News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 
(December 13, 2023) 

Here's what's new in Carrboro:   See how the third grade classes of Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe Elementary School celebrated Braxton Foushee Day of Service. Check out the Holiday Collection Schedule from Public Works. It was amazing to see so many of you enjoying holiday events this past week! Save the date for Libba Cotten Day and the MLK Jr. Day Event in January.

The Inaugural Braxton Foushee Day of Service

Today (Wednesday, Dec. 13) is the inaugural Braxton Dunkin Foushee Day of Service!

Third graders from Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe Elementary School helped Mr. Foushee celebrate the day (which is also his birthday) after their tour of Town Hall and the Fire Station. Yes, there were cupcakes! 

During their time at Town Hall, Mayor Barbara Foushee led a mock meeting of the Town Council in which students took seats at the dais while others participated as engaged residents. Many expressed a range of opinions during the meeting’s public comment portion!

Mr. Foushee shared his views about the value of public education, and also encouraged the students to become involved citizens and feel confident in expressing their voices and concerns.

Braxton Foushee has dedicated over 54 years of his life to continuous service as an elected official, a member of a town advisory board and a community leader. He became the first Black member of the Carrboro Town Council in 1969, serving until 1981.

Mayor Barbara Foushee, who is married to Braxton Foushee, was sworn-in earlier this month. She is the first Black woman mayor for the town and only the second Black person to serve in the position. 

Read more about Mr. Foushee’s commitment to public service and hope for more focus to be paid to at-risk youth, their education, and life skills development.

Thanks to the teachers on this field trip -- Josh White, Mario Torres Alvarado, Patricia Rodriguez and Angel Prince -- and the chaperones! 

December Holiday Service Schedule

The Town of Carrboro will observe the holidays Dec. 22-26 and Jan. 2.

Town Hall and other administrative offices will be closed. 

Residential trash will be collected one day prior to your regular collection day for the week of Dec. 18-22.

• If your regular collection day is Wednesday - Your trash will be collected on Tuesday, Dec. 19.
• If your regular collection day is Thursday - Your trash will be collected on Wednesday, Dec. 20.
• If your regular collection day is Friday - Your trash will be collected on Thursday, Dec. 21.

Yard waste will not be collected the week of Dec. 25.

Recycling pick-up will be delayed by one day for the week of Dec. 25-29 and Jan. 1. Learn more at https://www.orangecountync.gov/1741/SWM-2018-Holiday-Schedule

Kids, Cookies & Candy Canes is Thursday

Join our holiday celebration for children of all ages! Bring the family to the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St, Carrboro, NC on Thursday, Dec. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to noon and enjoy some holiday fun!  Join us for cookies, crafts, and a children's show.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Holiday Pararde

Thanks to our beautiful community, all the participants, and the weather!! 

Parade Participants 

• Town of Chapel Hill Police Department
• Town of Carrboro Police Department
• Orange County Sheriff’s Office
• Town of Chapel Hill & Town of Carrboro Elected Officials
• Town of Carrboro Fire Department
• SORS
• Chapel Hill – Carrboro Cycling Community
• Towns on Tour
• District 18 District Attorney’s Office
• Smith Middle School Band
• B3 Coffee
• YMCA Y Guides
• Orange County Girl Scouts
• Carrboro High School Cheer
• El Centro Hispano
• Chinese School at Chapel Hill
• Highlanders Rugby Club
• McDougle Middle School Band
• McDougle Middle School Cheer
• DTC Podcast
• Habitat for Humanity
• Carrboro Elementary Players
• Club Nova Community Inc.
• Culbreth Middle School Cheer
• St. Thomas More Catholic School
• Chapel Hill High School Band
• NCFC Youth Soccer
• Center Theater Company
• University United Methodist Church
• Chinese Folk Dance Club
• Boy Scouts, Pack 39
• Carrboro High School Theatre
• University of North Carolina School of Nursing
• Joyride Equestrian
• Sunrise Community Farm Center
• VCA Legion Road Animal Hospital
• Town of Chapel Hill Public Library
• Town of Chapel Hill Transit
• Town of Chapel Hill Fire Department

The Carrboro Holiday Tree is lit!

Save the Date: Carrboro Event Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Join us on Jan. 13, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. in Century Hall located at the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St. Carrboro, NC 27510 to hear from speakers and friends of the community.

