 412 Pittsboro, NC 27312. To offer assistance or learn more, contact info@chathamcitizens.org and visit our web site at www.chathamcitizens.org

CCEC ALERT: July 7, 2010

June 29th CCEC comments provided to Dan Thomas of the NC DOT on their US 64 Corridor report

Dear Mr. Thomas:

Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities, Inc. (CCEC) is a grassroots citizen organization with hundreds of citizens on our list serve. We respectfully offer the following comments on the DOT’s April 2010 draft study report on the US 64 Corridor.

One issue that needs immediate attention is the safety issue at the intersection of Rte 751 and US 64. The DOT currently acknowledges the serious problem at this intersection. The above average incidents of crashes at this intersection need to be resolved immediately and should not wait until any short or long term plan is accepted. There must be immediate measures that can be implemented to prevent or reduce these accidents and save lives.

As stated in the report the intention of the DOT is to develop a master plan that will enhance mobility and safety along US 64 while balancing community access and interests. This goal has not been met for Chatham County.

Outlined below are several of our issues that lead us to this conclusion:

SAFETY - SHORT TERM PLAN

1. The short-term proposal calls for only 5 access points (or intersections) within Chatham. US 64 is an evacuation route in the event that the Shearon Harris nuclear facility has a critical incident. Limiting the roadway to only 5 access points will delay the prompt evacuation of Chatham citizens in the event of an emergency. Currently, people are able to access this road directly from their homes and businesses, which allows for a more rapid evacuation.

2. These same limited access points will increase emergency response times within our community. This problem is not resolved by the DOT’s statement that a decrease in traffic flow, congestion and increased speeds will make up this response time.

3. These same increased response times may raise the fire insurance rates for customers within this area.

4. The area involved with this proposal includes Jordan Lake. Although the DOT believes that synchronized traffic lights will solve any U-turn Superstreet problems, we respectfully disagree. Boats being trailed by cars, trucks and RVs during the peak usage of the lake will interfere with the smooth flow of traffic along US 64. During a busy weekend there are numerous boats using the lake and those heading east when coming out of the park facilities will have to cross over US 64 to make the U-turn. Tired drivers hauling boats will, indeed, create an unsafe condition in the late afternoon when they have a limited space to cross over the traffic. Additionally, while synchronized lights are good in theory, frequently they do not remain perfectly synchronized as any experienced driver knows. To rely solely on this as a safety measure is unrealistic.

SYSTEM LINKAGE- SHORT TERM PLAN

1. The DOT’s rationale for the plan is based on anticipated growth in the area. Yet, this same anticipated growth does not lend itself to any consideration of mass transit. If the estimated growth requires an expansion of the roadway and such an expenditure of funds, why does this not require consideration of mass transit?

2. Clearly, this report does not address the consideration of the high speed rail line from Richmond, Virginia to Charlotte North Carolina. Consideration should be given to providing connections to that line as a mass transit alternative.

3. Based upon the 2000 census, the DOT indicates that only 0.2% of Chatham citizens use public transportation as mass transit. This is an interesting observation, since there were no public transportation options available to Chatham citizens in 2000. It is certainly not a valid reason to eliminate any consideration of mass transit in the future. The absence of mass transit considerations appears to us to be a missing component at a critical time of peak oil production and climate change and the need to provide new alternatives to vehicular travel. Furthermore, in 2009, a new bus route with a hybrid/clean air bus has been added along Rte 15/501 and is proving popular with riders as a source of mass transit along that route. Therefore, people will use mass transit if it is available.

4. There are no provisions for park and ride facilities for either mass transit or carpooling.

5. Chatham has many bicycle enthusiasts. While the plan does provide for bicycle lanes, they are not through lanes and there is no direct connection to the American Tobacco Trail from Pittsboro. Furthermore, the proposal calls for bicyclists to make the same U-turns as does vehicular traffic. Not only is this an unsafe condition, but it is also unrealistic. As the DOT acknowledges, bicyclists are not inclined to get off their bicycles and walk across a road. Better planning provisions for connectivity are needed, and as a result this plan is incomplete.

6. US 64 is the only east/west route through Chatham County. In many areas, it serves as a main street within the community. Limited access will cause reliance on interrupted service roads for citizens to conduct their business and access their homes. Already constructed, narrow side roads are also inadequate to handle the rerouted traffic. The conversion of US 64 into a Superstreet with limited access, only serves to create another problem along the periphery of the road. The report does not address this problem.

