Council member Gene Pease wants the Chapel Hill Town Council to get tough when it comes to improving the Rogers Road neighborhood.
Pease said at the end of the council meeting Monday that he wanted two "tough sons of bitches" on the task force that will work on a plan to bring sewer lines and a community center to the Rogers Road neighborhood, near the county landfill.
Appointing two council members to the Historic Rogers Road Task Force was the last item of business on the council's agenda Monday. Four council members were vying for two spots on the group.
Pease was not one of them, but said he wanted to make sure the people the council appointed would make sure the county doesn't make big financial decisions without input from Chapel Hill.
"Well, I want two tough sons of bitches on it," Pease said
Council member Penny Rich, Donna Bell, Jim Ward and Lee Storrow all wanted to serve. After several votes, the council appointed Rich and Ward.
After the votes, Mayor Pro Tem Ed Harrison also noted that he too was voting for two "tough sons of bitches" to join the group.
Pease said after the meet Tuesday that he wants the Chapel Hill delegates to make sure the county can't make big decisions like closing the landfill without consulting the town.
"I want two tough council members representing Chapel Hill," he said. "I don't want Orange County commissioners making decisions, financial decisions, without talking to us."
Several council members objected to the way and timing of the county's decision to close the landfill without an solidified alternative, Pease said. Commissioners voted last week to close it June 30, 2013. Chapel Hill is working with a consultant to study what it can do with its waste and find efficiencies in collection and disposal.
"That decision without a good alternative and allowing us enough time to make plans is going to cost Chapel Hill tax payers at least a half million dollars a year," he said.
Rich and Ward will serve on the board with Commissioners Valerie Foushee and Pam Hemminger and RENA representatives David Caldwell and Rev. Robert Campbell. The group will present a report on mitigation efforts to the county commissioners in December.
Katelyn Ferral covers Orange County for The News & Observer and The Chapel Hill News.
Comments
"I don't want Orange
Sun, 03/04/2012 - 09:06 — damnation"I don't want Orange County commissioners making decisions, financial decisions, without talking to us."
I did not see anyone representing Chapel Hill at the BoCC meeting to shut down the Dump. I see see many very happy members of RENA.
The common refrain from the BoCC on issues like this is "have we heard back from CH?"
The reply is most often "We have not" Seems one or all need to lean back on the tin cans and tighten the string so communication does not get lost in the sagging line between the two.
cw