This youth-led event strives to bring the community together to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Important Information:

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

Carrboro's New Mayor and Council Members sworn into office

In a historic meeting at Town Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, Barbara Foushee was sworn in as the first Black woman mayor. 

Mayor  Barbara Foushee took the oath of office with U.S. Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, and stood beside her husband, Braxton Foushee, who was the first Black member of the Carrboro Town Council elected in 1969.

Town Hall was packed with the overflow viewing room and hallways filled to capacity as members of the public who were not in the Council Chamber watched on remote screens or their cell phones.  Also taking their oaths of office were Council Members Catherine Fray, who was sworn into office by former Mayor Lydia Lavelle; Eliazar Posada, who was sworn in by District Court Judge Joal Broun, and Jason Merrill, who was sworn in by Interim Town Clerk Wendy Welch. 

“The magnitude of this moment is not lost on me, as I am the first Black woman to serve this community and the second Black person to hold this office,” Mayor Foushee said. 

The late Robert Drakeford served as mayor from 1977 to 1983 after serving as alderman for the Town of Carrboro.

“My service to this community in any capacity has never been about me," Mayor Foushee said. "Bringing others along and having more voices at the table have always been at the center of my service.” 

Also notable for firsts among elected officials in North Carolina -- Eliazar Posada is the first openly gay Latino to serve, and Catherine Fray is the first nonbinary person to be elected to public office.

Meeting Recap 

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

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

The Council held an organizational meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 5, and took the following actions on the agenda posted to the Town of Carrboro website.

• Held oaths of offices for Mayor Barbara Foushee, Council Member Eliazar Posada, Council Member Catherine Fray and Council Member Jason Merrill. 
• Received resolutions of appreciation for outgoing Mayor Damon Seils, Council Member Susan Romaine and Council Member Sammy Slade. 
• Approved the Abstract of Votes Cast at the November 7, 2023 election.
• Adopted the 2024 Meeting Calendar.
• Made committee assignments for 2024.
• Called a Special Election for November 2024 to fill the Council member seat vacant by the election of Mayor Barbara Foushee.

Watch the meeting on the Town of Carrboro YouTube. 

Coming Up

The Carrboro Town Council meetings will be posted for 2024 with agendas available. 

The Town Council meets at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream YouTube.com/CarrboroNC  OR at https://carrboro.legistar.com/ OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro). 

Town Council

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

For More Information

For more information or photos, contact Communication and Engagement Director Catherine Lazorko at communications@carrboronc.gov   Photos on this page are available for downloading. Please credit Town of Carrboro, NC/Jonathan Drake. 

Save the Date – Libba Cotten Day in Carrboro 

Legendary North Carolina musician Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten will be celebrated by her hometown on her birthday anniversary. Friday, Jan. 5, is “Libba Cotten Day” in Carrboro. 

A special reading at the NC Historical Marker on E. Main Street will occur at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 5. The Libba Cotten Bikeway will be decorated in her honor, and there will be a community bike ride. 

Details will be posted out soon! 

About Elizabeth Cotten -- Born on Jan. 5, 1893, Cotten wrote her signature song “Freight Train” about the train she could hear from her childhood home on Lloyd Street in Carrboro, North Carolina. Cotten's talents as guitarist and songwriter came to light while she was working in the home of the Seeger family, who encouraged her career as a professional musician. Cotten toured across the country, recording several albums and winning a Grammy Award and a National Heritage Fellowship before her death in 1987.

Triangle’s Transportation Agencies Seek Public Feedback on Goals for Region’s Future Transportation System

If you’re interested in future highway, bicycle, rail, pedestrian, and transit projects for our region over the long-term, now’s your chance to give feedback on the goals and objectives that will guide the planning process. 

The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) are working on Destination 2055, an update to the Triangle Region's long-range transportation plan, the 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). Destination 2055 will identify future highway, transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation projects for the region over the next 30 years. As the planning process gets underway, it is important for local leaders to understand public perspectives related to the transportation policy goals that will guide future investments. 

Learn more about how to participate.

Public parking available around downtown Carrboro

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

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

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

Leaf Collection Information

Have you noticed leaf piles around town? It’s certainly that time of year. The Town of Carrboro would like to remind everyone that leaves should not be piled into traffic lanes, bike lanes or sidewalks, as they become a dangerous public safety hazard.

Residents should also check collection schedules for yard waste and leaves, so that piles do not remain at the curb longer than necessary. 