ENVIRONMENTAL/CULTURAL ANALYSIS - SHORT TERM PLAN

1. As a regional source of drinking water and recreational opportunities, the protection of Jordan Lake has long been a major concern of Chatham citizens. The Department of Water Quality considers the lake as being impaired, and as a result there are newly implemented Jordan Lake Nutrient Rules. We understand that DWQ now considers turbidity to be a problem also. This entire project, both in the short and long terms, is one that will further degrade the lake. While not acknowledged in the report, Jordan Lake is also a source of drinking water not only for Cary but also for Chatham County. Additional pollution increases the costs for treating this water and can pose a safety hazard for Chatham customers because of the additional necessary treatment.

2. In addition to the direct impacts of the project on streams, wetlands, and stream buffers and the increase in impervious surfaces from the project, which the DOT considers to be minimal, there are serious concerns about the construction impacts, including silt and run off, for both Jordan Lake and the Haw River. We do not believe adequate consideration has been given to protection of these valuable resources of Chatham County, nor do we agree that the impacts would be minimal.

3. Inadequate consideration has been given to the New Hope Rural Historical Archaeological District at Big Woods Road. This district was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It consists of two separate parcels of land that contain historic archaeological remains of houses and outbuildings that contain intact deposits related to the occupation of the area prior to its acquisition by the Corps of Engineers. The boundaries of the district contain several distinct archaeological sites. US 64 goes right through the middle of one of these parcels. There is no mention of any measures that are proposed to mitigate any adverse effects on this site. While the report mentions a determination was made under 23 USC 138. 4 (f) that this site is not a protected historic resource, this section refers only to the legal transportation requirements. NC General Statutes 121-12(a) requires consultation with Office of State Archaeology regarding this district because it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the report omits the results of any such consultation. Furthermore, should Federal funding be used for this project, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act would apply and no mention has been made of this requirement.

LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. The citizens of Chatham County have voiced their objection to strip malls as an economic development source and the County has revised certain ordinances to avoid them. Other land use planning is currently being undertaken for the county. The extensive use of service roads contemplated by this report will only encourage strip malls in the short term. Additionally, the project calls for the relocation of established businesses. The loss of such locally owned business will negatively impact the economic development in the county.

2. The county has also expended money, time effort and has had citizen input during the development of a strategic economic development plan for the county. The DOT proposal runs contrary to this plan in the short term and certainly will negate economic development for the long term.

3. A major transportation route along US 64 is not in the best interests of residents living in the affected area. These residents purchased their homes with the expectation that their property values would increase or at the minimum remain the same. An interstate highway, with limited access, running past their homes will decrease property values, as well as raise concerns about noise, air pollution and general quality of life issues.

While this report only addressed a small section of the NCDOT’s plans for changes to US 64, the overall picture cannot be omitted from consideration. The ultimate plan is for the highway to go from US 1 through Cary and Apex, to the Pittsboro by-pass, then into the western part of Chatham, continuing with a by-pass around Siler City, to Rte. 49, and ending in Charlotte. In the past, the DOT has clearly stated that the purpose of this route is to alleviate the congestion on I 40. Such a plan will not draw people into Chatham County. It would, however, enable people to pass through the county without stopping. It would create a north/south divide of this rural county that would hinder the agricultural, industrial, economic, cultural, recreational and residential interests of the people. This is not in the best interests of the citizens of Chatham, nor is it in the best interests of this rural area.

Additionally, the transportation vision contained within the US 64 Corridor Study Report is, in our opinion, archaic. It speaks in terms of yesterday’s concepts, while the rest of the United States is generating new ideas for transportation such as monorail, high-speed trains, articulated, hybrid busses, etc. The outmoded message presented to Chatham County and the State is - more of the same - more and wider highways to accommodate petroleum-based, gas guzzlers without any consideration of future trends. This smacks of a philosophy that says, "We have to do it this way because that’s the way its always been done". It appears that the Department of Transportation has directed its planners to use this old concept of road development to solve the I 40 congestion problems by building more roads and eventually duplicating the congestion problems on US 64. It is the "same old, same old" solution that lacks creativity and ingenuity and eliminates any other possibilities.

In conclusion, we strongly oppose this proposal because we do not consider it to be in the best interests of the county’s citizens, now or in the future. Therefore, we recommend consideration of other options and suggest that any long term plans for transporting people and goods must include forward-thinking mass transit alternatives such as high speed rail and energy efficient busses that reduce dependence on fossil fuels and automobiles, while affording the potential for enhancing economic development within the state.