Typically, residents receive yard waste and loose-leaf collection twice per month, either on the first and third Mondays of the month or the second and fourth Mondays of the month. It’s important to note that although the collection day is Monday, depending on the volume of material placed at the curb, the routes may take more than one day to complete.  There is no collection on the fifth Monday of the month.

 Check your solid waste collection schedule and note the holiday schedule.

Requirements for Leaf Pickup

•  Residents must pile their leaves behind the curb.
• Don’t put leaves in the street or block sidewalks, bike lanes or storm drains.
• Optional use of a roll-out cart which is collected with an automated side loader refuse truck. 
• No plastic or paper bags are allowed.
• Keep the gutter clear. Allow at least 1 foot between the curb and the leaves.
• Loose leaves waste must be free of all debris.  No dirt, sod, rock, or concrete. 
• Separate loose leaves and brush. Piles that contain limbs, brush or other yard waste will not be picked up.
• Place your leaf piles away from trees that have overhanging branches less than 14 feet from the ground, or lower branches that protrude into the lane of travel. These branches pose hazards to our equipment.
• Park vehicles at least 10 feet away from piles.
• Do not place leaves in lanes of travel (bike lanes/travel lanes).
• Help keep your neighborhood safe for people walking, biking, and driving by placing your trash, recycling and yard waste carts where they don't block the sidewalk, bike lane, or traffic flow.

Facts

• Loose leaves are picked up at no extra charge to our residents. 
• This program helps to keep gutters and storm drainage grates clean and working properly through the winter.
• Carrboro’s Loose Leaf Collection Program is year-round. 
• Often, when residents see our machinery approaching, they will come out and move their parked vehicles so we can access their leaf piles more easily. The crews appreciate this, as it makes the process go more smoothly.
• The Town recycles leaves as compost. Diverting these natural materials from the solid waste stream helps extend the usable landfill space and keeps methane-producing materials out of the landfill. FREE leaf compost is available to Carrboro residents. 
• With appreciation and recognition to the New Hope Audubon Society, the Town is encouraging residents to follow the "Leave the Leaves" initiative. Leaving leaves where they fall, or close thereby, saves time and money and recycles nutrients into the local ecosystem. 

More information about Loose Leaf Collection.

Contact Carrboro Public Works at (919) 918-7425 or PWorks@carrboronc.gov  

Leave the Leaves

Did you know that leaves are natural fertilizers and help protect wildlife? Nature’s bounty provides an opportunity to put fallen leaves to good use.

The Town of Carrboro is partnering with the New Hope Audubon Society, Town of Chapel Hill, and Keep Durham Beautiful to encourage community members to Leave the Leaves, support biodiversity, improve water quality, and reduce pollution.

Leaving Your Leaves has several important benefits:

• Wildlife Habitat: Leaves provide winter habitat for native wildlife that are essential to a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity. Insects and pollinators such as bees and butterflies depend on leaves for shelter which in turn will boost gardens in the spring. Leaves also serve as a habitat for other wildlife such as lizards and birds. 
• Soil Health: Leaves prevent soil erosion, retain moisture, act as a natural mulch by providing ground cover, and improve soil fertility by adding essential nutrients as they decompose. 
• Less Pollution: Blowing and moving leaves often involves fossil fuel-powered equipment which produces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Leaving the leaves reduces this environmental impact and the noise associated with this equipment.
• Water Quality: Leaves are natural fertilizers and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers that pollute waterways and kill beneficial fungi. 
• Time Savings: Spend your days relaxing, hiking, or visiting with friends and family instead of cleaning up loose leaves.

Overall, not raking leaves is a simple way to support the environment and local biodiversity while also making yard maintenance easier and more sustainable.

Pledge to Leave Your Leaves and receive a free yard sign! 

Free yard signs are available to Carrboro and Chapel Hill participants while supplies last. Yard signs measure 18 x 24 inches, are made of sturdy, weather-resistant materials, and are printed with low-VOC vegetable-based inks. There is a limit of one yard sign per household per year. 

Put your ideas into action! 
Apply to serve the Town of Carrboro

The Town of Carrboro is seeking volunteers to provide a fresh perspective on important local issues.

Carrboro local government has various advisory boards and commissions that advise the Town Council on a wide range of issues. We are currently looking to fill vacancies!

When you serve, you become an advocate for the Town of Carrboro, provide feedback to the Council, and help strengthen the community with your unique perspective. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people as you put your ideas into action.

Learn more about the openings available.