Respectfully submitted,
Board of Directors,
Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities, Inc.
Loyse Hurley, President

CCEC ALERT: June 18, 2010

NCDOT US 64 CORRIDOR STUDY - Part II

Chatham Needs Players… Barking Dogs and Giant Slayers

Hypothetical Question: What are your chances of winning the State Lottery?

(Hint: There are two possible answers.)

A-1 Slim, IF you play.

A-2 None, if you DON’T play.

Real Question: What is Chatham’s chance of detouring (dissuading) the State Department of Transportation (DOT) in its quest to Super size US 64 through our county?

(Hint: See above.)

The NCDOT’s plan to Super size the primary east –west route through the heart of our county has created a “David vs. Goliath” match up, with the prize being two distinctly different Chathams. To hold on to the sustainable, economically and environmentally sound future we envision for our predominantly rural county, Chatham’s only hope is to confront the giant. You can’t win if you don’t play.

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners (BOC) confronted the giant last year on Phase I of the proposal, and the NCDOT paid little or no attention as evidenced by this Phase II. In order to raise the odds of winning from none to slim, we, the people, must now become players in the game of follow the leaders. We, the people, must be heard loud and clear as we join to raise our collective voice. “The dog that barks the loudest gets the bone.” At this most critical moment in its long history, Chatham County needs players, “barking dogs” and “giant slayers.”

Last week CCEC’s Bulletin alerted you to a NCDOT’s study, now in phase II, and informed you of our concerns regarding its negative impacts on our county. Once completed, it would result in a short term plan to reconfigure US 64 from Cary to Pittsboro. That would lead to a long term plan to create an interstate highway from Raleigh to Charlotte similar to I-40 and I-85. The stated purpose would be to relieve pressure from those routes and to hasten the journeys of the masses of people and their goods the NCDOT projects will inhabit the “US 64 Corridor.”

Last year, CCEC concurred with the BOC’s determination that Phase I was a bad idea. Phase II shows it’s still a bad idea, and we are committed to assembling a team of players (organizations, businesses and individual citizens) to request the NCDOT to hit the brakes. We asked them to extend the public comment period beyond June 30, but were denied. Therefore, we are now asking for a quick response to the NCDOT from our list serve subscribers who agree that the short and long term plans to alter US 64 through Chatham should be abandoned. That’s just a beginning; the first step on a long journey.

This Bulletin will conclude with a summary of the rationale for scuttling the plans, and a sample communication piece. These may be used as talking points for letters to be written by citizens to flood the mail and/or e-mail boxes at NCDOT offices. This needs to be a “flash flood” that makes big enough waves in Raleigh to rock the boat and connect the DOT’s dream to Chatham’s nightmare.

In addition to asking for your fervent pleas to the NCDOT to cease and desist, we must make one other request for assistance. Because this is a major undertaking that promises to be more of a marathon than a sprint, we are in need of human and monetary resources to fuel the effort and stay the course. Please consider volunteering a portion of your time and talents to this cause. We will need people to assist us in delivering flyers, creating signs, informing and involving your friends and neighbors, attending meetings, etc. To offer volunteer services, please contact us at info@chathamcitizens.org and inquire further as to how you may help out. Please also consider donating some of your monetary resources. Even a small amount from each concerned citizen on this list serve has the potential to grow to a significant sum. You can make out a check to CCEC, Inc. and mail it to: CCEC P.O. Box 412 Pittsboro, NC, 27312.

Rationale for Opposing US 64 Corridor Plan
You need to make the decision whether or not you want a new interstate highway to go through rural Chatham County. CCEC does not. Listed below are a select dozen issues that lead us to this conclusion:

The proposal calls for only 5 access points onto US 64 within Chatham County.

1. Limited access to intersections will place a north/south divide in the county.

2. US 64 is an evacuation route for Shearon Harris. Limited access will impede any immediate evacuation.

3. Emergency response times will be increased.

4. Slower emergency response times may increase fire insurance rates.

5. Boaters exiting Jordan Lake will have to turn right, cross two lanes of traffic and make a u-turn to go east. The NCDOT claims that synchronized signal lights will solve any safety problem. Tired drivers hauling boats will create an unsafe condition in the late afternoon, especially when they have a limited space to cross over the traffic. Additionally while signalized lights are good in theory, frequently they do not remain perfectly synchronized as any experienced driver knows. To rely solely on this as a safety measure is unrealistic.

6. There are no considerations of mass transit of any type or any park and ride provisions for car pooling.

7. While the plan does provide for bicycle lanes, these lanes are not thru lanes. Therefore, this will require bicyclists to dismount and walk over to another lane, in some cases crossing US 64 on the way.

8. Environmental damage to Jordan Lake and the Haw River from road construction and impervious surface run off is certain, as is significant damage to streams, stream buffers and wet lands.

9. The NCDOT plans to construct service roads along the route. These service roads will by their nature encourage sprawl strip malls, which are discouraged in our current planning because they are a poor economic development strategy.

10. The plan is inconsistent with the economic development strategic plan.

11. The NCDOT plan will necessitate relocation of some homes and businesses.

12. The plan will result in lower property values for homes in the area as well as air and noise pollution.

Informational Resource
To further add to your knowledge of this critical matter, we suggest the following link to two recent articles in INDY WEEK.COM, written by Rebekah Cowell, a resident of Chatham County. The first one listed is “hot off the presses,” and includes quotes from CCEC’s President, Loyse Hurley: (Note – You may need to hold down CTRL + click to follow the links.)
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/chatham-commissioners-get-extra-time-to-chime-in-on-us-64/Content?oid=1483717

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/us-64-expansion-could-further-pollute-jordan-lake-uproot-chatham-county-businesses/Content?oid=1409872

Sample Letter
Consider this as a starting point to “prime the pump” and help you “kick start” your own letter (email or standard mail) to inform the NCDOT that you are opposed to their short and long term plans for US 64 through Chatham County. Please state clearly the reasons for your opposition, modifying the letter to suit yourself. Comments should be received no later than June 30, 2010.

(Date)

Dan Thomas, P.E.
NCDOT Transportation Planning Branch
1554 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1554
(919) 715-5482 ext. 389
danthomas@ncdot.gov

Greetings from Chatham County:

As an informed and concerned citizen of Chatham County, I am writing to respectfully voice my opposition to the conclusions drawn by the NCDOT in its “US64 CORRIDOR STUDY, WAKE AND CHATHAM COUNTIES, CORRIDOR STUDY REPORT DRAFT, APRIL 2010.”

I begin by sharing my disappointment in the NCDOT’s denial of a request to grant Chatham’s citizens an extension for public comment in order to become better educated regarding the extensive amount of information contained in the study.

Some of my specific concerns are as follows:

In conclusion, I strongly oppose the NCDOT’s plans for US 64 through Chatham County, as I find them to be inconsistent with the County Vision statement and the emerging Land Use and Development planning that seeks to create a sustainable and viable environment and economy in keeping with Chatham’s unique character.

Sincerely,
(Your name and contact information)

Thank you for your time and effort in becoming a player on the team that is forming to help dissuade the NCDOT of its plan for altering US 64 through Chatham County. Inform your neighbors and encourage them to get on board. And, again, please consider donating some time and $$$ to CCEC to further this cause. We’d also appreciate it if you would provide CCEC with a blind copy (BCC) of your letter, or at least inform us if you have sent a letter so we can track citizen responses: info@chathamcitizens.org

CCEC ALERT: June 11, 2010

NCDOT US 64 CORRIDOR STUDY: Chatham says, “Thanks, but NO THANKS!”

BE AWARE! There is a study being conducted by the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) that, if acted upon, could forever change life in Chatham County as we know and appreciate it.

Background

In May of 2009 the Chatham County Board of Commissioners (BOC), drafted a letter of concern to the NCDOT Phase I proposal regarding its short and long term plans to convert highways 64 and 49 between Cary and Charlotte from four and two lane roads traversing primarily rural landscapes to an interstate highway model to relieve pressure on I-40 and I-85.
(The BOC letter and NCDOT response are attached. A link for viewing the study report is available at the end of this bulletin.)

Earlier this week a representative of the NCDOT visited (upon request) a BOC Work Session, with accompanying Power Point presentation and printed Phase II study proposal. CCEC representatives were also in attendance. Only very minor changes were made in the Chatham section of the report. At the end of the presentation, the BOC requested an extension for comment on the US 64 Corridor Study project to allow for adequate time for Chatham governmental boards to respond. CCEC has also requested an extension to 9/1/2010 for public comment.

Building Citizen Awareness and Response

This is the first in a series of CCEC Bulletins intended to introduce this critical issue to the public, increase citizen awareness and understanding, provide a link to an online informational document, and seek involvement in a coordinated effort to oppose the current short and long term study proposals.

We plan to issue other Bulletins that will provide talking points to address specific problems that we believe will negatively affect Chatham’s future if this plan is enacted (for example, the further degradation of Jordan Lake and the Haw River, the loss of revenue for displaced businesses, impact on residences in the area and delayed response times for emergency responders to name just a few).

Thanks, but NO THANKS to a Bad Idea

“We respectfully submit that the US 64/NC 49 plan be promptly abandoned as a bad idea for the reasons stated above.” This concluding sentence from the May 2009 BOC letter clearly conveys the Commissioners’ opinion of the NCDOT plan as a “bad idea” and states their request for prompt abandonment of the project. Needless to say (but we’ll say it anyway), the NCDOT respectfully disagrees and has no intention of scuttling its extensive (and expensive) study or its short and long term plans. Given this divergence of opinion and the degree of resolve on the part of the NCDOT to push ahead, it is apparent that Chatham is at a critical point

To our east in Wake County, that critical point was reached some time ago, and led to the formation of an Apex/Cary citizen action group (SAVE 64) to address the study/plan as it relates to their communities. Now, at this critical moment in Chatham’s history, CCEC is seeking to lead the way in collaborating with other Chatham (and Wake) county citizen groups, county governmental authorities, affected businesses and homeowners’ associations and private citizens to respond assertively to the NCDOT’s short and long term plans for US 64. In support of the BOC’s desire for the NCDOT to abandon its study and project, we are taking the initial steps in what will likely become a marathon journey.

While we can appreciate and respect the NCDOT’s intentions to serve the masses, we respectfully disagree with the project and challenge the plans that we believe run amuck of Chatham’s own Vision and ongoing planning for a sustainable, safe and sound environmental, economic and recreational future. For this reason, we seek to inform, educate and motivate citizens regarding the short term US 64 Corridor Study and its intended long range outcomes as they impact the lives and resources of Chatham and it residents and visitors

Informational Resources (for any who care to explore)

“Do We Have a Deal For You” – A light hearted satirical monologue to break the ice on this critical issue. Please open attachment in this email.

Chatham BOC Letter to NCDOT: May 2009 and NCDOT response
Please open attachment in this email.

NCDOT web site US 64 Corridor Planning
CRTL+click:http://www.ncdot.org/doh/PRECONSTRUCT/tpb/shc/studies/us64/solutions/

Stay Tuned…

Our next Bulletin will update you on the NCDOT’s response to our extension request and begin to take a closer look at the “potholes” in the plan to super size 64. We’ll be asking for you to join the crusade and will provide directions for the first steps along the journey.

CCEC ALERT: Broadband Blues – Part II

Earlier this month we posted a bulletin titled: Chatham County and the Broad Band Blues. (See below)

This ALERT is the second verse; and it goes something like this:

We need your immediate response on this 11^th hour appeal! Tomorrow (May 27) around 1:00 p.m. the NC Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on a bill that would hinder local governments from providing citizens with strong broadband communications services. With the confusing title: "No Nonvoted Local Debt For Competing System” (bill S.1209) you’d be hard pressed to figure out that the bottom line is that this bill would kill local efforts to connect more people across the state. The bill would ban municipal broadband networks that bring fast, affordable Internet services to North Carolina communities that need them the most. If you’d like to try to digest the information for yourself, follow this link: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1209v0.pdf

Corporate monopoly providers of internet access (think Time Warner Cable and AT&T) like this bill and are pushing with full force for its passage. Chatham County and Pittsboro governments vehemently disagree and have told legislators why this bill deters economic development, prevents educational opportunities and inhibits our agricultural community from communication and marketing their products. The Senate Finance Committee is getting an ear full right now from corporate lobbyists. CCEC asks that you add your voice, and tell Senators this is a bad bill for citizens. Once again, the citizens need to speak out and be heard.

Here’s a sample email communication to get you started. Add your personal thoughts as you wish, and then cut and paste the text along with the email and send it off pronto.

(subject line: VOTE NO ON SB 1209)

Dear members of the NC State Senate Finance Committee:

I respectfully request that you vote "no" to SB 1209 or any future bill that may resemble it.

For the sake of the citizen consumer and the municipal and/or county government that serves them, NC should not limit our present and future internet access options by endorsing legislation that restricts competition and will rule out the ability of county and municipal governments to meet the needs of the public and local business community. Please work with your municipal and county leaders to provide as many options as possible to serve North Carolina with a strong world class broadband network.

Thank you for considering the good of the public and local government in this critical matter.

Sincerely,

(your name and address)

(To: cut and paste into address line)

Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net , Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net , Larry.Shaw@ncleg.net , RC.Soles@ncleg.net , Tony.Foriest@ncleg.net , Margaret.Dickson@ncleg.net , Charlie.Albertson@ncleg.net , Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net , Don.Vaughan@ncleg.net , Charlie.Dannelly@ncleg.net , Steve.Goss@ncleg.net , Jean.Preston@ncleg.net

Even better, give a personal call. Tell them you live in Chatham County where we desperately need all the help we can get to enable us to get on the internet super highway and stop singing the Broadband Blues.

Name	Phone	E-mail
Sen. Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. (Senate majority leader)	(919) 715-3001	Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net
Sen. Daniel Gray Clodfelter (chair)	(919) 715-8331	Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net
Sen. Larry Shaw (co-chair)	(919) 733-9349	Larry.Shaw@ncleg.net
Sen. R.C. Soles, Jr.	(919) 733-5963	RC.Soles@ncleg.net
Sen. Anthony E. Foriest	(919) 301-1446	Tony.Foriest@ncleg.net
Sen. Margaret H. Dickson	(919) 733-5776	Margaret.Dickson@ncleg.net
Sen. Charles W. Albertson	(919) 733-5705	Charlie.Albertson@ncleg.net
Sen. Linda Garrou	(919) 733-5620	Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net
Sen. Don Vaughan	(919) 733-5856	Don.Vaughan@ncleg.net
Sen. Charlie Smith Dannelly	(919) 733-5955	Charlie.Dannelly@ncleg.net
Sen. Steve Goss	(919) 733-5742	Steve.Goss@ncleg.net
Sen. Jean R. Preston	(919) 733-5706	Jean.Preston@ncleg.net

Chatham County and the “Broadband Blues”

No, its not a new blues group that you’ll hear playing this week at the General Store Café in Pittsboro, or even next Friday at Bynum’s Front Porch Music series. Chatham County’s broadband blues is anything but entertaining for rural citizens caught in the slow lane on the internet’s back roads in one of the state’s largest geographic rural counties.

While much of America zips along the internet highway at warp speed, too many of Chatham’s rural neighbors limp along to the non-melodious tones of dial-up modems laboriously trying to connect to an information laden world barely within their reach. The fact is that in this county most citizens do not live within municipalities, a fact that often sentences them to “slower than molasses in January” internet connectivity.

For most of my residency in Chatham I was relegated to that legion of limp-a-longers. Moving into Pittsboro three years ago gave me a reprieve from my sentence, as my new digs came with a magical cable connection and I became a (beep-beep) “Road Runner” padding the corporate pocket of my broadband internet provider that gladly feeds my information age addictions. I now take zippy internet for granted as I write this bulletin and zap it off to you in the blink of an eye. So do you IF you can down load it in a heartbeat.

But, what of the fate of our limp-along internet tortoise neighbors? Are they doomed forever to the frustration and penalty of eating our dust on the information highway? Is there no way of leveling the playing field and getting them into the game? Enter the e-NC Authority. Created by the N.C. General Assembly, the e-NC Authority is dedicated to obtaining broadband for all citizens, which would increase prosperity for North Carolina citizens and businesses by creating jobs through technology-based economic development, provide for better connections for health care providers, provide better communication for our farmers and improve educational access for our children - all of which requires a broadband Internet platform for success. That’s a good thing… a very good thing!

Right now you can widen the road and narrow the gap by participating in an online survey conducted by e-NC Authority that gathers input directly from citizens and businesses about their use of Internet services. Please visit the e-NC Authority Web site at www.e-nc.org and see the survey notice at the bottom of the home page. If you represent a business, nonprofit organization, or government office, click that survey link. If you represent an individual household, click that survey link. For more information, you may contact the e-NC Authority at (919) 250-4314 or info@e-nc.org. Additional details about the survey can be found in its press release. The survey must be completed by May 19.

I’ve just completed it on behalf of CCEC in under15 minutes. That’s less time that it took to create this invitation seeking your participation to help some needy neighbors stop singing the “Broadband Blues.”